Spark Coverage

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nzpilot1181

89 posts

Master Geek

#157168 21-Nov-2014 17:29

Hi All,

Surprised to have received reception standing out at Cape Reinga recently. Had 2/5 dots on iPhone however couldn't get a text or call out. It just failed to connect. Any reason why?

Cheers

Sidestep

866 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1181002 21-Nov-2014 19:22

Because the nearest cell tower's 40km away.

And you were likely seeing signal from even further away, the Karikari Peninsula.

So likely 70 km or so.

nzpilot1181

89 posts

Master Geek

#1181023 21-Nov-2014 20:46

Ah I see so it's more a case of the signal from the phone getting back to the cell site than the other way?
Made me think, with a really good Yagi on a high hill in the Three Kings whether you would pick up and signal from Spark or Vodafone ?

Sidestep

866 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1181025 21-Nov-2014 20:57

Before the closer site went live, earlier this year (thanks Vodafone & RBI!) there used to be a spot up on Te Paki Station - which you drove through to reach the Cape - where there was signal.

On a hill was a 5 wire farm fence. If you held out your phone & backed slowly away you'd get 2-3 bars.

If you moved 6" in any direction you'd loose it again.

I assume the fence refracted or reflected the signal.

Calls would often connect, you'd hear them clear as a bell but they couldn't hear you.

"hello... Hello.. Hello **** I know it's you... I can see your number... Hello.. Click"

The nearest tower back then was Karikari. A good 70 km away.

We carried VHF radio for emergencies.

nzpilot1181

89 posts

Master Geek

#1181027 21-Nov-2014 21:00

i was surprised to have coverage through Houhora, is this recent addition?

Sidestep

866 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1181029 21-Nov-2014 21:25

I'm 16 km North of Houhora, on the East coast.

The new tower (went live March this year) is on the hill behind us. Maybe 3 km away.

It's part of the RBI build, so we were able to ditch our satellite service and go with wireless.

The fibre backhaul from the tower runs across the farm to our road then follows it 6 km back to SH1.

On Chorus's Rural Fibre map it shows as available for connection, so in theory we can have a fibre connection, out here at the end of the world!

I've been trying to convince the wife we should throw $10k at that, rather than the kids braces..

richms

23670 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#1181046 21-Nov-2014 22:09

There used to be heaps of places on SH3 to new plymouth that would show signal but not work for calling. This was in the days of GSM, but when I swapped over to CDMA there was quite a few occasions I would get a call on that road with 1 bar in areas way way way from any coverage map showing anything. I also called some guy I was doing a trademe pickup from and told him where I was and he refused to believe that I was calling from there because it was a dead spot. CDMA was great in the whops on the bulletproof featureless nokia with the black and white screen.

Richard rich.ms

matisyahu

1501 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1181072 21-Nov-2014 23:17

richms: There used to be heaps of places on SH3 to new plymouth that would show signal but not work for calling. This was in the days of GSM, but when I swapped over to CDMA there was quite a few occasions I would get a call on that road with 1 bar in areas way way way from any coverage map showing anything. I also called some guy I was doing a trademe pickup from and told him where I was and he refused to believe that I was calling from there because it was a dead spot. CDMA was great in the whops on the bulletproof featureless nokia with the black and white screen.

Reminds of what I have heard from Americans on Verizon that still uses CDMA for their mobile network (although they're transitioning to LTE). One of those situations when you live out in the whop-whops there is a something given up in the process.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

quickymart

5707 posts

Uber Geek

#1181110 22-Nov-2014 06:40

TDMA (025) had the best coverage of all, IMO.

nzpilot1181

89 posts

Master Geek

#1181123 22-Nov-2014 07:31

Ah yes the good old CDMA days.

The trip north was good to see what coverage was like. Drove inland around Matauri Bay, was the only spot which Spark lacked any good coverage and Vodafone had plenty.

It was interesting to see alot of the Spark sites using Omni Antennas where the Vodafone sites were panel. I do not think I've ever seen a Vodafone site using Omni's

matisyahu

1501 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1181131 22-Nov-2014 08:12

quickymart: TDMA (025) had the best coverage of all, IMO.

Does Spark still own that spectrum and can they still reuse it again for LTE or WCDMA (aka 3G)?

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

richms

23670 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#1181220 22-Nov-2014 12:14

kawaii:
quickymart: TDMA (025) had the best coverage of all, IMO.

Does Spark still own that spectrum and can they still reuse it again for LTE or WCDMA (aka 3G)?

That's their 800mhz used for 3g. That's why they couldn't go gsm when they went TDMA because there was no 800 gsm gear and we were stuck with TDMA and then CDMA. 800mhz gsm and then 3g never happened till the usa got out of their weird networks and went gsm so that gear was made..

Could be worse. Could have had iden I suppose....

Richard rich.ms

quickymart

5707 posts

Uber Geek

#1181234 22-Nov-2014 13:04

kawaii:
quickymart: TDMA (025) had the best coverage of all, IMO.

Does Spark still own that spectrum and can they still reuse it again for LTE or WCDMA (aka 3G)?

It's used today for the paging network. The coverage of that network (026) mirrors the old 025 network.

matisyahu

1501 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1181431 22-Nov-2014 21:22

quickymart:
kawaii:
quickymart: TDMA (025) had the best coverage of all, IMO.

Does Spark still own that spectrum and can they still reuse it again for LTE or WCDMA (aka 3G)?

It's used today for the paging network. The coverage of that network (026) mirrors the old 025 network.

Wow, didn't realise that paging it still around these days.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

sbiddle

29274 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#1181449 22-Nov-2014 21:52

kawaii:
quickymart:
kawaii:
quickymart: TDMA (025) had the best coverage of all, IMO.

Does Spark still own that spectrum and can they still reuse it again for LTE or WCDMA (aka 3G)?

It's used today for the paging network. The coverage of that network (026) mirrors the old 025 network.

Wow, didn't realise that paging it still around these days.

I wouldn't pick the paging network shutting down anytime this decade. There is nothing that can replace it.

Paging also doesn't use that band, it uses 157.9xx MHz.