Imagine WiMax, 3Pay Broadband, or Meteor Pay as You Go? Have you any experience?

runswithascript

A neighbour is looking for a broadband solution, and she's considering opting for the €20 USB 3G deals out there from the mobile telecommunication providers, but we both know people who all seem to have had bad experiences with them?

Perhaps there is a provider that does provide a decent service or maybe there is another wireless solution that's good, I know Irish Broadband at least used to provide a Ripwave modem, although that may not be any better?

She's not prepared to go fixed wireless and doesn't have Chorus/NTL.

If it's relevant to the wireless option, we're in Ranelagh in Dublin.

Considering the following options which we found on callcosts.ie and if you have any experience with any of the packages please weigh in:

Imagine WiMax 3Mb Mobile Broadband 3 Mb/512 Kb

Connection fee/modem cost €50.00

Monthly €10

12 month contract

Download limit 15 GB per month

3Pay Broadband 7 Mb/2 Mb

Connection fee/modem cost €49.00

Monthly €25.00

12 month contract

Download limit 10 GB per month

Meteor Pay As You Go Broadband To Go 7 Mb/1 Mb

Connection fee/modem cost €49.00

Monthly €19.99

No contract

Download limit 7.5 GB per month

watty

None of those are Broadband.

The Imagine WiMax may be Broadband (always on, < 50ms ping, > 1Mbps) depending on mast and subscriber levels.

Meteor, 3, O2 and Vodafone are fast Dialup over Mobile Phone network. Voice calls have priority (usually) and it may not always connect. Ping/Latency is 110ms to 2000ms and speed is only up to quoted speed if you are close to mast and no-one else in your sector is using it. Speed can be 0.1Mbps to 1Mbps during busy period, as low as 50kbps or not connect. Even connected the mobile systems will drop connections. They are for on the go portable/mobile use, not as real broadband.

Imagine bought Irish Broadband and is replacing the really poor Ripwave with a nomadic/fixed modem using Mobile WiMax.

The outdoor Fixed wireless solutions are best Wireless.

If you merely want "cordless" operation in the home, then ANY real broadband solution/provider (including real fixed Wireless) can have a WiFi airpoint or Router for "wireless".

If there are no broadband suppliers available, satellite may be better than 3G /Mobile Internet (so called Mobile Broadband). It too can have in indoor router/WiFi. Main disadvantages are low Cap without paying a lot, > 790ms Ping, 95cm dish and higher install cost. If properly installed it will still give you 3Mbps "nearly broadband" when the rest of the country is a smoking ruin as long as you have UPS, batteries, solar panels or generator. The Satellite's Earth station is in Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg or Netherlands depending on satellite used.

runswithascript

watty wrote: »

None of those are Broadband.

The Imagine WiMax may be Broadband (always on, < 50ms ping, > 1Mbps) depending on mast and subscriber levels.

Meteor, 3, O2 and Vodaphone are fast Dialup over Mobile Phone network. Voice calls have priority (usually) and it may not always connect. Ping/Latency is 110ms to 2000ms and speed is only up to quoted speed if you are close to mast and no-one else in your sector is using it. Speed can be 0.1Mbps to 1Mbps during busy period, as low as 50kbps or not connect. Even connected the mobile systems will drop connections. They are for on the go portable/mobile use, not as real broadband.

They're allowed advertise it as such? I mean as broadband, not the up to wording as I know Eircom advertise their DSL as such.

Imagine bought Irish Broadband and is replacing the really poor Ripwave with a nomadic/fixed modem using Mobile WiMax.

The outdoor Fixed wireless solutions are best Wireless.

Yeah I'm aware Imagine bought them and I have fixed wireless @ 3Mbps from Irish Broadband myself of which I think I'm due an upgrade, but...

LA3G wrote: »

She's not prepared to go fixed wireless and doesn't have Chorus/NTL.

I should have also stated she doesn't want DSL because of the line rental and installation cost.

If you merely want "cordless" operation in the home, then ANY real broadband solution/provider (including real fixed Wireless) can have a WiFi airpoint or Router for "wireless".

She's desperate so having a WLAN or not isn't really an issue, when I said wireless broadband I really meant wireless *broadband because she's after something cheap and easy.

