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Three 4G Discussion Thread (Part 2)


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Old 13-07-2015, 22:48
Stereo Steve
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VOD EDGE / GPRS has never worked on the Totnes mast despite good signal and despite many furious posts on the forum they just keep saying it's a fault that will be fixed. I think the fault might be the bit of fishing wire with a coke can at each end that they are using for backhaul.

Back on 3, I finally put a fiver on the PAYG SIM I've had for a while to try out and was pretty pleasantly surprised by In Touch. Seems to work seamlessly on my cheapo Android phone. What are the problems with it?
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Old 13-07-2015, 23:12
d123
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VOD EDGE / GPRS has never worked on the Totnes mast despite good signal and despite many furious posts on the forum they just keep saying it's a fault that will be fixed. I think the fault might be the bit of fishing wire with a coke can at each end that they are using for backhaul.

Back on 3, I finally put a fiver on the PAYG SIM I've had for a while to try out and was pretty pleasantly surprised by In Touch. Seems to work seamlessly on my cheapo Android phone. What are the problems with it?
It used to freeze and then just close (in the background) every now and then and calls and texts wouldn't work even though you thought the app was running (though this is 2-3 months ago, they have likely upgraded it by now) and you lose all control over notifications, it's the In Touch notifications or nothing.
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Old 14-07-2015, 00:41
jonmorris
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This is correct.

I've had access to it though
I need to follow up with Three as I was going to be a 'friendly triallist' and have since forgotten to chase them up about it.

Not that I'm that bothered about testing it, as hopefully they're still on track for a September launch (and that launch = public launch, not a trial!).
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Old 14-07-2015, 08:36
mastanlem
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I need to follow up with Three as I was going to be a 'friendly triallist' and have since forgotten to chase them up about it.

Not that I'm that bothered about testing it, as hopefully they're still on track for a September launch (and that launch = public launch, not a trial!).
Hi,

Will the September launch be phased in or will every area get it at the same time.
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Old 14-07-2015, 08:53
corf
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Three seem to have turned off a significant chunk of their 2g orange fall back in Mid Wales, its still present over the beacons but alot of the towns covered by 3g seem to have had their 2g fall back removed.

It only now when I see so much more no service inside buildings that i realise how much I used to switch to it.

I was waiting for the letter from three but I may need to jump early.
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Old 14-07-2015, 08:55
jonmorris
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Three hasn't given that level of detail yet. I'd assume the plan is a switch on of everything but just remember how the 4G launch went!

September is the intended launch but wasn't set in stone. If there are problems during testing, it could slip.
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Old 14-07-2015, 09:04
jaffboy151
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Intouch is a good idea and has its uses but I try and avoid using it if at all possible, terrible call quality is one, end up sounding like a darlek a lot of the time, and for some reason it's really struggles if the other person is in a car on a hands free system or in a poor signal area, it just scrambles there voice. This is worse hen battling with the one bar of indoor signal I have. The main problems for me though like others have said is its integration with the phone systems, separate text message lists, calls and notifications. Plus randomly disconnecting it's self (going orange or blue for no known reason) without your knowledge.
no, Intouch is great for occasional use like when down the pub or round a mates house. But as a regular use alternative it falls short at the moment.. Better then nothing though.
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Old 14-07-2015, 09:59
jonmorris
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I rarely use inTouch. It struggles on my home ADSL, which has a reasonable ping time and about 6Mbps, so if I do use it - I usually get warning tones and the dalek break up, which is really frustrating as it won't recover unless I drop the call.

I've even had warning beeps when using inTouch with a MiFi on EE, with a connection in excess of 50Mbps. What's that all about?!
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Old 14-07-2015, 10:10
Stereo Steve
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I see what you mean. My DSL went down overnight and although a reboot of the router sorted it, the phone was still showing a blue dot. Had to turn wifi off and on again and then it went green. Hardly ideal. The 2 calls I made yesterday seemed fine though. Oh well.
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Old 14-07-2015, 10:18
lightspeed2398
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Three hasn't given that level of detail yet. I'd assume the plan is a switch on of everything but just remember how the 4G launch went!

September is the intended launch but wasn't set in stone. If there are problems during testing, it could slip.
I seem to recall in December '13 they activated 4g for a small number of people in London didn't they as a kind of soak test. Perhaps they'll do the same this time.
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Old 14-07-2015, 11:17
jonmorris
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The plan (as we were told) is a September launch for ALL. The testing is going on now and shortly there will be friendly trials, using members of the public who will need to get their account set up to allow access.

Considering that for VoLTE you'll either need an iPhone with the relevant carrier update, or another phone with the right firmware, it's not actually going to be that easy to just launch it and let everyone use it though. And when you then think of all those people who bought an Honor 6 Plus and will discover they can't use 800MHz at all, I think there could be some fun and games ahead.

I think it's fair to say that a lot of London now has 800MHz ready to go, but I don't know how far it will spread outside of London and other cities, or indeed how many cities will have it from day one.

Given the slow down of 1800MHz activations this year, I have to assume Three has been doing a LOT of 800 rollout - or else what HAS it been doing?
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Old 14-07-2015, 11:37
lightspeed2398
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How does one get on these friendly trials then? A ring to the right network team or will there be a public beta sign on page?

