Vodafone boosts 4G capacity (in Auckland)

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freitasm

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#146722 27-May-2014 10:31

Just received:

Vodafone has boosted 4G capacity in central Auckland, allowing more 4G data users simultaneously to experience the fast mobile service, without performance degradation.

Vodafone started the Auckland-based “Dual-Band 4G” trial in November 2013 – nine months after launching 4G – in response to customers’ rapid adoption of the 4G service.

Vodafone is the first to trial Dual-Band 4G, which uses 2600MHz and 1800MHz 4G bands on a single site, delivering more capacity to 4G users in the area.

Vodafone Head of Networks Tony Baird says the deployment of Dual-Band is the next evolution of the company’s nationwide 4G network.
“We’ve already invested in making our 4G service available to more than 2.2 million Kiwis in 46 locations. As a result, we have 400,000 active 4G devices on our network, which means as well as coverage, we have to think about capacity.

“It’s about evolving the network – as we’ve done with 2G and 3G in the past – to deliver a consistently reliable network performance. Dual-Band 4G is a big part of that.

“Dual-Band 4G allows more people to use the service and still get the speeds customers have come to expect. With smartphone growth set to continue, and the explosion of 4G data use on our network, Dual-Band 4G is an important network investment to future-proof 4G as adoption heads to tipping point.”

Tony adds: “While technologies like carrier aggregation* will deliver faster speeds, without commercially-available devices to support the technology, consumers can’t enjoy the benefits. It’s a theoretical service.

“Dual-Band 4G however, lets customers benefit immediately.”

Kiwis wanting to experience the speed of 4G need a 4G-capable device with the latest software, a qualifying plan and be in a 4G coverage area. The device seamlessly switches between 4G bands or to Vodafone’s next fastest 3G speed.

Vodafone offers the largest range of 4G-capable devices supporting 2600MHz and 1800MHz bands, at a range of price points – including the recently launched Samsung GALAXY S5, Sony Xperia Z2 and HTC One (M8).

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#1054184 27-May-2014 10:31

Hello... Our robot found some keywords in your post, so here is an automated reply with some important things to note regarding broadband speeds.

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#1054219 27-May-2014 11:22

And the PR battle continues hehe :)

“While technologies like carrier aggregation* will deliver faster speeds, without commercially-available devices to support the technology, consumers can’t enjoy the benefits. It’s a theoretical service.

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#1054221 27-May-2014 11:25

I suspect there will be a few out of CBD areas that will get dual band 1800/7000. A few 1800 4G sites popping up in random rural areas that would be more logical to have 700. Perhaps they may end up becoming 1800/700.

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ripdog

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#1054228 27-May-2014 11:38

Excellent, Vodafone customers can burn through their data cap in 10 seconds instead of 20!

johnr

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#1054230 27-May-2014 11:40

ripdog: Excellent, Vodafone customers can burn through their data cap in 10 seconds instead of 20!

It's extra capacity not speed

ripdog

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#1054231 27-May-2014 11:42

johnr:
ripdog: Excellent, Vodafone customers can burn through their data cap in 10 seconds instead of 20!

It's extra capacity not speed

Ah, true enough. Is this in response to congestion on your 4g network, or to cope with future usage increases (greater data caps/more customers)? Or a nice press release?

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#1054236 27-May-2014 11:46

Congestion? love to know where you are getting your INFO from

ripdog

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#1054237 27-May-2014 11:48

johnr: Congestion? love to know where you are getting your INFO from

I'm not the one making upgrades to my mobile network to improve capacity. If there is no congestion, surely the end user would see nothing different from this upgrade?

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#1054238 27-May-2014 11:50

ripdog:
johnr: Congestion? love to know where you are getting your INFO from

I'm not the one making upgrades to my mobile network to improve capacity. If there is no congestion, surely the end user would see nothing different from this upgrade?

Extra capacity provides a better end user experience at peak times

ripdog

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#1054239 27-May-2014 11:51

johnr:
ripdog:
johnr: Congestion? love to know where you are getting your INFO from

I'm not the one making upgrades to my mobile network to improve capacity. If there is no congestion, surely the end user would see nothing different from this upgrade?

Extra capacity provides a better end user experience at peak times

So, at peak times there is congestion. No need to get that defensive, I'm not trying to have a bash...

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#1054241 27-May-2014 11:52

ripdog:
johnr: Congestion? love to know where you are getting your INFO from

I'm not the one making upgrades to my mobile network to improve capacity. If there is no congestion, surely the end user would see nothing different from this upgrade?

Do you call two people downloading a big file at the same time off the same cell-site sector congestion?
The upgrade means I'll get twice the chance to get closer to full speed than I did before.

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coffeebaron

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#1054242 27-May-2014 11:54

If you want to see congestion on 4G, then maybe Vodafone could give us all 100GB data caps for $20 per month and then you'll really know what congestion is all about :)

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#1054243 27-May-2014 11:54

coffeebaron:
ripdog:
johnr: Congestion? love to know where you are getting your INFO from

I'm not the one making upgrades to my mobile network to improve capacity. If there is no congestion, surely the end user would see nothing different from this upgrade?

Do you call two people downloading a big file at the same time off the same cell-site sector congestion?
The upgrade means I'll get twice the chance to get closer to full speed than I did before.

Uh, yes? If the end user notices lower-quality or slower service due to other customers using the service, that's congestion. Am I wrong? Because I'd happily get corrected.

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#1054246 27-May-2014 12:01

coffeebaron: If you want to see congestion on 4G, then maybe Vodafone could give us all 100GB data caps for $20 per month and then you'll really know what congestion is all about :)

If capacity has increased, then hopefully this will one day lead to increased data caps.

Honestly, I've never understood 4g in NZ. 3g does video streaming, audio stream, web pages, skyping all perfectly well. Vodafone made BS ads where apprantly a rubbish youtube server was fixed by switching to 4g, when in reality 3g does 720p youtube streams perfectly well. So what is 4g for?!

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#1054250 27-May-2014 12:12

ripdog:
coffeebaron: If you want to see congestion on 4G, then maybe Vodafone could give us all 100GB data caps for $20 per month and then you'll really know what congestion is all about :)

I've never understood 4g in NZ. 3g does video streaming, audio stream, web pages, skyping all perfectly well. Vodafone made BS ads where apprantly a rubbish youtube server was fixed by switching to 4g, when in reality 3g does 720p youtube streams perfectly well. So what is 4g for?!

Once again adding 4G to 3G sites adds extra capacity and end users get a better experience

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