NZ Government spends $115 million on 450 new cell towers useless to thousands of mobile devices

Forums › New Zealand Mobile and Wireless › NZ Government spends $115 million on 450 new cell towers useless to thousands of mobile devices

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#2601523 11-Nov-2020 09:04

In regards to emergency calling i.e. 111 or roadside

Does the issue of no 3G coverage combined with a handset that doesn't not support VoLTE apply to all Telcos on a cell site?

I ask since we have handsets on both 2D and Spark networks so is my risk less?

BlinkyBill

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#2601545 11-Nov-2020 09:46

MaxineN:

BlinkyBill:

Does it support VoLTE, or not?

Yes it does but not without changing the profile within PDC. Which then breaks when you go to Android 11.

Even then expect literally zero support from the telco if you get it working and then it stops working when you need it because it hasn't been certified or approved to work.

Why is this the Telco’s fault or even problem?

MaxineN

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#2601585 11-Nov-2020 10:40

It isn't a telco problem and I never said that it was.

Ramblings from a mysterious lady who's into tech. Warning I may often create zingers.

sbiddle

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#2601586 11-Nov-2020 10:41

xlinknz:

In regards to emergency calling i.e. 111 or roadside

Does the issue of no 3G coverage combined with a handset that doesn't not support VoLTE apply to all Telcos on a cell site?

I ask since we have handsets on both 2D and Spark networks so is my risk less?

If you are in an area with 3G or GSM coverage from any network and have a phone on any NZ network or are roaming on most inbound roaming partners you can make a 111 call.

If you do not have a phone that supports VoLTE and are on a RCG site with no RCG 3G coverage or or no overlapping 3G or GSM coverage from a nearby non RCG site from any network you will not be able to make a voice call of any sort.

tim0001

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#2601639 11-Nov-2020 11:42

I’d like to understand more about 111 calls in a 4G only area.

If your mobile number is not provisioned on the 4G network, can you still make an emergency VoLTE call? (assuming you have a VoLTE capable phone). (Mobile numbers on some of the cheaper plans had not been provisioned on 4G, hopefully this has changed since August)

xlinknz

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#2601724 11-Nov-2020 12:30

sbiddle:

xlinknz:

In regards to emergency calling i.e. 111 or roadside

Does the issue of no 3G coverage combined with a handset that doesn't not support VoLTE apply to all Telcos on a cell site?

I ask since we have handsets on both 2D and Spark networks so is my risk less?

If you are in an area with 3G or GSM coverage from any network and have a phone on any NZ network or are roaming on most inbound roaming partners you can make a 111 call.

If you do not have a phone that supports VoLTE and are on a RCG site with no RCG 3G coverage or or no overlapping 3G or GSM coverage from a nearby non RCG site from any network you will not be able to make a voice call of any sort.

Interesting I would have thought that the govt and regulators would want to know perhaps even expect that a 111 call can always be made where there is mobile coverage

Surely it would not be a good look if there is a death(s) because a 111 call was unable to made due to the handset that made the call did not support VoLTE. I wonder if the appropriate govt organisation responsible for 111 is aware of this issue?

sbiddle

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#2601758 11-Nov-2020 13:30

xlinknz:

Surely it would not be a good look if there is a death(s) because a 111 call was unable to made due to the handset that made the call did not support VoLTE. I wonder if the appropriate govt organisation responsible for 111 is aware of this issue?

Yes they are fully aware of it. It was MBIE who funded (and for all intents and purposes designed) the RCG solution. That's why this subject and threats of complaints to the Commerce Commission really don't make any sense.

As also pointed out already it also means somebody roaming in NZ will have zero access to voice services in a RCG only coverage area even if they have a VoLTE compatible phone since there are currently no 4G VoLTE roaming agreements.

Likewise if you leave NZ with say a Vodafone iPhone with VoLTE and connect to a roaming network that only has VoLTE for voice (which will happen in the US within the next year as some networks remove 3G) you will not be able to make a voice call as their are no VoLTE roaming agreements in place.

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#2601820 11-Nov-2020 13:53

The irony [as far as I'm concerned] is that I have a "Spark" phone (technically, bought at Harvey Norman - but it was "Spark" exclusive), which doesn't provide VoLTE with a Skinny (I know, not exactly Spark, but it should be as far as I'm concerned!); but DOES with a Vodafone SIM.

Go Figure.

The really irritating thing is that this device (Nokia 7.2) doesn't appear on the list of supported devices on either Spark or Skinny's websites; despite it being sold as a Spark device at the time. I guess they never sold enough of them to make it worthwhile supporting anymore.

