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EE 2G/3G/4G Discussion Thread (Part 2) |
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#2351 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 932
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Quote:
I wouldn't bank on it to be honest - it's not the latest model and I don't think the LG range has ever been popular in a mainstream sense.
I may well be wrong, but I'd say it's far from definite it will get it. I still think the only way you can be sure of reliably getting current and future network features is to get an iPhone - rightly or wrongly... ![]() I was thinking about the LG G4 because it is much cheaper than the G5 (I saw one sell on eBay for £200 only yesterday, and it was in good condition with a load of accessories), yet also has the field test mode that would definitely be useful to me. I have heard on here about iPhones getting all of the latest carrier settings, but I'd have to relearn a new OS (I've always used Android, and I don't know if all my apps are available on iOS), plus there's the no widgets thing, no apps from outside the Apple App Store, no expandable memory (I need to keep my microSD option) and there's even the possibility of 3.5mm support being dropped on the iPhone 7 and newer - which is something I cannot live without. So I'd much prefer an Android that will get VoLTE.... Apart from an iPhone, anything else that would be likely to get VoLTE? (No Samsungs, as I'm fed up with the "let's drop down to 2G" nonsense that the S4 has.) |
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#2352 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 73
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Quote:
I can confirm it on the S7 edge, I'd assume the S7 is the same.
I don't agree with networks being able to block certain features though. If it's available on a phone, then it should be available on any network, be it 4G+ icon, 2G only mode (excluding Three who don't have 2G) or even Visual Voicemail on iPhone that only EE supports. Why the others don't support it is beyond me. Going back to my original question, out of interest, is there a way of getting 2G only to work using an app? Looking on Google Play, I see there are several apps that claim to do this although some don't appear to be compatible with Samsung's? |
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#2353 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 73
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Quote:
Apart from an iPhone, anything else that would be likely to get VoLTE? (No Samsungs, as I'm fed up with the "let's drop down to 2G" nonsense that the S4 has.)
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#2354 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cheshire/Shropshire Border
Posts: 589
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Quote:
Well, it's definitely got more of a change of getting VoLTE than the S4 has, let's put it that way!
![]() I was thinking about the LG G4 because it is much cheaper than the G5 (I saw one sell on eBay for £200 only yesterday, and it was in good condition with a load of accessories), yet also has the field test mode that would definitely be useful to me. I have heard on here about iPhones getting all of the latest carrier settings, but I'd have to relearn a new OS (I've always used Android, and I don't know if all my apps are available on iOS), plus there's the no widgets thing, no apps from outside the Apple App Store, no expandable memory (I need to keep my microSD option) and there's even the possibility of 3.5mm support being dropped on the iPhone 7 and newer - which is something I cannot live without. So I'd much prefer an Android that will get VoLTE.... ![]() I don't have an iPhone but would be amazed if there are more than a couple of apps that are not available, that are currently on Android. It's usually the other way around. I wouldn't worry about the learning curve from what I've heard. With an old and probably insecure S4, if you're adding third party apps from outside the Play store it may be better if your ability to do this in the future is limited. ![]() I agree that dropping the 3.5 audio port would be a PIA. If they do - future flagship Androids will probably follow suit and move to audio via USB C, which I think is within the spec. Quote:
Going back to my original question, out of interest, is there a way of getting 2G only to work using an app? Looking on Google Play, I see there are several apps that claim to do this although some don't appear to be compatible with Samsung's?
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#2355 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Kent
Posts: 195
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Quote:
is there a way of getting 2G only to work using an app?
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#2356 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: a land filled with trolls
Posts: 12,010
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Give me an example of an app and I'll try it, I can only find ones that bring up the phone's own settings.
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#2357 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 14,541
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If anyone wants the codes for LG they are usually something like:
*#546368#*<model># Where <model> is the actual model number only, no letters, just the model number. So for example mine is an LG V10 H960, so my code is *#546368#*960# Do be careful what you do though as there are bugs in some of the devices and certain menu options can brick the phone. It IS safe however to go to: field test -> modem settings -> RAT selection, where you can select LTE only, or field test -> modem settings -> network mode, where you can select the 4G bands you specifically want, a reboot resets the network modes back to normal. I have seen reports of people messing in other menus like IMS and stuff and causing their phone to not boot, so again... warning, it isn't safe to just play around, these are fairly locked away for a reason. |
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#2358 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,727
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Why don't you move to Three? I'm on Three now (moving to EE soon though, hopefully tomorrow) and, although the 4G coverage isn't a patch on EE's, the 3G coverage is excellent and almost always works, even for videos, so your radio streaming should be fine. With Three, you'll end up with nothing at all if you can't get a 3G signal, but at least it would cling onto 3G for as long as possible and not drop to 2G too early. You'd also have the advantage of Supervoice on a lot of phones as well.
