O2 Broadband General Speeds

git_ireland

Hi Guys.
I purchased this option over 7 months ago because I was out of range for wireless broadband like IBB and a phoneline was out of the question. It has done what i needed it to do up till now so no real complaints.

When purchasing the modem the guy in the shop said that by December the speed of the modem would be up to at least 10Mbps. I also found this thread on it. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054983319

I realised that when I bought it i Would not get the 3.6Mbps as advertised but took it in the light that the speeds would be increased.

I thought I would post the question / issue here,
Does anyone have any information on wether this is still O2's plan to run with this or would I be advised to get a different provider in the house.

I appreciate any feedback from my fellow boardsies.

jor el

Did you get that speed promise from the guy in the shop in writing, or was it just a bit of sales banter? I ask because I'm pretty sure the Huawei E220 modem is only capable of 3.6Mbps max, so it won't matter what speed they upgrade the network too, we'll never get it on the E220.

If they do upgrade the speeds available in mast sectors, to 10M, then if everyone is still limited in speed to 3.6M I'd say the contention factor will be less severe, as there'll be 10M to share between users, but nobody will take more than 3.6M. Not sure if that's how it'll actually work, but hoping it is, as it would improve overall usability.

Sam Kade

I use 3 broadband, but I still can't figure out why they call it broadband it should be called glorified dailup. The highest speed I got was 1.4mb which is very rare normally around 70kb-700kb. I live 3 miles from a 3 mast, one sunday a couple of weeks ago I drove up to the mast to check the speed using my laptop it was still on the green light which is transmitted by radio waves and was still only 700kb. When the blue light comes on it slows to a crawl and the blue light means that it's transmitted from the mast. 3 is the same modem as o2 so if the guy in the shop said it would get up to 10mb he was lying because they didn't hit 1.5mb yet.

watty

the higher speeds 1.8Mbps --> 3.6Mbps --> 7.2Mbs -->14.4Mbps need more backhaul and cost them more. It's about having more customers, not more speed.

Max connections on each of the Above:
24 @ 3.6Mbps, 48 @ 7.2Mps

As it is CDMA, having 12 users on 3.6Mbps gives about 180kbps to 120kbps and shrinks the cell. I suspect the effect is worse on 7.2Mbps with 24 users (I'd expect about 100k or less per user). Of course if no-one else is on the speed may be good.

You should complain to ASA. On an E220, you can't get more than 3.6Mbps (or maybe at most 7.2 with some funky firmware upgrade I don't know about). Even if they ever upgrade to the max of 14.4Mbps PER sector, it's unlikely many people will ever see close to 10Mbps, even with a 14.4 Modem

Oh and if you only have USB 1.1, don't expect more than about 5 or 6Mbps duplex or 8 to 9 Mbps simplex download

My O2 card has max speed of 1.8Mbps. But since I've never seen over 1Mbps, I'd not be spending money on an upgrade (have you seen the price of unsubsidised PCMCIA or ExpressCards or USB modems?).

Since it's only for occasional Mobile use (what it was invented for) rather than primary fixed broadband, I don't mind. I have real broadband at home and office. I use the Digiweb Mobile too, so I'm a bit spoilt.

Sam Kade

watty wrote: »

Since it's only for occasional Mobile use (what it was invented for) rather than primary fixed broadband, I don't mind. I have real broadband at home and office. I use the Digiweb Mobile too, so I'm a bit spoilt.

Who said that it is only for occasional mobile use? I use the 3 modem for all my internet use, I used to have dailup 3 is a lot cheaper than dailup if you are online a lot. It has 10gb download limit which is for a lot more than occasional use.

watty

It's only occasional use for me
It is a system designed assuming mobile only light usage. Hence the problems.

git_ireland

watty wrote: »

It's only occasional use for me
It is a system designed assuming mobile only light usage. Hence the problems.

So basically I got duped into buying something again!
Any other options for me which has good speeds and not using a phone line. IBB is out of range. and i hear about digiweb, well lets just say have been bad.

lm7

guys having moved here from the uk and used wireless broadband in each country, the service here is diabolical. I have used Irish broadband rip wave modem its crap. i now am using o2 broadband its crap, and the guy in the carphone warehouse said its good. what i would like to know is on what day and what hour is he talking about. its like everything else here what you are told and what you get is well?.

snaps

ive roamed in the UK on three BB with my E220 modem, speeds are much faster in the UK i have found on their three network than here!

jayteecork

Been on Three broadband modem and I am going to the UK with my modem soon so I can't wait to try it out over there and compare the difference.

