Some simple facts.
Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008 at 23:02
ThreadID:
54025
Views:
3466
Replies:
6
FollowUps:
30
This Thread has been Archived
Steve from Top End Explorer Tours
Last year I went to the
Darwin Telstra
shop, I traded 2 old phones for 2 new one on the next G network.
Now it seems daily people whinge bitch moan complain about the network.
I walked into the
shop told the girl where I live and said I want the best phone for the job, leaving her in no doubt about what I wanted, She changed them with 2 LG 500s and suggested that we get the external aerial, all up I walk out the door satisfied I was looked after.
Most of you are aware of my resent trip, It was 12300 km in length and out of that 12300 km I had reception for approx 97% of the time, in fact I was
well impressed and I certainly had more reception than the parts of the trip I did last year with the CDMA.
The only place I had no reception for any length of time was from
Quilpie to
Lyndhurst and from
Lyndhurst to
Marla, mostly because I was told that SANTOS would not allow mobile reception in their area ( not sure how true this is ).
While in that area I used my Globalstar phone ( now I have had trouble with it at times) but on this occasion I used it 5 times and had no problems at all each time.
So I am more than happy with my Telstra products, as for Globalstar in the North I will wait and see.
Cheers Steve
Reply By: Shaker - Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008 at 23:13
Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008 at 23:13
You must miss a few calls with LGs ridiculous ascending ring tones.
I had a TU550 for around a month, got Telstra to take it back, too many issues, the fact that they did it without a whimper, makes me think I wasn't an isolated case.
AnswerID:
284425
Follow Up By: Steve from Top End Explorer Tours - Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008 at 23:19
Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008 at 23:19
Not at all the girl lengthened the time it rings before I left the
shop.
As I said I told her what i needed and she gave me what I asked for.
Cheers Steve.
FollowupID:
549181
Follow Up By: Shaker - Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008 at 23:31
Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008 at 23:31
I had
mine extended also, but the number of 'drop outs' were unacceptable.
FollowupID:
549182
Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Yalgoo) - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 00:59
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 00:59
Regarding dropouts. Reception seems to go in a regular cycle ( I have often watched it) it starts on Next G 1 bar then gos to no reception. after a while it picks up gsm and the bars increase then it switches to Next G then reception fails. Probably about 3 minutes for the cycle
FollowupID:
549192
Follow Up By: Paul Grabonski. Vic - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 07:41
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 07:41
Great thing about NextG it does not dropout like CDMA and holds on to the call so you can move in the fringe areas.
FollowupID:
549208
Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Yalgoo) - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 07:48
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 07:48
Lol Paul Grabonski just not true Next g is shocking for drop outs in fringe areas (I should know i spend most of my time in one). and so does my missus. A typical conversation involves around 3 call backs. anything less than 2-3 bars and dropouts are likely
FollowupID:
549210
Follow Up By: RovingOz (QLD) - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 08:45
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 08:45
Shaker
Was it fringe areas mostly or a particular area where you live with the drop outs and what phone do you have now?
Cheers
John
FollowupID:
549231
Follow Up By: Shaker - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 09:07
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 09:07
John, the drop outs were mainly at
my home, which is around 10kms as the crow flies (& the signal travels) from Traralgon in VIC.
Traralgon is probably the 3rd or 4th largest provincial city in Victoria.
My wifes CDMA has NEVER dropped out at
home.
I had an LG TU550 & now have a Sony Ericsson Z750i.
I will keep you posted.
FollowupID:
549237
Follow Up By: Gronk - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 12:22
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 12:22
Just got off the phone to Telstra ( 1 1/2 hrs ) about the ascending ringtone ( have had the phone for a month ) and there is no way they are going to replace mine !!!!!
I'm 1/2 deaf.....they don't care
Have people hanging up after a couple of rings thinking I wasn't going to answer.....they don't care
At least when you 1st ring them and get the computer generated voice, you can let out your frustation and swear at it .........until it puts you on hold for 20 mins.........
FollowupID:
549266
Follow Up By: Steve from Top End Explorer Tours - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 12:33
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 12:33
Hey Gronk
Simple when you ring Telstra every time you get a prompt from the generated voice press # after 3 times it will put you through to a person.
I don't miss calls because mine is always on my belt, mind you mine is a business phone and on 24/7, it vibrates as
well.
Cheers Steve.
FollowupID:
549267
Follow Up By: Gronk - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 13:37
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 13:37
Thanks for that tip........and I have the vibrate off because most of the time it's in the wifes handbag....but even with it in my hand, I have had someone ring me and I can't hear it for at least 3 rings...very annoying.....although as a phone everything else is OK.........although you can't import a tone for the message alert, whats there is it !!
