iPhone 4 has stopped working on Vodafone, works with spark sim

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Taubin

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#253146 29-Jul-2019 12:44

My father in law is up from CHC, and has an iPhone 4 he's been using for ages. About a day and a half or two days ago (it's hard to get specifics) his phone disconnected from the Vodafone network and will not reconnect at all. We swapped the sim with my brother in laws Spark sim and it worked just fine. When we popped the VF sim into my brother in laws Nexus 5, it worked just fine. So it seems to be an iPhone/networking issue. Have there been changes in/around Brown's Bay which would cause this? It seems a bit strange.

He will upgrade his phone if absolutely necessary, however he's up there in age and used to how the iPhone works and likes the size as it fits nicely in his pocket. Just curious what else I should be trying with him, or if it just needs to be upgraded. Cheers.

ZL2TOY/ZL1DMP

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#2285144 29-Jul-2019 13:01

Does the iPhone work out of the Browns Bay area?

Taubin

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#2285147 29-Jul-2019 13:07

Linux: Does the iPhone work out of the Browns Bay area?

We haven't had a chance to test that, I'll test it out tomorrow when I see them again. He has been all over Browns Bay (he's an avid walker) and it didn't work anywhere throughout. Brother in law lives right between the Vodafone Pine Hill tower (on the GIS site) and the Vodafone Waiake tower.

ZL2TOY/ZL1DMP

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#2285150 29-Jul-2019 13:15

VodafoneNZ is moving bands used for 3G to 4G 2100Mhz not sure about the 900Mhz band

Taubin

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#2285151 29-Jul-2019 13:18

That could be it then, the iPhone 4 doesn't have the 1200Mhz band

https://www.frequencycheck.com/models/vX7NO/apple-iphone-4-a1332-8gb-apple-iphone-3-1

I did see on the Vodafone website they are upgrading some towers this week but didn't notice any Browns Bay ones on it. I'll see if I can find more information on those towers bands. Thanks for the info!

ZL2TOY/ZL1DMP

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#2285153 29-Jul-2019 13:24

What is the exact model of iPhone4 is it?

The iPhone4 does support 3G 2100Mhz

Taubin

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#2285155 29-Jul-2019 13:29

I'll have an ask.

They just told me the did a drive around Browns Bay and into Albany and it never connected with the VF sim. With the Spark sim it connected no problem on their drive around (my wife is over there so I'm texting her).

ZL2TOY/ZL1DMP

Taubin

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#2285164 29-Jul-2019 13:59

It looks like it will be tomorrow before I can get the full model number when I see them. I'll try to talk him into an iPhone SE (same dimensions with an OS he's used to). Thank you for the help and info!

ZL2TOY/ZL1DMP

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wellygary

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#2285166 29-Jul-2019 14:00

Linux: What is the exact model of iPhone4 is it?

The iPhone4 does support 3G 2100Mhz

EDIR: D'oh, am a generation out, UMTs is 3G not 4G, - so should support 2100 :)

This says otherwise...

https://support.apple.com/kb/sp587?locale=en_NZ

iPhone 4 - Technical Specifications

GSM model: UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)

1101

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#2285168 29-Jul-2019 14:08

Something has happened in that area with Voda (?)

for ph calls, not data .
My work Voda Iphone4 is unusable at home in Torbay (OK elsewhere) , it used to be OK at home.
My personal phone on Skinny : no issues in Torbay

Linux

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#2285169 29-Jul-2019 14:12

@JasonParis What changes are going on the VodafoneNZ mobile network to stop the iPhone4 from working?

The only thing I can think of is the refarming of spectrum

Taubin

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#2285189 29-Jul-2019 14:31

Apparently they are now at the Vodafone store in Albany Mall, I highly doubt they'll get any answers there but I'll update when I hear anything back from them. I'm supposed to meet them for coffee at ~3. I'm sure VF in the mall will try to just sell him a new phone (not that that's entirely bad I guess).

Last update I had was they popped a Spark sim in (at the mall) and it connected to Spark right away. Apparently popping the VF sim back in caused it to drop again (no surprises there). Getting a lot of detailed info over text is a bit like pulling teeth unfortunately.

ZL2TOY/ZL1DMP

mgeek

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#2285272 29-Jul-2019 16:10

Taubin:
About a day and a half or two days ago (it's hard to get specifics) his phone disconnected from the Vodafone network and will not reconnect at all.

My wife had a similar problem with her iPhone (5 or 6, I forget) just last week - not sure if it was update related. But the same thing happened (also Vodafone) - she turned it on and it refused to connect to the network, saying an update was required. There was no update to apply. It would connect to wifi though, but was massively inconvenient as we were away at the time.

Googling the error messages, it seemed quite a common problem with iPhones. We tried the various suggested fixes, but none worked, so I planned to do the whole iTunes reset malarkey when we got back home.

Then a few days later it just started working again (it had been restarted numerous times without success). Mind you we were around the Taupo area for the time it wasn't working, and were much further south when it started working again... coincidence?

JasonParis

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#2285595 30-Jul-2019 10:30

Linux:

@JasonParis What changes are going on the VodafoneNZ mobile network to stop the iPhone4 from working?

The only thing I can think of is the refarming of spectrum

Sorry for the delay. I have been on holidays.....nothing that I'm aware of but will check with the team.

Jason Paris

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#2285612 30-Jul-2019 11:16

JasonParis:

Linux:

@JasonParis What changes are going on the VodafoneNZ mobile network to stop the iPhone4 from working?

The only thing I can think of is the refarming of spectrum

Sorry for the delay. I have been on holidays.....nothing that I'm aware of but will check with the team.

JP

@JasonParis Thanks ask the RAN team about 3G 900 and 3G 2100 what changes have happened up in the Bays on the North Shore

I know this is the VodafoneNZ VoLTE production test area but VoLTE is delivered over 4G so not sure how it could impact the iPhone4

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#2285750 30-Jul-2019 14:09

@Taubin I have sent you a DM can you please respond to that

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