Better device for O2 3G access?

fergalr

Hi,

Living in the midlands it's hard to get good internet access.
The best solution available is 3G access.
Currently I'm using my O2 phone (E51) tethered to my laptop as a modem.

However, access to the 3G network is sporadic - sometimes I get 3G and sometimes Edge.

Sometimes access seems to be worse in worse weather.


Does anyone know of a device I can buy, into which I can insert my existing O2 sim, that has better 3G receive and transmit capabilities?
I presume that the aerial in my phone isn't as good as something I can buy dedicated for this purpose - however, I'm having difficulty finding such a device.

Can anyone recommend a device?
Has anyone had success getting much better 3G reception than with a standard handset?
Would you agree it's plausible that the fact I can get 3G sometimes and Edge other times, is that I'm on the periphery of the 3G range? (as opposed to fluctuations in the network?)

Thanks,
Fergal

barnicles

Huawei e220. 20 yoyo. Get it online

Onikage

The drop in connection is likely due to cell breathing: once the maximum number of subscribers is reached in a cells coverage area the radius begins to decrease. This saves power for the network and prevents too many new subscribers from attempting to join a full cell but can also drop users who are positioned at the edge. So you probably are in the borderline region where the edge can move.

The e220 would be the cheapest stand-alone modem. Not sure if it would be any better than your phone and there's no pin for an external antenna.

fergalr

The drop in connection is likely due to cell breathing: once the maximum number of subscribers is reached in a cells coverage area the radius begins to decrease. This saves power for the network and prevents too many new subscribers from attempting to join a full cell but can also drop users who are positioned at the edge. So you probably are in the borderline region where the edge can move.

That's interesting, I didn't know that happened...
Presumably, when you refer to the radius decreasing, you mean that the power on the transmissions is reduced (rather than any other weirdness, eg, that they estimate range to handset, eg, by triangulating position or similar, and stop communicating with far away ones)?
In which case this would be mitigated by a better transceiver at my end..?

The e220 would be the cheapest stand-alone modem. Not sure if it would be any better than your phone and there's no pin for an external antenna.

I don't mind paying a bit more for a more expensive modem - I want one that also doesn't come with a bundled contract.

I don't think the e220 would be more better than my phone, from past experience with this device in another location...
Anyone know of anything big, and maybe directional, that does this?

Onikage

fergalr wrote: »

Presumably, when you refer to the radius decreasing, you mean that the power on the transmissions is reduced (rather than any other weirdness, eg, that they estimate range to handset, eg, by triangulating position or similar, and stop communicating with far away ones)?

It's a broadcast transmission from the cell tower so it's a theoretical sphere. In real life things like trees and buildings and the planet tend to get in the way, not to mention a lot of the equipment is actually directional. It's not so much that they stop communicating with you, it's that they start whispering to the nearby users and you just can't hear them any more.

fergalr wrote: »

In which case this would be mitigated by a better transceiver at my end..?

No but on the good side, if the cell is so busy that the radius starts to shrink you'll probably get a faster speed on the Edge network anyway.

fergalr

It's a broadcast transmission from the cell tower so it's a theoretical sphere. In real life things like trees and buildings and the planet tend to get in the way, not to mention a lot of the equipment is actually directional. It's not so much that they stop communicating with you, it's that they start whispering to the nearby users and you just can't hear them any more.

Yeah sure - in other words, I imagine, they reduce the power output on the outgoing signal, reducing the size of the effect sphere, so there's less 3G users in the network...

No but on the good side, if the cell is so busy that the radius starts to shrink you'll probably get a faster speed on the Edge network anyway.

Really, by the time the 3g network hits the threshold for shrinking the radius, it's slower than edge? That's a pretty crazy system - surely you'd aim to shrink before that point...

If they are lowering the power output of the signal, surely more sensitive receiving gear will counter that somewhat - obviously they could shrink it to the point you wouldn't have a hope, but presumably a more sensitive modem would mean you lose connection at the same time as people using less sensitive equipment who are closer to the transmitter? (obviously, in an idealized situation, ie, neglecting contours, buildings etc)


I found some bits about people getting a E220, and then soldering on a connection to a more powerful external aerial - this seems like it'd work pretty well, but there seems to be a lot of conflicting information about how to go about doing this.

Onikage

I see where you're coming from with the more sensitive gear angle but without doing a site survey it woud be imposible to tell. Are you on the edge of a town? Do you lose 3G more often during the daytime? It may be that you are just too far out and no amount of antennas will help you outcompete someone who is physically closer to the centre.

I suppose you've looked into Fixed Wireless from digiweb and IBB?

jor el

barnicles wrote: »

Huawei e220. 20 yoyo. Get it online

That's with a 1 year contract and new SIM.

fergalr wrote: »

I don't mind paying a bit more for a more expensive modem - I want one that also doesn't come with a bundled contract.

I don't think the e220 would be more better than my phone

Probably correct. The E51 is a HSDPA phone, so should give you the same performance as the E220 modem.

If you're loosing 3G signal, there's not a lot you can do about it and you'll just be wasting money trying. If you can get the phone to a higher point in the house, and near a window, that could improve reception.

madmoe

Hi guys,
My mam signed up for the 02 Broadband, the 20 Euro per month job. After a week of no connection she is now up and running. The knob heads in the shop where she bought it forgot, yes, forgot to register the SIM on the network. I know another person here in Dublin that the exact same thing happened to. Surely these people in the shops that are selling these are trained to immediately register the SIM?

Anyhow, now my mam is up and running she tells me (I have not seen this myself) that its saying she is connected to EDGE??? I though the whole pint of going 3G was to get 3 feckin' G speeds! Now maybe this is down to where we are located at home? She went from dial up to EDGE and says it’s a bit faster but was expecting much much more.

By the way, my mam lives on the Mayo\Roscommon border about 6K from Kilkelly if that is a black spot or something......?

M

Onikage

O2's 3G network is claimed to be 89%. There are indeed some EDGE-only areas around kilkelly: http://www.o2online.ie/wps/wcm/connect/O2/Home/Explore+Services/Services/O2+Broadband/Check+Coverage

skywalker_208

Onikage wrote: »

O2's 3G network is claimed to be 89%./QUOTE]

Thats covers "89% of our population" now remember - not geographical

madmoe

Thanx guys, checked that map and we are in a blue area at home but still can only get EDGE......ah well!