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EE 2G/3G/4G Discussion Thread (Part 2)
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jonmorris
10-05-2016
And BOY does Ookla eat in to your allowance, depending on the speed.

It's a dynamic test so fast data = bigger file to download and upload.

For my EE tests getting 145-150Mbs, it's just over 200MB for the download test alone! 4-5 tests and that's a gig gone just like that!!
beans0ntoast
10-05-2016
Originally Posted by Skippy2005:
“Hi guys being new to EE, does Ookla Speed Test eat into your data or is it free. Am I getting confused with root metrics?

Thanks”

Never used rootmetrics before, but I know that Ookla uses your data allowance. And on 4G it can use quite a lot of data too - on tests where I've had 60Mbps+ down and 30Mbps+ up, a speedtest can use up to 100MB or more.
jonmorris
10-05-2016
It's no wonder that a lot of people addicted to speed tests want to be on Three.

And Three doesn't allow free use of the Speedtest app, but it DOES pay to get the data from tests - so all those tests we do actually help Three get an idea of how well its network is performing!

EE allows free use of the RootMetrics app, and Vodafone allows free use of its own Net Perform app.
M1kos
11-05-2016
Yes but all this unnecessary testing just slows the network down for others!!!! No wonder three is the slowest lol
Skippy2005
11-05-2016
Originally Posted by M1kos:
“Yes but all this unnecessary testing just slows the network down for others!!!! No wonder three is the slowest lol”

Thankfully I'm not a speed junkie I was comparing it to Vodafone when I joined at the start of the week and my God it's so much faster
jonmorris
11-05-2016
Originally Posted by M1kos:
“Yes but all this unnecessary testing just slows the network down for others!!!! No wonder three is the slowest lol”

I don't think that many people are doing speed tests, and I do move around a lot so problems will be spread out...
heskethbang
11-05-2016
Just moved across from three to EE. Mostly good so far - nice to have Visual Voicemail back - haven't had this since the days of the iPhone 3GS on O2.
Two observations so far: 4g speeds obviously are great, but 3G yesterday in a village near Birmingham Airport, and I clocked 5mbps, whereas with 3 this would usually be 8-15mbps. Also, this morning at the gym in south Birmingham, my phone went onto GPRS?! Can't believe networks are still using this tech. Is it 1996 or something?!

As ever when switching networks, it's swings and roundabouts - upstairs at the gym I get smooth v fast 4G, and I'm sure there'll be plenty of places where I will now get improved coverage.
jonmorris
11-05-2016
Can you lock the phone to 3G/4G only?
heskethbang
11-05-2016
Originally Posted by jonmorris:
“Can you lock the phone to 3G/4G only?”

I'm not sure. It's an iPhone 6+ so if you can, that'd be an ideal solution.
de525ma
11-05-2016
Originally Posted by heskethbang:
“ Also, this morning at the gym in south Birmingham, my phone went onto GPRS?! Can't believe networks are still using this tech. Is it 1996 or something?!”

Excluding 3, all networks still run 2G networks underneath their 3G and 4G networks. This is for many reasons. First, to support the many, many 2G handsets and other bits of kit still in use. Also, 2G tends to be on lower frequencies than 3G (this isn't always the case for Voda/O2) and as such, the signal travels further distances and penetrates buildings more effectively, so it's useful for call reliability. Finally, there are many rural areas where backhaul is difficult to get for 3G/4G services and consequently are left as 2G only. The vast majority of 2G only areas will be upgraded to 4G in due course.

3 and EE share a common 3G network (mostly). So why did you get 2G in the middle of a city, where you may have had 3G with 3?

This is to do with your handset preferring the stronger 2G signal to a weaker 3G one to ensure that you can make calls. 3 likely has no 2G backup in Birmingham. So it will have no option but to stay on a weak 3G signal, which may be unreliable for calls, but fine for data.

EE sims set the phone to prefer 2G when 3G signal is low.
CheshireBumpkin
11-05-2016
Top trolling from EE, as if three aren't having a bad enough day already....

https://twitter.com/EE/status/730316585768996864

heskethbang
11-05-2016
Originally Posted by de525ma:
“Excluding 3, all networks still run 2G networks underneath their 3G and 4G networks. This is for many reasons. First, to support the many, many 2G handsets and other bits of kit still in use. Also, 2G tends to be on lower frequencies than 3G (this isn't always the case for Voda/O2) and as such, the signal travels further distances and penetrates buildings more effectively, so it's useful for call reliability. Finally, there are many rural areas where backhaul is difficult to get for 3G/4G services and consequently are left as 2G only. The vast majority of 2G only areas will be upgraded to 4G in due course.

3 and EE share a common 3G network (mostly). So why did you get 2G in the middle of a city, where you may have had 3G with 3?

This is to do with your handset preferring the stronger 2G signal to a weaker 3G one to ensure that you can make calls. 3 likely has no 2G backup in Birmingham. So it will have no option but to stay on a weak 3G signal, which may be unreliable for calls, but fine for data.

EE sims set the phone to prefer 2G when 3G signal is low.”

Many thanks for a detailed and informative answer. I accept the need for 2G networks to be maintained as everything from smart meters to parking meters still use it and will do for the foreseeable future.
I always found with 3 that unlike Voda for example, on one bar of signal you could still make calls and use the internet.
beans0ntoast
11-05-2016
Originally Posted by heskethbang:
“Just moved across from three to EE. Mostly good so far - nice to have Visual Voicemail back - haven't had this since the days of the iPhone 3GS on O2.
Two observations so far: 4g speeds obviously are great, but 3G yesterday in a village near Birmingham Airport, and I clocked 5mbps, whereas with 3 this would usually be 8-15mbps. Also, this morning at the gym in south Birmingham, my phone went onto GPRS?! Can't believe networks are still using this tech. Is it 1996 or something?!

