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3G coverage map?

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  • 26-02-2012 5:42pm
    #1
    Fogmatic
    Registered Users Posts: 986 ✭✭✭


    Anyone know of a map of all the companies' 3G coverage?
    I was just hoping for a quick way to check if a smartphone could work in my area.


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    #2
    PogMoThoin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    Asking about will give you a better idea. All the providers have been known to lie about their coverage.


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    #3
    Fogmatic
    Registered Users Posts: 986 ✭✭✭Fogmatic


    Yes, you're right (sorry, I was forgetting how misleading they can be!). (Though o2, extremely rightly, doesn't claim to provide 3G here).
    Once, while consulting a government broadband map to see if a friend could get it, I tested it by looking at my area. It said I could get mobile 'broadband', but not Wimax, which was the wrong way round. And it provided a list of companies I could order BB from (not including the one and only possibility), and then said 'subject to coverage', so it wasn't a lot of use (maybe that's why it appears to have been removed? It was at http://mapviewer.broadband.gov.ie/ServiceByLocationSearchWF.aspx ).

    I don't think any neighbours here are likely to have tried a smartphone, so next time I'm in town I'll ask some people whether their iPhones etc blank out when passing our house (as their Vodafone 2G ones used to!).


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    #4
    PogMoThoin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    I especially wouldn't heed a Government map, they go by what's submitted from the providers (when it suits) and nobody tests or questions them. There's a long history of Departments fudging figures to make us look good when in reality this country is years behind.
    Three got in trouble because they lied to Comreg about the coverage they actually had, they sent in falsified maps. Their 3G licence stipulated they must get a certain percentage coverage for their licence to be valid. Truth of the matter is when they were awarded the National Broadband Scheme they were lying about the coverage they already had and were under obligation to increase their coverage anyway. The Department then gifted them €250million to build a network they were going to (and under obligation to) build anyway. Also during submission for the NBS many wireless providers submitted coverage maps that were for some reason completely omitted by the Department, Three ended up moving into areas that already had fixed wireless and even WiMax coverage.

    I'll be expecting a tribunal on this in years to come


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    #5
    Fogmatic
    Registered Users Posts: 986 ✭✭✭Fogmatic


    Quite right too. That there should be an investigatation into the NBS/Three business (preferably with some Ireland Offline representation, to ask the right questions!).
    I was out of date with the NBC story, and wasn't aware of their treatment of the wireless people.
    I've been using 'fixed wireless' and 'Wimax interchangably, but obviously wrongly (must look it up!).


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