'Hidden' and unusual spots of 3G coverage.

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paradoxsm

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Topic # 8111 4-Jun-2006 22:50

I have found pockets of high-speed mobile data areas which are not documented and some which are documented but in unusual areas where there really wouldn't be expected coverage.

There is one on the coromandel peninsula vodafone umts and telecom evdo near pauanui, i was told a vodafone big wig has his holiday spot there. Currently i'm in maketu, just out from Te Puke and am getting telecom evdo coverage which noone knows about.

Whom knows about any other small undocumented spots of coverage, and who knows of econets coverage footprint?

alasta

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Reply # 37709 5-Jun-2006 10:17

According to Vodafone's coverage maps, Seatoun in Wellington has no 3G coverage but last time I went on one of my regular walks over there, I stood by the wharf and got a crystal clear signal. Looks like they may have improved their coverage without updating the coverage maps!

sbiddle

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Reply # 37710 5-Jun-2006 10:48

alasta: According to Vodafone's coverage maps, Seatoun in Wellington has no 3G coverage but last time I went on one of my regular walks over there, I stood by the wharf and got a crystal clear signal. Looks like they may have improved their coverage without updating the coverage maps!

Vodafone only built 2 GSM sites in Seatoun around 18 months ago. Before then coverage was all from Petone so I would be guessing 3G coverage will be off sites there.

alasta

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Reply # 37711 5-Jun-2006 11:52

sbiddle: Vodafone only built 2 GSM sites in Seatoun around 18 months ago. Before then coverage was all from Petone so I would be guessing 3G coverage will be off sites there.

Petone seems a long way away considering that the coverage of a 2100MHz UMTS site isn't great. Do they have a 3G site in Eastbourne? I'm sure there's a 3G site down the road from where I live in Strathmore, but it couldn't possibly provide coverage to Seatoun because Beacon Hill would be in the way.

sbiddle

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Reply # 37714 5-Jun-2006 13:04

alasta:
sbiddle: Vodafone only built 2 GSM sites in Seatoun around 18 months ago. Before then coverage was all from Petone so I would be guessing 3G coverage will be off sites there.

Petone seems a long way away considering that the coverage of a 2100MHz UMTS site isn't great. Do they have a 3G site in Eastbourne? I'm sure there's a 3G site down the road from where I live in Strathmore, but it couldn't possibly provide coverage to Seatoun because Beacon Hill would be in the way.

I don't think the Eastbourne site was upgraded to 3G. There is a 3G site in Strathmore by the shops but as you say that isn't going to provide coverage.

I have a friend who lives on Beacon Hill Rd and find it very annoying trying to use a phone there. I get a single signal bar in 3G mode which isn't enough to use 3G for voice or data as it keeps dropping out. my V600i however won't drop back into 2G mode because it sees the 3G signal. I have to manually change my phone to GSM mode before I can ever make any calls while I'm there!

From memory the Seaview site only has 2 UMTS panel sectors so coesn't have any southward facing panels. The Moera site does and it's not really that far, particularly over water which causes signals to carry well.

I find it whierd that Vodafone haven't really done a lot in the past year to expand 3G coverage beyond the original footprint in the Wgtn region. They have rolled out additional infill sites but places like Stokes Valley and Wainuiomate still don't have 3G coverage. Stokes Valley still has omni masts for GSM which is very unusual for Vodafone (only other site in the region that does is on top of the Realm in Hataitai).