FollowupID:
549283
Follow Up By: Shaker - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 15:37
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 15:37
Gronk ... Telstra can't control the ascending ring tone, because it is part of the phone's firmware. I can assure you that LG don't care.
Telstra can extend the ring time either to 30 seconds or 60 seconds, if you choose 60 seconds as I did, the caller doesn't get the prompt to send his number by SMS.
If you would like I have a very loud old style bell ringtone that I can send you, makes a big difference.
FollowupID:
549305
Reply By: SD - Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008 at 23:18
Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008 at 23:18
Mate
I travel extensively through out northern NT and the
Kimberley and find my lg500 and zte f158 hopeless and telstra to tired to get out of there own way. The wording " trade" sounds real good until dollars and contracts are discussed.
Regards
SD
AnswerID:
284427
Follow Up By: Paul Grabonski. Vic - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 07:39
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 07:39
I travel extensively throughout the NT and
Kimberley and find my LG500 terrific. Substantially more coverage than my CDMA phone. The Bigpond modem with external aerial gets reception
well outside the region on the coverage maps.
FollowupID:
549206
Reply By: Member - Davoe (Yalgoo) - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 00:56
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 00:56
So I assume you were using the car kit and ariel?
I havnt fitted
mine because i doubt I will hang on to this phone after the contract expires (1st phone I would have done this with)
as a handheld I have proved time and time again tu 500 gets no better and in some cases worse than GSM reception. As soon as you drive out of
perth it loses reception
AnswerID:
284443
Follow Up By: Steve from Top End Explorer Tours - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 01:13
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 01:13
I am using the aerial with a patch lead only, no car kit.
I had reception 70 km either side of the Barkley
Homestead, about 60 km out side
Normanton and 99% of the way from
Jabiru to the Three ways.
I have 2 of the cars with the phones and aerials at the minute and I am going to buy 2 more phones and aerials tomorrow in
Darwin.
Cheers Steve
FollowupID:
549193
Follow Up By: Paul Grabonski. Vic - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 07:51
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 07:51
Spent 3m in
Perth Aug, Sept & Oct with LG TU500 driving in 60km area around
Perth and both north and south coastal strips upgrading environmental equipment that reports back on NextG and dont think lost NextG phone coverage once except in the mountains in the south east and north east of
Perth which is normal. NextG is magic compared to CDMA
FollowupID:
549212
Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Yalgoo) - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 07:56
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 07:56
So it worked fine on the dead flat coast and not so in the highly populated hills areas (there not even close to mountains) where it gives up the ghost immediatly
FollowupID:
549214
Follow Up By: Member - John (Vic) - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 09:00
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 09:00
Davoe I still reckon your issues are handset related not network related.
Some people get terrific service others crap???
Watching the posts on here it seems more handset quality issues than anything else.
By the way you know that LG stands for Lousy Goods a very adapt title me thinks.
FollowupID:
549236
Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Yalgoo) - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 14:37
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 14:37
We have 3 next g phones in the house and they are all crap.
even my partners daughter reckons the reception is crap --- and she doesnt care!
FollowupID:
549291
Reply By: Member - Peter D M - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 06:21
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 06:21
i live on the coast in northern nsw and the lack of reception and dropouts are, i'm told due to the hilly terrain as next g recquires line of sight. maybe in the outback thet have put more towers or the landscape helps reception
regards peter
AnswerID:
284450
Follow Up By: Paul Grabonski. Vic - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 07:56
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 07:56
No difference in frequency of NextG to CDMA both on 850Mhz. NextG will blow your mind when CDMA is switched off. The new towers are NextG only and range is incredible. All high frequency transmissions are line of sight. Vodafone and Optus frequency means you will only get max 25k coverage from tower. With NextG and correct aerial some towers you can get 200km range.
FollowupID:
549213
Follow Up By: Grungle - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 08:11
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 08:11
Hi Paul,
Now that is pushing the truth a little too far. I admire your enthusiasm but as a new poster and non-member I find your comments aligned to that of a Telstra employee.
What you have said is nonesense and I know because our company has completed approximately 100 Next G installations up here in
Central Queensland.
Might want to do a search on this site regarding Next G - you will see a lot of talk on Next G and find people are not as gulable as you make them out to be.
Pffftt
David
FollowupID:
549220
Reply By: Member - Doug T (FNQ) - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 08:12
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 08:12
Steve
Good report , although your probably wasting your time because some blokes must be brain washed against any thing new no matter what it is ,
waiting for the trip report to appear. will I need a cut lunch and a 6 pack by my side ....
Special big Hello to the little one.
Doug
AnswerID:
284458
Follow Up By: Member -Signman - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 08:29
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 08:29
So did Sol pull the plug on CDMA on the 28th- as advertised???
