O2 & Vodafone Mast Sharing

[Anonymous]

Hi Guys,

How will this work and when will it all start? Is is similar to the Orange/T-Mobile situation without the formal company merger - ie will we sometimes get 'vodafone' as a signal?

Or.. is it just that both companies are funding masts, and therefore can afford to put more up therefore increasing coverage for half the normal cost?

[perksie]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Unfortunately this O2 mast is 2G only, so under any rationalisation plan it must be a candidate for the chop; added to which the industrial estate where it is located is due for redevelopment

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Have a read of the specs for the future of the network which will be completed within two years:

http://www.o2.co.uk/network/future

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the link; not sure whether it gives me any comfort or not! All the operators reckon they have our village covered outdoors to some extent - forget indoors. Older phones can sometimes pick up something, but a modern smartphone - no chance. The only decent signal is 2g from this little O2 guy:

http://goo.gl/maps/YcXfu

I can't help thinking that even if it survives the mast-sharing rationalisation, and doesn't just fall over by itself, it will be swept away when the site is developed.

[adamtemp64]

I did do an help thread about smartphones and indoor here http://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Pay-Monthly-and-Pay-Go/Do-you-have-poor-coverage-signal-Indoors-This-ma...

O2 have to provide 98% population indoor coverage on 2g 3g and 4g and have committed to this by end of 2015.

A new site will be found if that mast near bourne airfield is removed where is the nearest vodafone mast?

[Anonymous]

Nearest VF (2g & 3g) is about a mile due west of this mast on the other side of the airfield. At present the signal is just about gettable here upstairs hanging out of the window. Indoors I have a Suresignal for the households VF users.

Ironically I moved back to O2 from VF a few years back because I felt overall coverage was better on O2 (plus the local mast of course); the mast sharing thing might prod me into having another look at VF

PS thanks for the "indoor smartphone" link

[adamtemp64]

I also note further to the west there is a water tower with o2 on can that be seen form your village? that mast is the one that will likley be upgraded due to it height above ground level and already carries 3g900 on o2

[Anonymous]

Yes the water tower is where everyone has masts (there are even people at the south end of the village who claim to get a good 3 MIFI signal in their lofts! They probably have a better line of sight), and the O2 checker shows that we might have outdoor 3g900 coverage from it, although can't check as my current phone doesn't support it. Can't see it from our location though as trees and buildings in way.

There's also a bunch of masts 2-3 miles east on a tall comms tower, but I think they are out of range

[adamtemp64]

trees heavily affect 2100 3g but not so bad at 3g900 and even less at 4g 800.

If that mast is not already running at full power then o2 may increase it when they get around to enabling 4g

[Anonymous]

that's helpful / hopeful

Thanks for your comments