O2 Mobile Broadband Problem - Simple solution?

Trotter

I've just signed up for the O2 mobile broadband. So far I'm not really impressed as I'm getting 45 - 100 kbps.

I'm away from home in Cavan at the moment for a couple of weeks and I figured it'd work well because the coverage map says so!

Can anyone tell me why the signal is showing as full coverage HSDPA but yet I'm getting 46kbps down and 250kbps up?

Is there any settings I can change or is it a case of bringing it back before the 30 day guarantee is up?

God knows how long this post will take to submit...

cgarvey

Trotter wrote: »

Can anyone tell me why the signal is showing as full coverage HSDPA but yet I'm getting 46kbps down and 250kbps up?

Sounds like contention! All users in your cell (the area covered by the mast/sector you're associated with) share that maximum bandwidth. Rural cells (in my experience) are more likely to be heavily contended because they cover vastly larger areas and most people in those areas don't have access to broadband so sign up to mobile access.

So assuming your signal level is right, or close to it, it would look like that there are a few users, in your cell, downloading a good bit, but not uploading (hence you have a bigger slice of the upload speed).

There's nothing you can do about it, unfortunately, other than:
a) Accept that mobile "broadband" (I use quotes, because that definition of broadband is not shared by many) isn't a substitute for FWA, cable or DSL broadband, and that it will vary hugely (the plus is that it's fixed rate internet access that you can take anywhere in the country)
b) Move to a different cell and see if that helps
c) Bring the modem back if you're still within the trial period (you could try another operator, in case they have a less contended cell serving you).

Sponge Bob

cgarvey wrote: »

Sounds like contention! All users in your cell (the area covered by the mast/sector you're associated with) share that maximum bandwidth. Rural cells (in my experience) are more likely to be heavily contended because they cover vastly larger areas and most people in those areas don't have access to broadband so sign up to mobile access.

The only real way to get more bandwidth is to increase the number of sectors on the cell say from 3 to 6 , you need to make the case in every direction to do that .

There's nothing you can do about it, unfortunately, other than:
a) Accept that mobile "broadband" (I use quotes, because that definition of broadband is not shared by many) isn't a substitute for FWA, cable or DSL broadband, and that it will vary hugely (the plus is that it's fixed rate internet access that you can take anywhere in the country)
b) Move to a different cell and see if that helps
c) Bring the modem back if you're still within the trial period (you could try another operator, in case they have a less contended cell serving you).

Its only moving the problem around, all the operators are probably on the one mast in the village when what is needed is more masts ( hence cells and sectors , hence bandwidth) .

Alternatively why not do the right thing ( long term) an support your local WISP, that would be Net1 in east cavan and Ciaracom in west Cavan

Trotter

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Alternatively why not do the right thing ( long term) an support your local WISP, that would be Net1 in east cavan and Ciaracom in west Cavan

Thanks for all the advice. I'll struggle on.. its not as bad this evenin.

Im from the South East, I'm just in Cavan for a few weeks on a course.

Sponge Bob

Lord!

If you are only there a few weeks then get a 5m USB extension cable and dangle it out the window ....or blu tack it to the ceiling .

pwd

I'm in Limerick city centre and the best I've gotten is 50kbps. Almot all the time it is under 20. Full signal too
ah I see - full signal for the edge network, which isn't as good. I'm in the city centre so that's odd, but I hguess my nice thick wall keep out bb signals as well as noise

Trotter

Just noticed they've dropped the price to €20 a month!! And the modem is now only €19!

My happiness guarantee is up on the 30th July. I'm gonna bring it back and say I don't want it. I'll get my missis to sign up then and get the cheaper one. I'll just pay the bill. Theres some rule that they wont let you try it again for 6 months if you bring it back.

pwd

I tried it again and it logged on to the hspa network and worked quite well but it reverted to edge after a few minutes. Is there anyway of locking it to use hspda only? There doesn't seem to be in the settings

AlmightyCushion

There should be a setting called "3g only".

pwd

no only wcdma only or gsm only
It switches to hpsa while the former is enabled though.
Signal isn't good enough to use mos of the time in my flat though.
I'm around the college now and it's good. 3 bar hspa the whole time and fast enough. Flat is in the middle of several big buildings so i guess that's why the signal is crap there. Seems to be an issue with the signal rather than contention anyway.

Sam Vimes

wcdma is 3g. Also, in my day the money back guarantee was 14 days. Are you sure it's now 30?i

pwd

hspa seems better than wcdma though. It's 30 now yeah I double checked when I got it.