Marlow

If you are on the Three 10 GB Flat fee package, you can't roam as far as I know. I've never been able to use it outside Ireland.

So, only if you've got a pay for traffic subscription that'll work.

/Martin

smellslikeshoes

lm7 wrote: »

guys having moved here from the uk and used wireless broadband in each country, the service here is diabolical. I have used Irish broadband rip wave modem its crap. i now am using o2 broadband its crap, and the guy in the carphone warehouse said its good. what i would like to know is on what day and what hour is he talking about. its like everything else here what you are told and what you get is well?.

Not trying to defend the state of broadband here but they aren't really the best to base your opinion on. With Ripwave theres a compromise in quality made so you can put it anywhere and not having to have an external aerial and O2 theres a compromise in quality so you can have it mobile. Get yourself a fixed wireless provider like Digiweb's fixed wireless or Irish broadband's fixed wireless if you're looking for proper wireless broadband.

git_ireland

O2 Link

Got this from the O2 forum. Just have to upgrade the firmware and it can cater to 7.2megs soon enough.

lm7

just spent the one day I have off trying to watch tuts on you tube. waste of time slow slow to forget it broadband connect again. my o2 broadband is going back.

Onikage

Marlow wrote: »

If you are on the Three 10 GB Flat fee package, you can't roam as far as I know. I've never been able to use it outside Ireland.

So, only if you've got a pay for traffic subscription that'll work.

/Martin

You can definitely roam.

el diablo

I've had nothing but trouble with O2 Broadband since I signed up. For the last several weeks I've had problems with the moden disconnecting itself automatically and receiving error messages when I try to reconnect.

biologikal

I seem to be lucky in that my connection rarely cuts out, and if it does, if I physically unplug the modem, and plug it back in, it continues to work fine (E270).

Speeds and pings still good, here's one from a few minutes ago:

el diablo

biologikal wrote: »

I seem to be lucky in that my connection rarely cuts out, and if it does, if I physically unplug the modem, and plug it back in, it continues to work fine (E270).

Speeds and pings still good, here's one from a few minutes ago:

here's mine from just now.

I also have to unplug my modem and plug it back in to reconnect but I usually need to redial several times to get reconnected.:(

git_ireland

Hi Guys,

I posted y original query from this thread onto the O2 thread.
Download the firmware upgrade and It will greatly increase speed. Download for me now is somewhere at 3.1mbps

Link to firmware

el diablo

Which modem are you using? the E220?

hey, it's not so bad today, speeds and connection are pretty stable at the moment..:eek:

git_ireland

Yes E220. I never was able to get more then 1.5mbps but since the firmware update it has been great.Works a treat now for my useage.

git_ireland

Best ever speeds

Mayo Exile

I have the E270. It has a speed of (theoretical) 7.2Mbps for downloads. However using speedtest.net the highest download speed I have got so far is 3995kbps. Should I be getting higher than this? I have done the E270 firmware update.

jor el

Mayo Exile wrote: »

I have the E270. It has a speed of (theoretical) 7.2Mbps for downloads. However using speedtest.net the highest download speed I have got so far is 3995kbps. Should I be getting higher than this? I have done the E270 firmware update.

O2 only offer 3.6Mbps, so you shouldn't get any faster than this. 7.2Mbps is the connection speed between the computer and the modem, not the speed of the modem to the network.

Mayo Exile

Are they planning to go to 7.2Mbps?

hideous ape

Their meant to have already gone to 7.2Mbps the other week...some people have noticed a speed up recently. The O2 forum states that the upgrade has already been done.

cpcs

Gotta say, i just got o2 broadband today and i'm absolutely loving it so far!!

Speedtest:


I was on 3 broadband trial but twas absolutely shocking, never got more than 50KB, generally i was lucky to get 10KB consistant download! Just downloaded a few files from rapidshare at 495KB - wayyyy faster then my 2Mb BT connection at home - well done o2!