* Accordingly I meant broadband or fast dialup over mobile phone. Can you tell me if there is a technical term for that, I know it has to be called something other than 3G internet access?

If there are no broadband suppliers available, satellite may be better than 3G /Mobile Internet (so called Mobile Broadband). It too can have in indoor router/WiFi. Main disadvantages are low Cap without paying a lot, > 790ms Ping, 95cm dish and higher install cost. If properly installed it will still give you 3Mbps "nearly broadband" when the rest of the country is a smoking ruin as long as you have UPS, batteries, solar panels or generator. The Satellite's Earth station is in Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxemburg or Netherlands depending on satellite used.

That's actually a nice thought

So it's looking like Imagine's WiMax is the way to go? The thing is I know she's tempted by Meteor's no contract deal. Internet access from home is the priority, mobile internet use would be a bonus.

watty

The ASAI is not interested in enforcing Broadband advertising. Several years ago Comreg talked about enforcing advertising of a "busy period" average speed (a realistic measure). They asked ISPs for statistics, I see no difference in the totally misleading advertising of speed, broadband and even "unlimited".

There ARE specs for Broadband. No Mobile Product from 3, O2, Meteor, Vodafone can meet them (3G Mobile so called "Broadband", really Midband). LTE the next generation product can only meet "Broadband" specs if few people are using a mast.

Imagine's WiMax may or may not be better than the 3G Mobile product depending on mast. As more subscribers sign up on "your" mast the service degrades quickly as it has very limited capacity.

There is NO Broadband product whatsoever associated with 3's, O2, Meteor and Vodafone's Mobile network. Vodafone does do real broadband on DSL.

Imagine's WiMax is only "Broadband" on undersubscribed masts with a good signal. It's about x16 less efficent than true fixed Wireless in same spectrum.

Any decent real broadband has at least 6mths or 1 year contract and some install cost. Occasionally if you pay a year, or there is a special offer there may be free install on real broadband.

Check out other fixed Wireless operators, Digiweb Metro, Digiweb Satellite, DSL special offers etc.

Midband forum for discusssion of Satellite, Imagine's WiMax, and Mobile Products: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1147

But you are better paying for real broadband, unless all you want is to read an occasional news item, pay car tax and odd email.

maringo

I've had Three mobile (about 20 a month) for the past year having had the following previously.
a dial-up for the previous years which nearly drove me demented. I was using the dial-up with the speed up package "Onspeed" which did speed it up somewhat but still unsatisfactory.
I then changed to BT their cheapest package which was a little faster but not great and still very slow. I live quite a distance from the phone exchange.

I changed to mobile "broadband" the cheapest package with Three and it is somewhat better. I find it useful to have the mobile as I can use it on the go with my mac laptop and at home on my pc too. I also used it when staying in the UK. However the connection can sometimes break down and recently when staying in the Carlow area it was particularly bad.

For me the mobile "Three broadband" has proved a bit better than my previous dialups and what suits me is its portability. But we are really being ripped off compared to other European countries for what passes for broadband but is in effect dial-up. I don't know if 02 and Vodafone mobile "broadband" are any better as I haven't experienced them. But of all that I have had despite its shortcomings I have found Three mobile bearable! Don't know if distance from a mast has a bearing on that.

watty

Mobile 3G is usually (but not always) better than dialup. But it's not Broadband. It's technically "Midband". Dialup, ISDN with 2 channels or less and other systems (Wireless Local Loop, Ripwave) are technically called "Narrowband".

See
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055167684
and
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055442502
and
http://www.techtir.ie/node/1000003

thebman

watty wrote: »

Mobile 3G is usually (but not always) better than dialup. But it's not Broadband. It's technically "Midband". Dialup, ISDN with 2 channels or less and other systems (Wireless Local Loop, Ripwave) are technically called "Narrowband".

See
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055167684
and
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055442502
and
http://www.techtir.ie/node/1000003

True but of the options the user posted, Imagine are probably the first one I'd try.

I'm using Imagine at the moment and speeds are usually good and service has improved a lot since it first launched when it was a complete disaster. They block all P2P traffic so this keeps away many of the massive download hogs from using their service even if it is a midband system.

