Speed Test and Verizon stores

[BBSeattle]

On average I get about 26 Mbps on Speed Test in the greater Seattle area.
While in a Verizon store I was playing around with a Razr and loaded Speed Test, it showed 43 Mbps on average!!
I was stunned, for a moment I thought the Razr was a hell of phone. I then tried my Bionic...43 also.
I was then thinking that the Verizon store had incredible reception? I asked one of the store employees if they used a "booster" or something like that. He looked uncomfortable and said no.
In the following 2 weeks I made it a point to stop in 2 more stores; same thing, around 42 - 44 Mbps on my Bionic. I again grabbed an employee and asked the same question. He said that they use some device that enhances the signal due to the number of 4G phones they have on in the stores....??
I told him that didn't make sense. I asked if it wasn't really a matter of having the strongest and most consistent signal in the store so that potential buyers can be shown how great their 4G service is....(trick question)...and he said , well of course. I then asked if this wasn't false advertising? They are created a circumstance that does not exist in the real world..
Curious what other members here feel about this.

 

[JerryRogan]

A neighbor down the street just put an external antenna on his MiFi, roof mount, to get a better signal. I'll have to visit him and see what speed he gets, then test with my Bionic and see it they're similar speeds. We live in a fringe area with 4G about 90% of the time.

I have been told that the number of users has no effect on speed, by a Verizon employee.

I'll report my findings.

 

[Simonbarsinistr]

I'm pretty happy with my mid twenties in the Seattle area. 43 would be sick, though!

Tapped on my Bionic running KIN3TX.

 

[EnergyPlus]

Depending on the time of day, I get on average, between10 - 15 Mbps up on 4G though at night I have seen numbers as high as 30+. On WiFi, I usually get between 25 - 35 Mbps. VZW stores do use repeaters and boosters of tbat there is no doubt. It doesnt bother me, since any device you're comparing is benefitting from thr same enhancement.

 

[BBSeattle]

I get what you're saying but actually not the point I was trying to make (my fault for not being clearer).
My issue is not with a comparison between devices but the 4g speed and consistency in general that people enjoy at the store. I, along with many others battle the on again off again 4g as well as the delays between 4g and 3G switching.
Maybe it's just me but it would be like taking a new car for a test drive and the dealer installing something during the drive giving it more power and better mileage than I would experience once I drive off the lot.

Depending on the time of day, I get on average, between10 - 15 Mbps up on 4G though at thnight I have seen numbers as high as 30+. On WiFi, I usually get between 25 - 35 Mbps. VZW stores do use repeaters and boosters of tbat there is no doubt. It doesnt bother me, since any device you're comparing is benefitting from thr same enhancement.

 

[snowwy66]

he wants to know real world. not artificial results

kind of defeats the purpose.

but it goes the same as there coverage. they claim and you all agree they have the best coverage.

being a traveling man. i can safely attest that they DON'T have the best coverage. NOW, there are areas that sprint couldn't touch. BUT, sprint has areas that verizon don't touch either.

 

[EnergyPlus]

Point well taken (and good example). But, if the store happens to be in a lousy location, that is not going to set a good example of what the phones are Capable of, only what they do in a lousy location, hardly a smart way to demo your wares. There are good arguments for both sides, I guess, but I know if I were selling a product, I would want to show it in its best light, perhaps with the caveat that "your mileage may vary" just as the EPA does with its mpg stickers.

I get what you're saying but actually not the point I was trying to make (my fault for not being clearer).
My issue is not with a comparison between devices but the 4g speed and consistency in general that people enjoy at the store. I, along with many others battle the on again off again 4g as well as the delays between 4g and 3G switching.
Maybe it's just me but it would be like taking a new car for a test drive and the dealer installing something during the drive giving it more power and better mileage than I would experience once I drive off the lot.

 

[EnergyPlus]

Lol...different experiences, I guess. My own, with frequent traveling between coastal areas and mountain areas on the opposite side of the state, says differently than yours. I would have to say VZW has the best overall coverage, not that they will always be best in every single geographic area. There are no guarantees, but for me, it is the consistency with which VZW performs that is the yardstick with which I measure.

P.S. What carrier works best for you, overall? May I ask, what part of the country are you from? I have a coworker who is originally from Texas and he mentioned to me last week that VZW didn't do so well there. Then again, his experience was from 5 years ago.

he wants to know real world. not artificial results

kind of defeats the purpose.

but it goes the same as there coverage. they claim and you all agree they have the best coverage.

being a traveling man. i can safely attest that they DON'T have the best coverage. NOW, there are areas that sprint couldn't touch. BUT, sprint has areas that verizon don't touch either.

 

[BBSeattle]

There is no question in my mind regarding coverage that Verizon is the best.....phone coverage that is.
I am a huge fan of Verizon for the most part and have enjoyed fantastic coverage and service for years....phone coverage that is. While on 3G with my Droid X2 I never had an issue with phone, data, etc.
At this point it's only the 4G that aggravates the heck out of me.Just this morning my data service was down for an hour and it did not switch over to 3G....no idea why.

Anyway, just throwing that bit about the stores out there. Not a make or break deal, just found it a bit disturbing. I guess it's just the way things have gone, embellishing your product to the point of questionable practices.

 

[Simonbarsinistr]

he wants to know real world. not artificial results

kind of defeats the purpose.

but it goes the same as there coverage. they claim and you all agree they have the best coverage.

being a traveling man. i can safely attest that they DON'T have the best coverage. NOW, there are areas that sprint couldn't touch. BUT, sprint has areas that verizon don't touch either.

That is the last company I would pick for coverage. Working around Washington with a sprint phone for work, I thought they had the lousiest coverage.

Tapped on my Bionic running KIN3TX.

 

[KillerG]

Well for CES, Engadget checked out a mobile station for all the extra devices that will be arriving in Las Vegas. So it makes sense, putting some relays in to make sure that they never have problems in store, so they leave with a good deal. Of course, everyone knows with phones that whole mileage may vary thing...you probably won't have amazing coverage everywhere. I get poor coverage at my school, but if I go to Inn N Out Burger, I get full bars. But if I drive down the street to Vons, then I get poor coverage again. I could go into the whole building structure and everything, but I don't care. Verizon will keep fixing their LTE network, it's messy because it's a new technology, deal with it. 3G was garbage at first and ate battery close to how 4G eats battery.

 

[BBSeattle]

Deal with it? Really? Aside from that tidbit, good post.
Honestly, it still baffles why honest, positive discussions need comments like this.
It adds nothing to the conversation aside from some petty personal gratification from the poster.
If I'm wrong I apologize.