Insanely slow 2Degree data speeds when roaming onto the Vodafone cell site on Great Barrier Island

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#2291136 6-Aug-2019 18:58

Given 2degrees has been around for 10 years now, will they ever get in a position that they can deploy enough towers to no longer require roaming on Vodafone?

toejam316

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#2291138 6-Aug-2019 19:02

Yeah, truthfully I'm only on 2Degrees Mobile because I'm on repayment contract at the moment and I was using their broadband service. I expect once my repayment contract is up with 2Degrees (or I decide to pay out the balance of my phone), I'll likely jump ship to Skinny or Spark, depending on if my family will bite on a shared plan.

Anything I say is the ramblings of an ill informed, opinionated so-and-so, and not representative of any of my past, present or future employers, and is also probably best disregarded.

hio77

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#2291152 6-Aug-2019 19:27

DjShadow:

Given 2degrees has been around for 10 years now, will they ever get in a position that they can deploy enough towers to no longer require roaming on Vodafone?

I would not be surprised if 2D shut it off at some point.

I would hate to be them when that happens though, there will be a public outcry "OMG my phone nolonger works!" be it from a minority of the community.

Take for example the tower that serves me, Waitroa Transmission station.

Unlikely any provider will add more kit to that at this stage is my view, so soon as that's switched off all the locals on 2D will be forced to move back to Vodafone unlesss RCG tower lands before that happens :)

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Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

SaltyNZ

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#2291334 7-Aug-2019 07:08

hio77:

Never noticed that one... @saltyNZ Probably shouldnt over estimate the coverage THAT much. is bad where i live too..

Coverage maps are a bit outside my area so I can't really say one way or the other. I do seem to remember that I was on national roaming in the area when we were passing through around Christmas time on the way to the MIL's place. Maybe they're being updated to include RCG sites?

And as to the main topic of conversation here: I can't discuss it, so no point asking. :-)

iPad Pro 11" + iPhone 15 Pro Max + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

tripp

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#2291349 7-Aug-2019 07:58

If a speed restriction is in place on 2d's side when outside of their network then that really needs to be pointed out on sign up and coverage maps ASAP. A customer pays for a service and would expect to get a "workable" service. Rating data so low which makes app not work correctly or selling a service with x amount of GB and not being able to use the full amount in a month due to restrictions should fall under the CGA as not fit for purpose. IANAL

toejam316

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#2291378 7-Aug-2019 08:53

I can't say I'm keen to do it myself, but I've a feeling that it'll be mentioned in the terms and conditions of they're doing something like that.
My suspicion is that it's related to the bad old days of on-net vs off-net data quotas, seems much easier to limit the data speeds of the rare times customers are off-net now with the vast majority in on-net areas.

Anything I say is the ramblings of an ill informed, opinionated so-and-so, and not representative of any of my past, present or future employers, and is also probably best disregarded.

2degreesCare

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#2291726 7-Aug-2019 14:56

Linux:

@JasonParis should this speed restriction be in place when 2degrees customers are roaming onto the VodafoneNZ 3G network?

If it's part of a commercial agreement between 2degrees and VodafoneNZ for national roaming then all good :)

Just would like some clarification

2degrees has invested more than $950m building a national network and we reach 98.5% of the places Kiwis live and work. This includes a small portion (less than 1%) where we pay for access from Vodafone, largely in remote areas.

We have investment plans to cover this last 1% where customers experience slower speeds than they do on our network. In the interim, the reason customers experience slower speeds is because we're putting our funds into expanding the 2degrees network reach and speed, rather than buying faster data speeds in the last remaining areas where we rent.

Cheers ^SW

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thelonepinetree

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#2291741 7-Aug-2019 15:11

Thank you @2degreescare for finally confirming what we suspected, and thank you for wrapping up my frustration over the last few months. Make sure you CSR are as transparent and truthful as you have been here. I wish you all the best expanding your network, might see you again sometime in the future, when your network (own/rented) is up to customers' expectations. Again, thank you for finally coming out clean.

GregV

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#2291779 7-Aug-2019 16:15

@2degreesCare Any chance of the coverage maps being updated to indicate these rented areas where users won't see the speeds they would otherwise expect?

Spong

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#2291894 7-Aug-2019 19:56

@2Degreescare That was a very nice but carefully worded statement/spin. It doesn't help that those $99 10GB packs I bought for use on Great Barrier Island were largely wasted due to the 0.3Mb download speed, while those holidaying with us got 100Mb down from the same VF site using their VF SIM. It's not great that you haven't been upfront about this until now.

Can I ask when you expect to be joining VF and Spark in supplying a decent service in the Claris, Great Barrier location, or maybe lifting this restriction until then?

