3G swapping to 2G then back again

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nate

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#29073 21-Dec-2008 23:10

I've noticed that at a cafe I go to regularly, some weeks I get 3G coverage, and other weeks it's only 2G. Cafe is based near Old Papatoetoe, I'm using a Huawei mobile connect card. What would cause this?

Also, can I use both my laptop and Nokia E71 simultaneously and get 3G speeds on each, or would they interfere with each other?

johnr

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#185573 21-Dec-2008 23:30

When 3G does not show have you tried locking the Huawei card to 3G only

John

alasta

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#185595 22-Dec-2008 06:48

Cell breathing, perhaps?

muppet

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#185600 22-Dec-2008 07:30

I have problems like this with the HSDPA card in my laptop. Most of the time at work it'll connect at HSDPA speeds, but every now and then it'll just drop to GPRS for 10 minutes or so.

I assume it's just the cell network?

nate

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#185675 22-Dec-2008 13:13

johnr: When 3G does not show have you tried locking the Huawei card to 3G only

I didn't know you could do this.. will try it next time I'm out and I'll report back here.

johnr

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#185680 22-Dec-2008 13:50

Under manage devices

w2krules

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#185741 22-Dec-2008 21:53

I also have this problem with my phone. Depending on some unknown factor, such as the phase of the moon, I can get anything from GPRS to HSDPA at home. And in some areas with 3G coverage, it just changes from 3G to GPRS and back every few minutes.

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muppet

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#185762 23-Dec-2008 06:14

I'm in the middle of nowhere at the moment, I was only getting GPRS on my modem. I just locked it to UMTS and now I'm getting HSDPA connection! There's 0 bars on the little signal display, but I'm posting this without problems.

A good tip JohnR! (And Merry Christmas to you)

w2krules

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#185765 23-Dec-2008 06:53

w2krules: I also have this problem with my phone. Depending on some unknown factor, such as the phase of the moon, I can get anything from GPRS to HSDPA at home. And in some areas with 3G coverage, it just changes from 3G to GPRS and back every few minutes.

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Well, let me put it another way. If Vodafone had full 3G coverage, then this shouldn't be a problem.

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richms

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#185875 24-Dec-2008 00:14

That was a massive problem I had when doing voip over 3g - would drop to gprs and thats totally useless - stop sending data and back it would go to 3g... really 3g only is the best way to go to stop this happening. Seems crazy that a device would change to marginal GSM coverage when you have good HSDPA signal but they do.

Richard rich.ms

nate

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#191927 25-Jan-2009 10:28

Not sure what has changed but over the last three weeks I've always achieved 3G and it hasn't swapped at all. I also notice there is a lot more 3G around my home and my partners (we are in South Auckland).

Thanks Vodafone for whatever has changed.

w2krules

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#191947 25-Jan-2009 11:52

nate: Not sure what has changed but over the last three weeks I've always achieved 3G and it hasn't swapped at all. I also notice there is a lot more 3G around my home and my partners (we are in South Auckland).

Thanks Vodafone for whatever has changed.

Thanks for the update. Yes, I've certainly noticed better 3G coverage around NZ over the past month. But I think I'll leave my phone set to UNTS (3G) when I'm at home...

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johnr

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#191964 25-Jan-2009 14:26

UNTS?

w2krules

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#192015 25-Jan-2009 20:06

johnr: UNTS?

UMTS!

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