LTE on existing contracts

[gifs]

Does anybody know if we will be able to get LTE access on existing contracts like the Go 10 Gigs Big contract for instance?

 

[Alton Turner Blackwood]

If your device is able to receive LTE then I'm sure you'd be able to.

 

[deweyzeph]

Except that initially their LTE network is only going to be targeted towards people looking for a fixed-line broadband replacement. So no voice or sms on LTE, you would need to switch over to 3G or Edge to make a phone call.

 

[Sinbad]

Except that initially their LTE network is only going to be targeted towards people looking for a fixed-line broadband replacement. So no voice or sms on LTE, you would need to switch over to 3G or Edge to make a phone call.

Suits me for my ipad4 ...

 

[ginggs]

Suits me for my ipad4 ...

Does it support LTE TDD @ 2300MHz?

 

[Sinbad]

Does it support LTE TDD @ 2300MHz?

I have no idea.

LTE (Bands 1, 3, 5, 13, 25) is what it says in the techspecs.

 

[ginggs]

I have no idea.

LTE (Bands 1, 3, 5, 13, 25) is what it says in the techspecs.

Then no. LTE TDD @ 2300MHz is Band 40.

 

[Sinbad]

Then no. LTE TDD @ 2300MHz is Band 40.

blargh. False advertising then?

 

[ginggs]

blargh. False advertising then?

False advertising? Where / by whom?

 

[Sinbad]

False advertising? Where / by whom?

Well, either the networks for saying they are LTE, or apple for saying the device is LTE... Surely LTE should be LTE, not 14 million different flavours of the damned thing which may or may not work depending on the phase of the moon and the colour of your underpants.

 

[ginggs]

Well, either the networks for saying they are LTE, or apple for saying the device is LTE... Surely LTE should be LTE, not 14 million different flavours of the damned thing which may or may not work depending on the phase of the moon and the colour of your underpants.

Unfortunately, LTE is 14 million different flavours:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-UTRA#Frequency_bands_and_channel_bandwidths

 

[Shiraz]

8ta LTE

I am confused and need some help. Have a couple of questions:

1. Has 8ta launched LTE. The website says LTE is here and I called the call centre yesterday and the lady said she has no info but it launches today.
2. We have 2 iphone5 contracts taken out 2 months ago (smart contract 3)with750mb data. Also have the internet5 contract 10Gb per month. Would I get to use LTE on these?

All the sims are in supposedly LTE devices and I am in the coverage zone

 

[FireTelkom]

No Iphone will allow 8ta LTE access as the frequency that 8ta is using is relatively unique in the world and not used anywhere in the USA or Europe. The SA Iphones will only work on Vodacom and MTN.

 

[sajunky]

After the 8ta LTE launch look what devices are on the offer. If you buy from 8ta, it will be probably work on other networks too.

 

[FireTelkom]

After the 8ta LTE launch look what devices are on the offer. If you buy from 8ta, it will be probably work on other networks too.

I will advice that you look at the detail of the device. Telkom/8ta will be using band 40 TDD (2300 MHz) and according to wikipedia the only other networks using the same will be Clearwire in the United States and Wireless City Planning in Japan.

Vodacom and MTN use band 3 FDD (1800 MHz). The Huawei router that Telkom provided me for the testing phase of LTE was specifically just for band 40 TDD in South Africa and neither MTN or Vodacom work in the router. The router that Telkom/8ta provided was the Huawei LTE B593 and the specific model was the B593u-91. You will be able to get Huawei B593 units that will work on Vodacom and MTN but then not on 8ta/Telkom.

 

[Jola]

I have bought a Huawei E392u-92 that supposedly supports 2300MHz TDD.

However I cannot see 8ta LTE with the modem.

It could however just be that 8ta LTE does not work in my area, although the map shows that I fall just inside the LTE coverage area.

Any ideas ? What is going on with 8ta LTE.

 

[Shiraz]

Aww man. Was hoping to crank up the iPhone with some LTE.

Why would you go with a signal that is not supported by majority of the devices?

 

[Jola]

Why would you go with a signal that is not supported by majority of the devices?

Yes, it was actually quite difficult to find a modem that does TDD 2300MHz.

But I believe that they had good bandwidth available on that frequency.

 

[sajunky]

Your SIM has to be provisioned for LTE. I know, your requests will be ignored till the oficial launch. Alternatively find someone in your area who was on the trial, such SIM should still work.
You can query modem for supported frequencies or use the latest MDMA beta to see if given frequency is accepted.

 

[Roadrunner]

Aww man. Was hoping to crank up the iPhone with some LTE.

Why would you go with a signal that is not supported by majority of the devices?

You can thank ICASA for that.

http://mybroadband.co.za/news/cellular/76674-lte-spectrum-mess-in-south-africa.html

If there was more spectrum available, they would probably have used a different band for LTE.