4G limits?

thor

Now that it looks like 4G is on it's way what do people here think about it? Is anyone really looking forward to signing up and changing phone for a 4G contract? I'm not too fussed about it given that I consider it likely they will be hamstrung by monthly data limits like we have with 3G(albeit higher).
Will it take off?

thescouselander

Waste of time IMO. Mobile network download limits are pathetically small - people will be eating up their limit in seconds (if it's as fast as claimed). I suspect coverage will be patchy in reality and the real world speeds will be a lot less than the theory.

I'd rather have all you can eat date without limits even if that is only at 3G speeds.

diamonds

21mbps 3G on 3/Orange,T-Mob or a premium rate on EE for 4G

And 3's is "all you can eat" UNLIMITED

SCO

Cant get 3G where i live, so 4G does not excite me in the slightest.

jayme1

I would hope it will be similar to home broadband is now, LTE is being pegged as the rural broadband solution so realistically there would have to be an unlimited option. (or perhaps I'm being too hopeful)

Either way data limits should be much more I would hope for 5GB as a minimum, LTEs bandwidth should be able to cope with that.

Once the coverage goes up (ie covers my house) and PAYG options become available I'll definitely be looking to LTE.

jayme1

SCO wrote: »

Cant get 3G where i live, so 4G does not excite me in the slightest.

I suspect you get 2G and since LTE roll-out will be as widespread as 2G is now and with the low 800MHz frequency it will be as wide reaching, one day you will have LTE.

LTE is the next step for mobile networks, like Fibre broadband over copper phone line broadband, both work the exact same to the end user but the fibre infrastructure is much better.

For the next few years all you'll hear is "3G was good enough", "why do we need more speed", "waste of time", there is so much more reason to LTE than just 'more speed', it's just that the great unwashed will only ever see and be sold the speed increase, and will complain because of it.

d123

Limits must be going to be much higher. Two statements from the EE website.

http://ee.co.uk/?WT.mc_id=ON_MEC_S_Google_EE_OnlyEE_Only&WT.srch=1

The waiting is over. Watch TV, make video calls, play live multiplayer games and stream films on the move. All on superfast 4GEE from EE.

Don’t wait till you’re home or in the office to download chunky apps, films or emails. With superfast 4GEE you can do it all on the go.

You won't be downloading many films in a sub 5GB limit.

thor

I think EE will be praying that the public will be so overawed by 4G speeds that they won't mind or notice paying extra after breaching pathetic data limits.
I, on the other hand believe pricing will be key. If it comes in reasonably cheap then it will do well but if it is priced higher than 3G is today then 4G will be gigantic flop.

Mickyk

Lets throw this into the mix, but the main comparison to make is with the current LTE provider, be it State Side.

Prices range from $60 for 2GB of 4G data, to $100 for 10GB of 4G data.

So I would say limits will be the usual 500mb-->1GB, with an optional extra add-on for I would say ranging from £5 to £50.

I can see "The full Monty" ultd data, and 3's AYCE quickly disappearing, or at least having a no 4G disclaimer on it, same as they have now put no tethering disclaimers on them

diamonds

4G will eventually come to 3G prices as 3G did to 2G prices, then data rates bundles 2G or 3G but 4G will get threw in there too...mind you thats at least a year away approx if it does happen that quick, but then what have Voda & o2 got to lose....customers that have not defected away to 3 or EE from late 2012/early 2013.

Why Ofcom allowed the "undisclosed" sale of Orange/T-Mobile spectrum to EE backhaul partner 3 to create a market monopoly I'll never understand. Ofcom have done very little good compared to the bad since inception.