Golly 4G whizz: Vodafone caught using Three UK's spectrum

UK mobile network Vodafone has fingered a subcontractor after evidence showed it was broadcasting on network rival Three UK's piece of the 1,800MHz band at a cell site at London's Gatwick airport. Its Brit competitor Three, the UK arm of Hong Kong giant CK Hutchison, has said it is investigating whether other sites were …

[Aladdin Sane]

Maybe the users liked being choked?

[Rameses Niblick the Third Kerplunk Kerplunk Whoops Where's My Thribble?]

Lets face it, they are fairly used to being screwed, so why not?

[J. R. Hartley]

Never mind fingering contractors, they've been shafting customers for years.

[adam payne]

And they couldn't resist a dig, it seems, adding: "In the meantime, we will be offering them support and training on mobile mast configuration."

Nice one Three, that made me laugh.

The spokesperson added: "It was a genuine mistake and we are looking into it as a matter of urgency."

You shouldn't use the word 'genuine' in a statement, it makes you look guilty of something.

[Alister]

"genuine mistake"

One wonders what the alternative would be?

An inadvertent mistake, perhaps, or just a deliberate one?

[Paul]

Re: "genuine mistake"

a mistake due to carelessness, or even being knowingly careless?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, Honest mistake - as opposed to Dishonest mistake, or incompetent and got caught.

No point holding our breath for the useless regulator to slap a £10k fine on Voda - with a 'try harder to QA your work next time, as *you* are responsible for your contractor's work.'

[aks]

If the fine was £10m the regulator would probably go for it. Many fines seem to be designed to fill the coffers rather than achieve the declared purpose, certainly not recompense Three.

[John Brown (no body)]

"certainly not recompense Three."

But Three didn't actually lose anything of monetary value. Some users *may* have noticed some slightly lower connectivity (but that happens all the time anyway), but not in a way that Three had to pay out compensation.

[Anonymous Coward]

"But Three didn't actually lose anything of monetary value"

Remind me again how much they paid to be able to use that spectrum?

[Knoydart]

Those fines usually go into the central government pot, and your poor spectrum regulator won't see a penny of it.

[Sgt_Oddball]

In other news...

Regulator caught looking other way.

Scatological efforts of Ursidae in forest areas confirmed.

World still, despite best efforts, continues to turn.

Sounds like a cockup by a poorly trained engineer than anything else (poorly written note perhaps?). Occams razor and all that.

[Anonymous Coward]

Subcrontactor error

> "As part of routine monitoring, we noticed that a subcontractor had inadvertently configured the site to work on the 10MHz bandwidth rather than the correct one.

I wonder if that same subcontractor used a drone to inspect the mast?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Subcrontactor error

Yeah, must be some connection with the “drones”.

Things happen in threes. What will be the third thing to happen at Gatwick???

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Subcrontactor error

Third thing? Bought by the French while people were reading about drones.

"Hard Brexit? Get off our airport while you say that. And while you're at it stop using our electricity, drinking our water and travelling in our trains."

[Mr Neutron]

Re: Subcrontactor error

This IS the third thing!

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/08/20/gatwick_fail/

[LateAgain]

Engineer says

"It's installed and tested. Looks OK from here."

[Fruit and Nutcase]

Welcome to the UK

From Vodafone - The network that gives you more (bandwidth)

[StuntMisanthrope]

Another black mark, it's a privilege.

And a burden of responsibility. Everything is off by default and now in the wrong place. The correlation continues. I have never encountered a system so badly designed as Vodafone's almost as if it was intended to lose customer share by antagonism and text message and increase payroll in all the wrong places. Then it goes wrong and costs even more in money and fines. We cannot now invest in technology and technical resources, that doesn't have a invoice number.

Far behind NTT and they even had a short monopoly. A text book example of decline. #5G #allroadsleadnorth #8barsinthecity

[Simon Rockman]

It's not about the Vodafone or Three customers

All airports are battle-grounds between the operators. They fight to give coverage because they want the revenue from off-network customers roaming as soon as they arrive and switch their phones on.

[Mr Neutron]

Remember that Voda cloud VDU failure?

Vodafone just don't seem to be able to get a good press at Gatwick, do they? This from just 17 months ago:

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/08/20/gatwick_fail/

[Anonymous Coward]

Three look like dicks here.