Comparison of 4g speed among the major carriers

[Meat-O-Rama]

http://gigaom.com/mobile/4g-testing-rootmetrics/

I've been shopping around looking for a portable 4g hotspot, looks like I've found my answer.

 

[Meat-O-Rama]

And just in time:

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/27/verizons-samsung-4g-lte-mobile-hotspot-launches-march-31st/

 

[theogt]

Hmmm....I average more than that on AT&T 3G, so I'm not sure how they're coming up with those numbers.

Edit: Oh, they're not comparing AT&T 4G against the others, they're comparing AT&T 3G against the others. Not sure why they'd do that. They're only looking at Seattle and apparently AT&T doesn't have 4G in Seattle yet. Misleading to say the least.

 

[TheCount]

Hmmm....I average more than that on AT&T 3G, so I'm not sure how they're coming up with those numbers.

Edit: Oh, they're not comparing AT&T 4G against the others, they're comparing AT&T 3G against the others. Not sure why they'd do that. They're only looking at Seattle and apparently AT&T doesn't have 4G in Seattle yet. Misleading to say the least.

The whole "4G" thing is tricky since there's no official definition for the term.

AT&T hasn't actually flipped the switch on a "true" 4G network, they have an upgraded 3G network. Their fastest network technology is currently HSPA which, despite how they advertise it, is 3G technology.

They are working on a HSPA+ technology, which while still being 3G, is theoretically capable of near 4G speeds. T-Mobiles "4G" network is also HSPA+, which is probably part of why they bought them instead of spending the money expanding it themselves.

AT&T is currently only testing their 4G LTE network (which is what Verizon and Sprint have), I believe Dallas is actually one of the few cities where that's going on. It's supposed to be released in the middle of this year, but we'll see.

Personally I think the whole 4G thing is a tad overblown, no one is going to want a phone that is always on 4G because their devices won't even last a full day. The best bet probably is to go about it the way AT&T is doing it and have several layers, and devices that can skip from one to the other.

 

[theogt]

The whole "4G" thing is tricky since there's no official definition for the term.

AT&T hasn't actually flipped the switch on a "true" 4G network, they have an upgraded 3G network. Their fastest network technology is currently HSPA which, despite how they advertise it, is 3G technology.

They are working on a HSPA+ technology, which while still being 3G, is theoretically capable of near 4G speeds. T-Mobiles "4G" network is also HSPA+, which is probably part of why they bought them instead of spending the money expanding it themselves.

AT&T is currently only testing their 4G LTE network (which is what Verizon and Sprint have), I believe Dallas is actually one of the few cities where that's going on. It's supposed to be released in the middle of this year, but we'll see.

Personally I think the whole 4G thing is a tad overblown, no one is going to want a phone that is always on 4G because their devices won't even last a full day. The best bet probably is to go about it the way AT&T is doing it and have several layers, and devices that can skip from one to the other.

Makes sense.

 

[Jenky]

There's hardly any users on Verizon's LTE network. They just launched the Thunderbolt, which is the equivalent to Sprint's EVO. It's the only 4g capable phone they have out right now. I've actually already seen these dl / ul numbers a couple of weeks ago for this particular phone.

Their network is no where near close to being saturated so having ~16 Mbps downloads isn't too surprising.

"One could argue that few are on the network, which is a valid point, but regardless, the carrier is delivering as advertised, with an average download speed of more than 17 Mbps and 100 percent availability in Root’s testing."

 

[Jenky]

The whole "4G" thing is tricky since there's no official definition for the term.

AT&T hasn't actually flipped the switch on a "true" 4G network, they have an upgraded 3G network. Their fastest network technology is currently HSPA which, despite how they advertise it, is 3G technology.

They are working on a HSPA+ technology, which while still being 3G, is theoretically capable of near 4G speeds. T-Mobiles "4G" network is also HSPA+, which is probably part of why they bought them instead of spending the money expanding it themselves.

AT&T is currently only testing their 4G LTE network (which is what Verizon and Sprint have), I believe Dallas is actually one of the few cities where that's going on. It's supposed to be released in the middle of this year, but we'll see.

Personally I think the whole 4G thing is a tad overblown, no one is going to want a phone that is always on 4G because their devices won't even last a full day. The best bet probably is to go about it the way AT&T is doing it and have several layers, and devices that can skip from one to the other.

Apparently you can't turn off 4g on the Thunderbolt, unless rooted. The phone lasts about 4 hours. :laugh2:

 

[TheCount]

Apparently you can't turn off 4g on the Thunderbolt, unless rooted. The phone lasts about 4 hours. :laugh2:

Ouch. I've heard it's ridiculously fast, but that's not even remotely practical battery life.

