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EE 800 Mhz 4G to go live next week


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Old 24-11-2016, 22:19
daveyfs
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I had a weird situation today. I have a BT mobile £5 a month sim in an Asus Zenfone 2 as a sort of back up for my main phone on 3. The Asus is capable of picking up 800mhz signal but doesn't have VoLTE support so I was very surprised today as I was driving through Newtown in Mid Wales and picked up Band 20 4G on it. I did have to force the phone to 4G to get it otherwise it chose 3G above it, but it did connect. I even managed a speed test of 28Mbps whilst connected to it!
I'm very confused as I'm not even a proper EE customer and the phone doesn't even support voLTE.
Has anyone else had this?
Interesting. I was in Newtown as well the past couple of days and saw a lot more 4G than ever before, but everything I saw was Band 3 1800 (I think from Llandinam mast). Speeds up to 50Mbps. I wish they'd hurry up and get backhaul to the Bryn Lane mast - that will blanket the town, even on 1800.
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Old 25-11-2016, 00:24
Gigabit
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I now believe the Samsung Galaxy S7 (rooted) is the best device to test the 800MHz spectrum as you can do band selection and it works on Three and EE.
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Old 25-11-2016, 00:53
FortKnox
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Interesting. I was in Newtown as well the past couple of days and saw a lot more 4G than ever before, but everything I saw was Band 3 1800 (I think from Llandinam mast). Speeds up to 50Mbps. I wish they'd hurry up and get backhaul to the Bryn Lane mast - that will blanket the town, even on 1800.
Newtown is being provided 4G by a Monopole Mast on Upper Dolfor Road for both EE (Band 3 1800) and Three (Band 3 1800 + Band 20 800).

4G is supposed to be activated on the Bryn Lane by the end of November for EE. Been a few reports on the following facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/905724846149243/) that people are receiving 4G from it now but I can't confirm as I am Three user and would need to dig out my S5+EE Sim and go test.

I now believe the Samsung Galaxy S7 (rooted) is the best device to test the 800MHz spectrum as you can do band selection and it works on Three and EE.
Totally agree with you on that regard, My Unbranded S7 (Rooted on Superman ROM ) which has given me the ability to have VoLTE access for Three is a life saver as its the only signal I can get in my flat. I was able to to ditch my Home Signal Box
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Old 25-11-2016, 06:59
jaffboy151
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Well I can still connect to EE band 20 in my little LG G4c with three firmware, managed about 8mbps at home in North Shropshire and 500kbps on a extremely weak no bars signal a hit further south in Telford.
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Old 25-11-2016, 08:20
gazm1990
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Interesting. I was in Newtown as well the past couple of days and saw a lot more 4G than ever before, but everything I saw was Band 3 1800 (I think from Llandinam mast). Speeds up to 50Mbps. I wish they'd hurry up and get backhaul to the Bryn Lane mast - that will blanket the town, even on 1800.
Yes EE is now broadcasting 4g from the big mast up Dolfor. This is providing partial 4g coverage for parts of Newtown which are in line of sight of the mast, but it's mainly benefitting Caersws and that area. Like you say, it's the Bryn Lane mast which will make the big difference but that hasn't been 4g'd yet (just drove through Newtown and checked).

I think 3 won't be far behind EE with 4g on the Bryn Lane mast tbh. Strange thing is though, 3 appear to have improved their 3g on that mast. Did speed tests this morning and 3 was at 8 Mbps and BT (EE) was doing 0.5 Mbps!?
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Old 25-11-2016, 11:50
daveyfs
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Newtown is being provided 4G by a Monopole Mast on Upper Dolfor Road for both EE (Band 3 1800) and Three (Band 3 1800 + Band 20 800).

