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Mobile Networks 5G Standalone Progress

Who do you think will have the best 5G Standalone network?

  • Vodafone

    Votes: 28 16.8%
  • O2

    Votes: 9 5.4%
  • EE

    Votes: 78 46.7%
  • Three

    Votes: 23 13.8%
  • Three / Vodafone (If Merger Permitted)

    Votes: 29 17.4%

  • Total voters
    167
Would note this list ain't extensive, Wolves also gets SA coverage despite only being listed if you put a postcode in.

Not that I have a direct Vodafone SIM to test with
That's O2's SA Locations not Vodafone's SA locations
 
Taking them by their wording however, they state 5G SA is available "if you take a pay monthly plan" and the only pay monthly options are sim+handsets. So I'm not sure an esim (or sim) will work?
SIM only is pay monthly I think, but to be fair maybe they only enable it on accounts that are bundled with a supported device?
 
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Sounds like some teflon shoulders. But Apple doesn't enable mmWave 5G for all markets in its phones, is that what they mean?
The handsets are different with antennas no? Surely not about enabling anything?
 
Just had a read on the Vodafone and Digitalspy forums. Seems there's plenty of people who meet the criteria of contract phones and plans, some who have even got the txt to say their 5G Ultra service is enabled on their account and still aren't getting it.

I cannot find a single post where someone has provided evidence of access to Voda 5G SA.

Might it be worth Mark making an enquiry to Vodafone to try and ascertain what's going on here, as it seems they're advertising a service as available but haven't actually granted access to it.
 
Just had a read on the Vodafone and Digitalspy forums. Seems there's plenty of people who meet the criteria of contract phones and plans, some who have even got the txt to say their 5G Ultra service is enabled on their account and still aren't getting it.

I cannot find a single post where someone has provided evidence of access to Voda 5G SA.

Might it be worth Mark making an enquiry to Vodafone to try and ascertain what's going on here, as it seems they're advertising a service as available but haven't actually granted access to it.

I’ve got 2 compatible handsets both are on eligible plans and haven’t been enabled. I queried it with the before Christmas and CS didn’t have a clue.

Spoke to a friend who works for VF who did some digging, they were told there had been some issues and roll-out for new users was paused.

Spoke to them again a bit later and the message was the same. I think there have been reports of that users are starting to be enabled again recently.

Given reports of it being a fair bit slower than NSA I’m not sure how enthusiastic I am about them enabling it on my lines.

The nerd in me would quite like for one line to be enabled and the other left alone. Maybe now O2 have (allegedly) enabled it for users and EE SA seems to be popping up it might trigger a ‘we’ve got the best SA network’ race?
 
The handsets are different with antennas no? Surely not about enabling anything?

I'd have thought so but that message from Vodafone implies it's a software block?

Anyway UK iPhone 15 Pro as an example has:

Model A3102*
Model A3106*

  • 5G NR (Bands n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n26, n28, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n53, n66, n70, n75, n76, n77, n78, n79)
  • FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 66)
  • TD-LTE (Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 53)
  • UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
All models
  • 5G (sub‑6 GHz) with 4x4 MIMO7
  • Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO and LAA7


US spec model has:



Model A2848*
Model A2849*

  • 5G NR (Bands n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n14, n20, n25, n26, n28, n29, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n53, n66, n70, n71, n75, n76, n77, n78, n79)
  • 5G NR mmWave (Bands n258, n260, n261)
  • FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 66, 71)
  • TD-LTE (Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 53)
  • UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
All models
  • 5G (sub‑6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO10
  • Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO and LAA10


So the US spec model has specific mmWave band support. Do you need that for SA 5G?
 
I'd have thought so but that message from Vodafone implies it's a software block?

Anyway UK iPhone 15 Pro as an example has:

Model A3102*
Model A3106*

  • 5G NR (Bands n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n26, n28, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n53, n66, n70, n75, n76, n77, n78, n79)
  • FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 66)
  • TD-LTE (Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 53)
  • UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
All models
  • 5G (sub‑6 GHz) with 4x4 MIMO7
  • Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO and LAA7


US spec model has:



Model A2848*
Model A2849*

  • 5G NR (Bands n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n14, n20, n25, n26, n28, n29, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n53, n66, n70, n71, n75, n76, n77, n78, n79)
  • 5G NR mmWave (Bands n258, n260, n261)
  • FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 66, 71)
  • TD-LTE (Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 53)
  • UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
All models
  • 5G (sub‑6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO10
  • Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO and LAA10


So the US spec model has specific mmWave band support. Do you need that for SA 5G?
No you don't need that for standalone 5G.

mmWave spectrum isn't licensed for use in the UK yet.
 
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I'd have thought so but that message from Vodafone implies it's a software block?

Anyway UK iPhone 15 Pro as an example has:

Model A3102*
Model A3106*

  • 5G NR (Bands n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n26, n28, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n53, n66, n70, n75, n76, n77, n78, n79)
  • FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 66)
  • TD-LTE (Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 53)
  • UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
All models
  • 5G (sub‑6 GHz) with 4x4 MIMO7
  • Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO and LAA7


US spec model has:



Model A2848*
Model A2849*

  • 5G NR (Bands n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n14, n20, n25, n26, n28, n29, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n53, n66, n70, n71, n75, n76, n77, n78, n79)
  • 5G NR mmWave (Bands n258, n260, n261)
  • FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 66, 71)
  • TD-LTE (Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 53)
  • UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
All models
  • 5G (sub‑6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO10
  • Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO and LAA10


So the US spec model has specific mmWave band support. Do you need that for SA 5G?
Nope - SA works on UK/EU handsets mmWave has different antenna and hardware. I’m not sure outside of the US who else has it.

Others on here will have more in depth knowledge, I don’t think the spectrum has been made available/auctioned for operators yet.
 
I’ve got 2 compatible handsets both are on eligible plans and haven’t been enabled. I queried it with the before Christmas and CS didn’t have a clue.

Spoke to a friend who works for VF who did some digging, they were told there had been some issues and roll-out for new users was paused.

Spoke to them again a bit later and the message was the same. I think there have been reports of that users are starting to be enabled again recently.

Given reports of it being a fair bit slower than NSA I’m not sure how enthusiastic I am about them enabling it on my lines.

The nerd in me would quite like for one line to be enabled and the other left alone. Maybe now O2 have (allegedly) enabled it for users and EE SA seems to be popping up it might trigger a ‘we’ve got the best SA network’ race?
It's pretty ironic that the only screenshots i've seen of users receiving the text that they've been enabled have been to unsupported devices like Pixels etc
 
It's pretty ironic that the only screenshots i've seen of users receiving the text that they've been enabled have been to unsupported devices like Pixels etc

Well this is hilarious... 19:35 that came through from Vodafone 😆

1000000827.webp
 
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*puts on tin foil hat*

View attachment 11672
Anybody wanna buy this £10 sticker?
When applied to your digital devices, this sticker releases beneficial negative ions to counter the positive ions in your surroundings.
Apparently 380 people bought this so far this month
 
Nope - SA works on UK/EU handsets mmWave has different antenna and hardware. I’m not sure outside of the US who else has it.

Others on here will have more in depth knowledge, I don’t think the spectrum has been made available/auctioned for operators yet.
Italy, Finland etc
 
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