3g, 4gLTE, download speeds, what is the effect

[AC Question]

Ok, I did not think I could but I downloaded speedtest on my Iphone 4 and got 1 mb download. Dont know what that means, but I do know that I have 3g on the Iphone 4. Been looking at the HTC One 8.

I have a Sprint Everything Data plan, with unlimited data, and 450 minutes. Never go over 300 minutes and once over 1 gig data. Just surf net, no movies, no tv, no music. Pay $82 with taxes

Cspire has a $50 plan, 5 gig data, 500 mins, unlimited texts. I know some phones are restricted on the prepaids like this, but most now cover the Iphone 4. I have no problem keeping the phone and saving money. Prepaids, as I understand them, dont have taxes, but some dont let you roam on data or voice. I may be out of Memphis 25 days a year at most, and then its in a big city and on weekends.

So, I am thinking that the HTC One 8 is overkill for what I use it for. Nice to upgrade, but I dont know that I would really see a difference in my web surfing, or texting or Facebooking or anything like that. But then again, I dont want to sell myself short.

I read Cricket has max 8g download, but Tmobile can get into the high teens. What practical significance is that for me? I can get their $50 plan and be happy, but the phone will be $27 a month so I wont save money really, but I would have a 4g phone and whatever that entails.

I know I lose Everything Data if I cancel the plan, but going from $82 a month where I dont use all I can, to $50 a month, well, thats a pretty good savings, and I can always get a deal on a 4 g phone say 6 months down the line.

So, am I overthinking or is there really something to all this 4 g and download speeds. If not, well, Id probably just go CSpire, TMobile or some other prepaid if I can save $25 a month

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Once you get a taste of real 4G speeds, you can't go back. Your speed is 1 mbps (megabit per second), which is pretty slow. If you use the browser to view, let's say, the New York Times full website (not the mobile one), it'll probably take your phone about 7-8 seconds to fully load. If you had a modern 4G phone, the download speed will depend on your provider and the signal in your area, but the download speed can be anywhere from 5 mbps to 50-60 mbps. At these high speeds, the NY Times website would load in about a second. Big files and app updates download in a snap. Everything happens snappily, which is a revelation.

 

[Paul627g]

When it comes to web surfing you will see a significant increase in page load times and also loading social media especially FB when it comes to the dozens of pictures people often post.

3g will eventually go the way of the dinosaurs as basic LTE is becoming the standard and now newer and better LTE services are becoming available with speeds that will just make you question how you ever survived on 3g. Kind of like comparing today's average 3g service to AOL dial up speeds of years ago...

FWIW, I noticed you said your on Sprint. I too am a Sprint customer of about 9 years and will soon be moving onward to a different carrier. Sprint's 3g speeds are just horrible for the most part when compared to the competing carriers. For some though, Sprint works great in their area of the country but many still complain about Sprint's poor network.

 

[Golfdriver97]

I too, was on Sprint. I left, as the 3G speeds were terrible at best. How terrible? The AC Forums app wouldn't load, or would take several minutes to load. Pretty sad when the app is quite minimal, with no ads. As I recall, I did a speed test when I had an issue and I had a result of .6 Mb/s.

 

[B. Diddy]

Those are around the speeds I was getting on Verizon's 3G in the Silicon Valley, as well. Painful.

 

[UJ95x]

Depending on how the network is in your area, the difference between 4G/LTE and 3G can be very noticeable. I am almost always on LTE, but when it does drop off to 4G it is quite a bit slower for me. Like B. Diddy said, you will not want to go back once you get used to the fast speeds.
Here are a couple of speeds tests.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SOKP 4.4.2

 

[UJ95x]

Sorry. Couldn't add them in the other post for some reason...
Top is LTE and the bottom is H+ (T-Mobile 4G).

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SOKP 4.4.2

 

[B. Diddy]

And keep in mind that UJ95x's "slow" speed is still 13 times faster than yours! That's HSPA+, which is kind of a "super" 3G or "pseudo" 4G.

 

[Golfdriver97]

And keep in mind that UJ95x's "slow" speed is still 13 times faster than yours! That's HSPA+, which is kind of a "super" 3G or "pseudo" 4G.

A 3G that just drank an espresso, with a Monster right after and to top it all off, a 5 hour energy shot.


But we all digress a little: OP, you could try out TMobile services.I would suggest going into a store, telling them you are thinking of changing to them, and ask to test drive the network. See what they say.

