Coming to you live on 1700Mhz, its UMTS data at 356kbps. on the T-Mobile network.
As far as I’m concerned, UMTS speeds aren’t bad for browsing and email which keeps 99% of users happy for 99% of the time. The problem is when you want to download a big file or, even worse, upload something. In that case you’re down to analogue modem speeds which isn’t much fun at all, especially when its an important document. Don’t forget that 3G data transmissions take a huge amount of power though. In my tests I see something like 100% higher battery load when doing continuous 3G data transmissions compared to data over the GPRS/GSM network here in Europe. Continuous use of Voip, instant messaging and other always-on app’s will kill your battery faster than you could ever imagine. 1-hour battery life isn’t much fun which, bizarrely enough, is why I tend to use a ultra mobile PC for mobile Internet operations. In these ‘always on’ conditions, the ultra mobile PC battery life far outlives that of my ‘2-day standby’ mobile phone. [Related article]
Maybe those of you in the U.S. with some background info would care to fill me in on why T-Mobile appear to be 3 years behind AT&T in their 3G data rollout and eons behind European rollouts. Vodafone Germany, homeland of T-Mobile, are promising a 28/2mbps rollout in 2009 which is just insanely fast for a wireless local loop. Fingers crossed that the back-hauls are in place otherwise we’ll all be meeting at a bottleneck somewhere in the base station. It reminds me of my network planing days with ISP’s; the bandwidth and financial calculations for business-grade Internet access products only worked if the contention ratio was over 30:1. For consumers, the contention ratio was embarrassing and I’m sure it’s no better now.
Via IntoMobile. User reports at Howard Forums.
I switched to AT&T service from Verizon, I have to say that the connection speeds are better on the 3G service. I am getting connection speeds of 1600 download and 800 upload speeds with AT&T, compared to the 1000 download and 300 upload from Verizon EVDEO. I should also tell you that this is achieved by using the wifirouter application on the N95.
I have a friend that works as a contractor for AT&T, tells me that they have fully optimized the network in my area, New York and New Jersey.
I should also tell you that I put down the Samsung Q1 and my sony UX180, choosing instead the N95 as an alternative web browsing device. I am hoping the “MID ” devices will spark my interest in (UMPC/ Tablet PC/ micro PC) or as you call them pocketable devices.
I do have one question, I know that you are using the Everun, is it still your main device for the normal day-to-day, or is there something else you use to be both productive and portable?
Hi Brook.
Interesting that you moved to an N95. You’ll have to fill me in on your usage pattern as personally, I can’t find a way to switch to my N82 as my MID.
I’m not using the Everun any more either. I’ve switched to a Q1 Ultra HSDPA which gives you an idea of how much I use desktop computing power on the go. I needed to be able to run a full browser with 5-10 busy tabs along with Live Writer, Live Gallery, Paint Shop Pro and 4 or 5 other apps. My Everun couldn’t keep up in busy times. My everun is now my bedside browser (silent and small with a huge standby life!)
Steve.
I commute two hours a day, I am behind the wheel the entire time, the samsung Q1, with the 2 gig and now back on xp is fast, but still two difficult to navigate. The same can be said of the Sony UX. When I purchased the N95, I never expected to leave all my devices behind, but that also means the MBP the x41 the T43p are hardly ever used during the day, on occasion I will turn to the MBP only when I need to be seriously productive, I send short email, web browsing, and yes the Nokia n95 is a dream for surfing the web, I have bookmarked all my favorite sites. and unlike the other devices i am getting a full days usage from the battery. on average i get between 8 to 12 hours of heavy usage. The GPS is not that usable, but in a pinch it works, I don’t have to carry a UPMC, but i might consider a MID if it fits in a pocket like the LG, as long as here is 3G connectivity built in to the device, and i can at least get 5 to 7 hours of usage. I need a device that can make it through the day, I am courious if Everun will be refreshing their UMPC line, would love the Everun, but am afraid the sluggish performance might make the device bothersome. if you hold the N95 in landscape mode with the slider in media mode, you will find the device is one handed operations friendly, with the navigation controls on the left, really pleasant to use especially, although not recommended, while driving.
I enjoy your site, please more practical usage scenario’s for the devices you test, many reviews forget the practical applications the day-to-day usage of the devices they test.
I know what you are thinking, why not use the N810, I was considering the device, if it had some type of 3G option I might consider it, and WIMAX is not even in the roadmap for my area. The problem is that with all the other devices, I had to connect to a 3G network, using a USB modem or using a wifi router on my WM phones. The N810 is half the price of the N95, but the connectivity is a determinant factor in my decision to use a device.
I pick up the N95, carefully place it in its protective case, and I am confident that I wont need any other devices, and I wont fell disconnected from the world.
The only problem is no Windows Media file support, even CorePlayer is working on some type of support, but other than that I am dependent on this device 24/7.
Chippy,
Not really sure why TMobile is late to the 3G game. I suspect that TMobile is renting time off of AT&T’s network as it is cheaper than them rolling out their own gear.
hmm, i think i read that t-mobile would only open for voice on their net. but then i didnt really pay attention…
Chippy — T-Mo is so late to the game due to spectrum constraints by the FCC. They bought a ton of spectrum (last year? two years ago? not remembering right now) that was to be used for 3G data. Problem is that the Government and Military, who were using it prior to the purchase, took their sweet time vacating the spectrum so that T-Mo could use it.
It’s not really totally T-Mo’s fault, it’s just the fact that they are one of the smaller carriers here, and the spectrum issue hamstrung them.
One more problem in the mix is of course the fact that there aren’t really any good phone/data card options (none in the case of data cards). Because they use different spectrum than Europe or AT&T, we have to wait.
-olly
Hopefully some of the 1700Mhz stuff will work on the Em Mobile network in Japan
a Mini-PCIe HSDPA Module would be nice ;-)
Rob
Olly. Thanks for the info. That would explain the problem!
Brook
Interesting. Im having real problems getting a decent web experience on my N82 and its basically the same device as an N95. Thats why im sitting here on the sofa listeneng to TWIT and typing on the Q1u faster than i ever could on my phone. We should take this conversation into the forum. If you kick off a thread – why the N95 is enough for me – im sure well have an interesting meme going.
Steve
I am not in the US but as far as I know the late roll-out is not T-Mobile’s fault. T-Mobile has bought the frequencies they need from the US government, the government has not made them available to T-Mobile on time as agreed though. THis has apparently caused the delay – or so I have read.
I just see that Olly beat me to it – sorry for the irrelevant post!