Best 3G, HSDPA modem ???

S

Sonic

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Hi there all, I am at last due for renewal of contract, and need to know what the best route is to go for, currently I still have the old U 630.:sick: I know the PCMCIA is being phased out, but I want whatever has the best reception. With the old U630 and original software at best I have 3 bars signal out of 5, and some places barely gprs reception. Advice will be appreciated. :D
 
Sonic said:
Hi there all, I am at last due for renewal of contract, and need to know what the best route is to go for, currently I still have the old U 630.:sick: I know the PCMCIA is being phased out, but I want whatever has the best reception. With the old U630 and original software at best I have 3 bars signal out of 5, and some places barely gprs reception. Advice will be appreciated. :D
Click to expand...

I would suggest the Huawei E220 USB modem. It's portable (I'm using it with my laptop & desktop), the installation software is actually stored on the modem (so you don't have to carry driver disks with you) and it works brilliantly.

Some people might say it's not 'future proof', cos it officially only support 3.6Mbps, but I think it will be a very long time before we move from 1.8Mbps to 3.6Mbps, nevermind 7.2Mbps!
 
kingrob said:
I would suggest the Huawei E220 USB modem. It's portable (I'm using it with my laptop & desktop), the installation software is actually stored on the modem (so you don't have to carry driver disks with you) and it works brilliantly.

Some people might say it's not 'future proof', cos it officially only support 3.6Mbps, but I think it will be a very long time before we move from 1.8Mbps to 3.6Mbps, nevermind 7.2Mbps!
Click to expand...

All the above seconded!
 
@Sonic,

What devices do you use your current U630 in ?

You could go for one of the new express cards ie

XU 870 with XCA-3 PCMCIA/CardBus adapter

and/or

XU 870 with XUA-1 Express 34 to USB converter

The problem with the E220 is that it does not support the direct connection of an external antennae
 
Do you NEED a new modem ? Why not go pre-paid/month-to-month with the modem you already have and save some bucks. Also, you won't be locked into a 24 month contract.
 
Firstly, I mostly use it in my laptop, and will definately see a plus in something with an extre antenna, but I am not going to pay like a thousand bucks for one of those antennas. And I will LOOOVEEE to go HSDPA.

I know it is cheaper to go prepaid, but this is company contract. At the moment they accept my 2gig package, but if I go prepaid, it is 101 questions. why only 500mb this month and why 1.5gb that ......

Just skipping that one completely. what I am also thinking about, is the fact that less and less notebooks have PCMCIA slots, so the USB one so far wins, but my main concern is reception differences.
 
Strange as it may sound, my new USB modem seems to get much better reception to my old pc card version. I live in a valley and with my old pc card it constantly used to loose signal or be stuck on gprs. Now with the usb one i connect and it stays on HSPDA constantly. Go figure!
 
web said:
Strange as it may sound, my new USB modem seems to get much better reception to my old pc card version. I live in a valley and with my old pc card it constantly used to loose signal or be stuck on gprs. Now with the usb one i connect and it stays on HSPDA constantly. Go figure!
Click to expand...

Not so illogical.

Remember most of the PCMCIA card was stuck inside your laptop, where it was not only shielded from the 3G signal but had to contend with RF, heat and pretty much a hostile environment.

Your USB modem, on the other hand, is away from all this interference and can breath nice cool air, while having much clearer access to the 3G signal.

My E220 stays connect for weeks on end.
 
vodacom3g said:
Not so illogical.

Remember most of the PCMCIA card was stuck inside your laptop, where it was not only shielded from the 3G signal but had to contend with RF, heat and pretty much a hostile environment.

Your USB modem, on the other hand, is away from all this interference and can breath nice cool air, while having much clearer access to the 3G signal.

My E220 stays connect for weeks on end.
Click to expand...

Well, there you have it, Sonic - our resident HSDPA guru telling you to get the E220 USB modem. :)

Go and get it while it's hot! ;)
 
kingrob said:
Well, there you have it, Sonic - our resident HSDPA guru telling you to get the E220 USB modem. :)

Go and get it while it's hot! ;)
Click to expand...

Or rather an external modem is better than an internal modem. ;)

Only gripe with the E220, is the lack of an external antenna socket.

BTW 7.2. will happen within the next upgrade cycle, i.e. next 24 months.
 
sky.akash said:
Is it even possible to increase the max speed of the E220s that are rated 3.6Mbps via a firmware update?:confused:
Click to expand...

I got a link to a German web site, but I'd rather not share it yet... I'll first try to win another E220 modem before I try the firmware on my 'baby'. :)
 
ic said:
Doubtful whether it would work - we already know that there are differences between Vodacom's HSDPA network implementation, and that of MTN's HSDPA network implementation - i.e. the MTN E220 firmware issue that you experienced on Vodacom's network. So, a network-specific-jippo to soup-up-an-E220-to-7.2Mbits/s is unlikely to work here.
Click to expand...

Sjoe, 7.2Mbps makes me drool on my keyboard... :eek:
 
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