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Three Ireland 5G

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 3,884 ✭✭✭Tzardine


    bazzz wrote: »
    See here.

    What is the identifier for 5g masts . e.g. LTE for 4G.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,467 ✭✭✭Heraldoffreeent


    Tzardine wrote: »
    What is the identifier for 5g masts . e.g. LTE for 4G.

    NR


  • Registered Users Posts: 26 bazrushe


    Tzardine wrote: »
    What is the identifier for 5g masts . e.g. LTE for 4G.

    I don't think that site is up to date,Only shows 5g masts in the big cities,There are good apps such as network signal info,open signal,network cell info.These apps show may more towers than siteviewer.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,467 ✭✭✭Heraldoffreeent


    bazrushe wrote: »
    I don't think that site is up to date,Only shows 5g masts in the big cities,There are good apps such as network signal info,open signal,network cell info.These apps show may more towers than siteviewer.

    nperf is pretty OK for showing crowd sourced network data as well, see here for three coverage in Dublin.

    https://www.nperf.com/en/map/IE/2964574.Dublin/185503.Three-Mobile/signal/?ll=53.33688677089907&lg=-6.254253387014615&zoom=16


  • Registered Users Posts: 48 SeanaciousD


    Like others in the thread, I had a go at trying a 5G router myself. My parents live out in the sticks and have been on 4G home internet since 2016. (Fixed line alternative is 8Mbps/384kbps ADSL) Luckily we they are in direct line-of-sight of a 3 tower ~1.5km away on the hill.

    The box I ordered is a ZTE MC801 5G, from ebay for €250. Looks to be a surplus model sold by 3 in Austria: https://www.drei.at/media/common/pdf/support/servicedownloads/router/zte-mc801/mc801-quick-start-guide-2019-08-28.pdf

    So went into the 3 online dashboard yesterday and upgraded the sim only plan for 5G access. It seems to be activated, but I'm not sure. I presume it should activate automatically and doesn't need a new SIM? Might I need to wait until a work day for it to activate?

    Anyway, same result as other people who tried, I can connect to the 4G network just fine (had to enter the APN manually) and it works better than the old Huawei B315 as it can connect to all 3 bands at once, but no 5G.

    It's certainly not a signal strength issue because as you can see in the pic below it detects a 5G signal at almost full strength in the status bar, but it just won't start a data connection on it for whatever reason. I presume 3 is doing something on its end. (Note if I set the modem to 4G only mode, the status bar changes to LTE, so it's definitely picking up a 5G signal)

    Capture.png

    Looks like I'll be returning it and waiting for 3's own modem. But if anyone has any ideas that might work over the next few days I'm all ears :) I'll call them on Monday to ask if it's a SIM activation issue, but I'd doubt it. No 5G phone on hand to test unfortunatley.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 26 bazrushe


    I'm in the same boat but my router doesn't show 5g only connects to 4g or 4g + which is crap speed only 20mbps peak and can drop down to 5 mbps,I tested in another location and could get 160 /200mbps.So my nearest tower must be congested or needs upgrading.My opinion is that three have not enabled there mast in town because I tried my sim in a 5g phone and can't get any 5g connectivity this pandemic is probably slowing the 5g rollout down.It just annoys me three showing on there map my area is 5g active which certainly is not.The three online chat is a joke same old crap every time you ask why can't I get 5g ,Honesty is not one of there strong points for sure when they can't answer your question they cut you off absolutely useless.


  • Registered Users Posts: 244 ✭✭jdon72


    bazzz wrote: »
    See here.

    Is there any way to put a filter on it rather than clicking into each mast individually to see if it's 5g?


  • Registered Users Posts: 531 ✭✭✭tiny timy


    3 have just made their broadband router page live. https://www.three.ie/shop/broadband/broadband-devices/huawei-5g-cpe-pro-2.html


  • Registered Users Posts: 244 ✭✭jdon72


    tiny timy wrote: »

    Also are starting to advertise it:
    5G broadband, coming soon.
    Say goodbye to buffering, stalling and poor broadband speeds. 5G broadband promises phenomenal download speeds that will revolutionise the way you use the internet.

