Vodacom 2G coverage deteriorating

cavedog

cavedog

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So is it just me or is 2G coverage deteriorating. I use my Vodacom contract which is on uChoose flexi R175 which receives R175 airtime monthly mainly just for calls as Vodacom has a 60min all network daily bundle for R12. It offers some decent value for money for calls although it's a daily bundle.

I use the simcard in a small Nokia that has 2G only and noticed that 2G coverage is not what it used to be. Inside buildings the calls break up and signal is up and down. Same simcard in a 3G phone offers much better call quality and VoLTE and VoWifi offers decent call quality but is a battery drainer from what I have seen.
 
Okay let's change that. It's unusable. Swapped the sims. Vodacom to S10 and Telkom to cheap 2G only Nokia and Telkom works fine in the Nokia and Vodacom works fine now in the S10. Full signal on Vodacom but 1 or 2 bars on 2G only even in the S10 when forced to 2G only 1 or maybe 2 bars and you can't make any calls because you can't hear anything.
 
Guys 2G is dead. If you buying a cheap phone for Voice calls just make sure its 3G enabled over 900mhz and 2100mhz.
Most networks are shutting off 2G networks and refarming Spectrum.
 
But GSM 900MHz signal is still supposed to travel quite a distance. How can it be that I'm struggling with 2G coverage in the middle of Centurion surrounded by towers. You just have to look out the window and you looking at a tower.
 
cavedog said:
But GSM 900MHz signal is still supposed to travel quite a distance. How can it be that I'm struggling with 2G coverage in the middle of Centurion surrounded by towers. You just have to look out the window and you looking at a tower.
Click to expand...

Possible Vodacom has lowered the output on those towers to prevent refarmed spectrum and issued to 3G/4G interfering?
 
DXL said:
Guys 2G is dead. If you buying a cheap phone for Voice calls just make sure its 3G enabled over 900mhz and 2100mhz.
Most networks are shutting off 2G networks and refarming Spectrum.
Click to expand...
What will happen to all theses devices that you can insert a sim and uses 2G to send SMS and data,

Water depth loggers, Dam loggers, Power site Logger lists goes on. ETC

They were never design with 3G/4G in mind. Also they are expensive as hell to replace. I am not even sure there are 3g/4g version on the market.
 
DTBA said:
What will happen to all theses devices that you can insert a sim and uses 2G to send SMS and data,

Water depth loggers, Dam loggers, Power site Logger lists goes on. ETC

They were never design with 3G/4G in mind. Also they are expensive as hell to replace. I am not even sure there are 3g/4g version on the market.
Click to expand...

Surely it is considered good practice to keep infrastructure updated etc. I do not consider it Vodacom's problem if companies refuse to update their equipment to keep up to date with network tech etc. It must be understood that Vodacom (and other networks) serve mainly as a service provider for people to communicate via either voice or data, and to meet that demand, they need to keep their networks efficient as possible, especially considering our governments lack luster attitude to dishing out more spectrum. 3G and even LTE has been available for a very long time now giving companies that use telemetry devices ample time to update their devices, even in a slow and phased roll out.
 
" It must be understood that Vodacom (and other networks) serve mainly as a service provider for people to communicate via either voice or data"

What a strange thing to believe in the era of the IoT?
 
Tovad said:
" It must be understood that Vodacom (and other networks) serve mainly as a service provider for people to communicate via either voice or data"

What a strange thing to believe in the era of the IoT?
Click to expand...

And what do you think IoT will run on? 2G ..... no, it wont.
 
2G GSM will be around until we grow old and pass on. The coverage it provides is what will keep it alive. South Africa has fast vacant land which needs coverage for rural. You can place a tower on a mountain and have it run GSM 900MHz and see how far that coverage extends. Not good for data and so on but Voice it's still good.
 
Tovad said:
" It must be understood that Vodacom (and other networks) serve mainly as a service provider for people to communicate via either voice or data"

What a strange thing to believe in the era of the IoT?
Click to expand...
Read up on NB-IoT (narrowband IoT).
 
Ockie said:
Surely it is considered good practice to keep infrastructure updated etc. I do not consider it Vodacom's problem if companies refuse to update their equipment to keep up to date with network tech etc. It must be understood that Vodacom (and other networks) serve mainly as a service provider for people to communicate via either voice or data, and to meet that demand, they need to keep their networks efficient as possible, especially considering our governments lack luster attitude to dishing out more spectrum. 3G and even LTE has been available for a very long time now giving companies that use telemetry devices ample time to update their devices, even in a slow and phased roll out.
Click to expand...

Agreed ! 3G - 900mhz has been around for almost 15 + Years so theres no excuse.
 
Nothing important must first structure it better
 
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