They aren't blocking data over 800MHz?

Three are restricting 800MHz to phones which Three support VoLTE on. 800MHz supports calls and data.

You are misunderstanding the standard 4G message, it says you can use internet over 4G and does not state which network you can use to make calls over.

Other than the fact that Windows Phone is minuscule when compared to Apple and the networks probably can't be bothered to pay for it to be done.

You are misunderstanding the sentence on the coverage map; "You can make calls, send texts and use the internet over our 4G network."

It's perfectly good grammar as far as I can see. It does not say you can make calls over 4G. It says you can make calls where you are. How do you think it should be punctuated?

Well it does say exactly that, it's not the grammar that's a problem.

That is one complete sentence and ends by mentioning the type of network.

So the user will expect that he / she is able make calls and text on the 4G network similarly the way most users do not know the difference between 3G and 4G.

Yes Three are, on the blog the Three Mod answers few questions that ask can any band 20 800mhz capable unbranded Three phone now use 800mhz 4G for data browsing, she says yes. I have gone into settings of my band 20 800mhz capable phone & changed the radio band to 800mhz frequency, it comes up with zero bars. My city has the Three masts already set up active for 800mhz & i know someone with Three branded Samsung Galaxy S5 able to use 800mhz 4G in my city, so the Three Mod on the blog is either lying or more likely she isn't very technical & said yes by mistake.

I think Three's bloggers are confused. They're saying you can use data on 800, which you can, but only if it's a VoLTE enabled phone and you've lost all other options.

If you have a MiFi or tablet that's voice only, there's no evidence that anyone has yet been able to connect to 800MHz only for data.

I've asked if MBB account holders will be able to do it, but heard nothing back. I could at least understand if they restricted 'data only' access to those SIMs, as it would be easier than whitelisting loads of devices. But nobody seems to be able to confirm or deny this.

I posted this on their blog. Not sure how they will react to it?


I believe Google is in a large way responsible for this car crash of a launch on Android devices. The Google Nexus devices are Google's Gold Standard yet they won't work with VoLTE or Super Voice as Three are branding it . Three have not helped with selective updates. While there are many devices that can potentially support VoLTE very few are being updated even if they can support it. Fortunately Apple haven't allowed these shenanigans as they have a lot more control over updates which errant networks little say over.

I would like to know if there is any point in buying a Android device with Google's indifference to VoLTE and Three's lucky dip updates.

There are commas in there. 'Eats, shoots and leaves' is a little different to 'eats shoots and leaves'. The first is Lee Van Cleef, the second is a panda.

'Let's eat Grandma'

'Let's eat, Grandma'

Punctuation saves lives. A comma is a way separating parts of a sentence. In the 3 case, it makes it a list. The only argument is whether there should be a final comma before the 'and' but that is open to debate and probably not suitable for this forum as the academics can't decide on the use of the serial comma anyway.

They probably are confused but it maybe better to give them a simple problem to find out the answer to such as 'Why doesn't my iPad Air with a mbb sim work in any 800 only areas when the coverage map says it should.'

I think the difference between the coverage map and reality for data only devices means Three either had a late change of heart in allowing access or it's coming soon.

Just found out having the 2 horizontal arrows on the phone do not seem to mean a thing.

Currently have no signal and usual circle with a line through it, but have the 2 horizontal arrow icon.

I've tried to make a call and also use the Internet with no luck.

Quite annoying as I thought they might actually mean something!

I did ask with some very specific examples, but so far I've just been told that data will work on 800MHz. Which it will, but not on those devices...

Three will no doubt tell us in due course. The document leaked a while back shows a range of tablets and data-only devices, so there might be plans. Seems we won't know until Three wants us to know.

Okay, fair enough Jon. I think we will see access for data only devices at some point. It doesn't feel much like a hard launch at the moment despite the announcement.

Seems very rushed to be honest and as usual three blog staff need to be properly trained but never are xx.

You could have just said "Three staff need to be properly trained but never are" and still been accurate .

I've lost interest now. I received a reply from Motorola UK stating that my phone (XT1039) will not support VoLTE on any network.

The H3G coverage info is wrong, which is probably why they haven't changed their name as most users will still be on 3G.

Appearantly it means you are on 4G supervoice. I read it from I think Three's Twitter page. The customer wanted rid of it but was told if he wanted rid of it to turn off his 4G.

If three keep saying devices will be covered including the 5s does anyone know info in regards of three in touch working on 4g? I'm jail broken but no apps seem to do anything in regards to simulation wifi.

Haha! I wrote a post eluding to the same thing, three still seem to be building a network around a technology which will get ever increasingly out of data, outside of the speediest world apart from large file downloading or uhd streaming a 2mbps 4g signal will still feel snappier then a 20mbps 3g one, plus it's much more resilient at low signal levels, I had 6mbps off three 4g signal at - 126db when I forced my phone to 4g this morning. 3g often starts to fail around - 105db
Might take the plunge and go with Vodafone this weekend for 12 months, they are bad in some areas around here but there is lots of work planned and it and it will be nice to be with a network which actually shows signs of improvement rather then the last tough 12 months with three where things just keep getting worse.

Had a chance to test Super-Voice today and right now it seems fairly pointless.

My S5 will sporadically switch to it when 3G is very very low and will stay on it for about 10 seconds before switching back to high strength 3G. This is in a moving car.

I can't think this is going to be good for battery life...

I agree on your last comment. Three is indeed getting worse and worse for me. And it's very noticeable. I listen to online radio almost always when I drive. When I switched to Three from o2 about 3 years ago, what attracted me the most after using a prepaid SIM card was that I could drive for hours without a single glitch. Under the same conditions, o2 would lose signal every 5 or 10 minutes or so.

2 years ago, my drive from home to work would mean almost full 3G signal from Three, non-stop radio streaming and still had lots of mbps left.

Recently, especially since the 4G rollout in cambridge, things are way way worse. Lost of cuts in a 20 minute drive. I'm quite disappointed and annoyed !!!

Ok, been reading through this and it's unbelievable.
Look, it's really simple.
If your phone supports....
1. 800 Mhz
2. VoLTE
3. Has Three firmware/software
4., Is on Three's IMS White list. (e.g. Samsung S5)
You will get access to 800Mhz.
If not, forget it.
End of.

From October there is an alternative list

If your phone is..
1. An iPhone 6, 6+, 6s or 6s+

You will get access to 800Mhz.