Vodacom 3G - is their anyone out there??

[JungleRumble]

My area does not support ADSL - according to Telkom (something to do with fibre optic lines) so I am forced to go wireless. I considered iburst, but after reading the comments about them I am to scared to go there. Now I am trying to get Vodacom 3G/HSDPA. I consulted the coverage map, and, behold, it seems that everyone around me has proper coverage except my house!!

Onto the Vodacom website I went and toiled my way through a jungle of adverts and other geeky stuff - but I could not find any link to anyone who could help me with my problem. All I want is for someone to come out to my house (like iburst did, within 2hours of my call to them) and to measure the signal strength. I send off an email to customer care, but they ignored me (although I received an authomated read-response). I finally called 082 155 - and could get no further that a telelady who logged my call and promised to "escalate" it.

Can the Vodacom3G person please tell me how can I confirm my signal strength? I do not want to be caught up in a 24 month contract and then realise that I'm screwed.

PS. Vodacom, it is more diffucult to speak to you than to get hold of the Dept of Internal Affairs...

 

[vodacom3g]

My area does not support ADSL - according to Telkom (something to do with fibre optic lines) so I am forced to go wireless. I considered iburst, but after reading the comments about them I am to scared to go there. Now I am trying to get Vodacom 3G/HSDPA. I consulted the coverage map, and, behold, it seems that everyone around me has proper coverage except my house!!

Onto the Vodacom website I went and toiled my way through a jungle of adverts and other geeky stuff - but I could not find any link to anyone who could help me with my problem. All I want is for someone to come out to my house (like iburst did, within 2hours of my call to them) and to measure the signal strength. I send off an email to customer care, but they ignored me (although I received an authomated read-response). I finally called 082 155 - and could get no further that a telelady who logged my call and promised to "escalate" it.

Can the Vodacom3G person please tell me how can I confirm my signal strength? I do not want to be caught up in a 24 month contract and then realise that I'm screwed.

PS. Vodacom, it is more diffucult to speak to you than to get hold of the Dept of Internal Affairs...

What did the coverage map show?

I'm pretty sure Welgelegen is covered by HSDPA, but rather check on the map.

/edit/ Sorry only saw now you did look at the map.

If you want, you can borrow one of my data cards to test at your place. I'm just up the road from you.

 

[ic]

What did the coverage map show?

I'm pretty sure Welgelegen is covered by HSDPA, but rather check on the map.

/edit/ Sorry only saw now you did look at the map.

If you want, you can borrow one of my data cards to test at your place. I'm just up the road from you.

And for those who are not down the road from v3g, or if v3g runs out of modems to lend to people, the normal advice given in this forum is to hire a modem from a retail outlet for a few days and test drive HSDPA in their area - it doesn't cost much to hire a data card for a few days - IIRC about ZAR20.00 per day excluding the cost of one's own SIM card [e.g. pre-paid] and one's own data bundle [e.g. [searchforum]PPDB[/searchforum]].

In cases where one's home etc is in a coverage black-hole, a fixed external outdoors antenna is an option that usually works, but choose your modem carefully - there is an induction-coupler for the E220, but probably better to get one of the data cards if an external antenna is going to be attached, also the data cards work with the [searchforum]Linksys WRT54G3G router[/searchforum].

PS: JungleRumble, welcome to MyBroadband .

 

[vodacom3g]

And for those who are not down the road from v3g, or if v3g runs out of modems to lend to people, the normal advice given in this forum is to hire a modem from a retail outlet for a few days and test drive HSDPA in their area - it doesn't cost much to hire a data card for a few days - IIRC about ZAR20.00 per day excluding the cost of one's own SIM card [e.g. pre-paid] and one's own data bundle [e.g. [searchforum]PPDB[/searchforum]].

In cases where one's home etc is in a coverage black-hole, a fixed external outdoors antenna is an option that usually works, but choose your modem carefully - there is an induction-coupler for the E220, but probably better to get one of the data cards if an external antenna is going to be attached, also the data cards work with the [searchforum]Linksys WRT54G3G router[/searchforum].

PS: JungleRumble, welcome to MyBroadband .

I've 'lost' about 4 data cards and one external antenna to forumites....and I can't remember who they all are!

