Bmobile WIFI Project/4G upgrade...

[Exar_Kun]

Okay so, I'll address you in point form here:
1) You'll notice that your article shows average download speeds essentially in the range of what the chart I produced showed.
2) I've said as well that mobile broadband speeds can fluctuate wildly based on local conditions, note where I had a co-worker getting 50mbps on a LTE connection standing under a tower.
3) I actually can't comment on TSTT EVDO performance. I have used wireless modems from TSTT that used WIMAX, and those generally delivered the speeds they should have.
4) EVDO shouldn't be compared to mobile broadband in our countries. EVDO is very low on the 3G totem pole. Generally EVDO is seen on mobile networks using CDMA. I'm pretty sure all those providers you're comparing with are using some form of UMTS, which is a faster technology.
5) EVDO fell under TSTT's mobile broadband umbrella of services, which they did in fact upgrade with WIMAX. Upgrading EVDO itself would have been pretty pointless.
6) As far as milking the customer, not sure what you mean here. Is it a way for them to get people to spend more money on mobile services? Absolutely. The entire point of 3G is to keep people spending more money on data services and increase the overall amount of $ you pay to the operator.
7) That said though, I totally understand why there's vitriol directed towards mobile operators, especially bmobile. Alot of it is warranted. But some of it really isn't.
Don't get too hung up on that 3G/4G thing with the HTC phone. It's HSPA+ or some other form of UMTS everything was using.

Edit: Here's a new report that could offer you some perspective on what we could, and should, be expecting in terms of performance.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/253808/3g_and_4g_wireless_speed_showdown_which_networks_are_fastest.html

[TriniXaeno]

I am interested in the gaming ability of the 4G.

We used an EVDO device back in the day to run online RPGs. Worked even better than the hard line connections of the day (strange but true)

The latency wasn't fantastic, so I wouldn't try Quake or Battlefield....but starcraft and mmos worked just fine which were more tolerant of modest ping times.

If you're such a gamer, these incoming upgrades to the mobile network may mean you can replace your domestic connection with a wireless one. Once you're a bachelor or such.

[captainchris]

^ i think you meant to say if you want to game in work

[TriniXaeno]

hahahah

true. Marry the increase in gaming performance on the mobile platform with this increase in internet performance and soon IT admin wont be able to stop a man from taking a lil sweat on the clock.

No amount of firewall/proxy shenanigans would help. lol

[Exar_Kun]

If you're such a gamer, these incoming upgrades to the mobile network may mean you can replace your domestic connection with a wireless one. Once you're a bachelor or such.

Hate to break it to you and anyone whose hopes you may have raised, but you definitely won't be able to do that.
Bandwidth is at a premium on high speed mobile networks. I can guarantee you 100% that any 3G network will be implemented with caps. As in you'll get say 2GB or whatever per month and get billed anything beyond that, or have your speed throttled back to EDGE levels.

And before the choruses cursing TSTT and/or Digicel start up, this is established protocol in developed markets. Between say AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, the highest offering there is 5GB from T-mobile. Other two have their highest plans at like 2-3GB per month.

There are certain reasons why right now that I can't get into that allow people can get away with tethering and downloading huge amounts of data through their mobile phone onto their computers. This is pretty much DOA once a high speed network launches.

FLOW and Blink's ADSL not losing their home business to this anytime soon (or ever).

[Arcmanov]

In other countries there are data caps on regular-ass wired broadband connections. 

We have it really nice here.  I could certainly understand the need for caps on wireless connections
I know these natives... they will want to live on YouTube, or upload big-ass video files to Fassbook every 2 minutes.

[woodyear99]

I wonder if they will introduce caps on wired connections eventually.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note using Tapatalk

[TriniXaeno]

Well that's just the thing, we are a small island....which is very different from say USA, Australia or such.

We maybe able to get away without caps here for a while yet due to the relatively small population.

Not wanting to contradict you Exar but the wireless EVDO devices we had and ran for years had no cap on them. They were doing about 1.5 - 2mbps unlimited.

Of course that was in the past, doubt the ISPs will be so kind to us again with the new tech they are rolling out. One can only hope.

[mailman166]

We maybe able to get away without caps here for a while yet due to the relatively small population.

Master Wyatt pray that never happens........ would be the day

[woodyear99]

Perhaps there weren't caps back in the day because of the small user base.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note using Tapatalk

[Exar_Kun]

EVDO and WIMAX are a completely different thing to 3G. Serves a different segment, has a different usage expectation and also forms a different line of business.

