Vodafone Sure Signal

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Geektastic

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#57770 24-Feb-2010 14:07

Good idea this - wonder if it will get to NZ (or is here already?)

No 3G where I live (still!) but at least it's not XT...

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/commercial/sure_signal/article7027980.ece

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#301801 24-Feb-2010 14:08

Where do you live?

pwner

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#301809 24-Feb-2010 14:27

This is a femtocell product, basically it is a mini cell site that uses your broadband connection to connect back into the Vodafone NodeB-Gateway (NB-GW) which then hooks into the standard radio network controller (RNC, you know that thing XT has had so much fun with).

They are a great idea and more and more mobile providers around the world are looking at them, however i don't think any NZ ones have committed to rolling them out.

Any posts are personal comments and not that of my employer

Geektastic

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#301823 24-Feb-2010 14:51

johnr: Where do you live?

In Martinborough.

They don't even have 3G in Masterton, the nearest (45kms away) "big" town.

Geektastic

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#301824 24-Feb-2010 14:54

Although (when it works) XT is 3G here.

There's some reason for that that the BDFL explained to me that I don't really understand - something to do with VF's network not really being that good (apart from the fact that it works, which is currently a Good Thing!) or to do with iPhones or somesuch mystical electrickery.

johnr

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#301836 24-Feb-2010 15:15

Geektastic:
johnr: Where do you live?

In Martinborough.

They don't even have 3G in Masterton, the nearest (45kms away) "big" town.

Martinborough has had 3G for a long time this is even shown on the Vodafone NZ coverage map

3G extended 900mhz WCDMA

Masterton has had 3G extended for a long time to

John

Geektastic

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#301867 24-Feb-2010 17:04

johnr:
Geektastic:
johnr: Where do you live?

In Martinborough.

They don't even have 3G in Masterton, the nearest (45kms away) "big" town.

Martinborough has had 3G for a long time this is even shown on the Vodafone NZ coverage map

3G extended 900mhz WCDMA

Masterton has had 3G extended for a long time to

John

Not if you have an iPhone, apparently.

A slight case of misdescription. I am told it won't pick up the kind of 3G they use out here.

cyril7

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#301992 25-Feb-2010 10:57

My 3G extended phones always work in 3G mode while in Martinbourgh. But yes a iphone is an 850/2100 device not 900/2100 that Voda uses.

Cyril

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Geektastic

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#302018 25-Feb-2010 11:42

cyril7: My 3G extended phones always work in 3G mode while in Martinbourgh. But yes a iphone is an 850/2100 device not 900/2100 that Voda uses.

Cyril

Despite the fact that when I bought the phone, I specifically asked the VF shop staff if it would work in 3G in Martinborough and was assured that it would!!

I actually think VF are economical with the truth when it comes to iPhone performance on their 3G network - last time I looked it did not seem to say anywhere obvious on the VF website that this issue exists.

sbiddle

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#302021 25-Feb-2010 11:51

Vodafone clearly mark 3G (2100MHz) and Extended 3G (900MHz) coverage on their coverage maps and devices listed on their website show an extended 3G icon if they are compatible with the extended 3G network.

Rather than list the devices that don't do extended 3G they only list the ones that do.

johnr

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#302022 25-Feb-2010 11:52

This is not a issue / fault

I would go back to the store and advise 3G 2100mhz is not in the area as advised to me by your store and say to them this is reflected on the Vodafone NZ coverage map

Vodafone coverage map makes it very clear where 3G 2100/900mhz is located

John

Geektastic

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#302030 25-Feb-2010 12:05

I think the point is that for most people, a network is either 3G or it is not.

Especially if they come from somewhere like Europe where I don't recall ever having this sort of issue.

I just presumed (foolishly apparently...!) that a 3 G phone would work in 3 G on a 3G network!!

sbiddle

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#302034 25-Feb-2010 12:14

Geektastic: I think the point is that for most people, a network is either 3G or it is not.

Especially if they come from somewhere like Europe where I don't recall ever having this sort of issue.

I just presumed (foolishly apparently...!) that a 3 G phone would work in 3 G on a 3G network!!

You actually do have the same issue in Europe - with the exception of a handful of small scale networks that use 900MHz 3G there are currently only 2100MHz 3G networks in Europe so the minute you leave major cities you are typically stuck with GPRS (or EDGE in some cases).

The majority of 3G handsets that are coming out now support either 850+2100 or 900+2100 3G standards. It's just unfortunate the iPhone uses the USA 850+2100 standard (that is also used by Telstra and XT) and not the European 900+2100 standard that is used here by Vodafone.

It is really a case of buyer beware - there are no handsets that do all 3 850+900+2100 bands so you do need to make sure you buy the correct handset for the network if you want nationwide 3G coverage.

Geektastic

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#302050 25-Feb-2010 12:51

Doesn't the fact that there are no handsets point to a glaringly obvious opportunity for someone to make one?!

If XT is fixed by the time my contract expires I expect VF will be loosing me as a customer. I wouldn't mind so much if the handsets were free like they are elsewhere in many instances (or at least vastly cheaper then here) but lets not get started on that one...! To pay $1200 or whatever for something you then find out won't work despite being told it would is just annoying at the very least and something more illegal than annoying at the worst.

For example, on the iPhone page on VF's website, surely it should say

"Please note - the iPhone will not work in 3G outside major cities in NZ due to network constraints."

That's what I call being clear and honest with your customers. Yes, you can check your coverage - but if your wife had a non-iPhone that worked in VF 3G where you live, I suspect most consumers would assume that their new VF iPhone would as well (for example) and not bother checking coverage.

JMO, but assuming all your customers know the inner workings of a cell network, know how an iPhone works internally and so on is a bit of a bold assumption, I'd say.

The coverage map doesn't even list Apple as a device on which you can check coverage anyway!

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#302053 25-Feb-2010 13:01

Geektastic: Doesn't the fact that there are no handsets point to a glaringly obvious opportunity for someone to make one?!

Yes it does. Unfortunately it's been technically impossible due to technical issues with RF chipset performance which is why it hasn't happened so far. Quad band UMTS data cards have hit the market within the last few months and rumors are there will be the first handsets hitting the market around the middle of the year.

For example, on the iPhone page on VF's website, surely it should say

"Please note - the iPhone will not work in 3G outside major cities in NZ due to network constraints."

I think it would be more appropiate to say that the iPhone doesn't work due to the fact Apple don't make a handset that supports 900MHz 3G, it has nothing at all to do with network contraints.

That's what I call being clear and honest with your customers. Yes, you can check your coverage - but if your wife had a non-iPhone that worked in VF 3G where you live, I suspect most consumers would assume that their new VF iPhone would as well (for example) and not bother checking coverage.

JMO, but assuming all your customers know the inner workings of a cell network, know how an iPhone works internally and so on is a bit of a bold assumption, I'd say.

The coverage map doesn't even list Apple as a device on which you can check coverage anyway!

Vodafone do clearly explain the differences between 3G broadband and 3G extended and list the devices that support 3G extended.

I do agree however that not having the iPhone listed is a major failing.

johnr

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#302062 25-Feb-2010 13:17

Geektastic: For example, on the iPhone page on VF's website, surely it should say

"Please note - the iPhone will not work in 3G outside major cities in NZ due to network constraints."

ITS NOT A NETWORK CONSTRAINT!!!

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