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#2359 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cheshire/Shropshire Border
Posts: 589
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Quote:
In my experience with Three if you have a signal, it always works. With EE, sometimes I have a decent signal but very little to no throughput. So it's unusable.
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#2360 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,373
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Spent weekend in Stourton / Wincanton / Frome area on business and have to say EE and 3 3G were poor to be honest. Didn't have a phone that could do EE 4G (iphone 4) but didn't see 3 4G once (Honor 7). VOD 2G relatively solid but even that wasn't amazing. Didn't try VO2 data as they rip you £2 for it and couldn't be bothered.
For such a flatish area of the country I expected much better. Maybe EE 4G is good there? 3G was rubbish to be honest. |
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#2361 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: This forum
Posts: 3,388
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Quote:
Spent weekend in Stourton / Wincanton / Frome area on business and have to say EE and 3 3G were poor to be honest. Didn't have a phone that could do EE 4G (iphone 4) but didn't see 3 4G once (Honor 7). VOD 2G relatively solid but even that wasn't amazing. Didn't try VO2 data as they rip you £2 for it and couldn't be bothered.
For such a flatish area of the country I expected much better. Maybe EE 4G is good there? 3G was rubbish to be honest. |
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#2362 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 932
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Quote:
It's totally location based unfortunately - both 3 and EE suffer from the 'full signal, no throughput' problem around here, primarily due to borked masts and backhaul. Many shared of course.
As for your area, sounds like all masts are either on copper backhaul, or on microwave backhaul (with all masts being in a single daisy chain - with the "supply" mast being on copper itself). Some of the older Orange masts tend to have copper backhaul, and hence there is very little throughput. |
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#2363 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 932
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Quote:
Why don't you move to Three? I'm on Three now (moving to EE soon though, hopefully tomorrow) and, although the 4G coverage isn't a patch on EE's, the 3G coverage is excellent and almost always works, even for videos, so your radio streaming should be fine. With Three, you'll end up with nothing at all if you can't get a 3G signal, but at least it would cling onto 3G for as long as possible and not drop to 2G too early. You'd also have the advantage of Supervoice on a lot of phones as well.
With EE on WCDMA mode, that's how the phone behaves as well - either 3G or nothing - but then I don't have anything when I get to one of these weird 2G/4G masts (why would anyone make a mast like that, is anyone's guess, 3G isn't dead yet....) Plus, I know it's not the networks fault, it's the S4's fault, as most other phones don't do this "drop down to 2G" thing! Hence why I was asking whether the LG G4 would ever get 4G Calling.... |
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#2364 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cheshire/Shropshire Border
Posts: 589
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Quote:
When I've tested both 3 and EE side by side, I've noticed that they are both usable in the vast majority of areas. Sometimes, on 3G, I have noticed Three being faster than EE, but then again, with areas getting EE 4G, EE seems to be the faster option in many areas.
As for your area, sounds like all masts are either on copper backhaul, or on microwave backhaul (with all masts being in a single daisy chain - with the "supply" mast being on copper itself). Some of the older Orange masts tend to have copper backhaul, and hence there is very little throughput. |
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#2365 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,373
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Quote:
That's annoying. The EE map shows its not brilliant in Frome, but I know personally that EE 3G is good on the A36, but haven't been that way for a while to try 4G. Don't know the other towns. Westbury is good for EE 4G. Maybe there is a problem getting the backhaul (Virgin media, BT etc) in to those towns, or there have been people protesting against masts for years. (This problem in west sussex means villages without coverage now!).
I can only think the network was under heavy strain or that there was work being done to a view masts. |
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#2366 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,727
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Quote:
It's totally location based unfortunately - both 3 and EE suffer from the 'full signal, no throughput' problem around here, primarily due to borked masts and backhaul. Many shared of course.
I switched to EE last week and this has become. Regular problem, not good. |
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#2367 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Rutland
Posts: 561
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Coverage map updated for 4G today.
Seems the Hunstanton mast has been 4G'ed Similar coverage pattern as the 3G but definitely worked indoors on Hunstanton High Street.A bit more 4G now available in North/North West Norfolk, North/South Creake 4G'ed along with Weybourne. Hoping all the sites along the A149 will be done soon. Streaming radio drops out along the A149 between Hunstanton and Wells though it's fine between King's Lynn and Hunstanton. An ex Orange 2G only site on the A43 at Bulwick has had 4G added so now continuous data coverage along this stretch of the road. It's good to see continued progress on these ex Orange 2G only sites. |
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#2368 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Suffolk, East Anglia
Posts: 665
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Quote:
Coverage map updated for 4G today.
