(Video) A partial shutdown of 2G DCS/1800MHz/Band 3 begins at 0:05 (12 am).
(Video) It is fully returned at 6:05 (6am).
Comparing DCS to PGSM/900MHz/Band 8,
•More of the signal strength is blocked when it passes through obstacles (including air).
•It is better at fitting through gaps in obstacles, such as between trees.
•The mobile's maximum transmit power is halved.
•It is less likely to overlap and conflict with other towers or itself.
•Additionally, the signal is 25%* less likely to overlap and conflict with another tower.
•It is separate, calls made on DCS do not use resources of PGSM.
At night, due to low usage, the PGSM should be adequate for calls(and low speed data, though 62.5%* of 2G PGSM might be used for 3G in some cases), and 3G/4G should be adequate for data; so DCS won't be of much benefit.
What is this?
The signal strength of nearby towers.
Similar to the MHz on a FM radio. The ones here carry phone settings to all phones such as this list of nearby towers, calls are carried out on a separate unlisted ARFCN.
What's an rxlev?
Signal strength (signal bars).
What is PGSM and DCS?
It is a type of mobile phone signal.
Is it connected to many towers?
No, it is only communicating with 1 side of a tower at most (and not both PGSM and DCS at the same time).
Why are all phones sent a list of nearby towers?
So that when the signal strength is low, it changes to another tower or side of the tower; before the phone reaches "no signal", and to improve the experience.
What is its relevance?
That a phone should not be set to 1800 only overnight, set the phone to dual band 900/1800 or quad band.
Which one's DCS, which one's PGSM?
Shorter ones are PGSM.
Why do the ARFCNs differ from the channel numbers in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GSM_frequency_bands?
The ones linked is the decimal format, the ones here is the hexadecimal format, convert from hex to decimal.
What if nearby towers had the same ARFCN?
The signals would conflict with eachother. There is an identifier that separates it, though the signal is damaged.
What is a neighbouring cell?
Coverage of sides of the tower the phone is not communicating with. The one the phone is communicating with is the serving cell. These are not nearby cell phones.
What is GSM?
It is 2G, though a 3G network may be called "GSM" if not related to CDMA (CDMA, not WCDMA).
Does it cost credit just to keep the phone on past 12am?
No.
*Depends on operator and country. Valid at time of posting.