How do cell towers work, what are bands?

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Firebreaker

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#116071 17-Apr-2013 12:48

Hi, I would like to know what spectrum is, different bands/frequencies advantages disadvantages etc.

Also how mobile data works, how DC HSDPA42 works.

It would be greatly appreciated if you fine folk could shed some light on the mystery of telecommunications:)

Behodar

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#800922 17-Apr-2013 12:53

While I don't know *how* it all works, I do have a basic understanding of bands.

The radio spectrum is divided up into multiple bands, so that each licensee can have their own part of the spectrum without stepping on anyone else's toes. For example, Telecom has rights to 850 MHz, and Vodafone has 900. A phone to be used on Telecom therefore needs to support 850, and naturally a Vodafone device needs 900.

Despite often having a single number, these bands are actually a range. I don't know how the ranges are determined but let's say for argument's sake that the "850" band actually consists of 850-899 MHz, and "900" consists of 900-949. By dividing up the bands further, multiple licensees can share the same band; for example Vodafone and 2degrees each have rights to different parts of the 900 band.

That's a not-100%-accurate-but-hopefully-still-helpful description :)

[edited for grammar]

johnr

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#800924 17-Apr-2013 12:54

All these questions are already answered on Wikipedia

I have a sticky thread on the Vodafone NZ community about the bands that are used by Vodafone NZ, I need to add 4G / LTE band3 1800Mhz and we have allocated 20Mhz for 4G

http://community.vodafone.co.nz/t5/Mobile-broadband/New-Mobile-coverage/m-p/1872#U1872

Firebreaker

269 posts

Ultimate Geek

#801251 18-Apr-2013 00:01

johnr: All these questions are already answered on Wikipedia

I have a sticky thread on the Vodafone NZ community about the bands that are used by Vodafone NZ, I need to add 4G / LTE band3 1800Mhz and we have allocated 20Mhz for 4G

http://community.vodafone.co.nz/t5/Mobile-broadband/New-Mobile-coverage/m-p/1872#U1872

inwas hoping for a simple explanation, Wikipedia isn't helpful.

johnr

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#801253 18-Apr-2013 00:13

Dual carrier is the bonding of 2 x 5Mhz carriers in the Down link direction, Each carrier supports 21Mbps so 2 X 21Mbps = 42Mbps down link speed and this can be done in the 2100Mhz and 900Mhz band that Vodafone NZ use for 3G

Buzz word ' carrier aggregation '

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-Speed_Downlink_Packet_Access

Firebreaker

269 posts

Ultimate Geek

#801515 18-Apr-2013 12:11

johnr: Dual carrier is the bonding of 2 x 5Mhz carriers in the Down link direction, Each carrier supports 21Mbps so 2 X 21Mbps = 42Mbps down link speed and this can be done in the 2100Mhz and 900Mhz band that Vodafone NZ use for 3G

Buzz word ' carrier aggregation '

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-Speed_Downlink_Packet_Access

Could the same be done for LTE?

Behodar

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#801528 18-Apr-2013 12:23

Firebreaker: Could the same be done for LTE?

Yes; Telecom has achieved 250 Mb/s in trials.

Firebreaker

269 posts

Ultimate Geek

#801554 18-Apr-2013 12:31

Behodar:
Firebreaker: Could the same be done for LTE?

Yes; Telecom has achieved 250 Mb/s in trials.

That's insane!!!

So let me get this straight DC HSDPA is two carriers agreeing to work together to get faster speeds?

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johnr

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#801556 18-Apr-2013 12:32

Firebreaker:
johnr: Dual carrier is the bonding of 2 x 5Mhz carriers in the Down link direction, Each carrier supports 21Mbps so 2 X 21Mbps = 42Mbps down link speed and this can be done in the 2100Mhz and 900Mhz band that Vodafone NZ use for 3G

Buzz word ' carrier aggregation '

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-Speed_Downlink_Packet_Access

Could the same be done for LTE?

Yes NSN has achieved just over 1.6Gbps DL on the Flexi10 single RAN solution using 100Mhz of spectrum

Vodafone NZ is using NSN kit in the live network but we do not have 100Mhz of spectrum for 4G / LTE

johnr

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#801557 18-Apr-2013 12:33

Firebreaker:
Behodar:
Firebreaker: Could the same be done for LTE?

Yes; Telecom has achieved 250 Mb/s in trials.

That's insane!!!

So let me get this straight DC HSDPA is two carriers agreeing to work together to get faster speeds?

Yes it's like filling a pool with 1 hose but then your neighbor runs a hose into your pool so the pool is going to fill up twice as quick

Behodar

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#801565 18-Apr-2013 12:39

Firebreaker: So let me get this straight DC HSDPA is two carriers agreeing to work together to get faster speeds?

"Carriers" in this case means "blocks of spectrum". It does not mean "network operators" (I'm just reading the implication of your post; sorry if I've misinterpreted that).

Firebreaker

269 posts

Ultimate Geek

#801612 18-Apr-2013 13:20

johnr:
Firebreaker:
Behodar:
Firebreaker: Could the same be done for LTE?

Yes; Telecom has achieved 250 Mb/s in trials.

That's insane!!!

So let me get this straight DC HSDPA is two carriers agreeing to work together to get faster speeds?

Yes it's like filling a pool with 1 hose but then your neighbor runs a hose into your pool so the pool is going to fill up twice as quick

Thanks for your help:)

A quick question regarding RBI, will the RBI towers use LTE or HSDPA 42?

johnr

19282 posts

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#801616 18-Apr-2013 13:25

Firebreaker:
johnr:
Firebreaker:
Behodar:
Firebreaker: Could the same be done for LTE?

Yes; Telecom has achieved 250 Mb/s in trials.

That's insane!!!

So let me get this straight DC HSDPA is two carriers agreeing to work together to get faster speeds?

Yes it's like filling a pool with 1 hose but then your neighbor runs a hose into your pool so the pool is going to fill up twice as quick

Thanks for your help:)

A quick question regarding RBI, will the RBI towers use LTE or HSDPA 42?

Most of the RBI towers use Dual carrier now and in the future LTE will turned on when the 700Mhz auction is complete and the actual hardware is upgraded

Firebreaker

269 posts

Ultimate Geek

#801739 18-Apr-2013 15:57

johnr:
Firebreaker:
johnr:
Firebreaker:
Behodar:
Firebreaker: Could the same be done for LTE?

Yes; Telecom has achieved 250 Mb/s in trials.

That's insane!!!

So let me get this straight DC HSDPA is two carriers agreeing to work together to get faster speeds?

Yes it's like filling a pool with 1 hose but then your neighbor runs a hose into your pool so the pool is going to fill up twice as quick

Thanks for your help:)

A quick question regarding RBI, will the RBI towers use LTE or HSDPA 42?

Most of the RBI towers use Dual carrier now and in the future LTE will turned on when the 700Mhz auction is complete

Oh, that's very interesting thanks for the info:)