giffgaff network improvements
Brilliant network improvements are here, and more are on the way!
O2/giffgaff Band 40 carrier
O2 are rolling out Band 40 in parts of major UK cities, which is an ultra-fast 4G carrier with lots and lots of bandwidth. In areas where it’s deployed, speeds are much faster than Vodafone or Three!
It is boosting the current urban capacity from 25MHz to 40MHz, and because it’s a higher frequency, 2300MHz, and got much more bandwidth, it’s perfect for thousands of users at any one time. It’s 4G+ with 40MHz of bandwidth, rather than the older 4G+ with 25MHz of bandwidth.
It’s compatible with most modern phones, and works on a standard giffgaff 4G SIM. You don’t need to enable anything to get the boost.
It allows for:
and much, much more.
FAQs
How do I know if I’m using it?
On Samsung devices, dial *#0011# and see if the top part says Band 40, and with the iPhone, dial (asterisk)3001#12345#(asterisk) and click on LTE, then “Serving Cell Info” and then if you can see Band 40 anywhere. For any Android device, you can download a various apps such as “LTE Discovery” or “CellMapper” to see which band you’re using.
What are the average speeds available on the Band 40 carrier?
During my tests, I averaged 109.92mbps in Cardiff using Band 40 on my Galaxy A90 5G device.
What cities is it available in?
It’s available in most of the major UK cities, such as London, Edinburgh and Cardiff.
Will it improve speeds in busy indoor locations such as football stadiums?
Yes, once Band 40 is deployed in those areas, speeds could jump from next to nothing to more than 100mbps.
Video of Band 40 in various areas of Cardiff:
Band 1 - Rural Speed Improvements
Meanwhile, O2/giffgaff are in the process of also upgrading all rural sites to “Double Speed 4G” by adding a Band 1 layer to the existing B20, doubling the bandwidth from 10MHz to an aggregated total of 20MHz! This also will double the 4G speed, eliminating problems with the (slower) Band 20 carrier!
IMS Service - VoLTE & Wi-Fi Calling
In Q4 2020, 4G Calling (VoLTE) and Wi-Fi Calling are launching. This means that calls & texts will be able to go over either Wi-Fi or 4G. This will allow for HD calls, with super voice quality.
When you’re inside making a call on Wi-Fi, it’ll seamlessly switch to 4G when you walk outside, and when you walk inside, it’ll go back onto Wi-Fi.
If you’ve got a 5G phone, as well as having access to all of the above, you’ll also be able to make calls over the 5G network. This will allow for UHD calls, even higher quality than the HD quality that works on 4G and Wi-Fi.
5G - time to get excited!
5G is launching on giffgaff in Q4 2020, with average speeds from 200 - 400mbps! Though, these speeds could go up to 2000mbps, depending on your area.
It will be on the n78 layer, and you’ll need a 5G compatible device to benefit.
Some members are already reporting seeing the “5G” logo on their device, this is probably due to intermittent testing before the full launch!
Thanks for reading!