I agree with the general sentiment that "it shouldn't be this hard"...

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#2601838 11-Nov-2020 14:26

jamesrt:

The irony [as far as I'm concerned] is that I have a "Spark" phone (technically, bought at Harvey Norman - but it was "Spark" exclusive), which doesn't provide VoLTE with a Skinny (I know, not exactly Spark, but it should be as far as I'm concerned!); but DOES with a Vodafone SIM.

Go Figure.

Same with mine. Vanilla Intl version EML-L09 (P20) from pbtech, VF sim from the outset. And it livened up recently. Presuming vanilla OS's got this global setting with v10 (my Sec level is only April). Or it's a simple OTA config push to the SIM.

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#2601860 11-Nov-2020 14:45

jamesrt:

The irony [as far as I'm concerned] is that I have a "Spark" phone (technically, bought at Harvey Norman - but it was "Spark" exclusive), which doesn't provide VoLTE with a Skinny (I know, not exactly Spark, but it should be as far as I'm concerned!); but DOES with a Vodafone SIM.

Skinny is not Spark - it's an MVNO on the Spark network. Skinny haven't yet launched VoLTE (well I'm not aware of it being public yet) but it is coming soon.

ajw

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#2601869 11-Nov-2020 14:49

sbiddle:

jamesrt:

The irony [as far as I'm concerned] is that I have a "Spark" phone (technically, bought at Harvey Norman - but it was "Spark" exclusive), which doesn't provide VoLTE with a Skinny (I know, not exactly Spark, but it should be as far as I'm concerned!); but DOES with a Vodafone SIM.

Skinny is not Spark - it's an MVNO on the Spark network. Skinny haven't yet launched VoLTE (well I'm not aware of it being public yet) but it is coming soon.

A friends two boys are both on Skinny and can access VOLTE using a iphone 12 and a Samsung.

RunningMan

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#2601956 11-Nov-2020 16:52

sbiddle: [snip] Skinny haven't yet launched VoLTE (well I'm not aware of it being public yet) but it is coming soon.

They seem to have quietly started soft launching in September, but not fully complete yet. Further info from this post onwards in the Skinny VoLTE thread.

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#2602157 11-Nov-2020 19:55

sbiddle:

jamesrt:

The irony [as far as I'm concerned] is that I have a "Spark" phone (technically, bought at Harvey Norman - but it was "Spark" exclusive), which doesn't provide VoLTE with a Skinny (I know, not exactly Spark, but it should be as far as I'm concerned!); but DOES with a Vodafone SIM.

Skinny is not Spark - it's an MVNO on the Spark network. Skinny haven't yet launched VoLTE (well I'm not aware of it being public yet) but it is coming soon.

From https://www.skinny.co.nz/about:

Skinny Mobile is a division of Spark New Zealand Trading Limited, and Skinny happily uses Spark's 4G network.

Which is why I, as a fairly uninformed end-user when it comes to mobile tech, don't really differentiate between Spark and Skinny - they are different brands of the same company, as far as I'm concerned.

Just like when The National Bank of NZ was owned and operated by ANZ Bank; same backends (I know, I worked on the IT Systems Merger), just different branding to meet different customer demands.

Anyway, not holding my breath waiting for VoLTE to arrive on my Nokia 7.2, given the device is effectively orphaned by virtue of not appearing on the "supported devices" list.

jamesrt

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#2602158 11-Nov-2020 19:58

Oblivian: Presuming vanilla OS's got this global setting with v10

Pretty sure when Android 10 arrived (during L4 lockdown), VoLTE via Vodafone worked immediately, whereas it didn't previously on Android 9.

(https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=40&topicid=251084&page_no=13#2409491)

Lias

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#2602210 11-Nov-2020 20:29

BlinkyBill:

Lias:

Ironic, you accuse me of lacking facts when you are the one who is either deliberatly twisting what I said or you need to brush up on your reading comprehension.

PBTech is the NZ authorised reseller of OnePLus phones, so not a parallel importer, and the Oneplus 8 Pro is a 2020 relaesed, $1500+ phone, sold by them, that isn't on the VoLTE supported list of any of the major Telco's. Exactly like I said.

Does it support VoLTE, or not?

You seem to be oblivously missing that it's not just a matter of the device being capable of it. To quote Wikipedia "To be able to make a VoLTE call, the device, its firmware, and the mobile telephone provider must all support the service in the area, and be able to work together"

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