FollowupID:
549224
Follow Up By: Member - Doug T (FNQ) - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 08:42
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 08:42
They decided to keep it going for a couple months just to keep the few minority bloody whingers happy.
.
FollowupID:
549228
Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Yalgoo) - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 08:58
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 08:58
Well if being a whinger just because I cant make phonecalls in my room, Patchy, broken reception depending on where i am standing and not being able to call my missus when
camping even when just outside of Peth or near towns.
Heck that service must be acceptable.
And yes i will trot this icture out again coz i see it too often wher gsm reception exceeds next G
FollowupID:
549235
Follow Up By: Shaker - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 09:10
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 09:10
Doug, you appear to live in your own bubble, there are major issues with Next G, end of story.
It is unfair to ridicule people for reporting their experiences, you may have had good run with Next G, I believe you are in the minority.
FollowupID:
549238
Follow Up By: Member - Doug T (FNQ) - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 09:33
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 09:33
Shaker
Me in a minority....of course you would want to believe that, get your facts right before making stupid comments,
As I said there are some , you included that can't accept the facts as Steve put it, or anyone else 's statements, There are the few that if they don't get phone reception all the way..ie Three Ways to
Camooweal then the phone service is useless, then turn around and say ...My CDMA had service all the way (factual statement) and I know thats utter BS. Buggered If know how you survived before the advent of mobile bloody phones.
.
FollowupID:
549245
Follow Up By: Steve from Top End Explorer Tours - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 10:28
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 10:28
Dave on all occasions when I had the 3g signal without bars I could use the phone.
Doug Try thread 53832 for my trip report.
Cheers Steve.
FollowupID:
549253
Follow Up By: DesF - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 14:25
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 14:25
Hi . I have finally been away to test out my NextG reception.( I had a Nokia CDMA). I was on a coastal bike ride on sunday and we were at Tickera on
York peninsular down on the boat ramp, I got the phone out to see what ( or if ) reception I had,
It had just the 3g sign ( sorry did see 1 bar for a few seconds) and no bars , on CDMA that meant I could sent SMS's but not call, so I rang home and it worked clear as a bell,
When I had finished, a local fisherman came over and said" was I just talking on my phone", He said the you can only get Cdma up on the top of the cliff where the houses are?
I admit I have a Nokia 6120 ( magic phone). one of the lads had a TZE telstra 156 on Next G and no signal at all.
I think a lot of the problems are with the cheaper brand phones.
Also just got a data package from Telstra and it works great as a modem for the laptop.
Cheers Des.
FollowupID:
549289
Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Yalgoo) - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 14:54
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 14:54
steve intresting that because i cannot make or hold a call without at least 1 bar at all times. i believe possibly your ariel may have alot to do with it.
And Doug it is fact that next g will work some
places CDMA never did ----- But only becaiuse new towers have been put in without obviosly CDMA with some examples bieng
menzies and telfer.
There is absalutly not a hope in hell my tu500 will get reception the distances from stations my Kyocera CDMA got.
steve talks of reception 70k WITH an ariel In ideal conditions (driving in to
newman from
nullagine) i was achieving that with a handheld (albeit out of the car)
-
Places near
perth i have not been able to make a call
- John
forrest NP
- walyunga NP
- Where kinsella road meets
Albany highway
- Anywhere between gidgiegannup and
toodyay
and out a bit
where the Avon crosses boyagarra road a mere 16km from
Brookton (I find next g operates between 5-10k from the station a bit more if on top of hills)
i dont just make it up and make vague statements I take notice of distances locations etc and am never failed to be amazed at how bad it is in my situation
FollowupID:
549296
Follow Up By: DesF - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 15:04
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 15:04
Hi davoe, what brand and model is your phone? Cheers Des,
FollowupID:
549299
Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Yalgoo) - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 15:42
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 15:42
LG tu 500 and hoding it side by side with a 550, 2 types of ZTE and another 50 have shown reception all to be the same
FollowupID:
549306
Follow Up By: Shaker - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 15:43
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 15:43
DougT .... Please define "stupid comments"
If you read my earlier post, I make no reference to remote areas, far from it!
From my observations here there are far more negative comments regarding Next G, than there are positive.
I also see, at least once a week here on WIN TV, farmers complaining about the Next G network, they also are not remote.
FollowupID:
549307
Reply By: Member -Dodger - Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 17:14
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 at 17:14
I have had a LG TU500 for over12 months and yes it was not so hot in remote
places. However there is a software update that fixes most problems as it did with mine and it's FREE just go to your nearest Telstra
Shop and ask like I did and they will update it in about 20 minutes.
I too had the car kit that came with the phone installed and it does help with reception in remote areas.
Must get a patch and aerial for the van as the aluminium seems to knock the signal about as it did with my old CDMA phone.
AnswerID:
284540