Looking at the news lately with LTE being pushed and speeds being pushed. I can't help but to wonder if we are getting what's advertised. My phone is capable of 21Mbits/s, but I hardly see half that speed. In peek times the data connection drops considerably. I haven't experienced much speed increase the last 4 years. I do a lot of surfing on my phone and use it as a modem in areas such as the East Rand, Centurion and Pretoria areas and everywhere it's more or less the same. Tried 3 different phones and no difference. So, are we getting what's being advertised?
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Broadband speeds
- Thread starter CellNotC
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elf_lord_ZC5
Honorary Master
No, we are not getting what is advertised. If you are lucky, you will only get 25% of advertised speeds. Normal speeds are around 10% of advertised speeds. Considerably less if you are in a low coverage area.
encrypted
Senior Member
Each radio on the tower is capable of 21mbits.. lets say there is 4 radios each covering 90 degrees and your in Plikkiesfontein with your phone connected to one radio. You now have 21mbits, now look around is there anyone for say 5KM's in the same 90 degrees arc as you with 3G ?
Now for every person doing data take the 21mbits and start dividing.
Feel free to subtract more from the total due to radio re-transmits if everyone does not have ideal signal.
That's the first part of the problem, now there's 4 people in Plikkiesfontein, each on their own antenna, going 21mbits, that's great but there's no servers in Plikkiesfontein. Oops. Plikkiesfontein only has a 32mbit radio backhaul (start dividing). Ok, now Plikkiesfontein's 32mbit has made it to Vodacom Midrand, along with the rest of the countries other 4gbit of demand. Great, there's 10Gbit of fibre running to Mtunzini and from there we hop onto the submarine cable. But oh no, there's only a STM-16 there (2.5gbits). Again, start dividing.
That pretty much sums it up. Think of the 21/42 mbit tower as your 100mbit network cable in your pc. The 100mbit part doesn't last long till your exposed to slower pieces of the pie.
EDIT: I don't actually remember Vodacom's international link capacities those numbers are just there for examples.
Now for every person doing data take the 21mbits and start dividing.
Feel free to subtract more from the total due to radio re-transmits if everyone does not have ideal signal.
That's the first part of the problem, now there's 4 people in Plikkiesfontein, each on their own antenna, going 21mbits, that's great but there's no servers in Plikkiesfontein. Oops. Plikkiesfontein only has a 32mbit radio backhaul (start dividing). Ok, now Plikkiesfontein's 32mbit has made it to Vodacom Midrand, along with the rest of the countries other 4gbit of demand. Great, there's 10Gbit of fibre running to Mtunzini and from there we hop onto the submarine cable. But oh no, there's only a STM-16 there (2.5gbits). Again, start dividing.
That pretty much sums it up. Think of the 21/42 mbit tower as your 100mbit network cable in your pc. The 100mbit part doesn't last long till your exposed to slower pieces of the pie.
EDIT: I don't actually remember Vodacom's international link capacities those numbers are just there for examples.
Tim the Techxpert
Expert Member
Hi There,
Good explanation from encrypted. We will have to wait for upgrades to occur to increase the bandwidth. Obviously it is driven by supply and demand and hence a bit of the roller coaster where we need more people paying for the data and increase demand to force the increase in supply.
LTE will give more capacity but it is still going to be divided amongst the users.
Warmest regards
Tim
Good explanation from encrypted. We will have to wait for upgrades to occur to increase the bandwidth. Obviously it is driven by supply and demand and hence a bit of the roller coaster where we need more people paying for the data and increase demand to force the increase in supply.
LTE will give more capacity but it is still going to be divided amongst the users.
Warmest regards
Tim
Easydoc
Active Member
Since my move from Forest Hills, Durban to Roodepoort. Have noticed that 8ta bbspeed is so much more congested here than in the hills of the country.. Half the time my outlook wont connect and a lot of pages won’t open, more bombs out. And for Vodacom, just the same, useless speeds, but my outlook does connect with no probs.