https://jmcomms.com/2016/06/23/4g-ca...ou-can-use-it/

Assuming you are on EE Brand Firmware right? my unbranded S6 isn't placing calls over 4G?

Have you checked your all update.

The report states 800 for rural areas and some urban areas, is this correct? I thought where doing a nationwide rollout?

Great news all the same.

I am pretty sure only the devices I've listed are supported for now. The next step will be for EE to roll out updates for other phones.

But, despite it now working everywhere, EE still hasn't officially announced it. It may still be waiting to do it to coincide with the 800 switch-on.

Any rumours or insight as to when EE is likely to flick the switch on 800?

All I know is it's undergoing testing and I was told today about a fair few places with 800 but at low power (so presumably to enable public access even without VoLTE support) so I would hope it won't be long.

It seems to me, but that's an assumption, that 800 is somewhat easier to do than the VoLTE bit!

Excellent and this is the band that will be used at full power for maximum coverage? Is it like 3's or are EE taking a different approach. I know EE's priority is much higher level 4 is it?

Does anyone know whether or not the introduction of VoLTE on other networks will finally allow decent sounding quality calls between EE and other networks?

Will VoLTE actually help this in the long run or are we stuck with calls that sound like the 1990's when we call someone on another network

Also, RCS (Message+ whatever it's called) - will we be getting this any time soon?

Thanks for the explanation, clears things up a bit!

So in the example of Glastonbury, since EE have lots (and I mean lots) of 2600MHz spectrum being used, I presume that the CA would want to shift the bias more towards the 2600MHz band, unless there was severe congestion on 2600; since I believe that EE are using more 2600 than 1800, and there are some devices (notably the iPhone 5) that support 1800 but not 2600. And we don't want to swamp either the 1800 or 2600 band.

Edit: I've just realized, that using 2600 at Glastonbury would be very beneficial - it would provide the vast majority of the 4G capacity (since EE are using more 2600 than 1800), and coverage would be reasonable too, so that the whole of the Glastonbury Music Festival area would get nice coverage, without overspill into neighboring areas that might have their own 1800 mast (and be better off on that). The high frequency wouldn't be a problem with indoor coverage either, since Glastonbury is outdoors, isn't it? And any on site indoor areas would be close enough to the masts anyway

EE's priority will be above 3G but below 1800MHz so you should never see 3G/2G again. I've also heard that Three aren't running 800 as high as they can due to site density (or lack thereof) whereas EE will push it further.

HD voice (used by 3G and VoLTE) still doesn't work between networks and I haven't heard of plans to change this yet but I'm sure someone will correct me.

Excellent I'm hoping EE go for more than the 3800 sites they've alright said they plan to rollout and really make 800 work for it. It'll never be the fatest but if it's dense enough, it'll give good speeds. Any thoughts? I value all your opinions!

Thanks.

To get 95% geographic coverage, it will need to be rolled out just about everywhere. But that's between now and 2020, so EE won't do it overnight.

The way I see it, EE have one 1800MHz carrier (20MHz wide), 2600MHz carrier 1 (20MHz wide), and then another 2600MHz carrier (15MHz wide); with the two 2600MHz carriers seen as separate carriers that just happen to be on the same frequency band. EE will likely be actively load balancing clients on a device-by-device basis, selecting the best carrier and cell at that time for that device, based on current load. Devices with 2 way CA support will then CA with the two most appropriate carriers at that time. Saying that you visit with a 6s and the most load is on the first 2600MHz carrier, you would end up CA'ing between the 1800 carrier and the second 2600 carrier but then say you moved to another mast where 1800 is facing high load because a load of people with iPhone 5s are streaming TuneIn, you would end up CA'ing between the two 2600MHz carriers. Because of CA and the magic that EE's pixies have done in the core, it will be a completely seamless shift so TuneIn will keep going and going. In some cases, you may even end up on a single carrier in order to balance the load out so that load is spread across cells and carriers the best they can, thus allowing customers to have the best experience possible.

I do fear that 800 may become rather congested in certain areas, but you've got to remember that 1800 power will be going up at some point as well so that'll pretty much limit 800 to places where you get no service now, with everywhere (and a bit further due to 4G's better efficiency) that currently gets 2/3G being covered by 1800MHz 4G.

If I remember rightly 5mhz 4G800 has about the same capacity as DC-3G, please correct me if I've misunderstood that. If that is the case surely it'll fair well given that 1800/2600 is still continuing to grow, a lot of infill still has to be done.

I'm guessing EE will go for a bigger rollout than 3800 4G800 sites. I don't know if I'm right, I'm a novis at all this so I could be completely off the scent.

I wonder if and when EE will refarm some of that 3G spectrum for 4G, like Vodafone is doing.

Yes 2x20mhz 2100. 10mhz could easily be reframed. I wonder with every upgrade, they are shifting frequency for this?

800 will have to work hard for a bit. It will have a bigger gap to fill.
Once 1800 power up then you will not be on 800 much. It will be there to catch anyone falling off 1800 and 1800 will go slightly further than the current 2G.
We know 4000ish sites for 90% so for 95% going to need a few more. How many more is anyone's guess.
For every 800 site enabled EE have to show they can recoup the cost so you aren't going to see every site enabled. Nowhere near.
In any case there are thousands of fill-in sites that have no unique coverage so these certainly won't need 800.

Thanks for explaining that, I figured 800 wouldn't be in every mast for EE. I'm glad to know it'll be more than the 4000ish already thought. As for 1800 powering up would that happen as 800 comes online? How would it affect P&G customers if they won't have access?


I'm guessing it would be in 3's best interest to rollout 800 on every mast as they simply don't have the capacity otherwise?

3800 doesn't sound like a lot, but it's not too bad really considering what it's got to do. 1800 on every mast even at reduced power will get most customers, then 800 will just get the rest, so capacity it's going to be ok. Coverage it'll be fine because a lot of masts especially in cities are for capacity or in other places for "infill" where 1800 just can't reach.

There may be places after it's been turned on that it's too slow but I presume they'll just upgrade where it needs to be.

I had mixed results from EE today. Went to the Goodwood Festival of speed and as I got about 3 miles out my phone was showing H icon but had an exclamation mark next to it and was unable to access data but phone calls were still working.

This continued until I got into the car park where I had the message of 'Restricted access changed' pop up. Never seen that before.

However when we had passed the ticket stall I got my phone out to be surprised with 5 bars of 4g. Did numerous speed tests throughout the day was was regularly getting around 50 down with the lowest being 25! Looking around the site I could see numerous COW sites and they were obviously working well.

However when I left as soon as I got back into the car park the restricted access message popped up and data went again. Typically this was probably when I needed it the most as I wanted to find the quickest route home using google maps avoiding the traffic.

Just goes to show how a big event can bring a network to it's knees and how much of a difference COW sites make.

I know that Vodafone and O2 use COW sites as well but I've never heard of Three. Does anyone know?

Three would argue that you're out to have fun, so don't need to be on your phone. You know, like they say to people who moan about slow speeds when roaming!

There is that but in today world posting photos to Twitter, facebook what ever social media you use it part of enjoying yourself. (Not for me, that was the speed test! )

But on a serious note I used it a couple of times to make phone calls and send emails about a new house I'm buying which I probably wouldn't have been able to do without them and that to me was important stuff which needed doing.

I'd also be interested to know how many COW sites EE have as I reckon that there was about 3 of them on site today and I think there's 6 currently at Glastonbury. And there's bound to be other ones dotted about over the country to assist if a main mast falls and it can't be fixed quickly.