4G not consistant

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › 4G not consistant

rugrat

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#220313 5-Aug-2017 16:20

I spend a bit of time on Linwood side of town Christchurch.

At excactly the same location, same weather conditions about 60 to 70% time it's on 3G
Then 30% time 4G.

I've was on 3G for first 10 minutes then it has now changed to 4G for this connection and I'm sitting in same chair.

Why so inconsistent? Other 4G areas of Christchurch it stays on 4G the whole time.

Not so good for streaming with data clock. Been with 2degrees a long time, but thinking of testing a different network slim to see if coverage better, that has slightly better data clock rates and similar prices to $19 roll over.

Linux

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#1839567 5-Aug-2017 17:03

I suspect 4G will be on 1800Mhz and 3G 900Mhz so the 3G will be stronger in the area

3G / WCDMA suffers from cell breathing as well so this could impact the 3G to 4G change as well

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rugrat

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#1839613 5-Aug-2017 20:41

Hmmm, I've been getting 4g all night.

As soon as turn data clock on it drops to 3G, looking suspicious.

Wonder if it's deliberate.

Edit. With 10 minutes to go, it goes back to 4G.
Video was to burry though for most of it to watch poker on twitch.

cadman

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#1839829 6-Aug-2017 13:00

rugrat: Hmmm, I've been getting 4g all night.

As soon as turn data clock on it drops to 3G, looking suspicious.

I have the initial free session that I've never used on a 2degrees phone. I might park myself under a tower and see if that happens.

rugrat

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#1839832 6-Aug-2017 13:14

Lol it is deliberate.

Just brought 1/2 hour data in a 4G solid area.

It went immediately to 3G. They don't have that in the terms and conditions. 3G for first 20 minutes of half an hour.

What a have!

My data usuage on mobile which I haven't reset for a couple of months is 3.5 GB, so I'm not abusing it.

Be interested to know if skinny behaves same way. Otherwise might go $30 skinny direct which is about what I'd spend between data clock and roll over anyway.

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#1839833 6-Aug-2017 13:16

I would get this confirmed by 2Degrees if they stop handsets connecting to 4G for data clock, If they do it's not good at all

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sorceror

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#1840461 7-Aug-2017 11:11

if only there was some magical setting that could force a phone to 4G...

SaltyNZ

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#1840513 7-Aug-2017 12:18

rugrat: Lol it is deliberate.

It is not deliberate. When you register for Data Clock we turn off your ability to pay cash for data ('casual data'). That being the case, if you don't have any other data packs then your default state as far as the packet network is concerned is 'was told no by the charging system'.

Because of limitations in a couple of our systems at the moment, the only way out of that situation when you buy a Data Clock pack is to somewhat brutally boot you off your PDP context so that your device tries to establish a new one, which will be allowed by the charging system. Some handsets might sometimes interpret that error as a signal that they should go to 3G instead, but even if they do, there's nothing stopping them from going back to 4G immediately (nor is there anything stopping you from locking your handset to 4G, if it supports that).

But just to be absolutely clear: there is no policy in place that tries to force Data Clock users to 3G. Nor would we do that even if we could, because LTE capacity is cheaper than UMTS capacity and so it would be directly against our interests to offer people unlimited data and then toss them off LTE when they try to use it.

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djtOtago

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#1840537 7-Aug-2017 13:06

My son uses data clock a lot, mostly for watching live gaming streams from twitch or YouTube, his phone stays on LTE the whole time. So he tells me.

rugrat

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#1840644 7-Aug-2017 16:21

SaltyNZ:
rugrat: Lol it is deliberate.

It is not deliberate. When you register for Data Clock we turn off your ability to pay cash for data ('casual data'). That being the case, if you don't have any other data packs then your default state as far as the packet network is concerned is 'was told no by the charging system'.

Because of limitations in a couple of our systems at the moment, the only way out of that situation when you buy a Data Clock pack is to somewhat brutally boot you off your PDP context so that your device tries to establish a new one, which will be allowed by the charging system. Some handsets might sometimes interpret that error as a signal that they should go to 3G instead, but even if they do, there's nothing stopping them from going back to 4G immediately (nor is there anything stopping you from locking your handset to 4G, if it supports that).

But just to be absolutely clear: there is no policy in place that tries to force Data Clock users to 3G. Nor would we do that even if we could, because LTE capacity is cheaper than UMTS capacity and so it would be directly against our interests to offer people unlimited data and then toss them off LTE when they try to use it.

It's an iphone6. I can force it to use 3G or lower, but there's no way to use 4G only. Setting the 4G also allows the lower options to be enabled.
Eveytime I turn on data clock it drops to 3G, tested in area where always get 4G using plan data.

I have the $19 roll over pack so am not on casual data when clock not going.
The last data clock used I got 15 minutes 3G and last 15 minutes 4G. Very frustrating.

My roll over finish's around 20th this month so only thing can think of is trying different network to see if makes any difference, other then that go for bigger data pack, but after $19 pack don't think 2degrees is competing with what others offering.

rugrat

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#1840658 7-Aug-2017 16:58

Just brought 5 minute data clock, first 4 minutes 3G, last minute went to 4G. Also turned phone off and on, made no difference.

When not using data clock get 4G 100% time this area.

n4

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#1840663 7-Aug-2017 17:07

Just a thought - are you diving straight into intensive data use after purchasing the DataClock pack?

Samsung Note20 Ultra, on 2degrees

rugrat

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#1840673 7-Aug-2017 17:20

No, didn't use any data last time, only loaded data clock and took screen shots, plus turned phone off and on to see if that would make it go to 4G

Pretty sure I use to get 4G when it first came out so I don't know what's changed, can't remember if there's been a data clock applic update since.

It's making it pretty worthless to me.

Also of note the bigger the data clock I buy, the longer it takes to go to 4G, 30 minute one takes 15 to 20 minutes, 5 minute one takes 4 minutes, if it's the phone taking time to connect why would the size of the data clock effect how long for phone to realise 4G is available?

n4

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#1840682 7-Aug-2017 17:38

No reason except maybe with the last test you didn't use much data. And turning the phone off/on might have actually delayed the switch to 4G? Possibly it would still take 3 mins to switch if you purchased a 30 min pack and did nothing, instead of jumping into a video. Of course none of that helps you as a user!

Samsung Note20 Ultra, on 2degrees

rugrat

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#1848629 18-Aug-2017 16:08

Problem solved, not my favourite way to solve as been with 2degrees since beginning.
But looks like data clock 4G not compatible with 4G and my phone, where bringe data on skinny is.