02 network down but what about airwave ?

[Alfie]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/46466324

As a lot of you will now the 02 network has had problems all day and now has gone off altogether for me. no signal and no calls texts or data is possible.

this also is affecting GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile, Sky and Lycamobile

but what about airwave ?

is airwave still run by 02 or has an 02 backbone ?

and if affected where will the bobbies move to ?

[Minus1]

Don't know about O2; but Airwave uses completely different frequencies and different transmitters, so likely a completely separate network.

[Bobcode]

Airwave running normally.

[G4RMT]

I wonder if it's linked to the ~Huawei fuss at the moment? The Chinese government apparently using Huawei to collect data flowing through the BT network which used to be full of the Chinese gear, and which is being removed at the moment?

[gmanbelfast]

Airwave is owned by O2 but runs a completely different network/system.

[bigboyblue]

Yep as stated the airwave system is completely airgapped from the normal system, uses different kit and frequencies etc, and has a robust SLA when it comes to resilliance.

However, when they start switching to the new 'radio' system that uses LTE, (the emergency services network), then this sort of issue actually could take down the network for the emergency services, as it will rely on 4G for its comms. The network contract was awarded to EE - so if EE goes down, then so does the ESN.

[Alfie]

thanks for the replies all

However, when they start switching to the new 'radio' system that uses LTE, (the emergency services network), then this sort of issue actually could take down the network for the emergency services, as it will rely on 4G for its comms. The network contract was awarded to EE - so if EE goes down, then so does the ESN.

thats what i was thinking. much as i hate airwave as i cant listen in it cant be denied that a lot of money and infrastructure has gone in to airwave and it works well. i think they are mad to go the 4g route

[mickydt]

i am with EE if i hear any beeps and strange voices then i know what it is

[G4RMT]

The trouble is, it really doesn't;t work very well from the Police perspective. The control room ops know the dead spots and the troublesome areas and can work around them to a degree, but the system is simply too expensive to maintain and keep going. They cannot afford to keep it going from the central Government funding. Technically it works but there are design flaws in the handsets and they spend too much time responding to accidental emergency button pushing, which they have to respond to - yet can't contact the officer if they're in a poor signal area. The EE coverage area signal strength is better than airwave, despite the obvious weak rural areas, where extra coverage is planned. Many of the extra features Airwave can do simply don't get used by the folk on the ground, yet the infrastructure for it needs to be kept going.

O2 went down. It can happen. Airwave has gone down plenty of times, but nobody notices.When it does, the officers use their personal phones - I guess this will continue. Or just put a non EE based PAYG mobile in every police car, just in case. Much cheaper.

[bigboyblue]

East of England Ambulance had horrific issues - their mobile data supplier is o2.

They use sim data cards in the lifepak defibs - so no ecg dumps to the hospitals or remote info before the patient gets there (or doctors being able to remote diagnose cardiac issues)

Their Epcr (patient record form tablet) is also o2 - so no syncing with the server until they get to hospital and can use their wifi.

The backup phone is o2, so some signal, but no data, and then as I am sure some of you are aware, in the afternoon they shut the entire network down to reboot it, so no calls either for a couple of hours.

The mdt's were the only thing working. Powered via airwave.