CellC EDGE ludicrously slow. Can't use 2 gigs if I try...

kinghemp · Jan 17, 2011

I bought one of these R1499 deals from CellC. I know that there's no HSPA+ coverage in my area but I was willing to go for the EDGE speeds in the mean time. The thing connects after taking quite a while to authenticate. It sits on 0.00kbps for most of the time and randomly jumps up in speed (this has not exceeded 100kpbs) and gets back to its 0.00kbps. This happens all the time, even when downloading. It is at 98% signal strength.

It is taking over 3 minutes to bring up the Facebook login page and over twenty minutes to load the home page. I get download speeds of less than 1kbps (<400bytes p/s) when it's not at 0.00kbps. At this rate I couldn't use all of my data even if I were downloading 24/7. I need some help here because it appears only computers and voicemail machines work at CellC...

risami · Jan 17, 2011

Testing 101: if you can, try taking the sim and popping it into another 3G dongle. See what happens there.
Chances it may actually be the device that's faulty. I was on EDGE (hee hee) with MTN and it shouldn't be that bad!
Ps. If its within 7 days of purchase ...take it back and have them test it and demand they replace the device!

kinghemp · Jan 17, 2011

Thanks "The R" but...

Return it again!? That was only half the story. I originally bought it at East Rand Mall, the device was faulty (no software or drive detected). I returned it but they had just sold the last one. I had to go to Festival Mall to get a replacement dongle. You reckon it's the device again, it can't be...:wtf: I hope...

Will the SIM work in a Vodacom dongle? If so do I use the Vodacom software or the CellC software? If it works better in the Vodacom dongle then I'll demand a replacement. If not, what then?

ajax · Jan 17, 2011

kinghemp said:
Return it again!? That was only half the story. I originally bought it at East Rand Mall, the device was faulty (no software or drive detected). I returned it but they had just sold the last one. I had to go to Festival Mall to get a replacement dongle. You reckon it's the device again, it can't be...:wtf: I hope...

Sounds like you rather have a USB power/detection problem

stormtripper · Jan 17, 2011

@kinghemp, fyi, my CellC SIM works in an MTN 3G dongle. I have better connectivity with the MTN (Huawei E230, HSPA connection, -87dBm) than the CellC E1820 dongle. Have had the R2399 CellC deal for a week in the Brooklyn area and Internet connectivity has been non-existent, intermittent and poor at best for the last week with the CellC dongle. I think there's a problem with the CellC dongle, but it's difficult to prove to the CellC staff since connectivity is whooshing when in the Brooklyn mall. They acknowledge there's a problem with the Brooklyn tower and assume my connectivity issue is due solely to the tower and not the CellC modem.

I did not install the MTN F@stLink software, but am continuing to use the CellC dashboard.

I had sent an email to onlinesupport@cellc.co.za. Never received an email reply, but did get a phone call 3 days later. They said they'll send a tech in 5-7 days.

Terencek · Jan 18, 2011

I can echo that last post: I use my Cell C SIM in an E180 dongle which was originally Telkom branded; Cell C's software supplied on their dongle is in fact simply a rebranding and update of Huawei's Mobile Partner dashboard (version 16, which does not appear to be generally available for open downloading) so it should work with any Huawei dongle or perhaps even an older Huawei datacard.

Some Vodacom-supplied devices (i.e. with the embedded VMC software) do appear to accept the Cell C SIM. If not, installing Mobile Partner also works with them if they are Huawei devices.

I am in fact in a similar situation to kinghemp, as I live in an area where there is no Cell C 'whoosh' and probably never will be. In theory I should get EDGE piggybacked off our local Vodacom tower, but in practice most days, without using my dedicated roof data antenna I am down to GPRS speed. In practical terms, that means two hours plus to download a simple half-hour audio podcast programme!

Shred · Jan 20, 2011

I have exactly the same problem.

Its not the stick because when I got to HSPA+ / WCDMA areas, it works just fine.

Jazzman · Jan 20, 2011

Mine works fine, got it on Saturday used 4Gigs so far.

Location : Benoni

xera · Jan 20, 2011

I have the same problem. I have the E1820. Edge is unusable, 5min to wait for a page to load, and sometimes it doesn't even load!

However, I can use my nice 3year old nokia cellphone with vodacom EDGE, as a modem, over BLUETOOTH, and it works up to 100x faster!

Obviously there is something wrong somewhere....

OldGoat · Jan 20, 2011

Jazzman said:
Mine works fine, got it on Saturday used 4Gigs so far.

Location : Benoni

Cellc has data coverage in Benoni?

NeonNinja · Jul 18, 2011

I'm moved over to King and the EDGE is awfull! Use it for a minute, then have to disconnect and reconnect because it's lost sync! Ag. E.L's got 4G though.

cavedog · Jul 18, 2011

Cellc EDGE network is a absolute disgrace that's why they rolled out 3G me thinks.

Cell_C · Jul 19, 2011

kinghemp said:
I bought one of these R1499 deals from CellC. I know that there's no HSPA+ coverage in my area but I was willing to go for the EDGE speeds in the mean time. The thing connects after taking quite a while to authenticate. It sits on 0.00kbps for most of the time and randomly jumps up in speed (this has not exceeded 100kpbs) and gets back to its 0.00kbps. This happens all the time, even when downloading. It is at 98% signal strength.

It is taking over 3 minutes to bring up the Facebook login page and over twenty minutes to load the home page. I get download speeds of less than 1kbps (<400bytes p/s) when it's not at 0.00kbps. At this rate I couldn't use all of my data even if I were downloading 24/7. I need some help here because it appears only computers and voicemail machines work at CellC...

Good day kinghemp

I have PM you, i require a few details.
will try assist as best as i can.

Regards
~AM~

dadiggle · Jul 20, 2011

edge is slow
236/8=29.5

NeonNinja · Jul 20, 2011

You don't understand. The highest I've seen is 17KB/s. The average is 0.5KB/s!

dadiggle · Jul 20, 2011

Khanya said:
You don't understand. The highest I've seen is 17KB/s. The average is 0.5KB/s!

That total I gave you is the estimated max. That means it will never be reached. If your on windows then it will be slower as well. Modem software updates av firewall everything using some of it plus the network is slower. My advice uninstall all the drivers and software and use mwcom
http://www.mwconn.net/download_mwconn.html

Synaesthesia · Jul 20, 2011

Yes. Cell-C's EDGE is pitiful. MTN has great EDGE coverage, you get very usable speeds. Cell-C's priorities are clearly with their 3G.

NeonNinja · Jul 20, 2011

No, only when I'm in King, I mean when I visit King, which does not have "4G" coverage. I'm in East London. And I get uber fast speeds of over >4Mbps.

IceQB · Jul 20, 2011

True cellc edge sucks compared to mtn's. If i have no 3g with cellc then i use mtn.
Khanya i was in mthatha about a month ago & cellc was unuseable.
Had to revert to mtn 1 day uncapped.

dadiggle · Jul 22, 2011

Its HSPA + actually. Not 4G. Use opera turbo when your on edge and start from a clean boot in windows

CellC EDGE ludicrously slow. Can't use 2 gigs if I try...

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