RBI Tower behaving very strangely

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Max
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#2820369 27-Nov-2021 22:56

timofkingsland:

MaxineN: Knowing your rough location would let us see what towers are actually around and through what provider.

There are only two towers I have any chance of getting out here at all. The one close to me has two RCG 700 Mhz 4G LTE transmitters. The other one, which is about 17.5 km away and passes through the tops of some hills, has (according to GIS Geek):

One each Spark/Vodafone/2degrees 700 Mhz 4G LTE
One Spark 850 Mhz 3G UMTS
Two Vodafone 900 Mhz 2G GSM and/or 3G UMTS
One 2degrees 900 Mhz 3G UMTS and/or 4G LTE (I'm pretty sure this is 3G - my phone could sometimes connect to 3G in the right spots before the new tower)
I was connecting to this tower with a large antenna for internet before the new tower. It would alternate between 4G and 3G, which suggests the Vodafone 900 Mhz transmitter is also 3G.

Do you need more info? I'd prefer not to put up my location online if I can avoid it. There are very few of us living out here near the tower.

You basically mentioned all of the info I would grab anyway.

Honestly you'd have more luck trying to secure something on Vodafone even if it's 3G for now.

As a permanent solution. Try finding a cheap second hand iPhone so you can throw in any carrier you want and keep it as a home phone or emergencies since VoLTE will work.

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Linux

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#2820371 27-Nov-2021 22:58

@timofkingsland You do not need to post your address just an approx location will help us help you

Having a handset that supports WiFi calling and VoLTE is getting more important these days

timofkingsland

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#2820373 27-Nov-2021 23:05

MaxineN:

Honestly you'd have more luck trying to secure something on Vodafone even if it's 3G for now.

Do you mean some kind of repeater? They're stopping service for Sure Signal in December. Do they have something else?

MaxineN:

As a permanent solution. Try finding a cheap second hand iPhone so you can throw in any carrier you want and keep it as a home phone or emergencies since VoLTE will work.

Thanks, that's helpful. Are all models that have VoLTE enabled in NZ?

MaxineN

Max
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#2820374 27-Nov-2021 23:08

If memory serves me: iPhone 6s or SE and up will do both VoLTE and VoWiFi on Vodafone and 2degrees. For spark it's VoLTE currently.

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Linux

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#2820375 27-Nov-2021 23:10

@timofkingsland VodafoneNZ have launched WiFi calling

2degrees have offered WiFi calling for a number of years and SparkNZ no WiFi calling but do VoLTE

https://www.2degrees.nz/help/mobile-help/calling-features/wifi-calling

https://www.vodafone.co.nz/our-networks/wifi-calling/

timofkingsland

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#2820376 27-Nov-2021 23:19

Linux:

@timofkingsland VodafoneNZ have launched WiFi calling

2degrees have offered WiFi calling for a number of years and SparkNZ no WiFi calling but do VoLTE

https://www.vodafone.co.nz/our-networks/wifi-calling/

The problem is, it probably won't work on my phone either. 2degrees doesn't support WiFi calling on Pixel phones and it's not on the list of compatible devices on Vodafone's site. I doubt it's ever going to be enabled unless one of the NZ mobile companies start selling them here. This post gave me some understanding of what's wrong with VoLTE and WiFi Calling on Android:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/p6r99j/why_voltevowifi_often_doesnt_work_on_your_android/

It doesn't make me optimistic.

Edit: Clarified something and tried to make the link work. Maybe I'm not allowed to link things.

timofkingsland

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#2820377 27-Nov-2021 23:29

Does anyone know if Cel-Fi repeaters will broadcast a 3G signal if it only receives an LTE signal?

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#2820378 27-Nov-2021 23:33

timofkingsland:

Does anyone know if Cel-Fi repeaters will broadcast a 3G signal if it only receives an LTE signal?

Have you seen the pricing of them?

timofkingsland

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#2820379 27-Nov-2021 23:37

Linux:

timofkingsland:

Does anyone know if Cel-Fi repeaters will broadcast a 3G signal if it only receives an LTE signal?

Have you seen the pricing of them?

Hahaha yeah. I'm not buying a new one. I was thinking about getting one before the new tower and saw them go second hand for a few hundred sometimes. I can wait for a good deal.

coffeebaron

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#2820416 28-Nov-2021 08:30

timofkingsland:
Does anyone know if Cel-Fi repeaters will broadcast a 3G signal if it only receives an LTE signal?

Yes, if you used to get 3G before the new tower with antenna, or if you still have patches that get a small trace of 3G, then a properly installed Cel-Fi should work.

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#2820424 28-Nov-2021 09:30

Will the GSMA central database idea for VoLTE/VoWifi requirements ever be a thing here?

sbiddle

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#2820447 28-Nov-2021 10:30

coffeebaron:
timofkingsland:

Does anyone know if Cel-Fi repeaters will broadcast a 3G signal if it only receives an LTE signal?

Yes, if you used to get 3G before the new tower with antenna, or if you still have patches that get a small trace of 3G, then a properly installed Cel-Fi should work.

Just to clarify the Cel-Fi will connect to 3G and redistribute that, it can't connect to a LTE site and then broadcast a 3G signal.

sbiddle

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#2820448 28-Nov-2021 10:31

Bung: Will the GSMA central database idea for VoLTE/VoWifi requirements ever be a thing here?

The issue is really one of Android being shit.

If Android had the same model as Apple with a carrier pack for every approved network then problems like this wouldn't be an issue.

triquantacat

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#2820473 28-Nov-2021 11:22

This is probably overly simplistic and you've already thought of it.

Perhaps, double check that 'no common or hidden power saving feature is cutting out your phone' connection.
Perhaps, I wonder if you have double checked that no common app to all your phones, of any kind was installed at the same time as the cell tower came in or even if it's an app interfering regardless?

Since you can't control the cell tower, perhaps try and think of anything common to all your phones that changed at the same time, the tower came online.

It's a long shot but I've seen simple stuff like apps and phone settings be the cause before.

When you are out and about perhaps these 'GPS, app, or energy saver states go offline' and when you're at home, something starts up, or shuts down.

Really hard to tell. But I've seen simple things like this be the culprit all alone, with phones before.

Good luck.

triquantacat.

PS: Just one of a few things you can try below?

Pixel 5 - Turn Power Saver On / Off

From a Home screen, swipe up to display all apps.
Navigate: Settings. Battery. .
Tap. Battery saver. .
Tap the. Use Battery saver switch. to turn on or off .
Tap. Turn off when charged. to turn on or off.
Tap. Set a schedule. and then select one of the following: No schedule.

SomeoneSomewhere

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#2820653 28-Nov-2021 16:55

I don't really like the solution of Google or Apple being gatekeepers and having to approve of a network before phones will work on it, for obvious reasons.

In addition, this means that phones running firmware that predates a network's start or change can't use that network until updated.

I would have thought some kind of DHCPoLTE could be a thing but I need to do some reading. From that Reddit post, it's looking like the answer would probably have to be some kind of EU make-your-shit-work intervention/regulation.

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