    Hopefully it comes soon enough


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,884 ✭✭✭Tzardine


    Found the price for 5g business broadband buried in the site.

    €123 for the router, and €36 per month.

    "Unlimited use" - so guessing that's 750 gb.

    https://www.three.ie/content/dam/3ie-wotf/pdfs/legal/business-3broadband-5g.pdf

    I expect consumer prices to be €150 for the router, and €50pm.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 48 SeanaciousD


    Great stuff, thanks Cush.

    Any idea what day the service officially goes live? Would be nice to know if my 5G modem actually does work or if I still have to send it back and get 3's own box either way.


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,442 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    Any idea what day the service officially goes live?

    No but it can't be that far off with all the PDFs in place, only the 5G pricing to be added to the website - https://www.three.ie/buy/broadband.html


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,485 ✭✭✭JeffKenna


    jdon72 wrote: »
    Is there any advantage to getting this over a €25 PAYG sim with unlimited 5G and putting it in a router?

    The cost of the routers on Amazon would be the only downside to PAYG that I can see.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21 weeb


    Would be nice to know if my 5G modem actually does work or if I still have to send it back and get 3's own box either way.

    I'm in the same boat, have my 5G router in use right now but I want to know will it will suddenly start using 5G once Three roll out their 5G broadband. I will probably keep mine anyway since it has offered me great speed boosts on 4G compared to my old router.


  • Registered Users Posts: 26,897 ✭✭✭✭Dempo1


    weeb wrote: »
    I'm in the same boat, have my 5G router in use right now but I want to know will it will suddenly start using 5G once Three roll out their 5G broadband. I will probably keep mine anyway since it has offered me great speed boosts on 4G compared to my old router.

    No is the answer, they've cleverly (or not) introduced a 5g activation process, so you'll actually require a sim that has 5g services activated on it, again, the problem will be your location, forget this misleading "available in all counties" claim, fine if you live in a town and even that's doubtful, forget about it if you live rural.

    Is maith an scáthán súil charad.




  • Registered Users Posts: 6,733 ✭✭✭DopeTech


    3g/4g Data on 3 and 48 down at the moment anyone else?


  • Registered Users Posts: 26,897 ✭✭✭✭Dempo1


    DopeTech wrote: »
    3g/4g Data on 3 and 48 down at the moment anyone else?

    Not here in the Midlands (YET :))

    Is maith an scáthán súil charad.




  • Registered Users Posts: 21 weeb


    Dempo1 wrote: »
    No is the answer, they've cleverly (or not) introduced a 5g activation process, so you'll actually require a sim that has 5g services activated on it

    Are you sure about this? I have seen reports from people purchasing unlocked 5G handsets and having them work on the Three 5G network. I don't see how you could activate "5G services" on a SIM card. If one were to do that, what is stopping them from taking that same "5G-activated SIM card" out and using it in another device, such as a 5G router?

    If I were to guess, I'd presume Three are limiting devices based on what information they receive about the device from its IMEI. Unless you can prove otherwise that your claim is correct.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 26,897 ✭✭✭✭Dempo1


    weeb wrote: »
    Are you sure about this? I have seen reports from people purchasing unlocked 5G handsets and having them work on the Three 5G network. I don't see how you could activate "5G services" on a SIM card. If one were to do that, what is stopping them from taking that same "5G-activated SIM card" out and using it in another device, such as a 5G router?

    If I were to guess, I'd presume Three are limiting devices based on what information they receive about the device from its IMEI. Unless you can prove otherwise that your claim is correct.

    Yes I'm sure, 5g services is classified as an add on and the service has to be activated, a 4g sim without 5g services activated won't work or be able to access 5g services or network.

    Also, there will be specific apn settings for their 5g services. I agree its been common practice for people to purchase €20 prepay sims and put in modems but those who have any issues will soon discover 3"s attitude to this when they seek assistance.

