2G Fallback clarification?

[Kippykip]

In the WIKI it states for voice calling using the 3G module, it will fall back to 2G.
So does this mean I won't be able to call ever using the Pyra? 2G has been shut down in my country for a while now
http://www.news.com.au/technology/t...n/news-story/3b1f0137d9aa7c8711094d43ac7eb0a1

 

[Silent-Hunter]

Oh, crap, I too would like to know this.

 

[wismerhill]

The "on most networks" part makes me understand this differently.
I think it means that those networks don't support voice and SMS in 3G, so the modem must downgrade to 2G to use it.
But I suppose (I don't know) that the networks that don't provide 2G anymore support SMS and voice in 3G, one way or another.

 

[Kolbász]

The PLS8 datasheet (http://www.seapraha.cz/download/pls8-e_hd_v01000a_tcm216-155302.pdf) lists voice as supported, but doesn't state whether it's 2G, 3G or both. VoLTE is a no, but there's CSFB which means automatic fallback from LTE to circuit switched voice mode. This type of fallback can be made to both 2G and 3G (one or the other at a time), but I don't know whether both are required to be CSFB compliant. Most likely yes, and if true, that would confirm 3G voice capability.

AMR-WB (marketed as HD voice) is also supported by the modem, but I'm not sure if it says anything about 3G voice capability. Apparently AMR-WB was developed for 3G and first specified by 3GPP, but at some point in time 3GPP's scope was expanded to also include 2G (among others). To make things even more complicated, there seems to be AMR-WB support capability on GERAN (GSM EDGE networks), which is part of the 2G line of technologies. What a mess.

All in all, I would be genuinely surprised if PLS8 didn't support 3G voice.

 

[rygD]

As I understood it (based mostly on my personal experience in a country that does things different than most of the rest of the world), it will use whatever the network requires for voice. In most cases (like here) that means it uses 2G for calls since that is what those networks use. Not sure if that is still how things work here, or if my understanding is correct.

Good question.

 

[Kippykip]

As I understood it (based mostly on my personal experience in a country that does things different than most of the rest of the world), it will use whatever the network requires for voice. In most cases (like here) that means it uses 2G for calls since that is what those networks use. Not sure if that is still how things work here, or if my understanding is correct.

Good question.

Ah, over here 3G and 4G are the standard but 2G was shutdown recently since nobody uses it anymore.
But 3G is next I believe.
https://www.arnnet.com.au/article/610472/telstra-flags-3g-network-shutdown-early-2020/

 

[Silent-Hunter]

If 3G gets shut down too, then voice will not work on Pyra unless it gets a new modem that supports VoLTE.

 

[Kippykip]

If 3G gets shut down too, then voice will not work on Pyra unless it gets a new modem that supports VoLTE.

Not just voice, but portable internet in general.

 

[_jr_]

Not just voice, but portable internet in general.

No.

 

[Silent-Hunter]

Not just voice, but portable internet in general.

Not quite, 4G would still work fine for data.

 

[levi]

2020 might be a little close at this rate, but I'd hope that soon after that if necessary we could count on a new mainboard being available for installation, esp if they make a pin-compatible model. Don't forget that the major components in the Pyra are all designed to be user serviceable, at least if the user is vaguely competent.

 

[TeDaDeS]

I assume that this would be a problem if you use the Pyra as a phone as internet over 4G would still be working.

In the Netherlands (and I assume also for Belgium and Germany) there are a lot of machines still using 2G so only 3G will be replaced by 4G (I imagine in the long run also 2G will be replaced).
So I guess it also depends on the network you use if it will support all the Pyra features.

 

[Kippykip]

Not quite, 4G would still work fine for data.

Wait so the pyra works with 4g? I thought it was 3g?
What I meant is if 3g is shutdown in 2020 I won't be able to use the sim slot at all probably without voice or data.

 

[Silent-Hunter]

Wait so the pyra works with 4g? I thought it was 3g?
What I meant is if 3g is shutdown in 2020 I won't be able to use the sim slot at all probably without voice or data.

Oh! No it changted to 4G years ago, when ED found a 4G capable antenna small enough to fit.

And no, 4G internet would still work, just not voice.

 

[Kippykip]

Oh! No it changted to 4G years ago, when ED found a 4G capable antenna small enough to fit.

And no, 4G internet would still work, just not voice.

Oh awesome! The wiki didn't note 4G anywhere however.That's good to know!

 

[AndiTheBest]

I'm not sure if it would have been possible on the mainboard to make the modem pluggable like the cpu board, but i think there was too less space for it.

 

[Grench]

I'm not sure if it would have been possible on the mainboard to make the modem pluggable like the cpu board, but i think there was too less space for it.

Weighted costs between the boards.

Having the 4G module & related on the main board actually improves upgrade options. The cellular modem can be added/upgraded by swapping the otherwise relatively inexpensive "main" board while retaining the expensive SoC processor daughter card.

 

[Silent-Hunter]

I hope someone actually can answer the question about calling on 3G.

 

[TrashyMG]

Who makes phone calls anymore...

 

[slaeshjag]

7 years ago, I remember peiple setting their phones to 3G only, since the encryption used for voice on 2G is so weak you could crack it virtually in real-time. I'd be shocked if it doesn't support voice over 3G.

 

[Grench]

Who makes phone calls anymore...

People who continue to misunderstand the purpose of the 4G module?

the 4G module is there for data. Could it hypothetically make calls - yes, maybe, in a pinch.