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Three's 3G Switch-Off

This site still got only 3G on 3 even though EE had rebuilt the pole in 2019

EE eNB 23432

Alton town

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Lots of 3G missing around here now, but strangely, my direct area still shows access (apparently) with both indoor and outdoor coverage

Funny you should say that. I have checked a few sites on the map showing 3G and cellmapper already has them tracked at EARFCN 76 and I’m pretty sure said sites do have the 3G switched off now , so I think the map is still a little behind.
 
Another 3G map update from Three today.
Hooray!!! Finally a update which shows a fairly large area of Luton no longer has 3G coverage including my local area!

There still are some parts of Luton which still has 3G coverage though but only small areas of Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis still show plenty of 3G coverage at the moment but that hopefully will change with the next coverage map update.

Thank you @buzzbuzz for the heads up which led me to check the map!
 
Another 3G map update from Three today.
Ah thanks for updating me. Definitely shows as being out of indoor 3G coverage but it still says we can get it outdoors? I'm not sure how exactly though.

The M5 seems to have a lot of 3G coverage around here, not sure how well the 3G only site actually provides coverage.
 
Ah thanks for updating me. Definitely shows as being out of indoor 3G coverage but it still says we can get it outdoors? I'm not sure how exactly though.

The M5 seems to have a lot of 3G coverage around here, not sure how well the 3G only site actually provides coverage.

Really ? I recently was on the M5 a couple of times to get to Ross on Wye, and didn’t notice any 3G. Maybe just not on the stretch I went on or it was brief so I didn’t notice.

First time just from Tewkesbury to the M50 junction. Second time from M50 junction up to bromsgrove where it meets the M42.

I think with current re-selection parameters it’s not easy to get on three 3G anymore 😉
 
Really ? I recently was on the M5 a couple of times to get to Ross on Wye, and didn’t notice any 3G. Maybe just not on the stretch I went on or it was brief so I didn’t notice.

First time just from Tewkesbury to the M50 junction. Second time from M50 junction up to bromsgrove where it meets the M42.

I think with current re-selection parameters it’s not easy to get on three 3G anymore 😉
I'm not sure around Tewkesbury but Three is generally decent there afaik.

I think it's unlikely most people will get onto the Nut Hill site anyways tbh with the amount of sites in the area

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I'm not sure around Tewkesbury but Three is generally decent there afaik.

I think it's unlikely most people will get onto the Nut Hill site anyways tbh with the amount of sites in the area

View attachment 20133
ah I didn't go down that way. does seem to be a big whad of 3G on that stretch on the coverage map. Is UMTS really active there? did that area get any 4G/5G improvements since the 3G switch off dates were set by any chance ?
 
ah I didn't go down that way. does seem to be a big whad of 3G on that stretch on the coverage map. Is UMTS really active there? did that area get any 4G/5G improvements since the 3G switch off dates were set by any chance ?
Yeah, I last saw it on the 21st of September. I assume eNB 1423 (if I'm remembering it correctly) should have EARFCN 76 and all the PoWs should have that EARFCN too. Not sure about the Arqiva Chosen Hill Transmitter but assuming 76 too.

Shows listings for Bowden Hall Hotel site


It could be possible that Three is also on eNB 32095 as 3G only? I haven't tested it but I discarded it as unlikely. I think that site has a decent bit of range if that's the case, I've picked it up about 4 or 5mi away on B20 on EE when my local site has gone down before.
 
Yeah, I last saw it on the 21st of September. I assume eNB 1423 (if I'm remembering it correctly) should have EARFCN 76 and all the PoWs should have that EARFCN too. Not sure about the Arqiva Chosen Hill Transmitter but assuming 76 too.

View attachment 20144

It could be possible that Three is also on eNB 32095 as 3G only? I haven't tested it but I discarded it as unlikely. I think that site has a decent bit of range if that's the case.

I'm not sure but as an example... this PoW in white was not active when all the 3G switch off dates were announced, so they planned to keep the 3G around it switched on.

