The coverage won't change that much except where the Vodafone masts are in a better location than Orange, and vice versa.

The idea of mast share is to reduce the number of masts to save costs.

Where either network has the best mast/location within a defined area, that operators site will be used for both networks.

The only share agreement is for masts and sites, and not network share, so nothing much will change.

The original concept to share the radio network fell through ages ago.

Licence A - 2x15MHz paired spectrum+5MHz unpaired spectrum
Licence B - 2x15MHz paired
Licence C - 2x10MHz paired + 5MHz unpaired
Licence D - 2x10MHz paired + 5MHz unpaired
Licence E - 2x10MHz paired + 5MHz unpaired


The main reason to use a 2nd carrier for HSDPA is extra capacity in major cities.

There is a limit on the number of users per 3G cell, and HSDPA uses a lot of bandwidth.

Too many users would cause slower data speeds, reduced cell coverage, and cell blocking, and handovers back to slower GSM/GPRS where available.

The infamous 3G licence bidding that raked in billions for the British Government included more than one frequency for some of the licences that were up for grabs.

Vodafone purchased the 'B' Licence which was the most expensive available for an existing mobile operator.

Licence A: Three (Hutchinson 3G, TIW) £4,384,700,000
Licence B: Vodafone £5,964,000,000
Licence C: O2 (Cellnet) £4,030,100,000
Licence D: T-Mobile (One2One) £4,003,600,000
Licence E: Orange £4,095,000,000

The 2nd carrier means Orange have 2 frequencies. The 2nd carrier/frequency is only rolled out in major cities at present.

Where 2nd carrier/frequency is not available Orange are using shared carrier HSDPA.

HSDPA on Orange is using a 2nd carrier in many major cities, as this provides more capacity and higher speeds.

Coverage is being extended across many areas of UK using shared carrier to speed up the rollout.

You make me laugh

If you have been using the Online account thing for over a year like you say, then you should have known about the changed logon procedure.

If you have forgotten your password it's not the fault of Orange but your own.

Just wondered how many MoDaCo Plus members there are ?

I don't see any great benefit in joining myself. :roll:

I guess that is why O2 are thinking of terminating their contract with '3'.

Let's face it....the '3' network only covers major cities and towns and some motorways, and without O2 they don't have a useable network.

People just want to be able to make phone calls and text friends, and play a few games...we already have these functions in 2.5g, so 3G is doomed to fail, as we already have four GSM networks that cover 99% of the population.

It's called constantly improving and upgrading the network....It's something we are doing everyday even while you sleep in your bed at night.

If you really do (or did)work for Orange Big Ron, then you would know that Orange have offices in Manchester and Birmingham, and these have minimum of 200 employees each location. So if you live in Birmingham or Manchester, you could have a journey of less than one mile....or is that too far to travel for you fluffy northerners ?

I have heard that '3' closed their Manchester office this week, so many jobs gone there, and a 50% reduction in jobs is due in their new Birmingham office.

The sad thing is that a lot of ex-Orange and Vodafone staff took a chance with working for '3' and now they are left out on the streets.

News not looking good for 3
May 19, 2003

3 UK may not survive past 2006, having been broken up or sold off by then or earlier, market researchers Enders Analysis predicted in a report in the London Independent.

The newspaper reported last week that the troubled operator’s published 10,000 subscribers may not represent a true estimate of subscriptions if freebies handed out to staff, VIPs, family and friends, as well as returned handsets are taken into account.

The operator has had numerous technical problems since its January launch, and the analysts predict that the company will attract around 84,000 subscribers by the end of 2003, although the researchers’ worst-case scenario prediction is that 3 will end the year with just 30,000 subscribers - far lower than the company’s own prediction of one million subscribers by the end of the year.

The Enders analysts also worry that 3 may not be profitable for another five to seven years. Even by 2010, the analysts say that the company may be losing £158million and £406million. The researchers believe that if this begins to happen, that the company may even be broken up or sold off - something that could happen "as early as the end of 2003, but more likely within the 2004 to 2005 period."

http://www.3gnewsroom.com/3g_news/may_03/n...news_3400.shtml

Hi Paul.

I work for a well known mobile phone network that sell the SPV.

Today I posted the Forum address on the internal intranet board.

Perhaps you will get some more members now.

Unfortunately I am still waiting to receive my SPV, as I guess they want to ensure that normal customers get them first.


All I want for Christmas is my SPV :-)