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Roaming on the old TACS network

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  • 11-08-2011 8:42pm
    #1
    Andreas_S
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭


    Hello,

    I am just doing some research into the old analogue mobile telephone network TACS which was run by Eircell in Ireland in the 1980s and early 1990s.

    Can anybody recall the roaming capabilities with NI and UK?

    Thanks in advance.

    Andreas


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    #2
    KrisW
    Registered Users Posts: 389 ✭✭KrisW


    As far as I can remember, there was no roaming. Roaming and call security were the big features that GSM provided.


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    #3
    Owen
    Registered Users Posts: 12,683 ✭✭✭✭Owen


    There was roaming, I used to sell phones around that time, the 088 network could apparently be used in the North, but it was rare that I heard of anyone doing it. The Nokia 232 seemed to be the preferred handset for doing it too.


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    #4
    Andreas_S
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭Andreas_S


    @kris: that was also my first assumption

    @owen: Well, I read somewhere that there was a special arrangement in place that allowed roaming bewteen the UK and the Republic. Do you have further information on that?

    Furthermore, do you know about a black/grey-market for handsets in Ireland atthe time?


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    #5
    sundodger5
    Registered Users Posts: 1,175 ✭✭✭sundodger5


    had a uk mobile at that time, a big nokia brick. although it would show roaming when back here in Ireland you could not use it.
    i assume there was no agreement or way to charge for the calls.
    as stated the big selling point on gsm was the roaming.


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    #6
    antodeco
    Registered Users, Subscribers Posts: 13,516 ✭✭✭✭antodeco


    You could roam with TACS as a technology, but the problem was 900mhz compatible networks/handsets. Most were running at 450mhz, which gave serious limitations. On top of this, similar to "non-camel" networks, there was no ability for real time roaming, meaning international functionality was more of a negative, than a positive in terms of monetary values.


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    #7
    Andreas_S
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭Andreas_S


    I received a mail which says that there was a one-way roaming in place for Eircell customers along the ROI/NI border but not for UK customers due to a special arrangement - any reference to this?


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    #8
    Owen
    Registered Users Posts: 12,683 ✭✭✭✭Owen


    Andreas_S wrote: »
    @owen: Well, I read somewhere that there was a special arrangement in place that allowed roaming bewteen the UK and the Republic. Do you have further information on that?

    Furthermore, do you know about a black/grey-market for handsets in Ireland atthe time?

    There was a lot of ESM cloning happening at the time, but usually not for criminal purposes. A lot of people wanted their hand and carphones on the same number - at the time when carphones needed to be the 1 watt transportables to have any hope of getting reception.

    I don't really have any further information on the roaming I'm afraid, we're talking nearly 16 years ago now (Shudder).


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