Seems the Hunstanton mast has been 4G'ed Similar coverage pattern as the 3G but definitely worked indoors on Hunstanton High Street.A bit more 4G now available in North/North West Norfolk, North/South Creake 4G'ed along with Weybourne. Hoping all the sites along the A149 will be done soon. Streaming radio drops out along the A149 between Hunstanton and Wells though it's fine between King's Lynn and Hunstanton. An ex Orange 2G only site on the A43 at Bulwick has had 4G added so now continuous data coverage along this stretch of the road. It's good to see continued progress on these ex Orange 2G only sites. |
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#2369 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,373
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Just signed up for an iPhone SE on 25GB at £38 a month on business so no BT Sport to worry about. Probably a bit cheaper to buy and go SIM only but I just went with it. Seems a good deal if I can add on another phone and maybe router sim for a few quid more a month and share the data.
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#2370 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 932
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Quote:
Coverage map updated for 4G today.
Seems the Hunstanton mast has been 4G'ed Similar coverage pattern as the 3G but definitely worked indoors on Hunstanton High Street.A bit more 4G now available in North/North West Norfolk, North/South Creake 4G'ed along with Weybourne. Hoping all the sites along the A149 will be done soon. Streaming radio drops out along the A149 between Hunstanton and Wells though it's fine between King's Lynn and Hunstanton. An ex Orange 2G only site on the A43 at Bulwick has had 4G added so now continuous data coverage along this stretch of the road. It's good to see continued progress on these ex Orange 2G only sites. So it looks as though the EE/3 panels haven't been altered, which isn't great because there are still very weak areas along the seafront and in some of the shops (certainly for 3G, haven't tested 4G yet as I haven't been there since the 4G switch on). The panels need realigning so that one of the panels points down into the town center, by the shops, because the flats on the seafront (and that area) have no 3G outdoors, let alone indoors....I know that the 3G drops out a little bit just the other side of Kings Lynn, where you go down that rather large steep hill on the way to Heacham/Dersingham etc. Hopefully that holds on better with 3G and 4G.... Looks like I'll have to test both 3G and 4G out the next time I go to Hunstanton! Excellent, it's good that these Orange 2G masts are finally being done. I wonder if MBNL will pop along soon and add 3G to it as well, or will it be one of these weird 2G/4G ones, which are rather anti-Galaxy S4... |
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#2371 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 932
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Quote:
Good progress being made in North Norfolk sadly not so good in Suffolk, Between Thetford and Bury St. Edmunds still a couple of masts running old 2G no whiff of 3G either.
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#2372 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,985
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Quote:
Just signed up for an iPhone SE on 25GB at £38 a month on business so no BT Sport to worry about. Probably a bit cheaper to buy and go SIM only
IPhone SE is around £15 a month over 24 months for the 16GB, £23 a month for 25GB a month seems cheaper than an EE sim only for that amount of data at present. |
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#2373 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,373
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Quote:
Just a quick bit of mental arithmetic would say you might be wrong.
IPhone SE is around £15 a month over 24 months for the 16GB, £23 a month for 25GB a month seems cheaper than an EE sim only for that amount of data at present. May have done it cheaper sim only but I doubt by much. If I can share a couple more sims on the 25GB for a few quid more then happy days,. Just got so hacked off with Android on my recent business trip I had to get back to iOS. Coming tomorrow then the old phone on eBay. Quite a relief to get back to the land of the living. |
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#2374 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 932
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Quote:
No idea. Seemed like a good deal. Take into account this is a business phone so prices are ex VAT.
May have done it cheaper sim only but I doubt by much. If I can share a couple more sims on the 25GB for a few quid more then happy days,. Just got so hacked off with Android on my recent business trip I had to get back to iOS. Coming tomorrow then the old phone on eBay. Quite a relief to get back to the land of the living.
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#2375 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Rutland
Posts: 561
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Quote:
I know that the 3G drops out a little bit just the other side of Kings Lynn, where you go down that rather large steep hill on the way to Heacham/Dersingham etc. Hopefully that holds on better with 3G and 4G.... Looks like I'll have to test both 3G and 4G out the next time I go to Hunstanton! Historically my phone always used to drop to 2G around Sandringham until I got to the Dersingham roundabout but last week 4G throughout. |
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