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Is Skype ok to use with USB Modem?

  • 22-05-2009 11:17am
    #1
    sumse
    Closed Accounts Posts: 68 ✭✭


    Hi,

    i would like to get the USB broadband and im wondering if nayone has any experience in how the connection is with skype?

    Are those broadband usbs fast enough?
    And which one can you recommend best?

    Area Tralee

    Thanks


Comments

  • #2
    high horse
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,014 ✭✭✭high horse


    My brother has O2 broadband and I have 2Mb broadband in my house. I've tried to call him on skype a few times and it just drops the call every couple of minutes. It has never dropped a call on any other connection with broadband so I don't think mobile broadband handles it very well


  • #3
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    Speed is not the issue, latency/ping is the problem. Typically the ping on 3G is about 170ms, which is probably usable for Skype, but it can vary to as much as 2 seconds, which is going to pretty much kill your conversation.

    It depends on whether or not you can live with what you get. Technically it does work, but it very likely could be complete crap.

    Unless you need mobility, get proper broadband.


  • #4
    watty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Skype or any other VOIP works very poorly on 3G. Depends where you are, how many people making phone calls and/or data etc on the same mast. It can more or less work for about 20% to 25% of users/situations/places/times

    Too muchh speed variation, jitter, packet loss and session drops.

    There is no such thing as "USB Broadband".

    Mobile Internet can use a USB, PCMCIA, express card, Bluetooth, WiFi or ethernet connected modem.

    Other Broadband/Internet products such as Cable or Ripwave can use a USB port & cable.

    Unless you need Mobility, get Cable, DSL (phone wire) or Fixed Wireless, not a USB based Mobile Modem.

    This is why:
    http://www.radioway.info/comparewireless/CompareHSPAandFixed-v4.html

    3, O2, Vodafone and Meteor offer Mobile services that they call Broadband. However it does not meet OECD or US FCC specs for Broadband.

    * The upto 3.6, 7.2 or 14.4 Mbps speed only is reached in less than 10% of cases, less than 3% for 14.4
    * speed can be as low as 50k (0.05Mbps)
    * It may not connect at all or drop connections
    * Jitter is very bad
    * Latency is 80ms to 2000ms, typically about 200ms. Satellite is 790ms and real fixed Broadband usually under 50ms. Makes it poor for Remote Desktop, bidding, gaming and VOIP.

    3's Skype phones actually make real 3G phone calls to a 3 server which converts it to VOIP/Skype. So it works well, but it isn't Skype.


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