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EE 2G/3G/4G Discussion Thread (Part 2)


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Old 30-03-2016, 21:04
red_snow
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Not sure how you come to that conclusion. EE's VOLTE is on all frequencies. Threes only on one. EE have by far the biggest roll out of 4G nationally and that's using exclusively 1800, not 800. It may seem like in some places the others are catching up but in reality it is a false sense of security for them as EE is yet to activate 800 nationally. The jump in coverage when that happens will be huge over the others.

The issue is they have the most 4G users and generally the most costly tariffs so changes only happen when they are perfect. Threes VOLTE was and still is a horrific car crash.
I'm unsure as to what "conclusion" you allude to here. However it is fact that currently, Three have the best network reliability and although not perfect, now help a lot of users to attain a signal indoors where 1800/2100MHz does not penetrate. Their solution is far from perfect, sure, however given the choice of no EE signal vs 4G/800 using TinT I'd take the signal anyday.

Unfortunately EE have been touting VoLTE and 800MHz since Q1/Q2 2015 and not one Android user has seen this ....... yet.

I'm sure that EE will gain some additional advantage when (one day) the ~3-4k masts are 800MHz activated but don't write off VF just yet. I just hope the handoffs between 2G/3G/4G are seamless and hopefully better than my dropped call rate I get today!

Let's see some rollout plans from EE ...... ?
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Old 30-03-2016, 21:06
lightspeed2398
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I'm unsure as to what "conclusion" you allude to here. However it is fact that currently, Three have the best network reliability and although not perfect, now help a lot of users to attain a signal indoors where 1800/2100MHz does not penetrate. Their solution is far from perfect, sure, however given the choice of no EE signal vs 4G/800 using TinT I'd take the signal anyday.

Unfortunately EE have been touting VoLTE and 800MHz since Q1/Q2 2015 and not one Android user has seen this ....... yet.

I'm sure that EE will gain some additional advantage when (one day) the ~3-4k masts are 800MHz activated but don't write off VF just yet. I just hope the handoffs between 2G/3G/4G are seamless and hopefully better than my dropped call rate I get today!

Let's see some rollout plans from EE ...... ?
Android users have seen 800.
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Old 30-03-2016, 21:08
beans0ntoast
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Not sure how you come to that conclusion. EE's VOLTE is on all frequencies. Threes only on one. EE have by far the biggest roll out of 4G nationally and that's using exclusively 1800, not 800. It may seem like in some places the others are catching up but in reality it is a false sense of security for them as EE is yet to activate 800 nationally. The jump in coverage when that happens will be huge over the others.

The issue is they have the most 4G users and generally the most costly tariffs so changes only happen when they are perfect. Threes VOLTE was and still is a horrific car crash.
I tend to agree with you that Three made a bit of a mess up in comparison to EE.
Why didn't Three put VoLTE on 1800 as well? Because currently, if you're in a 4G1800 area, you'll be making a call via 3G, then you'll normally lose 4G1800, but given how Three's priorities are, you'll stay on 3G - then, when losing 3G coverage, you'll have to go from 3G up to 4G immediately. Unless they have got 3G > 4G handover sorted (can't remember the technical term for this) you're going to have a dropped call when you go from 2100 3G to 800 4G.

Why didn't Three put VoLTE on 1800 as well? That way they could have customers make a call on 4G1800, then when outside of a 4G1800 area, you'd more than likely have a seamless transition to 4G800, because 4G800 will have much better coverage than 1800 (from the same mast), and then you'll only have to worry about going down to 3G2100 when you totally lose 4G, though once the 4G rollout is completed, you'll have national 4G1800/4G800 coverage, so you won't need to use 3G for calls.

And why oh why oh why did Three decide to have 3G2100 at a higher priority than 4G800? Using the "LTE Only" mode would fix this (on most Android phones), but then you have got the issue with not having VoLTE on 1800MHz!

EE have got things working fine so far, and once they roll out national 4G800/VoLTE, things will be even better. As I have said, the only thing that is stopping me from going to EE is their steep prices; 4GB data for £22 or 8GB data for £28 - and although they are providing AYCE minutes, I don't need AYCE minutes! Having 600 minutes (like what Three offers) and a slightly higher data allowance would be preferred.
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Old 30-03-2016, 21:11
Stereo Steve
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I tend to agree with you that Three made a bit of a mess up in comparison to EE.
Why didn't Three put VoLTE on 1800 as well? Because currently, if you're in a 4G1800 area, you'll be making a call via 3G, then you'll normally lose 4G1800, but given how Three's priorities are, you'll stay on 3G - then, when losing 3G coverage, you'll have to go from 3G up to 4G immediately. Unless they have got 3G > 4G handover sorted (can't remember the technical term for this) you're going to have a dropped call when you go from 2100 3G to 800 4G.

