EDGE for high-speed dialup

[alanc]

I'm using Vodacom 3G data card for high-speed data access to my office. Not ecstatic about the service. Sometimes it’s incredibly slow – so slow that the applications time-out. Hoping EDGE is better. I also want EDGE for Internet access via Nokia 9300. Please let me know how you have been experiencing EDGE for data and Internet access – especially if you are fortunate enough to have been able to compare with data access using Vodacom 3G.

Thanks,
Alan.

 

[dbnnet]

I'm using a Sierra Wireless EDGE card with much success.
(It has a fairly good footprint in all the major centers).
Voda's 3G is limited by the lack of a decent footprint.
Also, it's upload speeds are slower than EDGE.

 

[alanc]

Thanks dbnnet. The EDGE footprint looks really good on the coverage map, so it is very tempting. If I may ask, is this your primary method for accessing the Internet? You don't have a 'backup' ISDN or POTS line for times when the EDGE service is down or too slow?

 

[dbnnet]

Alanc, my primary access is via Sentech's MyWireless.
I use my EDGE card for when I travel, as well as a backup for MyWireless.
(I have a P111 PCMCIA to PCI adapter card in my PC too).
Although EDGE is slightly slower than MyWireless, it works well, and I'm yet to experience any real problems.

 

[alanc]

Cool, thanks dbnnet.

 

[Hydrofire]

EDGE rocks. I've used MTN 3G, but it wasn't noticeably better. I've turned it off 3G to conserve battery life.

 

[alanc]

Hydrofire, when you say EDGE "rocks", please qualify.

1) It's ALWAYS available when you need it (assuming the tower supports EDGE).
2) Download speeds do not slow down to unacceptable levels, even at peak network times.
3) The signal does not fade away to effectively zero bars the way a cell phone signal does.
4) MTN does not SHAPE your traffic. I'm specifically interested in whether VPN traffic to the office will be throttled.

Thanks,
Alan.

 

[mancombseepgood]

Yeah

And what can one expect to pay for an EDGE modem? Are theu USB / pci / etc.
Thanks!

 

[ScrnScrm]

Hydrofire, when you say EDGE "rocks", please qualify.

1) It's ALWAYS available when you need it (assuming the tower supports EDGE).
2) Download speeds do not slow down to unacceptable levels, even at peak network times.
3) The signal does not fade away to effectively zero bars the way a cell phone signal does.
4) MTN does not SHAPE your traffic. I'm specifically interested in whether VPN traffic to the office will be throttled.

Thanks,
Alan.

HI Alan
EDGE is a best effort, aggregated service, so will not be ALWAYS available. Having said that, provided people are not abusing the BTS (Base Transmitting Station), you should get very consistent throughput. Signal strength on GSM based networks is pretty consistent - the cells do not "breathe" like 3G cells because GSM uses time division and not code division (3G) (In other words, signal noise control is much better on GSM). Your signal strength will be more a factor of your location than a factor of how many people are active in the cell. Traffic is not shaped yet. With regards to throughput, in my experience it is pretty consistent, and works particularly well with VPN and RDP based applications because UPLOAD speeds are better than on 3G (118 vs 64). So if you are using something like Microsoft Terminal Services to do remote support or accees an application, you will find EDGE delivers a better service.
Hope this helps to clarify things for you!
Cheers -
ScrnScrm

 

[alanc]

Thanks ScrnScrm. Great reply.