Vodacom Booster/repeater

Dolby

Dolby

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Hi,

Specifically aimed at Jannie, but anyone can answer ...

I had a booster /repeater (what is it actually called?) installed by Vodacom a few months back, due to zero signal. Awesome job and awesome unit - took me from 0kbps to 1mbps when active.

Anyhow - two Vodacom guys come to my house now and say they installed it and it's faulty. I asked how they knew, and they said they could see on the system ... Is that true?

When I at home last (2 day ago), all seemed fine

So I told them to do what they need tomorrow
 
Not sure I got it right. Repeater is working, guys came to your house and nobody was there or they were not allowed to go in, but you communicated with them...
Repeater depends on weather conditions can work unstable, oscilating, making a big problem to the tower. Of course they will get noticed.
 
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A few months ago, Jannie sent someone to check my signal - and it was beyond poor. He organised Vodacom to install one of these on my roof (I obviously don't have a license, so propery is theirs)

Anyway - got home and it worked perfectly ... And has ever since. But I haven't been home for 2 days so *perhaps* something happened in that time? (I'm still not home - will check later)

If something has happened and something is wrong, they picked up the issue and came earlier today to do something. My neighbour contacted me and I spoke to them on the phone - but no one is home to let them in, so they're coming tomorrow.

My question was how did they detect it? Can their system pick it up? What I switch it off at the mains for a few days?
 
It seems to be a repeater and if you switched it off they are not registering it on their system they must have some sort of monitoring system in place on that thing .Just tell them you are away for a few days and it was switched off that will save people time and hassle
 
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Dolby said:
My question was how did they detect it? Can their system pick it up? What I switch it off at the mains for a few days?
Click to expand...

Cant confirm either way...but I would not be surprised. Might be that the booster logs onto the BTS with some kind of SN or IMEI number which triggers some kind of notice @ Vodacom should it go offline
 
It wasn't off - that was hypothetical ...

But I'm worried they take it away and give it to some rich bloke around the corner with signal issues!
 
Dolby said:
It wasn't off - that was hypothetical ...

But I'm worried they take it away and give it to some rich bloke around the corner with signal issues!
Click to expand...
I don't think they will do that Jannie organised it for you :D
 
Dolby said:
It wasn't off - that was hypothetical ...

But I'm worried they take it away and give it to some rich bloke around the corner with signal issues!
Click to expand...

Shame man.....why so paranoid? Relax. :p

Vodacom might very well have picked up a issue with the booster...either it has gone offline or it is somehow causing probs on the BTS and they need to adjust it or something. See what they say when you are back home.

I dont see why they would not want to take it away from you without very good reason....unless you could not resist ans opened up the unit and did something naughty :-)

Let us know what the story is.
 
ocleroux said:
Shame man.....why so paranoid? Relax. :p
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LOL ...

Without this, the signal doesn't just drop - it totally goes away. No connection at all and zero through put.

Just a little worried that they're going to either take it or make it worse - and leave me with no signal at home. Even my neighbour reports 3G with it ... hehe
 
Dolby said:
LOL ...

Without this, the signal doesn't just drop - it totally goes away. No connection at all and zero through put.

Just a little worried that they're going to either take it or make it worse - and leave me with no signal at home. Even my neighbour reports 3G with it ... hehe
Click to expand...

I've asked the regional guys in charge to check what's going on. Probably legit but it might well be a couple of Cell C customers desperate for coverage. ;)
 
hehe ... thanks Jannie!

So this thing does talk back to the network ... ?
They can tell me, when it's not working correctly?
 
Dolby said:
My question was how did they detect it? Can their system pick it up? What I switch it off at the mains for a few days?
Click to expand...
I think I answered this question. Repeater has two full duplex amplifiers and two antennas: one high gain directional pointed to BTS and another one low gain (around 6dBm) omnidirectional. When one antenna picks-up signal transmitted from the other antenna, it can generate bursts of oscilations, because it is the same frequency. It will cause mess to the tower.
It can happen if you tried to reposition any of these antennas, or installators adjusted volume too high (to give you stronger signal), but it is later found on the border of stability, so they need to adjust it.

In the repeater I saw, there is also battery powered transmitter with small antenna on the body of the repeater, perhaps for alarm purpose. So even you power off device, they will know.
 
To close this; Seems the RF guys detected interference in the area and it points to Dolby's repeater. So they're swapping it out.

They'll also be breaking Dolby's fingers so he won't fiddle with it again. :)
 
That unit is amazing, they installed one at my place a few years ago, made the world of difference and the CEO at the time, well his PA arranged it for me.
I just didnt expect to grow an extra four finger due to the radiation :D:D
 
ocleroux said:
I dont see why they would not want to take it away from you without very good reason....unless you could not resist ans opened up the unit and did something naughty :-)

Let us know what the story is.
Click to expand...

jannievanzyl said:
To close this; Seems the RF guys detected interference in the area and it points to Dolby's repeater. So they're swapping it out.

They'll also be breaking Dolby's fingers so he won't fiddle with it again. :)
Click to expand...

hahahahahaha I KNEW IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :twisted:
 
hehe ...

Thanks for everything guys! :)
 
I'm just wondering about this interference.

It would then not be unlikely for these units to mess with someone else's signal.

We have read of a lot of people saying they had perfectly good signal, and then on a particular day it all went wrong. Would it only affect a particular carrier (Vodacom/MTN/CellC/8ta) or all of them? They are all using the same frequencies.
 
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