Mobile Broadband (HSDPA)

Michael Collins

Simple question for people in the know here:

I bought a VAIO laptop with Built-In 3G, can I make use of this facility at all?

Thanks...

jor el

Possibly, but most of the operators will only sell you a broadband SIM with a modem, using your own may note be an option. Call to a shop, or give them a ring to find out.

You've already seen the threads about which ones should (O2/Vodafone) and shouldn't (Three) be used I presume?

watty

You can get a SIM (sometimes free) and though for phone handset it will work. Some Operators will let you change the package you on to a Data one same as a Modem has.


It is MOBILE internet, not Fixed BROADBAND, despite the fact that 80% of desperate people that want Broadband are buying it as they can't get Broadband.

Michael Collins

Thanks for the replies. So if i get a normal SIM and put it into the laptop, will it work straight away for HSDPA @ 3.6 Mbit/sec, or do I have to change to a DATA package? If not, which operators will let me change do you know?

I took a trip to Carphone Wearhouse, they didn't know much so I went to a 3G store, they told me to ring up Three - which I did, but none of the people I talked to new what I really wanted. They kept asking me where I got my modem, I just kept telling them it was built into the laptop - this got them very confused.

It is MOBILE internet, not Fixed BROADBAND, despite the fact that 80% of desperate people that want Broadband are buying it as they can't get Broadband.

I assume you make the distinction because of blocked ports and possible connection issues that make it less useful than fixed broadband? The advertised speed for HSDPA is 3.6 Mbit/s which should be as good as most fixed broadband speeds today...

drunkmonkey

Both 3 and 02 are now selling the e220 modem for €19 when you sign up to broadband...for €19.99pm

Suggest you sign up to one of them, get the sim and the cheap modem....keep the modem just in case you ever need it again.....

dub45

Michael Collins wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. So if i get a normal SIM and put it into the laptop, will it work straight away for HSDPA @ 3.6 Mbit/sec, or do I have to change to a DATA package? If not, which operators will let me change do you know?

I took a trip to Carphone Wearhouse, they didn't know much so I went to a 3G store, they told me to ring up Three - which I did, but none of the people I talked to new what I really wanted. They kept asking me where I got my modem, I just kept telling them it was built into the laptop - this got them very confused.

I assume you make the distinction because of blocked ports and possible connection issues that make it less useful than fixed broadband? The advertised speed for HSDPA is 3.6 Mbit/s which should be as good as most fixed broadband speeds today...

Nothing to do with ports -fixed bb is a totally differnet kettle of fish - they really are very different products. the advertised speed of mobile bb will bear little or no relation to what you will actually get even with a good provider. Mobile bb is really geared towards casual use - some purists would not consider bb at all but for people with no other options it can be a good option.

watty

Michael Collins wrote: »

The advertised speed for HSDPA is 3.6 Mbit/s which should be as good as most fixed broadband speeds today...

Basically a lie. Real Broadband uses 25Mbps to 200Mbps to deliver multiple users with 1Mbps or 3Mbps packages.

HSDPA speed is the ENTIRE CAPACITY of the sector. If 10 users are downloading simultaneously on a TDMA or token based system you would get then about 360kbps each, i.e. 1/10th. But HSDPA is CDMA based so you can easily get 1/20th of the 3.6Mbps if 9 other people are simultaneously using that sector of the mast. That is only 180Kbps. Hardly Broadband. The Latency rises from 120ms (one user) to 200ms to 900ms or even more with 10 users (5 times to 20times worse than real broadband).

HSDPA is not Broadband, it was never designed as Broadband, but MOBILE internet sharing capacity with voice calls. LTE *MIGHT* deliver a real broadband experience, HSDPA never does. Even when speed is 3.6Mbps because your signal is good, you are close to mast, not moving and no-one else using it, the latency is still typically 4 to 5 times worse than real Broadband.

Real broadband you can always connect or really are always connected. HSDPA is a very fast connecting dialup and if the sector has maybe 25 users you may not connect at all.

But it's MOSTLY (not always) better than Analogue Dialup.

Michael Collins

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Both 3 and 02 are now selling the e220 modem for €19 wehn you sign up to broadband...for €19.99pm

Suggest you sign up to one of them, get the sim and the cheap modem....then fook away the modem or flog it on adverts.ie

OK. So the SIM isn't tied to a particular modem then?

