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Three 4G Discussion Thread (Part 2) |
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#401 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,376
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Quote:
Vodafone and o2 still haven't launched much down there either have they? I'm in Cornwall for a week soon and had a look but it was all pretty rubbish for 4g apart from EE.
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#402 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 14,641
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Quote:
Only EE will give you significant 4G coverage as of today. The others have bits and bobs. 3 and EE are both good for 3G pretty much anywhere, the other 2 only in the cities.
I don't think V-O2 4G are even in the likes of Plymouth yet. |
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#403 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Midlands
Posts: 2,860
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They are making rapid improvements and its getting out there. I think in the VF/O2 upgraded areas 3/EE have a real battle on their hands. It's getting better.
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#404 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Destination: Hard Brexit
Posts: 6,367
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Quote:
I'd agree with this, though it is worth pointing out that Vodafone has more 900MHz 3G now. It is totally useless as it seems to be using a 56k modem as the backhaul, but it is there. These are probably the sites VF rushed up to stop Ofcom punishing them for not meeting coverage obligations. As long as it's putting out a signal it'll do
I don't think V-O2 4G are even in the likes of Plymouth yet. All the planning permissions were granted for Plymouth in April but absolutely zero movement from Cornerstone. Looking like at least the New Year before anything happens.... EE really do have it sewn up in the South West. The 4G coverage down here is very impressive. |
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#405 |
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 164
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Got 4g on south Birningham for the time in Hollywood area. They obviously turned a mast on this morning.
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#406 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Woore, Cheshire/Shropshire
Posts: 1,675
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Well I has some suspicions when trying out my Vodafone sim at work in Telford on Stafford park, it's served by the massive tall mast which is visible over most of the town, speed test showed a ping in the low 20s and 24mbps download which for Vodafone is massive. Must have some good backhaul. Noticed lots of small microwave dishes are now on the mast, checked the local planning and out of roughly 10 masts only 3 seem to have there own backhaul thee rest are linked via 300mm microwave dishes back to this big mast,
Can anyone with some technical knowledge tell me what effect this will on speeds and capacity with so many 4G masts links to one single source? Can be good for long term speeds. Is this normal to have so many masts supported by a single back haul? |
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#407 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Surrey, UK
Posts: 660
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Microwave Backhaul can fairly reasonably be about 1gbps each way nowadays: https://www.ceragon.com/products-cer...fibeair-ip-20c so can therefore be used where a 1gbps fibre would be adequate, even with further increases in utilisation. I have got 80mbps download speeds off a Vodafone 4G mast with highly suspected Microwave backhaul here.
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#408 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: a land filled with trolls
Posts: 12,014
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Quote:
Rather worrying that you can't get the best speeds on a motorway on entertainment devices when you are meant to be driving!
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#409 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Woore, Cheshire/Shropshire
Posts: 1,675
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Quote:
Rather worrying that you can't get the best speeds on a motorway on entertainment devices when you are meant to be driving!
![]() Quote:
Microwave Backhaul can fairly reasonably be about 1gbps each way nowadays: https://www.ceragon.com/products-cer...fibeair-ip-20c so can therefore be used where a 1gbps fibre would be adequate, even with further increases in utilisation. I have got 80mbps download speeds off a Vodafone 4G mast with highly suspected Microwave backhaul here.
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#410 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Surrey, UK
Posts: 660
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If they are using good microwave links and a fast fibre backhaul at the main site, most definitely.
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#411 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Midlands
Posts: 2,860
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I wonder if this is why some sites have room for extra cabinets to be added? Are these going to become the main hubs for some of the smaller more rural masts?
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#412 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Surrey, UK
Posts: 660
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When I tweeted 3 to say my 3G 2100MHz was bad and when will the 4G 800Mhz come in to improve it, they said "Hi there, we're planning on rolling out more of our 800MHz frequency later this year, so you should see an improvement...once we've done so. >LR"
Furthermore, on a couple of 3 masts, I have noticed equipment that could support 800MHz: First: https://www.flickr.com/photos/461414...7649715490043/ 3 feeds, so 3 frequencies: 2100, 1800 and 800 must be. Also, this mast could cover a colossal area with 800MHz 4G. Second: O2 and 3 site, 4G from both: https://www.flickr.com/photos/46141405@N07/20610976176 Have seen 3 do L1800 and U2100 on the small panel antennas and The ones on left are clearly O2, so what's the long new looking panel for... |
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#413 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 983
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Quote:
When I tweeted 3 to say my 3G 2100MHz was bad and when will the 4G 800Mhz come in to improve it, they said "Hi there, we're planning on rolling out more of our 800MHz frequency later this year, so you should see an improvement...once we've done so. >LR"
Furthermore, on a couple of 3 masts, I have noticed equipment that could support 800MHz: First: https://www.flickr.com/photos/461414...7649715490043/ 3 feeds, so 3 frequencies: 2100, 1800 and 800 must be. Also, this mast could cover a colossal area with 800MHz 4G. Second: O2 and 3 site, 4G from both: https://www.flickr.com/photos/46141405@N07/20610976176 Have seen 3 do L1800 and U2100 on the small panel antennas and The ones on left are clearly O2, so what's the long new looking panel for... The second one I have so far only seen those old Kathrein? antennas do EE2G/4G and MBNL 3G. I guess because the sites already had one pair of 1800/2100 combiners for 2G T-Mobile and subsequently 4G EE, but when Three want to add 4G 1800 it is cheaper/easier to run new feeders from separate cabinets rather than combining it all. The new antenna could be for Three 1800MHz or 800MHz? |
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#414 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Totnes, Devon
Posts: 6,693
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What about all those people on motorways that aren't driving?!