As ever when switching networks, it's swings and roundabouts - upstairs at the gym I get smooth v fast 4G, and I'm sure there'll be plenty of places where I will now get improved coverage.”

I don't know whether my phone supports Visual Voicemail or not, though to be fair it isn't something that is a make or break for me in terms of network choice.

Like your findings, I have found Three to be slightly faster on 3G, in some locations. There was one mast on the A1, in Cambridgeshire (or would it be classed as Lincolnshire?) that Three gave me 20Mbps on 3G and EE gave me 10Mbps. Though I suspect that this is because EE have more customers, and to be honest the difference between 10Mbps and 20Mbps wouldn't affect me for the most part, because I don't use Youtube that much when out and about (or do any large downloads/uploads). In some situations, there would be quite a noticeable difference between 10Mbps and 20Mbps. But for the majority of people, the difference between 10Mbps and 20Mbps, on a phone, wouldn't be much. I think Youtube will still work in HD at 10Mbps?

As for your phone going to GPRS, it depends on what sort of signal strength 3G was like, and what device you have. Could you get 3G (albeit weak) on Three? If you could get 3G on Three, chances are you've got a crazy wacko device (like mine) that likes clinging on to 2G, when a weaker 3G is still available and will still work for calls, texts and faster data. Forcing 3G/4G (if possible) will fix that.

Originally Posted by jonmorris:
“Can you lock the phone to 3G/4G only?”

I wish! If I could find a 3G/4G only mode on my S4 (whereabouts can you get this mode, as I just have WCDMA only and LTE only, so not both combined) - that way I wouldn't be needing to complain how wacky my phone is when it comes to network selection!
Skippy2005
11-05-2016
Hi guys I seem to have a problem. I'm on a 20G Extra plan and have been since Friday, I have roaming activated. When I try to add eurodata by texting 150 I get a text back say unable to add this to your plan try texting europass done that with the same response. Customer service and technical can't seem to answer why either.

Help or can you point me in the right direction. Thanks
Adamuk
11-05-2016
You can no longer initiate a 4G VoLTE call in Sheffield now. Any ideas why? Seemed to be working great last week. It hands over from wifi still, though.
packages
11-05-2016
Originally Posted by Adamuk:
“You can no longer initiate a 4G VoLTE call in Sheffield now. Any ideas why? Seemed to be working great last week. It hands over from wifi still, though.”

It hasn't gone 'live' in Sheffield yet so they are still tweaking/fixing it there
Broken Hope
11-05-2016
They seem to have shut off initiating VoLTE calls in a few areas now, I'm not sure if that's a good thing and it's in the final stages of preparation, of it it means there's a problem and they had to disable it for some reason.
bookey_uk
11-05-2016
VoLTE will only launch in areas we deem ready, we have not made a noise about VoLTE, instead opting for a soft launch where we let people discover the service. Everyone will get VoLTE don't stress, I just can't say when.
packages
11-05-2016
Originally Posted by bookey_uk:
“VoLTE will only launch in areas we deem ready, we have not made a noise about VoLTE, instead opting for a soft launch where we let people discover the service. Everyone will get VoLTE don't stress, I just can't say when.”

Your boss has already said July!

"At launch, 4G was used only for data connections, with customers moving to 3G while on a call. Now, EE is rolling out 4G Calling (VoLTE) across the UK to enable both voice and data over 4G. This will ensure customers get superfast 4G data speeds while on calls and that customers can make calls in new areas of the network that are 4G-only. 4G Calling is already live in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, Leeds and Newcastle, and will be switched on across the rest of the network by July."
bookey_uk
11-05-2016
Originally Posted by packages:
“Your boss has already said July!”

Mental note, read internal comms
packages
11-05-2016
Originally Posted by bookey_uk:
“Mental note, read internal comms ”

Is it likely that VoLTE will be live at Glastonbury Festival? Could ease a lot of voice traffic from 3G and 2G Was a nightmare last year trying to start a call.
Cloudane
11-05-2016
I'll settle for my 5X getting it in any form... or even getting Wifi Calling without it needing a daily reboot... or not slowing down if it doesn't get a weekly reboot...
Swapping my iPhone 6 for this PoS is one of the dumbest moves I've made in years.
d123
11-05-2016
Originally Posted by Cloudane:
“I'll settle for my 5X getting it in any form... or even getting Wifi Calling without it needing a daily reboot... or not slowing down if it doesn't get a weekly reboot...
Swapping my iPhone 6 for this PoS is one of the dumbest moves I've made in years.”

You sound really ecstatic at your change of handset .
lamby
12-05-2016
Originally Posted by Cloudane:
“I'll settle for my 5X getting it in any form... or even getting Wifi Calling without it needing a daily reboot... or not slowing down if it doesn't get a weekly reboot...
Swapping my iPhone 6 for this PoS is one of the dumbest moves I've made in years.”

Glad i am not the only one who needs to do a reboot to get wifi calling back!!
Cloudane
12-05-2016
Originally Posted by d123:
“You sound really ecstatic at your change of handset .”

Can you tell

Everyone makes all these big smug judgmental comments towards iPhone users "your can get just as good an android for half the price! Don't waste your money iSheep!"
Well I got an android for about half the price. It's about half the phone. Go figure? You get what you pay for.
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