3g switchoff question.

[Disco_P]

Thanks for that. I think I will jump ship & give another provider a go. As long as I can get 4g where I live and in East Suffolk I dont care. I think VF are expensive anyway.

The main providers always are, there are a couple of insanely cheap MNVOs out there.

 

[biron_w]

You're doing the right thing by going sim-only, but remember there is something called the "loyalty tax", where your rates go up yearly if you stay with them after the 1st year.

LOLZ at "loyalty tax" But you're absolutely spot on with that name.

 

[Orcvader]

EE's doing a pilot first in Warrington first to see how it will affect customers with phones that don't have 4G calling, and if it properly falls back to 2G as well as any other problems: https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.p...ch-off-in-warrington-from-17th-july-2023.html

Definitely a better move than Vodafone who just went straight in.

 

[jaybee]

Wow, I didn't think 3 years ago you could buy smart phones that did not do 4G.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

How often are those people somewhere where they need to use voice and mobile data at the same time?

You know both 4G and 3G support simultaneous voice and data connections?

It’s old mobile equipment or networks which need CSFB because they don’t support VoLTE that’s the problem.

 

[Orcvader]

Wow, I didn't think 3 years ago you could buy smart phones that did not do 4G.

They usually can do 4G for data, but whether they can do 4G calling (Voice over LTE, or VoLTE for short) is another matter. A lot of older cheap 4G phones don't have this.

 

[Rroff]

You know both 4G and 3G support simultaneous voice and data connections?

It’s old mobile equipment or networks which need CSFB because they don’t support VoLTE that’s the problem.

Lot of people still on older phones which support 4G but not VoLTE and it hasn't widely been tested - losing 4G data while on a call generally isn't a big issue of itself especially as those with such phones are largely casual users but still.

 

[Em3bbs]

You know both 4G and 3G support simultaneous voice and data connections?

It’s old mobile equipment or networks which need CSFB because they don’t support VoLTE that’s the problem.

Read the post I was quoting.

 

[Rroff]

I'm guessing it is switched off for VF now (was stated as from June) as I'm seeing Edge or losing signal quite a bit where I struggle to get 4G normally with it dropping back to H or H+.

EDIT: Guess I'm going to have to ditch VF if this is any indication - not the best area for them but usually OK with about 80% of the time having an adequate connection between 3G and 4G, today about 50% of the time was very slow 2G or no signal - 15% of the time with no signal compared to like 2% normally.

EDIT2: Seeing 3G (H) again today weird.

 

[Grimley]

Update 10 months later.
After deciding to stay with VF (£8 pm Basics) What a faff that was. Got a text from them again about 3g switchoff & a link to buy a phone from them (never gonna happen now but I have done years ago) I've bought a One+ Nord 3 Lite 5G direct for 200 notes on a BF offer. The Realme will relegated to my work phone. Should be here at the end of the month.

 

[Rroff]

I'm guessing they must have delayed it - we had some weird stuff with 3G after the announcement earlier in the year but then 3G service resumed again. though it still does a weird thing of dropping back to 2G(Edge) before finding a 3G signal.

Still think it is going to make VF somewhat less than useful around here - far too much of the time you lose 4G connectivity.