Currently the coverage map shows 3G is active from the EE pole and the old orange PCS narrow pole (like the type talked about earlier in the week) either side of it, but this PoW has since been activated, and obviously delivers 4G coverage overlapping those 3G sites 4G even on b1. Callmapper has this PoW on EARFCN76 already, so I'm pretty sure those EE sites no longer have Three 3G, despite what the update coverage map is showing.

...i think there were a few "additions" to the 3G switch off which are not in the original schedule or todays update. Expecting a further map update next week, not sure why their GIS systems are so behind.
 

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I'm not sure but as an example... this PoW in white was not active when all the 3G switch off dates were announced, so they planned to keep the 3G around it switched on.

Currently the coverage map shows 3G is active from the EE pole and the old orange PCS narrow pole (like the type talked about earlier in the week) either side of it, but this PoW has since been activated, and obviously delivers 4G coverage overlapping those 3G sites 4G even on b1. Callmapper has this PoW on EARFCN76 already, so I'm pretty sure those EE sites no longer have Three 3G, despite what the update coverage map is showing.

...i think there were a few "additions" to the 3G switch off which are not in the original schedule or todays update. Expecting a further map update next week, not sure why their GIS systems are so behind.
Spotted an oddity in Oxford. An Orange-era fake lamp post (red) is shown to still be broadcasting 3G despite being a stones throw from a POW (green). New Road and Castle Street have strong 4G from eNB 888. There's nowhere 888 or the POW don't cover that the lamp post does.

Surpised it wasn't switched-off when the POW was installed to begin with.
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Just looking at the map further and I realised there might be another 3G only site here which I didn't bother to check before. O2, Vodafone and EE broadcast from 103629/3629/33572 but Three is nowhere to be seen. It looks as if Three is 3G only on the pylon and I never realised.

Might be able to grab the NB quickly and locate it

Assuming it's NB 1736 and NB 1750, but I guess I'll find out at some point.

eNB 33044 on EE looks a bit suspicious too. I have a feeling I didn't realise how much 3G remained.
 
Just looking at the map further and I realised there might be another 3G only site here which I didn't bother to check before. O2, Vodafone and EE broadcast from 103629/3629/33572 but Three is nowhere to be seen. It looks as if Three is 3G only on the pylon and I never realised.

Might be able to grab the NB quickly and locate it

Assuming it's NB 1736 and NB 1750, but I guess I'll find out at some point.

eNB 33044 on EE looks a bit suspicious too. I have a feeling I didn't realise how much 3G remained.
Possible that 32622 might also have Three 3G... I need to investigate into this honestly.

Looks as if that site is omnidirectional which I never noticed.
 
With the latest map update, the 3G footprint for Northern Ireland has been regenerated - and the polygon is almost devoid of 3G coverage.

I have correlated the new footprints with site grid and arrived at a figure of 20 sites in NI broadcasting 3G albeit with the caveat that I have not attempted detailed topographical propagation analysis and as such have slightly reduced confidence for some site-footprint links.

Interestingly, as has been discussed, some sites have cabinet intended for Three Samsung radios at the location. I visited one lattice with Three 3G and no Three 4G which had no visible radios in the rack cabinet for Three 4G deployment, merely the 800MHz combiners with unutilised capability not availed by Three (EE 800MHz feed into diplexers enters from a separate cabinet).

It will be interesting to see how the next months go, especially if the CMA does not rule in favour of merger.
 
Huge amount of 3G only sites still left.

What you gonna do Three!?

Start upgrading or wait for Vodafone............
They need to reuse former 3G spectrum for 4G coverage improvements as they've got more than enough spectrum for their 5G rollout they don't need to reuse the former 3G spectrum.

After all, some masts locally have 5Mhz on a number of bands which isn't enough those days, adding 15Mhz would improve coverage so much.
 
Huge amount of 3G only sites still left.

What you gonna do Three!?

Start upgrading or wait for Vodafone............
In 2021, there are around 3000 3G only sites in the uk, I can imagine that number has been decreased by now but not so much
 
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