Why didn't Three put VoLTE on 1800 as well? That way they could have customers make a call on 4G1800, then when outside of a 4G1800 area, you'd more than likely have a seamless transition to 4G800, because 4G800 will have much better coverage than 1800 (from the same mast), and then you'll only have to worry about going down to 3G2100 when you totally lose 4G, though once the 4G rollout is completed, you'll have national 4G1800/4G800 coverage, so you won't need to use 3G for calls.

And why oh why oh why did Three decide to have 3G2100 at a higher priority than 4G800? Using the "LTE Only" mode would fix this (on most Android phones), but then you have got the issue with not having VoLTE on 1800MHz!

EE have got things working fine so far, and once they roll out national 4G800/VoLTE, things will be even better. As I have said, the only thing that is stopping me from going to EE is their steep prices; 4GB data for £22 or 8GB data for £28 - and although they are providing AYCE minutes, I don't need AYCE minutes! Having 600 minutes (like what Three offers) and a slightly higher data allowance would be preferred.
You need to get some drugs or something. Anything.
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Old 30-03-2016, 21:20
red_snow
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Android users have seen 800.
Where? Surely if they get no signal normally but suddenly get 4G/800MHz but no VoLTE then that breaks all the rules?
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Old 30-03-2016, 21:21
beans0ntoast
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I'm unsure as to what "conclusion" you allude to here. However it is fact that currently, Three have the best network reliability and although not perfect, now help a lot of users to attain a signal indoors where 1800/2100MHz does not penetrate. Their solution is far from perfect, sure, however given the choice of no EE signal vs 4G/800 using TinT I'd take the signal anyday.

Unfortunately EE have been touting VoLTE and 800MHz since Q1/Q2 2015 and not one Android user has seen this ....... yet.

I'm sure that EE will gain some additional advantage when (one day) the ~3-4k masts are 800MHz activated but don't write off VF just yet. I just hope the handoffs between 2G/3G/4G are seamless and hopefully better than my dropped call rate I get today!

Let's see some rollout plans from EE ...... ?
Funny you should say that because I have been having a few problems on the EE network for quite a while, and it always seems to happen at the same place. The problems occur at Desborough, Northamptonshire, along the railway track from Kettering to Market Harborough.

My problem is that, when I approach Desborough from the east (i.e. from Rushton, Kettering etc), I get a strong signal from a neighboring mast (the only possibility is the Rothwell MBNL mast) - however, my phone/Virgin SIM tends to totally ignore the Desborough mast, as if it doesn't even exist. Hence, travelling past the Desborough mast results in the connection dropping out - though slightly further west (past Desborough, heading towards Mkt Harborough), the phone picks up a 1-2 bar EE 3G signal - which might be from the Desborough mast it ignored, or from a totally different mast.

Why on earth is this happening? Why is my SIM ignoring the Desborough mast, yet connecting happily to other masts (sometimes even going out of its way to connect to an Orange mast) along the route without any issues at all? I tried with an EE 100GB promo SIM and it picked up the mast without any issues - however, seeing as though I only have the one phone, and the 100GB SIMs are for data use only, I have to swap between the Virgin SIM and the EE SIM. After a few days, the EE SIM also stops noticing the desborough mast?!

This is the only problematic mast that I have, in terms of connecting to it - is there anything that EE can even do about this? I don't have issues with any other mast, so I doubt it is a SIM issue...

Help and guidance would be appreciated!
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Old 30-03-2016, 21:34
packages
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Where? Surely if they get no signal normally but suddenly get 4G/800MHz but no VoLTE then that breaks all the rules?
I can confirm I can access 800mhz on my daily commute to work and VoTLE isn't active on it yet. iPhone 6 though not android.
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Old 30-03-2016, 21:36
packages
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Funny you should say that because I have been having a few problems on the EE network for quite a while, and it always seems to happen at the same place. The problems occur at Desborough, Northamptonshire, along the railway track from Kettering to Market Harborough.

