4G 700MHz network

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › 4G 700MHz network

nztomas

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#205034 27-Oct-2016 12:51

Hello,

I'm bit confused about the 4G rural 700Mhz network. We live on rural area close to Mangonui (Far North) and according to map there supposed to be a decent coverage of 4G network at our place. At the moment, I still can get standard 3G coverage with my nexus 5 (crap inside of the building but reasonable good outside 20 meters away). The 4G map shows much more better coverage than 3G.

So since the Nexus 5 doesn't support 700Mhz band I was hoping that I could use the 4G network with Nexus 5X - so I've bought 5X yesterday (model H791 which should support this band) but unfortunately I got the same bad reception as with my older nexus. The settings says it should prefer the 4G connection but I assume it used different one and not sure why. IS there any way how to force it to jump to 700Mhz or am I missing something?

I still have around 7 days to return it back and I'm keen to try more things - it's a great phone but the support of 700Mhz was the main reason to buy it...

Thanks for any info!

hio77

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#1658967 27-Oct-2016 12:55

I would double check you got the Global and not the American model, you want band 28 700mhz.

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sbiddle

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#1658984 27-Oct-2016 13:10

4G coverage needs to mirror 3G coverage and will not be better - if it was you'd encounter issues with the phone not being able to support voice calls.

nztomas

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#1659001 27-Oct-2016 13:20

I thought that because skinny 4G runs on 700Mhz it has much better coverage then standard 3G (which runs on different frequency)... When I play with https://www.skinny.co.nz/coverage/ and I switch on 3G cover, when I add 4G 700Mhz layer I can clearly see bit bigger area covered...

robjg63

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#1659007 27-Oct-2016 13:28

I think @sbiddle means that phone calls only happen over 3g.

So even if there is 4G coverage it wont help the phone calling aspects.

Data access should use 4G if its available though - and be much faster than 3G.

(someone will correct me if I am wrong - but pretty sure no-one is using 4g for voice ....yet)

Only items I could google up in a hurry indicated both VF and Spark testing voice over 4G early last year.

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nztomas

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#1659010 27-Oct-2016 13:32

Ohh yeah you right - http://help.vodafone.co.nz/app/answers/detail/a_id/18908/~/is-4g-used-for-voice,-data-and-txt%3F

dammit...

robjg63

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#1659015 27-Oct-2016 13:37

nztomas:

Ohh yeah you right - http://help.vodafone.co.nz/app/answers/detail/a_id/18908/~/is-4g-used-for-voice,-data-and-txt%3F

dammit...

I can understand your annoyance - looks like the big 2 were faffing about with voice over 4G nearly 12-18 months ago - but have still done nothing about actually switching it on.

Perhaps you should try a spark sim in the phone while you still have it and see if they have better coverage where you are. There can be quite a difference between the networks.

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nztomas

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#1659039 27-Oct-2016 14:03

Thanks for a really quick info guys, this is the best and quickest support from "telco" I've ever got :)

Yeah I'm bit frustrated, we are on rural road 5kms from Manognui, there is a mobile coverage everywhere around us just 5kms around us is bit of black spot... We have house on the hill so we still can get few bars on our phones - 2degrees are much better (which I think is vodafone network, skinny/spark bit worse) - but I was hoping 4G 700 will fix this :(

I was also trying to get 4G skinny broadband as the coverage is there but they refused it saying it's spark rural area, which is bit shame so I'm still on vodafone 3G RBI (but I'm not complaining, it works fine but would be awesome to get 4G with double the data and almost half the price there)...

The broadband line is along the road but nearest cabinet is 7km far so I can't even negotiate connection with modem...

Oh and ironically we have fiber cable along the road but I was told is "dark" meaning not operating (I guess it's a backup connection or something like that) - I have been told that it would cost over $2k monthly to get connected to it...

jonb

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#1659042 27-Oct-2016 14:09

nztomas:

The broadband line is along the road but nearest cabinet is 7km far so I can't even negotiate connection with modem...

Oh and ironically we have fiber cable along the road but I was told is "dark" meaning not operating (I guess it's a backup connection or something like that) - I have been told that it would cost over $2k monthly to get connected to it...

If you happen to live adjacent to a blue road on this map you are in luck for rural fibre, https://www.chorus.co.nz/our-network/rural-broadband/rural-fibre , (normal UFB rates, after shelling out at least a five figure install fee)

jjnz1

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#1659052 27-Oct-2016 14:15

sbiddle:

4G coverage needs to mirror 3G coverage and will not be better - if it was you'd encounter issues with the phone not being able to support voice calls.

In theory yes, however I have been in places where I get -120 on 4G (5Mbps download) and no 3G/GSM connection...

nztomas

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#1659053 27-Oct-2016 14:17

Yeah I know about it, thanks - unfortunately the blue line is 5kms from us :) At the very beginning I was actually researching an option to put a wifi bridge to place with fibre but then I got the RBI 3G and gave up. It's just so frustrating to see all those ads with skinny broadband and knowing there is coverage at our place but won't be able to get it...

coffeebaron

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#1659066 27-Oct-2016 14:43

Check to see if you get 4G coverage on your phone when in Kaitaia. If you don't then I'd say phone does not support band 28.

Depending on where you are, you can probably get 4G RBI now. 170GB (120+50 off peak) for $99 / month Ultimate Broadband

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