I regularly get 7-9Mbps although at busy times, it falls to about 1/2 Megabit sometimes but usually its still good most of the time.

watty

My fixed Wireless drops from 8Mbps "package speed" to 7.4Mbps at busy times.

0.5Mbps is atrocious and not Broadband. What will your connection be like in 6mths if they add more customers?

I said of the options posted that Imagine "might" be the best. But in a different area O2 or Vodafone or Meteor 3G/Mobile might be better(but not broadband). The OP needs to decide if it's just occasional use Internet or actual Broadband that is desired.

thebman

watty wrote: »

My fixed Wireless drops from 8Mbps "package speed" to 7.4Mbps at busy times.

0.5Mbps is atrocious and not Broadband. What will your connection be like in 6mths if they add more customers?

I said of the options posted that Imagine "might" be the best. But in a different area O2 or Vodafone or Meteor 3G/Mobile might be better(but not broadband). The OP needs to decide if it's just occasional use Internet or actual Broadband that is desired.

New people signing up will leave during the cooling off period if the service is that poor.

I don't like it going to that low but I'm only with Imagine until UPC upgrade my estate sometime this year.

I was on Imagine Fixed Wireless but their caps are ridiculous for 2010 on their fixed wireless services. I'd rather half a meg without having to worry about downloading two files in the same month or how many youtube videos I watch.

watty

256kps x 24hrs x 30 days is about 80Gbyte!

I think.

runswithascript

The neighbour doesn't know how long she'll be in the country, wants something cheap and without contract so she's going with Meteor although I made clear WiMax may be better.

Thanks for all the input.

channelsurfer2

is digiweb's chatter package mband or the same as imagines wimax? also any opinions on it from existing customers?

watty

Digiweb's "Chatterbox" Broadband + phone appears to be Metro. Which is Real fixed Wireless Broadband. Not Midband.

I've had Metro + phone for years..


I'm on 8Mbps package. I don't think I've seen it below 7.3Mbps at peak time.

I get better ping to heanet.ie or boards.ie. My fax works also. No phone line.

channelsurfer2

thanks watty... so you would recommend it? thinking of changing from eircom to it if its available here in offaly but wanted someone that has it alreadys opinion.

channelsurfer2

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

thanks watty... so you would recommend it? thinking of changing from eircom to it if its available here in offaly but wanted someone that has it alreadys opinion.

just rang digiweb..... seems I cant get the chatterbox... only dsl broadband and its more or less the same as eircom

drunkmonkey

If you've got eircom dsl you should stay with that. None of the midband or wimax providers are as good.

Why do you want to leave them, are you sure you've got dsl at the moment?

channelsurfer2

yep definetly have eircom dsl for the last year. was thinking of leaving mainly for price as eircom are 56 euros a month compared to the digiweb chatter package of 40 euros... have heard bad reports about vodafone dsl so thats why I dont want to go with vodafone.

drunkmonkey

Don't touch Vodafone it's dirt, I had to use mobile broadband while I was with Vodafone that's how bad their fixed line service is.

You may be paying a bit extra at the moment but if you haven't access to UPC, Magnet, Digiweb etc your better off with the Devil you know.

thebman

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

yep definetly have eircom dsl for the last year. was thinking of leaving mainly for price as eircom are 56 euros a month compared to the digiweb chatter package of 40 euros... have heard bad reports about vodafone dsl so thats why I dont want to go with vodafone.

Any of the resellers will still have to charge you line rental so bitstream providers or eircom resellers have very little savings they can offer.

You could ask Imagine about their Breeze product and say it is the only one that you will sign up with them for as it is a fixed wireless product. They are no longer actively selling it AFAIK and trying to migrate people from it to this WiMAX product but they are letting existing customers stay on it if they wish so they might be willing to sell it to you.

jay93

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Don't touch Vodafone it's dirt, I had to use mobile broadband while I was with Vodafone that's how bad their fixed line service is.

You may be paying a bit extra at the moment but if you haven't access to UPC, Magnet, Digiweb etc your better off with the Devil you know.

yeah vodafones DSL is dirt alrite it drove me mad while i had it it was that bad!!i had to resort to using o2 midband which suprisingly was even better than vodafones DSL ..also used vodafone 3G for a while and that was worse than anything ive ever used all in all id avoid vodafone in the future also had bad problems with my mobile service from them i dislike vodafone alot

smelly sock

watty wrote: »

Digiweb's "Chatterbox" Broadband + phone appears to be Metro. Which is Real fixed Wireless Broadband. Not Midband.