My problem is that, when I approach Desborough from the east (i.e. from Rushton, Kettering etc), I get a strong signal from a neighboring mast (the only possibility is the Rothwell MBNL mast) - however, my phone/Virgin SIM tends to totally ignore the Desborough mast, as if it doesn't even exist. Hence, travelling past the Desborough mast results in the connection dropping out - though slightly further west (past Desborough, heading towards Mkt Harborough), the phone picks up a 1-2 bar EE 3G signal - which might be from the Desborough mast it ignored, or from a totally different mast.

Why on earth is this happening? Why is my SIM ignoring the Desborough mast, yet connecting happily to other masts (sometimes even going out of its way to connect to an Orange mast) along the route without any issues at all? I tried with an EE 100GB promo SIM and it picked up the mast without any issues - however, seeing as though I only have the one phone, and the 100GB SIMs are for data use only, I have to swap between the Virgin SIM and the EE SIM. After a few days, the EE SIM also stops noticing the desborough mast?!

This is the only problematic mast that I have, in terms of connecting to it - is there anything that EE can even do about this? I don't have issues with any other mast, so I doubt it is a SIM issue...

Help and guidance would be appreciated!
PM Bookey to have a look into it.
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Old 30-03-2016, 21:47
beans0ntoast
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PM Bookey to have a look into it.
Okay, thanks for the advice, I will send a PM tomorrow unless Bookey happens to see this post in the meantime
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Old 30-03-2016, 21:59
red_snow
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I can confirm I can access 800mhz on my daily commute to work and VoTLE isn't active on it yet. iPhone 6 though not android.
Yes, as you say not on Android. However my question is how can anyone get 800MHz access if, as you state, VoLTE is not active yet??

For example. Let's say within you workplace you get no signal at all from ANY network. Nothing, no 2G, 3G or 4G. Then you suddenly get 4G/800 but VoLTE is not active ...... you cannot place a voice call including 3x9's, despite having a signal.

As far as I was aware, this is a big no-no.
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Old 30-03-2016, 22:02
packages
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Yes, as you say not on Android. However my question is how can anyone get 800MHz access if, as you state, VoLTE is not active yet??

For example. Let's say within you workplace you get no signal at all from ANY network. Nothing, no 2G, 3G or 4G. Then you suddenly get 4G/800 but VoLTE is not active ...... you cannot place a voice call including 3x9's, despite having a signal.

As far as I was aware, this is a big no-no.
You tell me (and I fully agree with you), but I can promise you VoLTE isn't active on it yet. Luckily there is 2G and 3G behind it. Remember it isn't 'live' yet so maybe they are just testing it currently.

Here are my Field Test Images connected to it: https://www.flickr.com/photos/503049...posted-public/
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Old 30-03-2016, 22:13
red_snow
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You tell me (and I fully agree with you), but I can promise you VoLTE isn't active on it yet. Luckily there is 2G and 3G behind it. Remember it isn't 'live' yet so maybe they are just testing it currently.

Here are my Field Test Images connected to it: https://www.flickr.com/photos/503049...posted-public/
Yep B20 alright. Perhaps tightly controlled in terms of power output to ensure that the footprint is well within 2G/3G if that is possible to be so granular ....... I'm sure someone better educated than me will be along soon with an explanation
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Old 30-03-2016, 22:16
KesterK
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Yes, as you say not on Android. However my question is how can anyone get 800MHz access if, as you state, VoLTE is not active yet??

For example. Let's say within you workplace you get no signal at all from ANY network. Nothing, no 2G, 3G or 4G. Then you suddenly get 4G/800 but VoLTE is not active ...... you cannot place a voice call including 3x9's, despite having a signal.

As far as I was aware, this is a big no-no.
It has been said previously that 800MHz and VoLTE roll outs are completely unrelated. I guess the people seeing 800MHz are in areas that it is being tested.
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Old 30-03-2016, 22:52
The Lord Lucan
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EE is rolling out VOLTE on 800, 1800 & 2600 frequencies. Three is only doing it on 800.
VOLTE is already active in many major cities.
800 is in a select few places although not officially.
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Old 30-03-2016, 23:00
srw985
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Yeah, better pic would be good. Need close up of panels and inputs.
They aren't really that much lower. About 2-4 metres. The panels themselves are nearly 2 metres long although they never look that big.
Could be that with the integration of TM and Orange masts they don't need them so high and if they are tri-bands then this would back that up.
4G1800 more robust than 2G1800 / more masts / 800 reaching 30% further etc...

New photos here. forgot to take my camera out with me so no optical zoom, just phone pics on my way home.
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Old 30-03-2016, 23:39
matty1000kk
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New photos here. forgot to take my camera out with me so no optical zoom, just phone pics on my way home.
I would say these are single input Huawei A79451600 antennas for 800mhz only for EE 4G. Possibly using the existing top array for 1800/2100 2G/3G/4G?