4G is supposed to be activated on the Bryn Lane by the end of November for EE. Been a few reports on the following facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/905724846149243/) that people are receiving 4G from it now but I can't confirm as I am Three user and would need to dig out my S5+EE Sim and go test.
Interesting, thanks. Crossed fingers for the end of the month with Bryn Lane then!
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Old 25-11-2016, 22:08
Aaron_McGowan
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Well I can still connect to EE band 20 in my little LG G4c with three firmware, managed about 8mbps at home in North Shropshire and 500kbps on a extremely weak no bars signal a hit further south in Telford.
How's that possible? Rooted or unrooted?
I thought that the LG G5 was the only LG to get VoLTE/800MHz and even so, it had to be bought via EE?

Unless it's allowing you to connect without VoLTE?

edit: see here https://jmcomms.com/2016/11/17/exclu...ive-next-week/
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Old 26-11-2016, 08:47
lightspeed2398
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How's that possible? Rooted or unrooted?
I thought that the LG G5 was the only LG to get VoLTE/800MHz and even so, it had to be bought via EE?

Unless it's allowing you to connect without VoLTE?

edit: see here https://jmcomms.com/2016/11/17/exclu...ive-next-week/
Some masts are still in an unrestricted state. Generally these masts have their transmitting power limited to avoid accidents where signal is shown but calls cannot be made (this is hard to achieve and sometimes mistakes are made). As they are brought into the network more and completed they generally find themselves restricted, as all of the ones in my area have become over the last 2-3 months.
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Old 26-11-2016, 08:49
lightspeed2398
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Yep, but they need to support non-branded phones.
Retroactive support for the more obscure non-branded phones is not going to happen IMO. In the future though I hope that manufacturers all build the VoLTE settings from every carrier into every ROM. This should be achievable really and considering the mess of VoLTE is the only way forward.
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Old 26-11-2016, 08:51
lightspeed2398
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I don't know what EE's strategy is on this compared to Vodafone/O2, but that's a much better way to ensure your airport, railway station, shopping mall etc has solid 4G throughout - and with high speeds and capacity.

Vodafone is doing a lot on this, and I hope to be able to go and see the equipment soon (probably new year now) and how it works at places like Gatwick and Heathrow (so far, not every terminal is done).
All will be planning roughly the same for 2017 I imagine, indoor solutions at all major places, very expensive & hard to implement though. Just the timeframe and the capacity for each one that will make the difference.

The United States has seen a small trend towards carrier-neutral DASs & indoor solutions so would be interesting if we see any of that. Might not be necessary if the CTIL/MBNL pack work together.
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Old 26-11-2016, 10:21
Everything Goes
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Retroactive support for the more obscure non-branded phones is not going to happen IMO. In the future though I hope that manufacturers all build the VoLTE settings from every carrier into every ROM. This should be achievable really and considering the mess of VoLTE is the only way forward.
VoLTE settings on Android have been available through Carrier Updates for 2 years. Not that anyone seems to care.

https://source.android.com/devices/t...g/carrier.html
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Old 26-11-2016, 11:35
lightspeed2398
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VoLTE settings on Android have been available through Carrier Updates for 2 years. Not that anyone seems to care.

https://source.android.com/devices/t...g/carrier.html
Not sure how OEM takeup has been on supporting it on their individual ROMs but VoLTE has proven to be such a pig to put onto phones that I'm not surprised that it's not been used. Needs a lot of testing & integration & tuning, it's incredibly fiddly to do right and to get a better than circuit switched experience. Not heard of any carrier that has implemented it using that, if you have please enlighten
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Old 26-11-2016, 11:54
jonmorris
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VoLTE settings on Android have been available through Carrier Updates for 2 years. Not that anyone seems to care.

https://source.android.com/devices/t...g/carrier.html
Because the phones need an IMS stack, which manufacturers all want to create and maintain themselves, which means a total mess and some phones working on one network and not another.

I see VoLTE now mentioned on some handsets launches and get networks will now insist on support for all releases next year.

