3G or HSDPA with poor reception

[EttienneM]

Hi there all,
I hope I'm not reposting (tried to find the answer first)

I'm want to get 3G and I know my reception will be bad. Question is: do Itgo for plain vanila 3G or for HSDPA.

Say for instance with HSDPA I can only get 300kbps will the regular 3G also be able to get 300 or will it be poorer, proportional to the degradation experienced with HSDPA? So will the 3G be at least as good as the bad HSDPA, or will I then end up with GPRS.

I hope have explained my self clear enough....

Regards,
Ettienne

 

[vodacom3g]

Hi there all,
I hope I'm not reposting (tried to find the answer first)

I'm want to get 3G and I know my reception will be bad. Question is: do Itgo for plain vanila 3G or for HSDPA.

Say for instance with HSDPA I can only get 300kbps will the regular 3G also be able to get 300 or will it be poorer, proportional to the degradation experienced with HSDPA? So will the 3G be at least as good as the bad HSDPA, or will I then end up with GPRS.

I hope have explained my self clear enough....

Regards,
Ettienne

Best would be to test it.

You can try to get someone in the area already using a 3G/HSDPA card, try to get a Vodashop to lend you a card, check using a 3G phone, ask Vodacom regional radio to give you an indication on signal strength or look on the map.

 

[EttienneM]

Thanks,
Seems like that will be my only option.
I just hope they are willing to help me out at the store.

 

[porn$tar]

I have the same dilemma, don't want to commit to a 24 month contract and end up having crappy HSDPA.
There must be some way for people interested in HSDPA to test their area.

Been to Vodashop but all the staff are interested in is trying to get you to sign a contract.

 

[vodacom3g]

I have the same dilemma, don't want to commit to a 24 month contract and end up having crappy HSDPA.
There must be some way for people interested in HSDPA to test their area.

Been to Vodashop but all the staff are interested in is trying to get you to sign a contract.

Where are you in Cape Town?

 

[EttienneM]

I signed up for the HSDPA. Even with very bad signal the speed is still better than regular 3G.

I am investigating a high gain antenna option, it just seems to a pia to get a connector for the Huawei card.

But thus far, very happy!!

 

[porn$tar]

I'm currently in Muizenberg, about 1.5km from the Capricorn business park.

I was told by Hellkom that I cannot install DSL because we have fibre-optics instead of copper phone lines.

Q: With the step up in HSDPA speed from 1.8mbs to 3.6mbs sometime in the future, will one need to get a new card AGAIN?

 

[piranha786]

I'm currently in Muizenberg, about 1.5km from the Capricorn business park.

I was told by Hellkom that I cannot install DSL because we have fibre-optics instead of copper phone lines.

Q: With the step up in HSDPA speed from 1.8mbs to 3.6mbs sometime in the future, will one need to get a new card AGAIN?

Great q's. then it might be better taking it on vodacom contract, then they might swap it out again

 

[porn$tar]

Great q's. then it might be better taking it on vodacom contract, then they might swap it out again

Good point. Still worried about speeds though, for the higher monthly subscription, it would be nice (to say the least) to get appreciably better speeds than vanilla 3G.