Believe me when I say there will be caps. If there's one thing operators, vendors and consultants now know it's that you can't give carte blanche to users anymore. AT&T did it and iPhone users sucked them drier than a WASA pipe in rural Trinidad.
Caps are coming. And if my word isn't enough, consider this. Digicel has already launched 3G in Bermuda, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao and the French West Indies. They ALL have caps in place. And overage rates for when you cross them.

The caps are really meant to target a very small segment. Those that tether their phones to PCs and those that stream a lot of video. Guys using facebook alot , listening to music now and then and using GPS won't feel the pinch so much. But the strain on the network from the guy who's on netflix or youtube all day is significant.

Caps on fixed broadband, I can't comment on that at all. I hope it isn't coming, but that isn't my industry so I wouldn't know anyway. But mobile caps are here to stay, they won't even chance a window without them. Regardless of the user base. Part of the game is not letting usage get out of hand in the first place. A guy pulling 10GB per month is gonna be pissed if you try to limit him 6 months later, so they won't even let him have the chance.

[woodyear99]

Lol that is true, torrents would probably totally kill those connections.

Any idea how the wireless tv going to work? Just a local server broadcasting to tv "clients" wirelessly?

http://www.wintvworld.com/e-news/?p=14268

[W1nTry]

In a word, multicast

[TriniXaeno]

Good point on never letting the user get accustomed to lavish internet usage in the first place.

Looks like our cable modems will be around for a while yet!

[W1nTry]

Wireless won't replace hard wired even in the foreseeable future

[Exar_Kun]

Any idea how the wireless tv going to work? Just a local server broadcasting to tv "clients" wirelessly?

Don't really know that. I know the tech, spectrum etc but my assumption is that it would be the way you're thinking. Except in places where there's already the fiber optic connectivity, I guess they'll continue to receive that.

Two articles I saw in the Guardian that I'm posting up for thought.
http://www.guardian.co.tt/business-guardian/2012-04-25/tstt-announces-mobile-broadband-strategy

http://www.guardian.co.tt/business-guardian/2012-04-26/digicel-ceo-niall-dorian%E2%80%99s-parting-shot

A takeaway point from the Digicel article

Dorian explains that Digicel expects to launch its 4G network by the middle of May and is using technology provided by Ericsson.

[Arcmanov]

Some interesting notes about TSTT's 'Bzones':  http://www.newsday.co.tt/businessday/0,163897.html

So far I've encountered them in Grand Bazaar, Trincity Mall, Arima, and Sangre Grande.
Didn't do a speedtest, but for browsing and WhatsApp, they performed pretty solidly.

[Arcmanov]

You may have noticed that the bzones are no longer free and open.  Spoke directly to a customer service rep, who explained that the 'freeco' was for one month so that everyone could get a taste.  It's now locked down, and only bmobile customers with a data-plan can have access.

When you connect to the bzone, launch a browser and try to visit a web page...you will be presented with a login screen.  Register as a 'new bmobile user' using your phone number in the format 1868xxxxxxx (no spaces or dashes).  You will then be sent an SMS with a code, which allows you to login to the 1st page, and create a username and password to login with anytime you connect to a bzone.  You won't be able to use any web-aware app on your device until you authenticate through a browser.  Just like Flow's FSpot.

Sorry Digicel users...the freeness done. 
It sucks, but you gotta admit, it's a pretty ingenious setup to ensure that only their bonafide customers get to have access.



SwiftKeyed from my Samsung Galaxy S2 with Tapatalk 2

[Fkacn_tt]

You know that saying "After freeness is penis," it is part of their bmobile mission statement.

What I want to know is the progress of their actual 4g(HSPA+) network and has anyone had a sneak peak at its performance and/or pricing. Cause the  digicel postpaid 4g plan is looking mighty tempting.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[QuickDraw]

You may have noticed that the bzones are no longer free and open.  Spoke directly to a customer service rep, who explained that the 'freeco' was for one month so that everyone could get a taste.  It's now locked down, and only bmobile customers with a data-plan can have access.

When you connect to the bzone, launch a browser and try to visit a web page...you will be presented with a login screen.  Register as a 'new bmobile user' using your phone number in the format 1868xxxxxxx (no spaces or dashes).  You will then be sent an SMS with a code, which allows you to login to the 1st page, and create a username and password to login with anytime you connect to a bzone.  You won't be able to use any web-aware app on your device until you authenticate through a browser.  Just like Flow's FSpot.

Sorry Digicel users...the freeness done. 
It sucks, but you gotta admit, it's a pretty ingenious setup to ensure that only their bonafide customers get to have access.



SwiftKeyed from my Samsung Galaxy S2 with Tapatalk 2

 

So... if i have data but doh plan to use the wifi hotspots for anyting much what stoping me from givin my codes to someone who not bonafide?