Tivo upgrades to operate with the new OzTivo EPG, support and service. Over 400 performed here so far. See: www.hillcrest.net.nz

Aucklandjafa

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#2291937 7-Aug-2019 21:47

Spong:
@2Degreescare That was a very nice but carefully worded statement/spin. It doesn't help that those $99 10GB packs I bought for use on Great Barrier Island were largely wasted due to the 0.3Mb download speed, while those holidaying with us got 100Mb down from the same VF site using their VF SIM. It's not great that you haven't been upfront about this until now.

Can I ask when you expect to be joining VF and Spark in supplying a decent service in the Claris, Great Barrier location, or maybe lifting this restriction until then?

2degrees have never used voda’s 4G network - they’ve been pretty upfront about that.

Linux

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#2291939 7-Aug-2019 21:51

Spong:
@2Degreescare That was a very nice but carefully worded statement/spin. It doesn't help that those $99 10GB packs I bought for use on Great Barrier Island were largely wasted due to the 0.3Mb download speed, while those holidaying with us got 100Mb down from the same VF site using their VF SIM. It's not great that you haven't been upfront about this until now.

Can I ask when you expect to be joining VF and Spark in supplying a decent service in the Claris, Great Barrier location, or maybe lifting this restriction until then?

@spong 100Mbps would be over the 4G network and 2d customers can't national roam onto the VodafoneNZ 4G network, Only 3G

Spong

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#2291941 7-Aug-2019 22:01

Linux:
Spong:

@2Degreescare That was a very nice but carefully worded statement/spin. It doesn't help that those $99 10GB packs I bought for use on Great Barrier Island were largely wasted due to the 0.3Mb download speed, while those holidaying with us got 100Mb down from the same VF site using their VF SIM. It's not great that you haven't been upfront about this until now.

Can I ask when you expect to be joining VF and Spark in supplying a decent service in the Claris, Great Barrier location, or maybe lifting this restriction until then?

@spong 100Mbps would be over the 4G network and 2d customers can't national roam onto the VodafoneNZ 4G network, Only 3G

Yes, we've known this all along. A few years ago our 2Degrees (3G) roaming speed on Great Barrier was acceptable - somewhere around 6-8Mb from memory. It's only been the last year or two that speeds have been artificially capped at 0.3Mb.

Tivo upgrades to operate with the new OzTivo EPG, support and service. Over 400 performed here so far. See: www.hillcrest.net.nz

Aucklandjafa

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#2291955 7-Aug-2019 23:04

Spong:
Linux:
Spong:

@2Degreescare That was a very nice but carefully worded statement/spin. It doesn't help that those $99 10GB packs I bought for use on Great Barrier Island were largely wasted due to the 0.3Mb download speed, while those holidaying with us got 100Mb down from the same VF site using their VF SIM. It's not great that you haven't been upfront about this until now.

Can I ask when you expect to be joining VF and Spark in supplying a decent service in the Claris, Great Barrier location, or maybe lifting this restriction until then?

@spong 100Mbps would be over the 4G network and 2d customers can't national roam onto the VodafoneNZ 4G network, Only 3G

Yes, we've known this all along. A few years ago our 2Degrees (3G) roaming speed on Great Barrier was acceptable - somewhere around 6-8Mb from memory. It's only been the last year or two that speeds have been artificially capped at 0.3Mb.

And in all honesty, it sounds like 2degrees have been more proactive in rolling out their 4G network on their now unused GSM900 band than Voda has with the L700 spectrum. Neither of them come close to Spark’s 4G coverage. Makes you question why voda is so intent on this 5G thing -especially in the 3.5ghz band

michaelmurfy

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#2291957 7-Aug-2019 23:29

I have to give 2degrees credit when it is due.

Sure, they limit speeds on VF Roaming. But I can safely say there has only been a small handful of times when I have been on roaming. Yes, I noticed a substantial speed drop but I was still able to use my phone for the basics. I think this can be attributed to 2G back in the day (and even today if you're on VF). If you're on 2G with GPRS data then good luck doing anything on your phone data-wise.

It has always been known that 2degrees don't quite have the coverage as their 2 bigger, badder competitors. The fact that there is still a solution for the times you're outside of their network is still welcomed but I have been very impressed with their network build speed and the quality of their network - 4G in areas on their own network is mostly flawless, I don't have data drops on Lambton Quay in Wellington and I rarely (if ever) get dropped calls. They're very quickly closing their past limitation in terms of coverage.

I can also thank 2degrees for creating competition in the market despite their limitations. This is why I am with them, and this is why I am staying with them as I feel I am getting value for money.

This is a small drop in the water really - if you live in an area where there is no 2degrees coverage and speed is a must then you've got options. They're still providing 3G on Vodafone in some areas at "3G Speeds" which is fine for limited use. We're just spoilt here in NZ for options, and since generally data speeds are very good on all providers.

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
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