 

[the kid 05]

Apparently you can't turn off 4g on the Thunderbolt, unless rooted. The phone lasts about 4 hours. :laugh2:

false i turned it off before i rooted, my phone lasts 20+/- hours and i have yet to undervolt it yet

 

[Jenky]

false i turned it off before i rooted, my phone lasts 20+/- hours and i have yet to undervolt it yet

This is what I read:

The HTC Thunderbolt is one of the first 4G LTE phones available on the Verizon Wireless network and, as we've seen in our review, its download speeds are superfast. However, as users are starting to note, you'll pay for that speed with abysmal battery life. This is even more frustrating for users who operate in areas where 4G hasn't yet been rolled out. Unfortunately, it would seem that there is no obvious way to toggle between the Thunderbolt's juice-sapping 4G mode and its more battery-friendly 3G antenna. There is, however, a hidden menu that will let you do just that.
From your Thunderbolt's dialer, key in "*#*#4636#*#*" and you'll be taken to a hidden test menu that features an array of secret options and statistics for your handset. Tap the first heading labeled "Phone Information" and scroll to a drop-down menu labeled "Set preferred network type." Here is where you'll be able to select how your phone connects to Verizon's network.
The default setting is "CDMA + LTE/EvDo auto," which allows your handset's software to automatically decide between the 3G and 4G antennas for the best possible speed. If you want to stretch your battery, then you can select the "CDMA auto (PRL)" option from this menu to lock your phone into 3G mode. Anecdotal reports from around the Web report upwards of a four-fold increase in battery life for the Thunderbolt with 4G disabled. Depending on your usage, that could mean the difference in making it through the day on a charge and being saddled with a dead battery.


Read more: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-20046412-251.html#ixzz1HuJnKEXq

Are you saying it's like the Evo then? Where I actually have a button to turn off 4g and what not. Or do I have to follow this work-a-round?

 

[YosemiteSam]

This is what I read:

The HTC Thunderbolt is one of the first 4G LTE phones available on the Verizon Wireless network and, as we've seen in our review, its download speeds are superfast. However, as users are starting to note, you'll pay for that speed with abysmal battery life. This is even more frustrating for users who operate in areas where 4G hasn't yet been rolled out. Unfortunately, it would seem that there is no obvious way to toggle between the Thunderbolt's juice-sapping 4G mode and its more battery-friendly 3G antenna. There is, however, a hidden menu that will let you do just that.
From your Thunderbolt's dialer, key in "*#*#4636#*#*" and you'll be taken to a hidden test menu that features an array of secret options and statistics for your handset. Tap the first heading labeled "Phone Information" and scroll to a drop-down menu labeled "Set preferred network type." Here is where you'll be able to select how your phone connects to Verizon's network.
The default setting is "CDMA + LTE/EvDo auto," which allows your handset's software to automatically decide between the 3G and 4G antennas for the best possible speed. If you want to stretch your battery, then you can select the "CDMA auto (PRL)" option from this menu to lock your phone into 3G mode. Anecdotal reports from around the Web report upwards of a four-fold increase in battery life for the Thunderbolt with 4G disabled. Depending on your usage, that could mean the difference in making it through the day on a charge and being saddled with a dead battery.


Read more: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-20046412-251.html#ixzz1HuJnKEXq

Are you saying it's like the Evo then? Where I actually have a button to turn off 4g and what not. Or do I have to follow this work-a-round?

When are the mini nuclear reactor batteries going to come out?

 

[jman]

The whole "4G" thing is tricky since there's no official definition for the term.

AT&T hasn't actually flipped the switch on a "true" 4G network, they have an upgraded 3G network. Their fastest network technology is currently HSPA which, despite how they advertise it, is 3G technology.

They are working on a HSPA+ technology, which while still being 3G, is theoretically capable of near 4G speeds. T-Mobiles "4G" network is also HSPA+, which is probably part of why they bought them instead of spending the money expanding it themselves.

AT&T is currently only testing their 4G LTE network (which is what Verizon and Sprint have), I believe Dallas is actually one of the few cities where that's going on. It's supposed to be released in the middle of this year, but we'll see.

Personally I think the whole 4G thing is a tad overblown, no one is going to want a phone that is always on 4G because their devices won't even last a full day. The best bet probably is to go about it the way AT&T is doing it and have several layers, and devices that can skip from one to the other.

Actually Sprint's 4G is working on WiMAX through Clearwires network. Although Sprint owns 54% of Clearwire, they are leasing their spectrum from Clear.

Sprint will slowly roll out a LTE network but don't expect anything for a couple of years while their infrastructure goes through a total upgrade.