Is someone jamming/overlapping Neotel's LTE freq in Fourways?

agentrfr

agentrfr

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Location
Sandton, Gauteng
Since around 5AM this morning, I've been seeing this cycle:

It goes like this for 40 seconds

Code: 
RSRP	-102 dBm
BAND	3
Signal RSRQ:	-13 dB
SINR	0 dB
RSSI	-71 dBm
LTE RX Throughput	7 (Kbps)
LTE TX Throughput	21 (Kbps)
LTE Phyciscal Cell ID	99

And to this for 65 seconds

Code: 
RSRP	-76 dBm
BAND	3
Signal RSRQ:	-7 dB
SINR	20 dB
RSSI	-53 dBm
LTE RX Throughput	7 (Kbps)
LTE TX Throughput	21 (Kbps)
LTE Phyciscal Cell ID	99

Then it repeats like clockwork. Makes internets completely unusable.

Anyone else seeing the same?
 
Report it to ICASA. They have a team dealing with frequency "pirates". They will detect the source of any device using frequencies that it's not meant to be using.
 
MickeyD said:
Report it to ICASA. They have a team dealing with frequency "pirates". They will detect the source of any device using frequencies that it's not meant to be using.
Click to expand...

There's an ICASA office here in Cape Town that has Land Rovers with massive antenna's and domes on top - I'm guessing that's what they use to track the sources of some frequencies.
 
It's getting worse. It keeps DCing and hopping between towers CellID 196, 86 and 99. SINR keeps at 0-2dB now.

What are the chances of this being my hardware?

MickeyD said:
Give them a call and say that you suspect that somebody is broadcasting on an unlicensed frequency and that it is interfering without your Neotel service.

https://www.icasa.org.za/AboutUs/ContactUs/tabid/83/Default.aspx
Click to expand...

Thanks. I've tweeted neotel and will wait for their response (like a day?) before I contact ICASA :)
 
And as of about an hour ago...

Code: 
RSRP	-78 dBm
BAND	3
Signal RSRQ:	-8 dB
SINR	21 dB
RSSI	-53 dBm
LTE RX Throughput	14 (Kbps)
LTE TX Throughput	17 (Kbps)
LTE Phyciscal Cell ID	86
Modem Type	LTE

Hmmm..... Someone was doing something they shouldn't have somewhere....
 
MickeyD said:
There is always a chance that it could be your hardware or even some software glitch causing the DCs.
Click to expand...

Maybe, but I checked the antenna on the roof, pointed it every which way to different towers, reset it each time and even checked all the connections inside - everything was all good. It's still working perfectly now, so I'm 90% sure it wasn't a hardware fault on my side

I still think it was a jamming device as the RSSI only dropped from ~-53dBmA to ~-70dBmA while the SINR went from 24dB to 0 dB :/
 
Last edited:
Agentfr,

Remind us again, what setup do you have?

Options are:
1) Hauwei using internal antenna
2) Hauwei using external bunnyears (flat white ones)
3) Hauwei with own antenna (bought or home-made)
4) Hauwei with Neotel Poynting antenna
5) Hauwei with Neotel Poynting antenna with 10m extender cable
6) ATEL 4 port with Netgear
7) ATEL 4 port with Zyxel
8) ATEL 4 port with own Wifi Router/FW
9) ATEL 1 port with Netgear in Bridge/Router mode?
10) ATEL 1 port with Zyxel in Bridge/Router mode?
11) ATEL 1 port with own Wifi Router/FW in Bridge/Router mode?

BTW, -53 dBm probably means you are very close to the tower. Maybe Neotel are installing/testing another tower nearer to you that where you were getting service from? But then the Tower ID e.g. 99 will change. They do reflect on the coverage maps, but one can't compare current to previous coverage, never mind trying to identifiy cell tower no. to actual locations. I think the closest tower should be Fourway Mall?
 
SideWinder said:
BTW, -53 dBm probably means you are very close to the tower. Maybe Neotel are installing/testing another tower nearer to you that where you were getting service from? But then the Tower ID e.g. 99 will change. They do reflect on the coverage maps, but one can't compare current to previous coverage, never mind trying to identifiy cell tower no. to actual locations. I think the closest tower should be Fourway Mall?
Click to expand...
It can be illegal repeater at your neighbour.
 
SideWinder said:
Agentfr,

Remind us again, what setup do you have?

Options are:
1) Hauwei using internal antenna
2) Hauwei using external bunnyears (flat white ones)
3) Hauwei with own antenna (bought or home-made)
4) Hauwei with Neotel Poynting antenna
5) Hauwei with Neotel Poynting antenna with 10m extender cable
6) ATEL 4 port with Netgear
7) ATEL 4 port with Zyxel
8) ATEL 4 port with own Wifi Router/FW
9) ATEL 1 port with Netgear in Bridge/Router mode?
10) ATEL 1 port with Zyxel in Bridge/Router mode?
11) ATEL 1 port with own Wifi Router/FW in Bridge/Router mode?

BTW, -53 dBm probably means you are very close to the tower. Maybe Neotel are installing/testing another tower nearer to you that where you were getting service from? But then the Tower ID e.g. 99 will change. They do reflect on the coverage maps, but one can't compare current to previous coverage, never mind trying to identifiy cell tower no. to actual locations. I think the closest tower should be Fourway Mall?
Click to expand...

I have the white external directional modem that uses POE and the Altel LTE chip (it's a brandless device), and an indoor netgear wifi router.

I stay ontop of a hill and the antenna points downhill to almost perfect LOS where the tower is (next to Olivedale Clinic, towerID 196), although it is a fair couple of km away (hence the excellent RSSI but moderately good RSRP). When the jamming was happening I had huge interference in all directions to any tower that I've marked off I can see when I rotate the antenna. That's why I don't think it was them doing maintenance on a single tower (they'd have to do all 6 or so towers I can see simultaneously) which still doesn't explain the 40second/65second pattern I was seeing.

I'm also pretty sure it wasn't my hardware, as it hasn't skipped a beat since the jamming stopped on Sunday night.
 
OMFG ITS BACK AGAIN

RSRP -107 dBm
BAND 3
Signal RSRQ: -14 dB
SINR -3 dB
RSSI -77 dBm

SINR is now negative 3 dB believe it or not.
 
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