And... finally!

[spotify95]

We have a 2G "Death Watch" thread on the Digital forums!

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2124509

I wonder, when oh when oh when will the UK switch off all of it's 2G networks?

[pinkteddyx64]

Jesus fucking wept.

Because of those mentioned countries plans to kill off 2G, can I burn down the Virgin Media headquarters with James_W inside, demolish the TSR offices with the CT inside and smash up my mum's TiVo and Superhub?

[spotify95]

This is crazy...

If you look at that thread now, you'll see that they are discussing turning off 3G now before 2G! Why?!

3G does very well for calls, texts and reasonably high speed data, and 4G will do perfectly for data and VOLTE for newer phones.

If they get rid of 3G before 2G, then the following will happen:

1) My parents phones (Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus and ZTE Blade 3) become useless as they will only ever be able to use EDGE - no 4G support
2) My Samsung Galaxy S4 - which cost me £380 a year and a half ago - will become useless and might as well be a small tablet device, unless they will put VOLTE support on it. I'm not using 2G on it (I use 3G for voice and data, because VM don't use 4G) so if 3G goes, I'll be able to use data (if I switch to a 4G network), but not voice!
3) We'll all have to buy new phones....

Just switch off 2G - if 2G goes, then 3G/4G phones can still use 3G for voice and either 3G or 4G for data! The people who are still on ancient, 2G only phones can upgrade to a £30 3G phone - which is better than upgrading to a £400+ VOLTE phone for voice!

The world's gone mad.... Someone needs to post this on the digital thread I linked to!

[pinkteddyx64]

I hate how they keep sticking up for the elderly saying that we need to retain 2G for the foreseeable future because of the phones they have!

Why do we always let the elderly get in the way of progress in this country?!?!?!

[spotify95]

I hate how they keep sticking up for the elderly saying that we need to retain 2G for the foreseeable future because of the phones they have!

Why do we always let the elderly get in the way of progress in this country?!?!?!

Thankfully the Three network doesn't have 2G, and as such they use 3G for the vast majority of their phone calls (there are some devices that have VOLTE). Hence if any of the major networks do turn off 3G before 2G, then at least I can go to Three, where they'll be keeping 3G as it's their main method of calls, texts and data!

So long as EE don't turn off all of the MBNL masts, that is!

3G has been perfectly reliable and perfectly suitable for my needs - ever since I have had my S4 I have been using 3G primarily, or exclusively, because 2G is so shite for data! Yes, I do make calls but I use data an awful lot as well! And if you get rid of 3G, then I may have 4G (if I switch from Virgin to another provider) but how the fuck am I supposed to make a phone call if my S4 doesn't support VOLTE!!!

And don't tell me to buy a new phone, or else I'll have to throw dead batteries at you and smash fluoro tubes over your head!

[pinkteddyx64]

But if three merge with O2 then they will end up with 2G networks on their hands, unless they choose to dispose of them after the merger which would of course be a step towards the death of 2G in the UK!

I dare you to ask on news and feedback on TSR for a new phone and tag Queen Cersei into the post!

[spotify95]

But if three merge with O2 then they will end up with 2G networks on their hands, unless they choose to dispose of them after the merger which would of course be a step towards the death of 2G in the UK!

I dare you to ask on news and feedback on TSR for a new phone and tag Queen Cersei into the post!

Oh yes, because O2 have 2G...

Personally, if I was Three UK, and the merger went through, then this is what I would do:

1) Add 3G900 and 3G2100 to EVERY MAST (including MBNL masts and Cornerstone masts) - 3G900 for coverage, 3G2100 for capacity. Also add 4G1800 and 4G800 to every mast - 1800 for capacity, 800 for coverage.
1a) I would personally go for a split tactic with the 800 - some 800 to be at a lower power (i.e. kept within 3G900) and used for data only, for non VOLTE devices. The rest of the 800 goes at full power for VOLTE capable devices.
2) Increase the powers of 3G so that 3G900 matched the current coverage of 2G900
3) Refarm the spectrum so that O2's 2G1800 gets refarmed into Three 4G1800, and that O2's 2G900 gets refarmed to 3G900. However, keep the minimal possible 2G900 spectrum available for 2G.
4) Announce a 2G switch off date for the combined network. All users still on 2G are to migrate to 3G/4G compatible devices, as 2G coverage will be matched by 3G900.
5) Turn of 2G900 and refarm the last amount of spectrum to 3G900.
6) Complete - 2G switched off. 3G and 4G in use and at 99%+ coverage.

[pinkteddyx64]

Great plan!

When the UK does one day terminate it's last 2G network, can we celebrate by throwing dead batteries at the Virgin Media headquarters and hope that at least one of the batteries hits James_W on the head?

[spotify95]

Great plan!

When the UK does one day terminate it's last 2G network, can we celebrate by throwing dead batteries at the Virgin Media headquarters and hope that at least one of the batteries hits James_W on the head?

Hopefully Three will implement something like that, when it buys out O2 - otherwise we're going to be stuck with a sticky scenario

Yes, we sure can! However, make sure that the batteries are, of course, totally dead - don't just take all of the batteries from the recycle bins because some of them could still be good! (Remember the Free Batteries For Life thread/video that I showed you.)

[pinkteddyx64]

If on the other hand we were able to get everyone, even the elderly onto 4G, and we ended up with a 4G only network across the whole of the UK by say 2020, could we stuff batteries up James_W's nose?

[spotify95]

And... We have progress!

The old Orange mast in Wisbech has recently been upgrades to MBNL standards. Please!

Fills in a coverage gap nicely!

[pinkteddyx64]

And... We have progress!

The old Orange mast in Wisbech has recently been upgrades to MBNL standards. Please!

Fills in a coverage gap nicely!

Can we celebrate that little success with champagne, then smash the empty bottle over James_W's head?

[spotify95]

And... We have progress!

The old Orange mast in Wisbech has recently been upgrades to MBNL standards. Please!

Fills in a coverage gap nicely!

Can we celebrate that little success with champagne, then smash the empty bottle over James_W's head?

Yes, we can - after all, that Orange mast needed MBNL'ing as it resulted in a big coverage gap!

I'm hoping that all of the orange masts are being converted to MBNL 2G/3G/4G - that will be one good network! For example, on the commute to and from university, there are still a load of old Orange masts that need the MBNL treatment.