I've had Metro + phone for years..


I'm on 8Mbps package. I don't think I've seen it below 7.3Mbps at peak time.

I get better ping to heanet.ie or boards.ie. My fax works also. No phone line.

How do you find downloading into a torrent?

watty

Very heavy rain reduces the upload speed a bit

lubo_moravcik

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055115306

Silver Bullet

Imagine are the last service provider i would use. I have had a lot of dealings with them. They are a very shady company to deal with to say the least. Never enter any contract of any kind with them as they simply will not be able to honour it. Do not give them your bank account details either.

I'm with vodafone at the moment very good, however will probably change over to UPC.

Hope this helps in anyone's decisoion making process!

Mul2010

I got imagine in the other day, IT IS NOTT what they say it is, i have it in Athlone, and the upload is gone rubbish. The best excuse they can give me after 3 months is, there is too many using it, and its slowing it down, Like come on. Not professional atal. If they spent some money on looking after their customers instead of advertising for more everywhere. They'd be ok :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

JohnOwonga

Silver Bullet wrote: »

Imagine are the last service provider i would use. I have had a lot of dealings with them. They are a very shady company to deal with to say the least. Never enter any contract of any kind with them as they simply will not be able to honour it. Do not give them your bank account details either.

I'm with vodafone at the moment very good, however will probably change over to UPC.

Hope this helps in anyone's decisoion making process!

>>>>>
Imagine Wimax how easy/difficult is it to get out of contract with them
if there 8MB Wimax gives bad intermitent performance?


Regards

JohnOwonga

Mul2010 wrote: »

I got imagine in the other day, IT IS NOTT what they say it is, i have it in Athlone, and the upload is gone rubbish. The best excuse they can give me after 3 months is, there is too many using it, and its slowing it down, Like come on. Not professional atal. If they spent some money on looking after their customers instead of advertising for more everywhere. They'd be ok :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

>>>>>>>>
Do you intend staying with Imagine's Wimax for their full 12 month contract?

JohnOwonga

watty wrote: »

Very heavy rain reduces the upload speed a bit

Torrential Rain slows Wireless "Broadband" download speeds aswell?
including Wimax

watty

Variation of attenuation with Frequency.


Fixed Wireless Broadband and Satellite:
They measure signal level and take note of if heavy rain or clear. If clear the signal has to be higher (by known amount per band and equipment) to allow rain margin. Or they are supposed to. If the level isn't enough for operation in Rain (On many systems the speed is not changed) then you don't get an install. On many systems all users get same speed ranges no matter distance (signal level).

Imagine Wimax and 3G/HSPA
No-one measures the signal level as you "self install" or use it "on the go". Either it works or not. The speed per user is dependent on distance, interference, rain and traffic on other cells nearby, not just on how many people are using it. It may even disconnect in rain.

Some Frequencies. Lower in list is worse for Rain

1. Original GSM 900MHz
2. Some GSM @ 1800MHz
3. 3G/HSPA 2100MHz = 2.1 GHz
4. WiFi based outdoor systems or Licence Free 2.4GHz, Some FWA
5. MMDS 2.6GHz (should have big enough aerial for Rain)
6. 3.6GHz Imagine WiMax, other FWALA, Breeze
7. 5.8GHz registered but Licence free FWA (also WiFi). Some Breeze
8. 10.6GHz. Various systems, inc Metro. Always only installed if has rain margin
9. 12.3Ghz Defunct SCTV MMDS

Satellite

1. GPS 1.57542 GHz (L1 signal) and 1.2276 GHz (L2 signal). Moving
2. C band 4GHz
3. Ku Band TV and Satellite Internet Downlink 10.7 .. 12.6GHZ
4. K Band Satellite Internet Uplink14Ghz to 18GHz approx
5. Ka Band 18GHz to 20GHz downlink. 22Ghz to 24GHz uplink

based on http://www.techtir.ie/comms/signal-loss-limits