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#415 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Surrey, UK
Posts: 660
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For the First mast, EE have (some of) their antennas lower down, see here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/46141405@N07/20638250955/ Pretty certain there's no EE 2600MHz here too
Second: The top antennas here do EE & 3 L1800 and U2100 and EE G1800 https://www.flickr.com/photos/46141405@N07/19369304511 so we'll have to see |
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#416 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 983
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Quote:
For the First mast, EE have (some of) their antennas lower down, see here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/46141405@N07/20638250955/ Pretty certain there's no EE 2600MHz here too
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#417 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Hedge End, Southampton, Hants.
Posts: 2,814
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I have suddenly locked on to 4G in Botley, Hampshire. Not seen that before.
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#418 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 983
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Now this application has got me seriously confused.
http://planningdocs.trafford.gov.uk/...pplication/pdf It shows a alifabs phase four streetworks pole being replaced by a Jupiter phase five streetworks pole and the existing Three Pogona cabinets swapped for a Komodo cabinet. Is this because Three have decided to add 800MHz to an existing 1800MHz site? Things are being to look increasingly disorganised between Three and EE with some sites being visited up to three times to install separate antennas and equipment for 800/1800/2600. Edit: Checked other councils and it seems quite a few streetworks are being modified as I thought. http://docs.planning.cornwall.gov.uk...9696&DB=8&DT=4 With all networks now using the same street works masts things are going to get confusing. |
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#419 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Midlands
Posts: 2,860
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In my area a 3 mast is being improved with the agent listed as Becon Com's on behalf of 3. All it will enable is a new mast to have 4g from 3 installed.
What is happening with this EE share as this mast appears to be a 3 only mast and clearly staying that way. It's all very strange. |
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#420 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 652
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Quote:
Now this application has got me seriously confused.
http://planningdocs.trafford.gov.uk/...pplication/pdf It shows a alifabs phase four streetworks pole being replaced by a Jupiter phase five streetworks pole and the existing Three Pogona cabinets swapped for a Komodo cabinet. Is this because Three have decided to add 800MHz to an existing 1800MHz site? alifabs phase four streetworks pole? Jupiter phase five streetworks pole? Pogona cabinets? Komodo cabinet? There must be a wiki page for all this jargon. |
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#421 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 983
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Quote:
You're confused?
alifabs phase four streetworks pole? Jupiter phase five streetworks pole? Pogona cabinets? Komodo cabinet? There must be a wiki page for all this jargon. ![]() I'll try put up some photos later in the week with brief descriptions. The streetworks pole is like a lampost style mast. The cabinets are what contain the basestation equipment such as the rf units, baseband, power supply, signal combiners etc. |
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#422 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Midlands
Posts: 2,860
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Jupiter ones are those fat based ones that tend to be used be o2/VF mainly in the past. Looks like they are all using the same these days.
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#423 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 983
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Quote:
Jupiter ones are those fat based ones that tend to be used be o2/VF mainly in the past. Looks like they are all using the same these days.
It might get a little hard to quickly distinguish whose is whose though as if it is a NSN site all the networks use similar alifabs cabinets too. |
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#424 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Totnes, Devon
Posts: 6,693
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Quote:
No 4G from Voda/O2 in Plymouth. There is some in Tavistock and Kingsbridge though (and a pocket of 4G in Redruth, Cornwall). No plans for it until the new year either.
All the planning permissions were granted for Plymouth in April but absolutely zero movement from Cornerstone. Looking like at least the New Year before anything happens.... EE really do have it sewn up in the South West. The 4G coverage down here is very impressive. |
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#425 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Totnes, Devon
Posts: 6,693
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Quote:
I'd agree with this, though it is worth pointing out that Vodafone has more 900MHz 3G now. It is totally useless as it seems to be using a 56k modem as the backhaul, but it is there. These are probably the sites VF rushed up to stop Ofcom punishing them for not meeting coverage obligations. As long as it's putting out a signal it'll do
I don't think V-O2 4G are even in the likes of Plymouth yet. Not going there now till they do. THAT, is how sad I am......... LOL EDIT: When they do, I swear I'll go on the death slide over the complex.... no really, I will!!! |
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