On EE the last few weeks I'm having many dropped calls with VoLTE at home. Either goes silent or daleky/white noise/twangs and fails. This on a Pixel XL.
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Old 26-11-2016, 13:00
lightspeed2398
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Because the phones need an IMS stack, which manufacturers all want to create and maintain themselves, which means a total mess and some phones working on one network and not another.

I see VoLTE now mentioned on some handsets launches and get networks will now insist on support for all releases next year.

On EE the last few weeks I'm having many dropped calls with VoLTE at home. Either goes silent or daleky/white noise/twangs and fails. This on a Pixel XL.
Might want to see if you can report the VoLTE issues to someone at EE if you know anyone. Could potentially interfere with a 999 call etc.
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Old 26-11-2016, 14:03
jonmorris
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Might want to see if you can report the VoLTE issues to someone at EE if you know anyone. Could potentially interfere with a 999 call etc.
I was planning to report it next week. I have noticed that the phone sometimes drops to 3G, so it's a hand off issue.
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Old 26-11-2016, 17:18
jchamier
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I was planning to report it next week. I have noticed that the phone sometimes drops to 3G, so it's a hand off issue.
CSFB not activating fast enough when a poor LTE signal?
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Old 27-11-2016, 03:50
hammy_y
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I'm in a university town and much of the campus can get 100+ on EE, and potentially up to 60 on Three and 30 on Vodafone, although I would expect they get faster fixed broadband in the halls.
Don't even get me started about student broadband! ASK4 who I'm with are just so useless... "100Mb" yeah more like <10Mb, and it's not like I can switch to BT/VM or mobile broadband either

If 4G+ is performing like they, EE must be aware and planning to do something surely?
I really hope so! Tested recently using speedtest and got over 200ms! Will probably contact them as it's just awful really.
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Old 27-11-2016, 04:37
hammy_y
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800 back at home has been lowered in power and no longer allows non-VoLTE devices to connect. I'm not sure whether it's blocking ALL devices or just non-VoLTE ones because it's extremely low power now so I can't get on it by losing 2G on my iPhone like I could before. Hoping it's one of the first to be activated as it'd fix one of the many indoor blackspots on EE when powered up
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Old 27-11-2016, 19:31
rasseru16
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800 back at home has been lowered in power and no longer allows non-VoLTE devices to connect. I'm not sure whether it's blocking ALL devices or just non-VoLTE ones because it's extremely low power now so I can't get on it by losing 2G on my iPhone like I could before. Hoping it's one of the first to be activated as it'd fix one of the many indoor blackspots on EE when powered up
My Samsung Galaxy S7 can still use VoLTE on 1800 & 800MHz CA Masts
https://s11.postimg.org/im8334htv/Vo_LTE_800_1800.png

800Mhz is still live on these CA masts
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Old 27-11-2016, 19:58
hammy_y
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My Samsung Galaxy S7 can still use VoLTE on 1800 & 800MHz CA Masts
https://s11.postimg.org/im8334htv/Vo_LTE_800_1800.png

800Mhz is still live on these CA masts
Very nice!
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Old 27-11-2016, 21:48
benster
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When will Samsung update the S6 Edge none EE branded version to be 4g+ enabled or will nougat make the phone 4g+
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Old 27-11-2016, 22:42
georgi_prodanov
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jon any info on EE 4G800?
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Old 28-11-2016, 18:53
keithsto
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I'm guessing that no one has seen a jot of usable 800 yet?
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Old 28-11-2016, 18:58
sparky93
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I'm guessing that no one has seen a jot of usable 800 yet?
not a sausage thats of use. can see it on my fone with band locking, but no cigar.
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Old 28-11-2016, 19:55
rasseru16
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When will Samsung update the S6 Edge none EE branded version to be 4g+ enabled or will nougat make the phone 4g+
The Samsung Galaxy S6 & S6 EDGE are 4G+ (CA) phones and as such BTU (Unbranded) firmware will show 4G+, if you are on EE firmware, this will only ever show as 4G even though you may be in a 4G+ area.
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