 

[dpham00]

Both were taken side by side, indoors. This is what I got on tmobile. 4glte is the 15mbps. Rest are 4g.

Verizon 4GLTE.

Outdoors near my house. 4glte and 5bars on both carriers

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

 

[dpham00]

Ok, I did not think I could but I downloaded speedtest on my Iphone 4 and got 1 mb download. Dont know what that means, but I do know that I have 3g on the Iphone 4. Been looking at the HTC One 8.

I have a Sprint Everything Data plan, with unlimited data, and 450 minutes. Never go over 300 minutes and once over 1 gig data. Just surf net, no movies, no tv, no music. Pay $82 with taxes

Cspire has a $50 plan, 5 gig data, 500 mins, unlimited texts. I know some phones are restricted on the prepaids like this, but most now cover the Iphone 4. I have no problem keeping the phone and saving money. Prepaids, as I understand them, dont have taxes, but some dont let you roam on data or voice. I may be out of Memphis 25 days a year at most, and then its in a big city and on weekends.

So, I am thinking that the HTC One 8 is overkill for what I use it for. Nice to upgrade, but I dont know that I would really see a difference in my web surfing, or texting or Facebooking or anything like that. But then again, I dont want to sell myself short.

I read Cricket has max 8g download, but Tmobile can get into the high teens. What practical significance is that for me? I can get their $50 plan and be happy, but the phone will be $27 a month so I wont save money really, but I would have a 4g phone and whatever that entails.

I know I lose Everything Data if I cancel the plan, but going from $82 a month where I dont use all I can, to $50 a month, well, thats a pretty good savings, and I can always get a deal on a 4 g phone say 6 months down the line.

So, am I overthinking or is there really something to all this 4 g and download speeds. If not, well, Id probably just go CSpire, TMobile or some other prepaid if I can save $25 a month

Tmobile is offering the free test drive kit. I would try it out. Really, all carriers have good spots and bad spots. You need to test in your specific location. Verizon is really good at my home and work, but there are spots where Verizon isn't great either.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

 

[dpham00]

Those are around the speeds I was getting on Verizon's 3G in the Silicon Valley, as well. Painful.

I recently visited some relatives in the bay area.

At another relatives house, speeds were slower, around 20-30mbps.

Obviously, it will depend on where you are specifically, and my previous suggestion to test the carrier at where you need it still stands

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

 

[B. Diddy]

Yeah, Verizon was a year ago for me, and they weren't doing much about the Silicon Valley--at least, as far as I experienced. Maybe it's better here now, but it was always a source of frustration for me that despite being so close to Apple and Google, I had poor service.

3G is still really slow--I know because my wife's iPhone 4s can only access 3G

 

[dpham00]

Yeah, Verizon was a year ago for me, and they weren't doing much about the Silicon Valley--at least, as far as I experienced. Maybe it's better here now, but it was always a source of frustration for me that despite being so close to Apple and Google, I had poor service.

3G is still really slow--I know because my wife's iPhone 4s can only access 3G

Well, even a few years ago, I was getting solid speeds in Silicon Valley at least at the various relatives that I visited. 3g is pretty slow though.

Xlte helped a lot at my work in LA. I was seeing 1-3mbps lte, but with xlte it is around 30-70 mbps

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

 

[G Muller]

In america do they have website which show data coverage? I live in Milton Keynes in the UK and I can check coverage of 3G and 4G and being indoors or outdoors makes a difference and you can see how sporadic coverage is here. I have to admit though that I'm under the impression that LTE is 4G, after reading this guess I'm way off the mark.

3 Coverage Maps - Mobile Phone Reception Signal for the UK 3 Network

Zoom in and have a look around, London as you'd expect has brilliant coverage but if you locate Milton Keynes it's all over the shop.

 

[UJ95x]

In america do they have website which show data coverage?

Yes. Sensorly.com

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SOKP 4.4.2

 

[B. Diddy]

Rootmetrics.com is also good.

 

[dpham00]

The accuracy of those can vary greatly. For example, at my location at work, root metrics shows 0.3 mbps. I typically get between 30-60mbps.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

 

[B. Diddy]

True. They're both crowdsourced, so they depend on people using their apps and uploading their test speeds. So dpham00, get to work with speed tests on Rootmetrics at your workplace!