View Full Version : Mobile network time UK
T-mobile/Orange and phone set to use 'network time'. It is wrong. Anyone else found this? I see from Google that it may depend on which mast network you are on.
jimtherev
28th Nov 2012, 22:59
My last three phones - all Nokia as it happens - have all refused to synchronise to TMob/Or in the UK, tho' in N America have behaved.
it may depend on which mast network you are on.
So I'm sure you're on the right lines
Firestorm
29th Nov 2012, 07:31
BOAC I am on Orange/EE. The time on my mobile telephone is not the same as the pips on BBC R4. The network time seems to be about 60-90 seconds behind the BBC which I have always assumed is what is used to set atomic clocks.
green granite
29th Nov 2012, 07:43
I've had the same with all my Orange phones BOAC, so it's not just you.
Both our phones are just not 'updating' at all.
Ancient Observer
29th Nov 2012, 09:45
Orange here (S Bucks) is about 90 secs behind BBC/Windoze and Vodafone.
Both our Samsungs tho, are at least trying to get the right time. Not as bad as BOAC's.
jimtherev
29th Nov 2012, 16:01
... and err... yes. As I said above, it works in N America, not 'ere. Not fussed; it's not even as important as 'nice to have', but it's curious at best.
For new readers:
what phones are affected,
See previous posts. (Mine are Samsung but if you Google you will see that) T and O 'Network time' seem to affect most makes inc Nokia.
what settings are used,
On my Samsungs 'Date and Time'/'Automatic'/'Use network provided values.'
what 'network time' is
Obviously either non-existent or wrong - otherwise I assume some backbone signal for the network functions.
how it differs from any other automatic time set and anything else that's relevant.
Lost me there!
Milo Minderbinder
29th Nov 2012, 21:02
so what does it synch to?
if its the internet mail servers over G3, then the phone is bound to be incorrect due to the natual latency of the internet
if its a time signal sent over the phone network, then again you've got latency compared with a direct radio link
best way - if it can be done - would be to synch the phone to the GPS network time signals
Saab Dastard
29th Nov 2012, 21:17
Don't they use NTP, then?
SD
jimtherev
29th Nov 2012, 22:00
Gawdstrewth, we are making a fuss about this!
My Nokia phone on EE or whateverthey'recallingitthisweek has an option: 'Automatically update time - yes/ no/ ask first.'
It would almost be nice to know that the time shown on the default display is synchronised automatically. But whatever option I choose in the above choice, absolutely nothing happens, and I have to update the time myself. Big Deal!
(Except as in my 2 previous P*sts in this thread.)
I'm losing the will to live, here.
Just found this on a T-Mobile forum concerning the UK network, posted 10 days ago
"requires t-mobile/orange/EE to support/set up NTIZ and apparently they are not at the present time."
Hence, it seems, the problem.
what's wrong with mine that makes it right - we need to define 'right'!
I would be interested if you could experiment? Reset the phone to, say, 15 minutes adrift from 'real' time. 3/4G off. Reset auto update and let us know what happens. Remember a stopped 12 hr clock is right twice a day.
As others are finding, moving into other time zones (presumably where the network has absorbed NITZ) does produce an update. return to the UK does not.
EDIT: I am not sure what an 'EE' mobile contract is? Do I assume you have a 4G contract? We are talking 2/3G and I think the network is still T-M/Orange, not 'EE'.
Ancient Observer
3rd Dec 2012, 16:28
Are you still using the Samsung Apollo?
Mine used to be flakey with time updates. As you say, go abroad and it did change, but back in the UK it did not always change times. That's on Vodafone.
Apollo now fall back phone as I have inherited a hand me down from younger daughter. Still Samsung, a Galaxy 1, but time adjustment is OK.
Yes, AO, that (the Apollo) may be the problem, but looking at that forum quote on T-M/OR and NTIZ plus the 'failure' with a Nokia phone I remain unconvinced and several have highlighted T-M/OR in this thread. Interested to hear from other T-M/OR/EE users (inc mike-wsm......?)
Your post #8 and #25 don't really match? #8 suggests again that OR is the problem. 90 seconds is roughly 90 too long. Which network is the Galaxy on - Voda?
Ancient Observer
5th Dec 2012, 11:08
BOAC,
too many blooming phones around, that's why #8 and #25 are not obviously OK.
SWMBO now has a Samsung Ace on EE which seems fine. Daughter and I have galaxies on Voda which do the 90 sec thing
Parked is the Apollo which was erratic when I used it......
OK?
Are you certain you are getting auto-updates on EE? Have you tried moving the time away and having another go?
How do you get onto EE? I do not have the option.T-M or Or are the only two relevant networks I see.
The time on my mobile telephone is not the same as the pips on BBC R4. The network time seems to be about 60-90 seconds behind the BBC which I have always assumed is what is used to set atomic clocks.
Not sure if you really think the atomic clocks run to the BBC R4 pips or not but amusing if you do......
Interesting thing is if you try listenting to Radio 4 on a FM radio, a DAB radio and then say over cable/satellite - you will find that they are all out of sync with each other by a few seconds (not as much as 90 tho) and FM will be the one ahead - this is all due to the time taken to transcode the signal, broadcast and then decode the signal - with better equipment the delay will be less but for something such as satellite you still will have the transmission delay up to and down from the satellite on top of the digital/analogue conversions.
On a DAB radio usually you will get the time source on the radio picked up from the transmitters - if you listen to radio 4 and watch the time tick over and listen to the pips you will probably find the radio does it before R4.
Sorry no real input on your issue BOAC - just amused at atomic clocks being set by the pips from BBC, bought a smile to me at the end of an otherwise dull day....
Merry xmas all....
Sorry no real input on your issue BOAC - just amused at atomic clocks being set by the pips from BBC, bought a smile to me at the end of an otherwise dull day.... - thanks for the observation. Yes, that really would be step too far.:)
PS "60-90 seconds" would be a luxury! I can get anything up to 12 hours on a day and heaven knows what on timezones and dates on 'Auto'!
Further update - spoke to T-Mobile today - "they never have and do not intend to provide any network time signal" - and that goes for EE too.
Alles klar
Presumably mike-wsm has his own system.........http://c.cslacker.com/cache/t/1/3/2764.png
Nemesis
6th Feb 2014, 10:08
Using a Nokia phone.
Time auto-update works (instantly) with O2.
Does not work with Vodafone; does not work with T-Mobile/EE.
It is necessary for the network to support this function, and Vodafone/T-Mobile/EE do not/will not do so.