The Great Big T-Mobile Data CON

Nostromo

You could try this mobile speed test.

http://www.dslreports.com/mspeed?jisok=1

gjchester

lozzaman wrote: »

Your data speeds are as good as they are going to get on GPRS. It looks like you live outside of the 3G coverage

No don't let the facts spoil this conspiracy theory....:D

The long and short is that no matter where you are in the country there is no guarantee you'll get HSDPA connection. Even thein I'm in town and can see the mast I only get a 3G signal. It's entirely possible the mast you are using doesn't even have HSDPA hardware installed, or your local topology prevents you getting a good link.

Finally just like fixed line broadband, you may get UPTO 10mb but in reality you will get less. My parents broadband is UPTO 8mb according to BT, but in reality they get 1MB due to the distance to the exchange.

So what if customers who pay more get a better service, thats the way it's always been, years ago 3G cost more, and only business people used it, when 4G comes along that will be the case too.

After all the complaining about unlimited /1gb/3gb access bear in mind that no-where in your contract will it specify a speed, only that you will have internet access.

lozzaman

At the end of the day 2Mbps is enough for a phone. 384Kbps can seem pretty slow though on standard web n walk.
I put an o2 SIM in my Desire and managed 2.3Mbps down on one of the tests but here the experience isn't good. Browsing can either be very quick, or painfully slow so I guess that network is congested here. At least T-Mobile is pretty consistent and the 3G coverage is miles better.

Apart from this terrible speed test in a good signal HSDPA area earlier...



Can't say I ever remember there been a difference between 2G and 3G pricing though. I do remember T-Mobile's £7.50/MB and o2's "bargain" £2.35/MB, and Orange's "unlimited" subject to 30MB fair use plan.

gjchester

lozzaman wrote: »

Can't say I ever remember there been a difference between 2G and 3G pricing though. I do remember T-Mobile's £7.50/MB and o2's "bargain" £2.35/MB, and Orange's "unlimited" subject to 30MB fair use plan.

You don't sound old enough to go back that far

Early work vodafone contracts we had had to be specificlly "data enabled" and boy was that pricey. Bills went from tens of pounds to hundreds as heads of departments could check there email at anywhere in the UK (interntaional data roaming just didn't happen). If the account wasn't data enabled the best you could hope for was 24k using the phone as an analog modem on dial up, and this was when 56Kmodems were common at home.

lozzaman

I remember using CSD - as far as I know it was 9.6Kbps on all GSM networks except for Orange?
Guess that puts some perspective into this capping

Topcat_2

Thanks to all for the advice - looks like thats it then.
Will stick to wifi when at home...

neas

If you think you are capped at 380 kbps.. send an email to t-mobile stating that you've done many speed tests and tried the sim in another phone and an o2 sim in your android phone and on o2 you can get speeds of 1.8 mbps whereas on t-mobile im always capped at 0.38mbps.

Eventually they will if they are good put you through to english tech support and you can explain there that even though you have a H signal you 'seem' to be capped at 3g speeds not HSPDA speeds. I did this about 1 month ago.. took 1 hour or so of phone calls and eventually the tech guy went... ahah! i see the problem you are on web and walk... (not mentioned but capped at 3g!!) as opposed to web and walk +.

He 'flicked a switch' and i believe i am now on web and walk + as i get 1.8mbps in H areas.

Worth a call before dumping them.