HSDPA quality and speed

[3GisDaMan]

My HSDPSA experiece has never been great, but since last night (28 June) it has been really slow. What happens is that I will be connected, then for 20-30 seconds no data wil be receieved, and then data start streaming again at max 150 kbs. (Yes, lowercase b). A few minutes later, the same thing happens.

My upload speed has never been more than about 60kbs, and have asked V3G to help, the problem seem to have shown it's ugly head again.

Anyone else have the same problem?

 

[masetisi]

Hi there,

Which data card are you using...?

 

[3GisDaMan]

Merlin U740

 

[Duncan]

I got a 3g hdspa contract & data card about a fortnight.This is my first post

Apart from 1 occurence, my data speeds are putrid.
On a speed test this morning I was at 11kb which is a lot slower than a dialup.
I've tried to query this with Vodacom & have just given up after being on hold for half an hour. According to Vodacoms data coverage map I'm in 3g hsdpa coverage.

I found it better to use a 56k dial up some of the time in the last week.

Since I got the card to enable me to work out of my office & I can't do much at 11kb - is this a temprorary issue, have I got a dud card, or is the high speed claims just advertising?

 

[3g_rox]

Duncan and 3GisDaMan,

Have you tried the Vodacom Speed Test at http://speed.vodacom.co.za/speed? Maybe the problem is once you hit the InterWait (sorry internet).

 

[Duncan]

Hi, the telkom https speedtest this morning around 11am came in @11kb. Tried it now (6:15pm) - says speed is 22kb.

Can it be something in my setup?

 

[3g_rox]

Duncan, try a comparative test on http://speed.vodacom.co.za/speed as that test is not affected by current internet traffic.

 

[Dave A]

Got tempted to compare - I've got the Merlin U740.

Vodacom speed test:

Test Start Time : June 29, 2006, 9:26:10 pm
Test End Time : June 29, 2006, 9:26:54 pm
Download Time : 43.46 seconds
Size of file : 5238323 KiloBytes
Estimated line speed : 941.65 (Kilobits/sec)
Estimated line speed : 117.71 (KiloBytes/sec)

Telkom speed test results:

Download time: 13.219 seconds
Size of file: 500 KiloBytes
Estimated line speed: 308.6 (kilobits/second)
Estimated line speed: 37.8 (kiloBytes/second)

Tests were done virtually back-to-back. Spot the difference.

Guess the question now is why?

 

[Duncan]

I stopped the vodacom hdspa test after about 10 minutes.
Irrespective of the results - I generally get response times which are roughly the same as my 56K dial up at home, and very good response times on my 512k ADSL line at work. I've only experienced good access speeds once.

I am finding my 3G experience exceptionally frustrating & would like to know if there is a way to resolve it?

I posted a query to vodacom direct & got an SMS telling me to phone 155 where I only got recorded messages telling me how fast HSDPA is. When I phoned 114 to see if I could get some input, I was on hold for 25 minutes, before an operator offered to transfer me to the data desk & then lost the line.

Vodacom3Gmaster - can you shed some light - is there are temporary problem, or are these the speeds I can expect in the southern suburbs of Cape Town?

 

[3GisDaMan]

My speed test

Duncan and 3GisDaMan,

Have you tried the Vodacom Speed Test at http://speed.vodacom.co.za/speed? Maybe the problem is once you hit the InterWait (sorry internet).

http://speed.vodacom.co.za/test/

Last Result:
Download Speed: 417 kbps (52.1 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 12 kbps (1.5 KB/sec transfer rate)

It's been like this for a few days, Cape Town northern suburbs.

 

[Deiphos]

Hmm, it seems my downgrade to a standard 3G card is proving to be the best move I have made
I have constant download speeds of about 44KB/s, and when I say constant, I mean that they vary between 43KB/s and 45KB/s, they stay at that speed for the entire download, be it 3mb, or 40mb.
I must say, Vodacom are at least trying, but at the moment, I think I am getting better service from Vodacom 3G than what I had on HSDPA, and I am lovin' it

 

[vodacom3g]

I stopped the vodacom hdspa test after about 10 minutes.
Irrespective of the results - I generally get response times which are roughly the same as my 56K dial up at home, and very good response times on my 512k ADSL line at work. I've only experienced good access speeds once.

I am finding my 3G experience exceptionally frustrating & would like to know if there is a way to resolve it?

I posted a query to vodacom direct & got an SMS telling me to phone 155 where I only got recorded messages telling me how fast HSDPA is. When I phoned 114 to see if I could get some input, I was on hold for 25 minutes, before an operator offered to transfer me to the data desk & then lost the line.

Vodacom3Gmaster - can you shed some light - is there are temporary problem, or are these the speeds I can expect in the southern suburbs of Cape Town?

Duncan, won't you PM me your physical address, a contact number and e-mail as well as the results from the Vodacom Speed Test?

 

[vodacom3g]

http://speed.vodacom.co.za/test/

Last Result:
Download Speed: 417 kbps (52.1 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 12 kbps (1.5 KB/sec transfer rate)

It's been like this for a few days, Cape Town northern suburbs.

Where are you? Durbanville?

I've been getting decent speeds in Plattekloof.

 

[kedul]

Belvedere Road, Muizenberg:

GPRS Only profile:
Download Speed: 459 kbps (57.4 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 193 kbps (24.1 KB/sec transfer rate)

3G Only Profile:
Download Speed: 430 kbps (53.8 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 348 kbps (43.5 KB/sec transfer rate)

 

[Bundy2005]

Merlyn U740

This card is one of my alltime favorites, Do yourself a fav try get a change on your card make

 

[3GisDaMan]

Durbanville

Where are you? Durbanville?

I've been getting decent speeds in Plattekloof.

Jip, Durbanville.

Download Speed: 662 kbps (82.8 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 59 kbps (7.4 KB/sec transfer rate)

Will PM you...

 

[Deiphos]

This card [Merlin U740] is one of my alltime favorites, Do yourself a fav try get a change on your card make

The Merlin U740 was in my experience the worst card that is circulating at the moment, and many other people on this forum feel the same way. What did you do to your card to coax it into actually working well?

When I swopped down to a 3G only card, I got a Merlin U630, it is brilliant, so I don't know what Novatell is doing at the moment, it might be firmware (on the Merlin U740) that is programmed for international providers and doesn't mix well with local offerings.

 

[Dave A]

The Merlin U740 was in my experience the worst card that is circulating at the moment, and many other people on this forum feel the same way. What did you do to your card to coax it into actually working well?

I was warned that there were speed issues with the Merlin U740 when I ordered the Elan U132 adaptor. I can only assume the issue has been resolved - my speed test result is listed in an earlier post in this thread and to me seemed OK. Definitely far better than the sub 300kbps I was warned I would experience.

But I'm a novice to HSDPA - maybe I'm missing something?

 

[3GisDaMan]

Mine still a problem...

Download Speed: 455 kbps (56.9 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 56 kbps (7 KB/sec transfer rate)

 

[fingers121]

Mine still a problem...

Download Speed: 455 kbps (56.9 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 56 kbps (7 KB/sec transfer rate)

Just down the road from you in Milnerton, and the speeds are quite good:

Last Result:
Download Speed: 1011 kbps (126.4 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 245 kbps (30.6 KB/sec transfer rate)

Been like that for sometime now, after an initial hic-up though... What's your signal strength like?