That should be OK so if that works. As regards the speed issue that's pretty much what I suspected. It almost seems like a step down from years ago when I used to use HSCSD - at least then you had the entire link to yourself. It doesn't really bother me. It's mainly for internet and email, given the "Fair Usage" limitations, I certainly won't be downloading too many large files.

Also, what do people think are the chances of Vodafone or 02 introducing a prepaid HSDPA service like Three have?

watty

No. It's Modems that are subsidized that are tied to an operator. Just like phones.

Michael Collins

OK that's good to know. For some reason I got it into my head there was a restriction on these akin to the Sky Digibox / Viewing Card. Thanks a lot everyone.

jor el

Michael Collins wrote: »

The advertised speed for HSDPA is 3.6 Mbit/s which should be as good as most fixed broadband speeds today...

watty wrote: »

Even when speed is 3.6Mbps because your signal is good, you are close to mast, not moving and no-one else using it, the latency is still typically 4 to 5 times worse than real Broadband.

On those notes, the very best you could hope for is something like this:

I'm currently not moving, the weather is pretty good (no rain), there's no big thick concrete walls between the mast and me, and, crucially, I'm within spitting distance of the mast. I can't imagine there's many other users in this sector right now either, given the speed I have. This is probably as good as HSDPA ever gets. The worst you could expect would be GPRS, and 56k would be the target there.

Michael Collins wrote: »

Also, what do people think are the chances of Vodafone or 02 introducing a prepaid HSDPA service like Three have?

I really don't think Vodafone or O2 are going after this market to be honest. They've both priced above Three since the beginning, and I really think their target is business customers. Three are really going for the home broadband market, but Vodafone and O2 don't seem to be, not to the same extent anyway. Casual, pay as you go use, is therefore not likely to be something they'll be interested in.

I'm hoping O2 don't anyway. More users means poorer performance. Becoming another Three is something I'd rather they didn't do.

dogbytes

I've been using HSDPA broadband in London for the past year - I use my handset as modem. Connect to it from my laptop with cable or bluetooth.
It's ok, but after a few months I still went and got standard broadband down the land line.
HSDPA is never as fast as broadband and my connection drops frequently - probably due to too many users in the area connecting.:rolleyes:
Another thing to note is that all images are compressed via mobile networks, so alot of web pages end up looking blurry. You can reload the page with ctrl F5 to bring up the page in full resolution. I also found this a bit annoying as I use Flickr alot.
In fact it took me a while to cop on to this and I thought the screen/display on my laptop was messed up!:o

But I must say, I do find it handy if I'm away from home and I want to do some light web browsing/check my email. I'm able to get online wherever I bring my laptop. Though the speed will be slow (like 56k) if you're outside a 3G coverage area.

Onikage

jor el wrote: »

I really don't think Vodafone or O2 are going after this market to be honest. They've both priced above Three since the beginning, and I really think their target is business customers. Three are really going for the home broadband market, but Vodafone and O2 don't seem to be, not to the same extent anyway. Casual, pay as you go use, is therefore not likely to be something they'll be interested in.

O2 are the cheapest option right now. €20 for a E220 modem and €20 a month. Compared to €50 and €20 from 3.

http://www.o2online.ie/wps/wcm/connect/O2/Home/Shop/Broadband/Buy+Broadband+now/

_Nuno_

Onikage wrote: »

O2 are the cheapest option right now. €20 for a E220 modem and €20 a month. Compared to €50 and €20 from 3.

http://www.o2online.ie/wps/wcm/connect/O2/Home/Shop/Broadband/Buy+Broadband+now/

Also with the diference that O2 actually works, while 3 is a load of crap (I've had both).

I have O2 and most of the time I am getting near to 3 Mbps. Latency does tend to be high, but considering how crappy broadband in general is in Ireland, I am pretty happy with it. I do have DSL at home though.

drunkmonkey

Onikage wrote: »

O2 are the cheapest option right now. €20 for a E220 modem and €20 a month. Compared to €50 and €20 from 3.

http://www.o2online.ie/wps/wcm/connect/O2/Home/Shop/Broadband/Buy+Broadband+now/

You can get the e220 off 3 for 19.99 as well, same offer as 02, don't think there really pushing it, but it's available...

Onikage

Hmmm... must be a secret. The website still says 49 and no mention of the e220 http://www.3ireland.ie/broadband/paymonthly.htm

Podge2k7

In Carphone warehouse o2 and vodafone modems are free!!

zacseph

Yuppers - I believe the vodafone modems are free - and vf & 02 both have guarantees for the first couple weeks or so... could be worth a try...