    3 can not block Services based on IMEI and never have, this would cause enormous issues for those customers who purchase their own unlocked devices. 3 only use IMEI info to blacklist a lost or stolen device but can only do so with devices purchased through them.

    Is maith an scáthán súil charad.




  • Registered Users Posts: 1,467 ✭✭✭Heraldoffreeent


    Dempo1 wrote: »
    Yes I'm sure, 5g services is classified as an add on and the service has to be activated, a 4g sim without 5g services activated won't work or be able to access 5g services or network.

    Also, there will be specific apn settings for their 5g services. I agree its been common practice for people to purchase €20 prepay sims and put in modems but those who have any issues will soon discover 3"s attitude to this when they seek assistance.

    3 can not block Services based on IMEI and never have, this would cause enormous issues for those customers who purchase their own unlocked devices. 3 only use IMEI info to blacklist a lost or stolen device but can only do so with devices purchased through them.

    I dont think anyone here expected to get 5g on an old €20 sim plan.


  • Registered Users Posts: 26,897 ✭✭✭✭Dempo1


    I dont think anyone here expected to get 5g on an old €20 sim plan.

    Hopefully as they'll be wasting money, I also meant to mention, on 5g contract plans, the 5g is also an add on. I'm guessing this because they can't actually sell a full 5g contract plan as coverage is nowhere near being offered fully. If it were part of the contract they'd soon be having a lot of termination requests.

    I'll be interested to see how 3 sells 5g broadband plans, due in December apparently, I suspect they'll only be sold or available to very small geographical locations.

    I wonder are other networks actually selling 5g contract plans as opposed to plans that have 5g add ons?

    Is maith an scáthán súil charad.




  • Registered Users Posts: 48 SeanaciousD


    Dempo1 wrote: »
    Yes I'm sure, 5g services is classified as an add on and the service has to be activated, a 4g sim without 5g services activated won't work or be able to access 5g services or network.

    Also, there will be specific apn settings for their 5g services. I agree its been common practice for people to purchase €20 prepay sims and put in modems but those who have any issues will soon discover 3"s attitude to this when they seek assistance.

    3 can not block Services based on IMEI and never have, this would cause enormous issues for those customers who purchase their own unlocked devices. 3 only use IMEI info to blacklist a lost or stolen device but can only do so with devices purchased through them.

    I'm not entirely certain that's true. I use the unlimited SIM only plan on 3, and have already upgraded that plan for the 5G network, which is paid for, and as such the SIM should be activated for 5G data.

    Capture2.png

    The 5G router I own is picking up the 3500MHz n78 5G signal too, but it looks like 3's network won't let it start a 5G data connection. I don't think it's because they are doing it on an IMEI basis either, (as someone in the thread mentioned they popped a 5g sim in their SIM unlocked phone and it worked) rather I think right now they are operating on a "whitelist" - that is only devices which Three have already approved (i.e only some 5G phones for now) can handshake and connect to the 5G network.

    In theory that should mean that once the broadband service officially launches, anyone who purchased a Huawei CPE Pro 2 independently should have it work on 5G normally as that's the one 3 plan to sell in Ireland anyway. Though possibly not on my ZTE router. It seems then that 3 aren't blocking it on an IMEI basis, but using some other system.

    The APN settings also remains to be seen, as someone else also posted earlier in the thread that their 5G phone still had the same APN settings as the 4G network, but 3 could change that for mobile broadband.

    Short of a 3 engineer showing up and enlightening us, we'll just have to wait and see :)

    Note: I've looked into changing my device on the dashboard to a 5g phone, but as far as I can see that won't make a difference.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21 weeb


    Dempo1 wrote: »
    Yes I'm sure, 5g services is classified as an add on and the service has to be activated, a 4g sim without 5g services activated won't work or be able to access 5g services or network.

