Are secondary networks 'throttled'?

[Astraeus]

I'm with PlusNet mobile, which uses EE, and have always found network coverage to be poor for the network that boasts of being the best in the UK. Last night, for instance, my PlusNet phone pinged up to tell me that it had no network service (at a busy football ground) whilst my work phone, directly on EE, worked just fine.

That's happened a lot - same phone, same network but one with EE directly and one through PlusNet. It got me thinking whether the network throttles the secondary provider or prioritises traffic through its own - does anyone know?

 

[depot]

I’ve read that plusnet don’t have use of the 800MHz frequency that EE use, don’t know if that’s correct

 

[prking]

I think you’re right that this is likely not supporting the band rather than throttling.

As far as I know EE doesn’t operate a priority system but 800Mhz is not available to Plusnet (or EE PAYG)

I know that GiffGaff does have lower priority than Tesco Mobile on O2. But that would effect mobile data more than calls and text.

 

[Astraeus]

Interesting. So there's apparently some benefit in paying extra to the network rather than the secondary provider, be it bandwidth or priority.

 

[2wo Thir3s]

As far as I know EE doesn’t operate a priority system but 800Mhz is not available to Plusnet (or EE PAYG)

EE PAYG customers do have access not only to the network's Band 20 (800MHz) coverage layer, but also to VoLTE & VoWiFi aka 4G calling & WiFi calling, it was enabled for them last year. In the past the download speed was capped to 30Mb/s but this has also been removed. The main restriction to PAYG customers on EE at present is that 5G is unavailable.

Plusnet, to the best of my knowledge, presently don't have access to EE's Band 20 coverage layer, nor have VoLTE & VoWiFi - but as EE are planning to switch off their 3G coverage layer in the near future I suspect this will change - another EE MVNO in 1p Mobile already offers Band 20 coverage plus VoLTE & VoWiFi.

Of the four MNOs (main networks) only O2 has yet to provide VoLTE & VoWiFi to PAYG customers, for MVNOs (aka secondary networks), some do & some don't at present, with some on EE or 3 not having Band 20 access either.

 

[Ltec]

I think you’re right that this is likely not supporting the band rather than throttling.

As far as I know EE doesn’t operate a priority system but 800Mhz is not available to Plusnet (or EE PAYG)

I know that GiffGaff does have lower priority than Tesco Mobile on O2. But that would effect mobile data more than calls and text.

I'm on tesco and can't tell any difference with o2.

 

[Dimplex]

Im with Voxi and live in a ground floor flat over looking other small flats. Just done a speedtest in my bedroom.

AGAIN
Gigaclear Ltd
London
COPY LINK

Test results​

PING​

31
ms

JITTER​

2
ms

DOWNLOAD​

234.2
Mbps

UPLOAD​

21.7
Mbps

Gigaclear Ltd​

London​

Who needs cable

 

[Dimplex]

I just did another test different server same location indoors

Your Speed Test Results​

314.04 Mb

Download speed

8.66Mb upload
59 ms ping time

 

[depot]

I’ve had Voxi for a week now (4g only) it’s been terrible, just done a speed test 5.49 Mbps download and 0.45Mbps upload

 

[Dimplex]

I just switched from 3 they where horrible. Must be lucky

 

[KBD]

It might be a technical limitation of the physical telephone.
In the U.S. those secondary providers sell phones tailored to their service which are junk in my opinion.
They don't offer the full services & often don't have as much memory & probably other failing I don't know about.
I surpass all that by getting an unlocked phone & dropping in the SIM.

In the past decade I've changed phones a few times & still using the same SIM.
I bought my mother a phone on the same network & she claimed she didn't want a smartphone, so I got one of the network's own & wow, Junk!

 

[Dimplex]

Here is a more detailed test. Im using a Oneplus 8t 5g indoors on Voxi surrounded by many small blocks of flats.

 

[depot]

I just switched from 3 they where horrible. Must be lucky

I think it just depends on your location, just done a sped test on plusnet (EE) and 98.6Mbps download and 22.5Mbps also 4g only

 

[depot]

Here is a more detailed test. Im using a Oneplus 8t 5g indoors on Voxi surrounded by many small blocks of flats.

Only 5g coverage I can get is on the 3 network, can’t test it yet, don’t have a 5g phone

 

[Dimplex]

If voxi are throttling with those speeds im a happy bunny.

 

[Dave X]

Smarty (on Three) isn't throttled, I'm pretty sure of that.