One day Vodacom is going to invoice me for all of them.

 

[ic]

I've 'lost' about 4 data cards and one external antenna to forumites....and I can't remember who they all are!

One day Vodacom is going to invoice me for all of them.

I suspected as much , if you have the IMEI numbers you could ask Vodacom to track them down - considering that they are Vodacom's data cards .

 

[JungleRumble]

Thanx 3g. I am new to these forums and am not sure how to provide my details in order for me to get hold of you. Your offer will be much appreciated.

IC, I will also make use of your advice. Have spent many hours surfing the net for an external antenna. Think I will go that route. However, can anyone tell me why the antennas needed for HSDPA/3G reception is so much more expecsive than the ones used with iburst?

 

[Big Kriss]

JR,Check out the external Pyonting antenna threat...sorry ,no linky..

 

[internaut]

I've 'lost' about 4 data cards and one external antenna to forumites....and I can't remember who they all are!

One day Vodacom is going to invoice me for all of them.

The sonsuva biatches!

 

[ic]

@v3g, just wondering if the new Huawei E270 HSUPA modems have a connector for an external antenna?

IC, I will also make use of your advice. Have spent many hours surfing the net for an external antenna. Think I will go that route. However, can anyone tell me why the antennas needed for HSDPA/3G reception is so much more expecsive than the ones used with iburst?

I don't know the pricing of the external antennas for either HSDPA or iBurst, I do know that www.poyntingdirect.co.za is where you should consider buying an external antenna [if necessary after testing].

An external antenna for an iBurst modem only has to deal with one frequency range.

An external antenna for an HSPA modem has to provide for 3 * 2.xG frequency ranges [Vodacom + MTN + CellC], and 1 * 3.yG frequency range, which is likely to contribute to any increased cost.

 

[vodacom3g]

@v3g, just wondering if the new Huawei E270 HSUPA modems have a connector for an external antenna?I don't know the pricing of the external antennas for either HSDPA or iBurst, I do know that www.poyntingdirect.co.za is where you should consider buying an external antenna [if necessary after testing].

An external antenna for an iBurst modem only has to deal with one frequency range.

An external antenna for an HSPA modem has to provide for 3 * 2.xG frequency ranges [Vodacom + MTN + CellC], and 1 * 3.yG frequency range, which is likely to contribute to any increased cost.

We're skipping the E270 but will deploy the E272, with an external connector.

 

[vodacom3g]

Thanx 3g. I am new to these forums and am not sure how to provide my details in order for me to get hold of you. Your offer will be much appreciated.

PM me your contact details. We can maybe meet up over the weekend?

 

[JungleRumble]

3g, did you get my details? I PM'd it on Friday.

 

[vodacom3g]

3g, did you get my details? I PM'd it on Friday.

Did, been threatening to do a drive-by on your place all weekend but never got around to it.

I'll PM you, then you come around and pick up a data card and install it on your system to test.

 

[JungleRumble]

Thanx for the call, 3g, will see ya.

Can anyone provide some advice - if I use the E220, and I use a 1 meter extention, will it improve reception? If not - can the E220 use an external antenna?

 

[vodacom3g]

Thanx for the call, 3g, will see ya.

Can anyone provide some advice - if I use the E220, and I use a 1 meter extention, will it improve reception? If not - can the E220 use an external antenna?

I'll explain everything to you tonight, if you don't mind Saves me some typing....

 

[Swoosh]

When is the E272 coming out?

 

[Eugene66]

What did the coverage map show?

I'm pretty sure Welgelegen is covered by HSDPA, but rather check on the map.

/edit/ Sorry only saw now you did look at the map.

If you want, you can borrow one of my data cards to test at your place. I'm just up the road from you.

There are companies that sell areal extentions to enable you to put your receptor at a place where it functions out on the roof or whatever. They specialize in that.

I forgot their name but it was something like Surepoint or something.

 

[Prometheus]

Thanx for the call, 3g, will see ya.

Can anyone provide some advice - if I use the E220, and I use a 1 meter extention, will it improve reception? If not - can the E220 use an external antenna?

Extension by itself won't improve reception. You could use it to mount it higher up. I also noticed recently that if I position it at an angle without touching anything I get better reception.