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Telkom Mobile roaming on Vodacom
- Thread starter 3Gee
- Start date
It won't work like that. You won't even know when roaming on Vodacom because the Vodacom tower will broadcast Telkom PLMN. The same is happening Cellc with MTN.
The only way to test is to have a Telkom and Vodacom sim next to each other and compare Cell ID.
The only way to test is to have a Telkom and Vodacom sim next to each other and compare Cell ID.
3Gee
Executive Member
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I wonder how this will impact on battery life as the phone will search for the best signal.
One possible way of knowing you roaming on Vodacom is LTE speeds , TM LTE speeds sux
Battery life not so much because it would just be like switching towers. I'm pretty sure Telkom would not allow the roaming where they have coverage.
Also I can't see how they will manage to limit people using LTE contracts from roaming because the way the roaming is setup the device will always "think" it's connecting to a Telkom tower.... Would be interesting to see.
supersunbird
Honorary Master
Well, someone where there is no Telkom network coverage can test, should now be connected, and thus Vodacom roaming works (no R should be showing at signal icon, or else one is on MTN).
hj2k_x
Honorary Master
I can't select Vodacom from the list when you search for providers.
You won't ever be able too. It will act as a home network but roaming. Good for calls and data connections not getting dropped when going from telkom to vodacom network.
I'm moving to an area soon that only has 3G / LTE on roaming networks according to the Telkom coverage map. I wonder if this Vodacom agreement counts as proper roaming, since all the best Telkom deals are "Telkom data" (I.e. No roaming). I doubt the average Telkom employee will know the answer definitively, and I can't sign up for a 2-year contract to test and see that the data is useless.
The obvious solution is to buy a PAYG Telkom SIM and test it.
If the new roaming agreement is seamless you're not going to be aware that you're even using a Vodacom tower.
hj2k_x
Honorary Master
Previously you could force the sim to lock onto MTN, though?
wizardofid
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On new android phones you could always dial *#*#4636#*#* has a wealth of information, with regards to network capabilities.
Dan C
Honorary Master
My tablet tells me. See top left. Currently in Morgan Bay with no Telkom signal.
Yes, but that’s mtn roaming. I don’t think it’s going to work the same way with vodacom.
Yes but it would work like the Vodacom Rain roaming deal now. My Vodacom sim is on a Rain tower the whole time but shows Vodacom as the home network because the Rain tower is also broadcasting the Vodacom network ID. So i can't manually search for Rain's network name 65538 and connect because it will fail.
The same agreement will implemented with Telkom and Vodacom.
hj2k_x
Honorary Master
Ah ok
Ah ok
This new seamless roaming setup is nice because your phone will always show as if you are using Telkom towers but you aren't.
That would be great because Telkom only data bundles would probably work in non coverage areas. Now you are actually a "guest" on the MTN network hence the roaming sign R and obviously a call will be dropped. Once the Vodacom roaming comes into affect a call will not get dropped when switching between Vodacom and Telkom towers.
hj2k_x
Honorary Master
So essentially, from 1 December, I won't be able to tell when I'm actually using Vodacom's network but there should be fewer dropped calls and fewer times when I switch to roaming and have no signal at all? Like in most malls...