I suspect that if they're running 800Mhz on full power upgrading all their current 1800MHz masts will provide an absolutely massive boost to the coverage considering the 1800 is limited by cell breathing.

But why didn't they get them ready when they were doing 1800MHz? Have they changed their plans that quickly?
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Old 14-07-2015, 11:40
Mike_1101
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This is interesting, there is a disused EE base station in this area (I know it is disused as there is a sticker on one of the cabinets to confirm the power was disconnected). On the metal pole carrying the aerials, there is joint planning application by EE and H3G for a replacement installation, the application was put in a year ago but nothing has happened since.

Does this mean 3 and EE no longer co-operate?

As for the 3 4G service, I can use it upstairs but downstairs only 3G works.
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Old 14-07-2015, 11:57
Denco1
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Will the trial require a VoLTE handset or just anyone with a 800MHz phone?

I've spotted quite a bit of Three 800MHz in Manchester by doing a network scan locked to band 20, it is always under Vodafone and O2 so perhaps not many sites are turned on.
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Old 14-07-2015, 12:22
jabbamk1
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Will the trial require a VoLTE handset or just anyone with a 800MHz phone?

I've spotted quite a bit of Three 800MHz in Manchester by doing a network scan locked to band 20, it is always under Vodafone and O2 so perhaps not many sites are turned on.
You need to have a compatible phone, if you're a three employee on the first trial then you get given a compatible phone if you don't have one.

Trials are set to go ahead soon. It's a selected participent trial. You can't just ring up and get on.
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Old 14-07-2015, 12:27
mupet0000
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I guess you need to be in the business to get selected for a trial like that. Hopefully everything goes well and it rolls out quickly.

I've been following the progress of the 4G rollout in my area over the last year, if anyone is interested in taking a look: http://imgur.com/a/TYuTC

I'd be interested in seeing any other areas coverage over time if anyone has been following their own areas.
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Old 14-07-2015, 12:53
jonmorris
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There's been a clear and obvious slow down. I have to hope that this is all to try and make sure that when 800 goes on, people are going to go 'wow' rather than 'meh'.

I have spotted one new bit of 4G coverage near me, which is perhaps the first and only new area I've found locally all year! I am not sure it covers that large an area either, and with large gaps on each side, anyone driving will drop to 3G at some point and stay there if streaming anyway.
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Old 14-07-2015, 12:57
lightspeed2398
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Haven't seen much new in the North West. They've got most town centres covered so I expect they think it's done for a while now and fill the rest in with 800. Other networks still expanding. EE don't need to do much. Voda and o2 are still expanding.

How are they doing the VoLTE trials is it a new SIM card? Or have they put 800 higher than 3g in the priority and then restricted it to VoLTE provisioned accounts/phones only?
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Old 14-07-2015, 12:58
FmBandScan
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I guess you need to be in the business to get selected for a trial like that. Hopefully everything goes well and it rolls out quickly.

I've been following the progress of the 4G rollout in my area over the last year, if anyone is interested in taking a look: http://imgur.com/a/TYuTC

I'd be interested in seeing any other areas coverage over time if anyone has been following their own areas.
That's actually really cool and interesting! It's a shame to see how slow their rollout is, but it's the same in my town, we've had 2 masts turned on since 4g came a year ago!
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Old 14-07-2015, 13:35
jonmorris
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I think we've had just two as well, and I'm near the edge. 800MHz could really make all the difference.
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Old 14-07-2015, 13:43
Denco1
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You need to have a compatible phone, if you're a three employee on the first trial then you get given a compatible phone if you don't have one.

Trials are set to go ahead soon. It's a selected participent trial. You can't just ring up and get on.
I see, I wasn't really expecting to get onto the trial I imagined it would be more like the original 4G trial rather than Three in touch.
I hope the compatible phone isn't needed once launched, they haven't changed there minds and announced it will be for VoLTE handsets only have they?
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Old 14-07-2015, 13:43
jabbamk1
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How are they doing the VoLTE trials is it a new SIM card? Or have they put 800 higher than 3g in the priority and then restricted it to VoLTE provisioned accounts/phones only?
New SIM and account provisioning
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Old 14-07-2015, 15:41
tarzion
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As per Three coverage checker the indoor and outdoor coverage in my area has improved and I should be getting very good coverage.

The last time I checked it was worse that what it was a few months ago.
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Old 16-07-2015, 19:28
Denco1
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I see quite a few masts in Manchester have had old street monopoles swapped with the ones that have a base at the bottom and Three 4G cabinets have arrived, is this for 1800MHz or 800MHz, I have a feeling the latter?
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Old 16-07-2015, 23:05
jaffboy151
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If I recall there's 2 masts listed for upgrade by three/EE in the town where I work, Telford, both presently have EE 4g on them, new or additional cabinets all round, 1 shows 800mhz Three 4g the other does not, only 1800mhz so not sure why they need to replace both masts, in fact the one which only shows plans for 1800mhz three 4g had the top section of the mast changed last year when EE added there 4g.
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