Let's face it. It wasn't going to work properly the way Three planned. Even I said that before it launched. Their DCR is way too high, along with no 2G CSFB it was a recipe for disaster.

Not saying it's 100% bad but at least the other networks are waiting. EE want their DCR to be 0.1% before they launch VoLTE. That means a call success rate of 99.9%. That's pretty damn awesome.

My issue with 800MHz is that the coverage maps seem to be rather overstated. Apparently all my nearests towns are covered - they aren't.

Could you explain how you think they could have done it in a way that every customer with a 4G capable phone could do that?

The network that carries 45% of the UK's mobile data cannot afford to swamp the 800 band all of a sudden this early in the rollout, with so few cell sites running 800 as of yet, especially as voice is incredibly latency intolerant.

It is as simple as that, there isn't a way except delaying like EE are doing, but Three are just doing a phased rollout device by device, rather than what EE are doing which is not letting anyone use it until it's fully rolled out.

I have!

Could you explain how they are going to do that and then Three merely had to do whatever you say before launching and advertising the service.

I mean do you think that (just taking one for examples sake) launching and now waiting and waiting and waiting for an iphone* update was the wonderful and correct way to do it and then not even say when it will be before not doing it then either?

*Substitute any other phone that they haven't yet released an update for.

I don't understand anyone who just can't get the stupidity in launching a service that next to no one can get. You don't start a new flight service and then start wondering where you are getting the planes from to run the service. You make sure everything is ready to go at the launch.

Except people are benefiting from it today. If you have a supported phone and you're out of 3G coverage or indoors where you previously didn't get coverage, you get VoLTE and data. This complements the 1800Mhz which is open to all and continues to be deployed with updates every month.

They are in a phased rollout, they say coming to these places and these devices. It is a 12 month plan, what part of that don't you understand? What part of "you can't magic 16,000 cell site upgrades in 6 weeks" don't you understand?

Then you wait until you can run the service. It's utter stupidity to not have what you need and then start a service to only a few.

The airport analogy of that is starting up a service from here to New York and only having the fuel to get you mid-Atlantic. And then make excuses that people shouldn't expect to get all the way there and how are you expected to with only half the fuel you need. Seriously who fault would it be? Certainly not the customers.

So you'd go around upgrading all the coverage for 800 and not turn any of it on so that people can get the benefits as it rolls out. You'd make everyone wait until next year would you?

Glad you're not running the network as many here are benefiting from it already.

The "service" is calls texts and data, not any specific mechanism or spec, so the "service" already has 98% population calls and data. They are just doing rolling upgrades of the technology of how the service is delivered.

Seriously are you just cutting and pasting stuff from Three UK's PR dept?
You've just posted a walking advert for 'I love Three UK' and can't be taken seriously.

No, but I'm not a nerd that sits and moans about service on 1 specific frequency band. The average member of the public couldn't tell you what it means.

As mentioned above they have LTE, they are extending rural voice coverage by rolling this out. They never said the service is fully live, they said they are rolling it out throughout the next year. I think you are the one who has somehow misunderstood.

The "service" is calls texts and data, not any specific mechanism or spec, so the "service" already has 98% population calls and data. They are just doing rolling upgrades of the technology of how the service is delivered.

If you're not happy with how it's rolled out, go to another network who'll offer VoLTE.

What are you on about? My town has super-pumped 800mhz as advertised to me on the coverage page, so no waiting for me!

Oh wait! Yes there is a wait as I don't have the right phone. So what your analogy with having to wait for them super-pump an area is I don't know. I have it yet can't use it. I now have to wait for an update that should have been ready before starting any service to anyone so that when a town is super-pumped people can use it just like any other service.

PS is Brian the dog Wavejock does anyone know? The Three PR Dept line and posting style is unmistakable.

I strongly suspect so as the coverage site clearly states you need a supported handset and even asks what phone you have and only shows coverage for the device you have.

Ah! The bottom has been reached when all you can resort to is insults in place of a valid argument.

Thank you for your time.

tick, tock.. tick, tock.. wave... jock

Join Date: 14-11-2015, 1 week

Plain and simple, I'm afraid, Brian The Dog (is that you Wave?) is wrong and Thine and D123 are correct.
This whole problem has come about because LTE was rolled out with no voice.
Up till now all networks have rolled out 2600, 1800 (and in the case of VO2) 800 running at a lower power than their respective 3G coverage. To always allow an underlying CS network for voice.

This all purely due to someone's stupidity in releasing LTE with no voice. I mean... DUH!!!

