Cellphone networks

[adam2]

For many years I have had two cellphones, one on the Orange network, and one on T-moblie.

I chose to do this in order to have redundancy in case of network failure , congestion, or lack or service.

 

Orange and T-moblie have recently merged their networks and there is therefore little point in having two phones on what is effectively now the same network.

 

Does anyone know which other networks use physicly independant masts and other equipment ? Rather being simply different trading names that ultimatly rely on the same infrastructure.

 

I would prefer to avoid Vodaphone as I have a company cellphone on that network, not such point in having a second handset on the same network as the company one.

[J Pearce]

Vodaphone and o2 I believe use a shared system. As far as I know virgin, 3 et al buy into other's networks.

[madorangepanda]

I'm not sure why you bother, but if you must then 02 is the only real choice otherwise. They do not share infrastructure with Vodafone.

 

In terms of 3G networks then 3 has its own network, but uses Orange for GSM should their be no 3G signal.

[ImagineerTom]

It's not that simple....

 

Even where the networks operate of different frequencies / different backbones they tend to share towers/masts (take a look at most cellphone masts and you'll see several different sets of aerials on the same mast) - from a risk point of view it's highly likely that an accident could occur at a mast which would take ALL the aerials/networks out (thus giving you a blackspot for all phone networks); it's fairly unlikely that an individual network would go bust or suffer some sort of technical issue that would result in (just) their their arials not working whilst everyone else was un-affected.

 

If you need true 24/7 cover then you'd have to look at a backup unit that uses a completely different infrastructure (aka satelite phone) but even then in a true risk assesment situation any catastrophy that's going to knock out the cellphone network is also likely to take other technologies with it.

 

 

[rossmck]

I use Three and Vodafone - I'm yet to find a situation where they both don't work (excluding things like the tube or buildings built like faraday cages of course ;))

[pritch]

At the moment, the Orange and T-Mobile networks are actually pretty much separate entities, both in terms of the core networks and the access network (masts and what have you) - all that happens is that customers of one network can roam on the other, just like you'd do when you go abroad. This means that if, for example, the Orange network in an area suffers an horrendous failure, the T-Mobile network will still be there.

 

The two networks that are really shared are the T-Mobile and Three 3G networks, which are run by an outsourced company and share far more kit than any other operators.

 

The best way, if you want to be truly network independent, is to get hold of a foreign SIM for your second phone. That means that (depending on the network you get the SIM from) that you could potentially roam onto any of the UK networks if you need to.

 

What Tom says about failures knocking everything out isn't that common; most failures tend to be down to a single item of kit, and will affect one operator. Sure, there are a few instances where the shared power feed to a site will fail and knock out every operator on that site, but even then having all five networks on one site isn't common.

[dbuckley]

Here in NEw Zealand the incumbent telco launched its new 3G network with a lot of fanfare including ads featuring Richard Hammond.

 

They stuffed up, and service was unreliable for months with several big outages.

 

So entire carrietrs and their equipment can go out of service.

 

Ok, you cant really proterct against cell site failure (which may be as simple an issue as power), other than if its thatimportant you maintain contact, then look into satellite phone.

 

Does the Dolphin Tetra phone network still exist? That would also be an indepentent-ish alternative.

[Smiffy]

Thuraya (spelling?) are good on the satellite phone front. Used them in a couple of odd OB locations and they were rock solid.

[charl.ie]

The best way, if you want to be truly network independent, is to get hold of a foreign SIM for your second phone. That means that (depending on the network you get the SIM from) that you could potentially roam onto any of the UK networks if you need to.

I believe there is a phone company on the Isle of Man that had reasonable roaming prices, and treats the UK as roaming. Worth a quick google.

[Pete McCrea]

I'm a little curious as to why you feel the need for such redundancy, especially when your already in the position of having to carry a work phone too? The only people I know that (are rumoured to) carry two phones are drug dealers (Apparently)....

[rossmck]

I miss dolphin. No it doesn't still exist at least not in an accessible form. The only remaining Tetra network is Airwave, used by the emergency services.

[Sound In Gloucestershire]

I agree with Pete McCrea, you already have at least one phone on orange/t mobile and a work mobile for Vodafone

 

so thats two already?

 

Also T Mobile and Orange only share if you lose signal from your own network. Theres an area of Cheltenham where Orange have always been terrible, now its fine as T Mobile kicks in (and it has a diff symbol on the iphone)

[Quincy]

Hi,

 

3 and T-mobile already share just about everything of their 3G networks and Ornage are planning to merge into this..... mbnl.co.uk is the company in the middle. My orange phone quite happily switches between O and T-mobile, although this roaming is only on 2G at present. Although there does seem to be a lot of network issues at the minute, don't know if this is just where I live and hopefully it is just due to the pending complete network merger.

Then late last year, 3 decided their 3G network was good enough.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/11/08/3uk_orange_roaming/

Voda and O2 are sharing masts and power supplies which is ok until a powercut!

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/3913-vodafone-and-telefonica-o2-network-sharing-deal-signed.html

 

So in answer to OP, I think its one handset on Orange / t-mobile / 3 and a second on O2 / voda.

 

Hope helps.

[Smiffy]

At the risk of going a little off-topic here. What network would be the best for a pay as you go (initially) Mobile, and also do they do anything pay as you go for an iPad? I have the iPhone and the iPad, and as I have still not made it back to the UK, just doing my research into what's worth getting.

 

Cheers

 

Smiffy

[rossmck]

@Smiffy - Since you already have the devices you might want to consider a 30 day SIM only contract as opposed to payg ? as far as what network goes I personally have found Three to offer me the best service for data (and no I don't work for them ;)) ... get 3G service in many areas I wouldn't expect with the backup or Orange's 2G network when there's no Three signal...