    Yes, I have already purchased the 5G add-on and activated it. There are no special SIM cards that work with 5G, purchasing the add-on is enough for current SIM cards. Though, as I am using it in a router, I still don't have any established 5G connection. I wonder will this change once Three launch their 5G broadband. I have the CPE Pro 1, so hopefully it will start working since Three are using the 2 for their plans.

    I agree that there is probably a whitelist of devices that can connect over 5G. Hopefully someone here, if they decide to sign up for the 5G broadband plan, can share their APN settings here.


  • Registered Users Posts: 26,897 ✭✭✭✭Dempo1


    weeb wrote: »
    Yes, I have already purchased the 5G add-on and activated it. There are no special SIM cards that work with 5G, purchasing the add-on is enough for current SIM cards. Though, as I am using it in a router, I still don't have any established 5G connection. I wonder will this change once Three launch their 5G broadband. I have the CPE Pro 1, so hopefully it will start working since Three are using the 2 for their plans.

    I agree that there is probably a whitelist of devices that can connect over 5G. Hopefully someone here, if they decide to sign up for the 5G broadband plan, can share their APN settings here.

    I genuinely don't be it's anything to do with whitelists or imei, 3 can't restrict devices not purchased on their network, that would be crazy and very questionable as well as being restrictive, they have 10s of thousands of customers on sim only plans, using their own devices etc, the 5g add on is correct, I'm wondering is it a location issue, I get 5g showing but wonder?, might be worth trying 3 community forum to see if there are settings missing, apn etc

    Is maith an scáthán súil charad.




  • Registered Users Posts: 26,897 ✭✭✭✭Dempo1


    So tomorrow the 5g broadband launches €45 pm, fair usage policy of 1000gb and its a 24 month contract, Router free (no info on model yet)

    Will be strictly sold based of coverage checked in store. I'm assuming your on your own if purchased online re coverage.

    Is maith an scáthán súil charad.




  • Registered Users Posts: 21 weeb


    Dempo1 wrote: »
    I genuinely don't be it's anything to do with whitelists or imei, 3 can't restrict devices not purchased on their network, that would be crazy and very questionable as well as being restrictive

    I already said that I have seen reports from people connecting to Three's 5G network using unlocked handsets, so I don't know what it is exactly. All we can do right now is speculate.

    I'm pretty sure I am within 5G coverage. The coverage map indicates as such and my router says there is 5G. It's not absurd to me that Three would restrict their 5G network to a select range of devices. You don't have to take my word on that either, it says so on Three's website here.
    Why is my 5G enabled handset not compatible with Three’s 5G network?
    Handset manufacturers and all 5G Operators are eager to ensure that 5G mobile devices will get the best 5G experience. This means work is still underway with Three Ireland to support 5G access for a very limited number of 5G handsets. Visit three.ie for the latest list of 5G supported handsets (variants of which are all fully supported) if you are bringing your own 5G handset to Three.


  • Registered Users Posts: 26,897 ✭✭✭✭Dempo1


    weeb wrote: »
    I already said that I have seen reports from people connecting to Three's 5G network using unlocked handsets, so I don't know what it is exactly. All we can do right now is speculate.

    I'm pretty sure I am within 5G coverage. The coverage map indicates as such and my router says there is 5G. It's not absurd to me that Three would restrict their 5G network to a select range of devices. You don't have to take my word on that either, it says so on Three's website here.

    So assuming you knew this, why the question on why your device is not working? Also why have 3, let alone any network launch a 5g service that only a select amount of devices can access? That's the absurd bit

    Is maith an scáthán súil charad.




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  • Registered Users Posts: 531 ✭✭✭tiny timy


    Dempo1 wrote: »
    So tomorrow the 5g broadband launches €45 pm, fair usage policy of 1000gb and its a 24 month contract, Router free (no info on model yet)

    Will be strictly sold based of coverage checked in store. I'm assuming your on your own if purchased online re coverage.

    Good stuff. Where did you get the info on tomorrows launch out of interest? Thanks for the heads up!


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