It's no good blaming Three for this. Both Three and EE have the same issue.
Both Three and EE will have to only allow 800 to specific handsets that can do 800, have VoLTE capability and have the relevant firmware installed.
VO2 can allow it to everyone.
ThrEE can run theirs at full power and therefore eventually will have the best coverage.
VO2 have crippled themselves as they can only run their 800 within 3G900 or 2G900 (eventually) for the foreseeable future.

At the end of the day Mr Wonk ( I just love that!) is correct, the general public have no bloody idea what is going on. They will eventually just see better coverage. They will have no idea why that is. They won't know it's because their phone has 800 and VoLTE capability, they won't care.
They will just go "oh, I can get reception here now, that's cool, I'll think I'll stay with this network...."

You have to remember, we on here know what is going down.. MAN!! . Most of the walking dead just trudge through life and any attempt to educate them to the new technological advances is normally met with a very blank expression.

Bottom line?, you can argue about Three's plan of releasing 800 on a lower priority then 3G and that's a fine argument, but don't blame Three for the whole 800/handset issue. Not their fault. Out of their control.
If you want to blame anyone, blame Google...

I think EE will have a slightly easier ride with 800 in rural areas, thanks to the 2G fallback. It might be 1800 (did Orange or T-Mobile ever get any 2G at 900 later on?) but unlike 3G, 2G isn't subjected to the cell breathing, is it?

As such, it might be a bit easier to manage than for Three.

But even then, EE is deciding to wait. Olaf is talking about his defect-free network, so I assume nothing can be allowed to ruin that. If VoLTE isn't working, it aint happening.

EE seems to be sucking up all the business customers right now, and that's where the big money is. Ultimately us consumers come second, but fortunately in most cases it's actually going to benefit us.

EE doesn't need VoLTE quite as much as Three does. EE can offer 2G to many people who don't get any coverage right now on Three. Data speeds are crap, or non-existent, but the can make emergency calls. I guess that's all Ofcom is mostly worried about until such time specific targets are missed, which is some way off still.

I was just thinking it was Wavejock as well!

Actually, I'm not so sure. I do think there were some valid points. Perhaps not made very well, mind.

When we start hearing how good O2 is then we'll know for sure!

It was just the combination of new user who seems to know a lot about frequencies and Three, yet joined last week. Many negative Three posts, things like saying "advertised supervoice on the coverage map, but can't get it" when actually the coverage map filters by device and only shows coverage if your device supports it, and the "Three PR" comment - all those things combined made me think it was him.

There were some valid points, but I don't agree that they could just enable 800 everywhere on all devices and still meet their geographic coverage ambition, the 800 band would get overloaded. I also don't agree that they should not turn any 800 on and wait many, many months with it sitting there not being able to be used by anyone.

Actually if they didn't take the approach they are now then many wouldn't benefit from improved call coverage, there wouldn't be increased rural 4G data.

Arguably that would then be never, you have people importing phones not used in the UK, those phones aren't going to be compliant at any time unless Google gets its sh*t in gear and rolls out some form of carrier update like Apple does, (I can't remember if Marshmallow has something like this for VoLTE or whether it's just been spoken about?).

All those Note 5, one Plus, Xiaomi etc users mean there will probably never be a time all users with 800Mhz capable phones wil be able to to be updated for VoLTE (and become 800Mhz usable). Perhaps at some future time when Android becomes as easy to provision as iPhone, but not at present.

It's not that hard to understand, it's a technical capability thing, not just the nasty network keeping you from using the newest tech.

I do think more handsets should have been enabled from day one, or at the very least the bulk of the compatible phones sold by Three.

800 is a game changer for Three, but most people can't use it. Sure, most people don't know what they're missing, but I do!

I agree! That is Three UK's doing and no one else's.

In other news: I have never used or tried O2 in my life so I am unable to comment on its greatness or crapness either way.

They are launching more handsets soon, iPhones are coming, LG G3 coming and more in the coming weeks. The coverage checker is really clear, it says:

1) you must be in a supported area (lists them)
2) you must have a supported handset (lists them)

If you don't put a supported handset in, the map doesn't show you the expanded coverage.

As I said, if you're unhappy maybe consider a move to another UK VoLTE provider. Many are benefiting from better in building coverage and call coverage and 60% will over the next quarter as iPhones, popular Samsung, LG and Nexus devices all get enabled.

It's NOT Three's doing. It's the limitation of LTE at launch.
Did you not read my last post?
It's not possible to launch 800 at full power for all handsets.
It's possible for VO2 to launch it for all handsets but at reduced power so that screws their networks over.

I don't agree that Vodafone won't be able to match Three or EE's coverage on the 800MHz band.

They plan to launch VoLTE next year I believe and from what I understand they will be increasing the power shortly after. They supposedly have a plan in place to get all devices using VoLTE.