4g rollout in the news

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surfisup1000

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#150008 8-Jul-2014 12:35

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/busines s/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11285361

"Telecom's network capability manager Tonie De Vries says the economics of bringing fast mobile services to areas outside of the main centres have been challenging, but the reallocation of the 700MHz spectrum will speed up the roll-out significantly."

But, telecom have not rolled out to some main centres yet, let alone outside. eg, Hamilton, Tauranga, Palmy... no 4g yet. They stick out like a sore thumb on the interactive map.

I've been a telecom customer for a few years now. But with their slow UFB rollout and now 4G i'm just thinking maybe it is time to give vodafone another try? Vodafone just seems a bit more agile at the moment.

I wonder how telecom prioritises the 4g rollout. Obviously spectrum availability comes first, but after that? Obviously not solely decided on population/market size.

NonprayingMantis

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#1084063 8-Jul-2014 12:39

they are definitely behind VF when it comes to 4G, but I don't agree on the UFB front.

They launched UFB after Orcon and Snap (two much smaller ISPs) but definitely before Vodafone and Slingshot, (2nd and 3rd largest ISPs) and currently have the widest UFB coverage of any RSP I believe.

Behodar

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#1084067 8-Jul-2014 12:48

surfisup1000: Obviously spectrum availability comes first, but after that? Obviously not solely decided on population/market size.

It may be related to congestion; 3G is painfully slow in Whakatane and 4G is supposedly available here as of last week (I don't know anyone with a 4G phone so haven't been able to test it). Conversely, I've found that 3G is quite a bit faster when I'm in Tauranga.

surfisup1000

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#1084069 8-Jul-2014 12:49

NonprayingMantis: they are definitely behind VF when it comes to 4G, but I don't agree on the UFB front.

They launched UFB after Orcon and Snap (two much smaller ISPs) but definitely before Vodafone and Slingshot, (2nd and 3rd largest ISPs) and currently have the widest UFB coverage of any RSP I believe.

Well, telecom launched ufb in tauranga 2 years after orcon , so I thought they were slow relative to the first entrants.

Vodafone have done really well over the last couple of years with their 4g product though.

Anyway, the next year or 2 will be interesting with all the new spectrum coming along.

matisyahu

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#1084516 9-Jul-2014 02:34

Behodar:
surfisup1000: Obviously spectrum availability comes first, but after that? Obviously not solely decided on population/market size.

It may be related to congestion; 3G is painfully slow in Whakatane and 4G is supposedly available here as of last week (I don't know anyone with a 4G phone so haven't been able to test it). Conversely, I've found that 3G is quite a bit faster when I'm in Tauranga.

It is just as bad in Johnsonville - 4G signal drops in and out depending on the time of day and the situation is similar depending where one is in the Hutt Valley. I'm hoping that maybe once 700Mhz LTE is launched that these issues will be resolved.

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eXDee

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#1086804 10-Jul-2014 22:42

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kawaii:
Behodar:
surfisup1000: Obviously spectrum availability comes first, but after that? Obviously not solely decided on population/market size.

It may be related to congestion; 3G is painfully slow in Whakatane and 4G is supposedly available here as of last week (I don't know anyone with a 4G phone so haven't been able to test it). Conversely, I've found that 3G is quite a bit faster when I'm in Tauranga.

It is just as bad in Johnsonville - 4G signal drops in and out depending on the time of day and the situation is similar depending where one is in the Hutt Valley. I'm hoping that maybe once 700Mhz LTE is launched that these issues will be resolved.

THen you get the fun issue where everyone simply sees "700mhz" 4G, buys imorted phones from the USA and then moans when they don't work.
The 4G 700Mhz APT Band known as Band 28 LTE are what you want to support the new network.

riahon

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#1086861 11-Jul-2014 04:18

My phone picks up 4G in Hamilton CBD but seems to come and go every few days so I guess they are testing it as I have not seen any official release.

Stan

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#1087787 12-Jul-2014 16:20

There is 4g on and off in Hamilton

https://www.speedtest.net/wp/13147365.png

matisyahu

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#1088291 14-Jul-2014 04:55

eXDee:
kawaii:
Behodar:
surfisup1000: Obviously spectrum availability comes first, but after that? Obviously not solely decided on population/market size.

It may be related to congestion; 3G is painfully slow in Whakatane and 4G is supposedly available here as of last week (I don't know anyone with a 4G phone so haven't been able to test it). Conversely, I've found that 3G is quite a bit faster when I'm in Tauranga.

It is just as bad in Johnsonville - 4G signal drops in and out depending on the time of day and the situation is similar depending where one is in the Hutt Valley. I'm hoping that maybe once 700Mhz LTE is launched that these issues will be resolved.

THen you get the fun issue where everyone simply sees "700mhz" 4G, buys imorted phones from the USA and then moans when they don't work.
The 4G 700Mhz APT Band known as Band 28 LTE are what you want to support the new network.

Yeap, I could imagine the CSR having to deal with Bobby Fred and Suzie Q whining that their phone 'doesn't do 700mhz like the box says' - with that being said I'm looking forward to the iPhone refresh and maybe if I'm lucky it'll include support for Band 28 LTE.

Behodar

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#1088298 14-Jul-2014 07:40

As I understand it, Apple has typically been quick to adopt new bands so hopefully you're right :)

knoydart

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#1088304 14-Jul-2014 08:33

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Herald article: Last week, 2degrees flicked the switch on its 4G mobile internet network in central Auckland with 72 sites going live, while Vodafone quietly launched 4G at Ohakune, Ruapehu, Cardrona Valley, Tukino, Franz Josef, and Fox Glacier ski fields.

Can't wait to go onto the ski fields at Franz and Fox glaciers. I'm guessing they are a wee bit bumpy to go down however?

knoydart

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#1088509 14-Jul-2014 13:08

Looks like Vodafone are trying to up thier 4G game some more - the Managment rights to the APT band at 700MHz have been transfered already