I know a few ex orange masts which were set up for 2G/3G now doing 4G on the same antennas.
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Old 31-03-2016, 00:23
uno
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BeansOntoast- The whole EE network between Kettering and Market Harborough is flaky with poor speeds especially around Desborough,Rothwell and surrounding villages I am hoping that this area may get some 800mhz and also that Market Harborough gets some more 4G as still only the one mast on the outskirts of the town.

This was good for a couple of weeks but now word is out you can get 4G on EE people have turned this on their phones again many had it disabled to save battery. so now speeds have dropped
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Old 31-03-2016, 01:11
Toffee-Brann
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EE currently running a £19.99 special offer on the 16gb sim only deal.
Offer ends april 14th. A really good deal considering Unlimited EU minutes and texts are included.
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Old 31-03-2016, 01:57
DevonBloke
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I hope my gamble upgrade to stay with EE does not end up biting me!!!
Patience is all you need.!
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Old 31-03-2016, 02:01
DevonBloke
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Barclays are embracing both Android and Apple Pay. They just had not tested it very deeply as they genuinely thought they had a better product... Now playing catch up.
You know what thought did don't you?
He only thought he did.....

Hahaha
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Old 31-03-2016, 02:13
DevonBloke
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I'm unsure as to what "conclusion" you allude to here. However it is fact that currently, Three have the best network reliability and although not perfect, now help a lot of users to attain a signal indoors where 1800/2100MHz does not penetrate. Their solution is far from perfect, sure, however given the choice of no EE signal vs 4G/800 using TinT I'd take the signal anyday.

Unfortunately EE have been touting VoLTE and 800MHz since Q1/Q2 2015 and not one Android user has seen this ....... yet.

I'm sure that EE will gain some additional advantage when (one day) the ~3-4k masts are 800MHz activated but don't write off VF just yet. I just hope the handoffs between 2G/3G/4G are seamless and hopefully better than my dropped call rate I get today!

Let's see some rollout plans from EE ...... ?
See, you just need to be patient. I know you have already but if you want the best you have to wait.
Making all these new technologies work properly ain't a walk in the fecking park.
This is why Three simply didn't bother. It was too hard.
Frankly just thinking about it makes my head hurt.

I took the kids out today and stumbled across some EE 4G800.
It was awesome. A whole coast road where you would expect 2G was solid 4G.
I have an iPhone field test with Band 20 to prove it.
Speeds good. 12-20ish down and about 5-6 up.
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Old 31-03-2016, 02:26
DevonBloke
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Yep B20 alright. Perhaps tightly controlled in terms of power output to ensure that the footprint is well within 2G/3G if that is possible to be so granular ....... I'm sure someone better educated than me will be along soon with an explanation
It is interesting. It appears the 800 is rolling out at quite a high power.
If I had to give an educated guess I would say it's probably EE testing things. Seeing how it performs.
However that's a big probably and I am famous for being wrong here and using my warped sense of humour to laugh it off!!
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Old 31-03-2016, 02:35
DevonBloke
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New photos here. forgot to take my camera out with me so no optical zoom, just phone pics on my way home.
Yep, as has already been said, they look like low frequency panels added lower down.
So the top stays the same with 2G1800/4G1800/3G2100 and then the lower panels for 4G800. Good pics. You can see the MHAs for 800 there as well.
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Old 31-03-2016, 09:34
jonmorris
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EE currently running a £19.99 special offer on the 16gb sim only deal.
Offer ends april 14th. A really good deal considering Unlimited EU minutes and texts are included.
Asked in an EE store and that price, like the Vodafone promotion recently, is apparently for 12 months and then reverts to £34.99

Didn't see this on the website though, and I do wish such things were made clearer.

Still a good deal if you're willing to change plans/port in a year.
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Old 31-03-2016, 10:15
Pedro_C
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Where? Surely if they get no signal normally but suddenly get 4G/800MHz but no VoLTE then that breaks all the rules?
pedroc.co.uk/ee_800_novolte.htm Me

Yep, as has already been said, they look like low frequency panels added lower down.
So the top stays the same with 2G1800/4G1800/3G2100 and then the lower panels for 4G800. Good pics. You can see the MHAs for 800 there as well.
http://pedroc.co.uk/hull_city_explore.htm 800MHz Huawei Panel like Mast I in link
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