Vodafone Networks

[AMENZL1]

I live approx 15 km north of the Feilding East tower, close to SH54. We have both RBI (Farmside), and Vodafone cells.  The RBI aerial is pointing at Feilding East.  Cell calls keep dropping out (typically one or two bars), and RBI is so frustrating that it is easier to go to town for half a day to get decent service.  That is not very productive in the rural environment.

Any clues on a 4G updrade to Feilding East and/or new towers along Highway 54 in line with the proposal in April 2017 of additional highway coverage under the Rural Broadband Initiative Extension (RBI2) and Mobile Black Spot Fund? 

I see Rata, State Highway 1 and Awahuri were upgaded recently.  Does that give me good reason to hope for an upgrade in my area in the near future?

[AMENZL1]

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@AMENZL1 wrote:

I live approx 15 km north of the Feilding East tower, close to SH54. We have both RBI (Farmside), and Vodafone cells.  The RBI aerial is pointing at Feilding East.  Cell calls keep dropping out (typically one or two bars), and RBI is so frustrating that it is easier to go to town for half a day to get decent service.  That is not very productive in the rural environment.

Any clues on a 4G updrade to Feilding East and/or new towers along Highway 54 in line with the proposal in April 2017 of additional highway coverage under the Rural Broadband Initiative Extension (RBI2) and Mobile Black Spot Fund? 

I see Rata, State Highway 1 and Awahuri were upgaded recently.  Does that give me good reason to hope for an upgrade in my area in the near future?

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Bump

[SamS]

The site does have 4G. Do you have the Huawei B315s modem, and the setting set to LTE preferred in the gateway?

@Nigel could you be of any assistance here?

[Nigel]

Yeah Fielding East definately has 4G on the L700 band.

Kimbolton which i guess is roughly due East does not currently - bound to be upgraded at some point.

RBI 2 I dont have a finalised list at this stage. There will be a lot of new sites built under that project however.

The RBI connection - has Farmside had somebody come out to check the antennae doesnt need to be re adjusted etc?

[AMENZL1]

I certainly dont see 4G on any of my 700 band PDA (Galaxy A7) even when driving past the tower on the way into Feilding. RBI modem is 3G, however, but I am happy to pay the premium for 4G if I get better service.

We only moved in 6 months ago and Farmside tech reset and replaced the aerial - apparently installed upside down and full of water. Other 4G towers available for RBI (Kelvin Grove) but something about interference/cross-talk with the 3G network for RBI???

Talked with Farmside last night. Modem is very old Huwei G-model so a new one on the way.  Speed tests always times out before I can get one, but on the odd occaision Ping is around 90ms, 2,5 down and 0.8 up.

I will see what the new modem does and report back.

Thanks for the other info, guys. I see Rata/Reu Reu has also recently upgraded. But I dont know how to measure reception frrom identified towers, I just eyeball it off the Geekzone Cell map. 

Is there an app I can use?

[AMENZL1]

update:

Modem is Huawei B683, serial number stars with a G-

Very old, apparently!

[Nigel]

Oh good grief yes definately need the B315!

Hopefully the existing antennae is one of the more modern ones which is capable of picking up the L700 frequency.

I don't think you'll get anything from Rata. Its been upgraded yes but it's only got two sectors (most sites have 3). One is facing roughly towards Marton and the other one NW into err, farmland I guess?

It's location on the western side of those hills/ridges means there wouldn't be any way for it to get signal over to the Eastern side where you're located.

[AMENZL1 · Accepted solution]

B315 supplied and installed. Ping 45 ms, 6 down, 2 up.

Happy!

[Nigel]