3g Rollout

[danma7_200]

Hi,

Just wondering if Vodafone have any intentions to improve there 3G coverage. I ask because Vodafone are the only provider not to offer 3G in my town, which is a shame because some of the Vodafone deals look great. Postcode is CB9, Haverhill.

Thanks

Dan

[old bill]

Hi Danma7_200,
I have spoken to Vodafone many times about 3G coverage in the CB9 area. Have always been told that they do not have anything planned for the next 6 months. This is one of the reasons I gave them the boot recently. As far as 3G coverage goes Orange has the best coverage in the town followed by O2, 3 and T-Mobile. Looking at the site finder.org 3,O2 and T-Mobile have one UMITS cell each and depending where you are in the town depends if you get a signal. I can get fantastic Orange, 3G T-Mobile upstairs but not down. O2 and 3 not a chance. T-Mobile cell is also HSDPA active for faster speeds.

[Neil201]

If Orange 3G is good and Vodafone not too good you'll certainly benefit from the forthcoming RAN (Radio Access Network) share whereby Vodafone will be sharing Orange 3G sites and vice versa. I notice here in South Manchester that there is a trend generally whereby Orange 3G is better in areas where Vodafone isn't and vice versa. As both networks had this in the pipeline, it's pointless VF building a 3G Node B in said area if Orange already have one!

I'm not sure when RAN sharing will start and reckon it will be on a phased basis. Ultermately it means Vodafone and Orange's 3G coverage should be more robust in areas where there are non-overlapping adjacent sites and also where one network has a site and another doesn't. Where both networks have sites on the same or adjacent buildings then a cost saving can be made by removing one of them.

[danma7_200]

Cheers for the Info.

If they are doing the 3G rollout on customer demand maybe they don't have enough customers in Haverhill to warrant the investment. Though, plenty of my friends use Vodafone. Seems odd.

Orange does have the best 3G coverage in town. Two masts I think. Three coverage is patchy to say the least. I have no idea the reasoning behind putting a tiny little mast up on the roundabout on the bypass when there's a huge great big water tower, where O2 and Orange put their masts.

Didn't realise Tmobile has HSDPA. Are you able to use this with the 7.50 web and walk or that limited to UTMS?

Thanks

Dan

[danma7_200]

Just to be clever, I'm going to hazard a guess and say you live somewhere near East Town Park, from 3g signals you can pick up.

Dan

[Planner]

No details on RAN share have been released yet.

there are 2 assumptions.

1. it will be purely rural.
2. it will be total network.

[old bill]

Just to be clever, I'm going to hazard a guess and say you live somewhere near East Town Park, from 3g signals you can pick up.

Dan

Yes I live in the East Town Park direction. When I spoke to Vodafone a short while back I asked why they did not have 3G coverage. They could not tell me but would pass it on to their planning team. But they also told me that a couple of years ago. If you want Vodafone 3G its Bury or Cambridge at the moment.
Have heard mixed response about HSDPA on T-Mobile W&W and W&W Plus some people say that they get it on the basic package some say they do not. If you were thinking about going the T-Mobile route I would order of their web site or over the phone. You then have 7 days under the DSR to try out the handset. If you do the streetcheck you have 14 days to return it.