topic Re: LTE Data Option in Get Support

LTE Data Option

PlanShopper — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 08:21:44 GMT

Afternoon everyone,

I am desperately hoping to switch to PM as I switched my parents and my wife last year, but I'm stuck at one point. I understand that the data is 3G, and if I buy a data addon, it'll also be 3G, unless I'm only on a Talk/Text plan which would make it LTE data.

My holdup is this. I work from home and my backup internet is my cell plan through tethering. This make LTE pretty important as 3m service is just not enough. 3G is "adequate" but not great. Is there any way for me to buy/use LTE data as needed, or am I stuck on 3G regardless?

Maybe this would be a great idea for a new addon. An LTE "Day/Week/Month Pass" to be added for a specific amount of time. I'm certain that this would be easily feasible...or maybe not even full LTE, something like a 5mb service or 10mb max etc.

*I understand I can get an LTE plan, but the prices aren't really competitive, which I why I was hoping for the option to add it as needed.

Re: LTE Data Option

Murco — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 18:32:36 GMT

I doubt that is going to happen PM already has an option to build your own plan to include

LTE data.

Re: LTE Data Option

RobertQc — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 18:38:17 GMT

@PlanShopperWhen you are on a 3G plan you get about 3mb when connecting to LTE , if you force your phone to connect at 3G on a 3G plan in network settings instead of LTE/4G, its no longer throttled, I usually get 20-30mb (on my 3g plan), instead of the 3mb (on a 3G plan, connecting to LTE)

Re: LTE Data Option

PlanShopper — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 18:43:31 GMT

Thank you. Assuming that's true, that would completely resolve my concerns. Can anyone else confirm that this is the case and not an anomaly for RobertQC?

I understand that connecting to LTE gives a better signal as it not only allows it to bounce from 3g to 4g, but it's also much more of a proliferated/current technology. 20-30mb is in LTE territory for most places anyways (outside of major centers at least), so this seems odd that they would throttle it at 3mb when you can just flip to 3g and get 10x that?

Thank you!

Re: LTE Data Option

RobertQc — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 18:50:37 GMT

@PlanShopper wrote:
Thank you. Assuming that's true, that would completely resolve my concerns. Can anyone else confirm that this is the case and not an anomaly for RobertQC?

I understand that connecting to LTE gives a better signal as it not only allows it to bounce from 3g to 4g, but it's also much more of a proliferated/current technology. 20-30mb is in LTE territory for most places anyways (outside of major centers at least), so this seems odd that they would throttle it at 3mb when you can just flip to 3g and get 10x that?

Thank you!

@PlanShopperI can assure you it is a well known around here that when using your 3G plan, if you actually set your phone to 3G you will get uncapped speeds.

If the LTE network was not throttled, you could be getting 100x the speeds. The 3G network is no longer being taxed, nor do they advertise speeds as they do on LTE. The LTE also provides much better latency.

Re: LTE Data Option

RobertQc — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 18:52:00 GMT

@PlanShopperThis happens to everyone at public mobile. Not just me. This has been literally discussed 1000's of times.

Re: LTE Data Option

stonechucker — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 18:55:29 GMT

@PlanShopper,

I actually tried to use my LTE plan yesterday in a poor location for LTE speeds. I forced my cell to 3G network only.

I was able to browse 'ok', but trying to do a conference screen share, there was no luck on 3G.

I've tethered fine previously in good LTE on the LTE previously, watching a 1080p 90-minute stream with no issue at all.

I may try the 3G in a better location sometime soon.

Re: LTE Data Option

RobertQc — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 18:57:54 GMT

@PlanShopper

As long as you are in an area that has 3G reception.

@mathsz wrote:

3g is faster

@Dunkgirl wrote:
When you are on throttled LTE (3mb) and you set your phone to 3G you get much faster speeds because 3G is not being throttled or at least not the same as the LTE. Some people call it an exploit. (I do not, I think its fair) LTE is a better and more advanced network. I think if you choose to use the crappier older 3G (slower latency) network its fair to get faster than 3mb throttled speeds.

@Dunkman wrote:

when choosing Lte option, your speed will be throttled to 3 Mbs, but you will get the Lte latency. When choosing 3g, your speed will not be throttled. So, what you are experiencing is what most people on 3G data plan experience with PM. Which option you choose depends on preference.

@computergeek541 wrote:

If I were to switch to a 3g plan a Public Mobile, I would seriously consider just disabling LTE on my device since the speeds will often be faster after taking that step because of the way that Public Mobile doesn't throttle the 3g network speeds.

@popping wrote:

When you are on 3G, you get the the fastest speed that 3G can provide.
When you are on LTE, you will be toggled down to 3Mbps.

@luke11992 wrote:
@kdsharma1 wrote:
I followed Luke's thread and made the switch to 3G. I get so much more data for so much less and I have no seen any difference. I use alot of data since my work doesn't have wifi. I also use Data in the car for my Waze app and to stream music and podcasts. I have never had any buffering provlems. Luke11992 had a great thread. I suggest reading it. Unless you're gonna be dowloading alot of movies or doing alot of video calls. There's no point of (full) LTE data.
Thanks you! It seems there's more and more anecdotal evidence that using the 3g setting is in fact faster.

@stonechucker wrote:
@turboron, Public Mobile does not offer a 3G only package. If you're on the 3G Speed plan, it is an LTE plan, and the speeds have been throttled to 3G 'maximum' speeds of approximate 3000mbps.

The plan is delivered on the 4G/LTE network. You can set your phone to only use the 3G network, and you may well experience faster speeds overall, but the latency is longer on 3G vs LTE. All voice calls are performed on the 3G network.

@stonechucker wrote:

All I know is, selecting a forced 3G connection can get better overall speeds for download but suffers from a larger latency than the 4G/LTE.

Re: LTE Data Option

hzmy — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 19:01:45 GMT

To give you some proof.

This is the data speed when forced onto 3g network. 3G network speed

And this is what it is on 4gLTE speed

Re: LTE Data Option

PlanShopper — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 18:56:18 GMT

just find it hard to believe for a couple of reasons, but notably because your speeds of 20-30 are faster than the maximum throughput of 3G (3.1mb). Unless of course it's not 3G, but 3.5G (@14.4mb) or HSPA/HSPA+.

I apologize for the repetition however I searched for the forums initially for the question about LTE addons, or one time speed increases, not thinking to search for a technicality on the 3G speed.

Re: LTE Data Option

RobertQc — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 19:00:22 GMT

@PlanShopperIf you have some data left on your plan, just set your phone to 3G and do a speed test, then put it back to LTE and do another speed test.

Re: LTE Data Option

youbme — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 19:03:12 GMT

@PlanShopper, YMMV...

I have done testing here and there in the Ottawa Valley, city and rural areas. It really depends on which tower you are near, there are times that I've found the capped LTE connection is faster than unthrottled 3G.

I have never seen the 20-30 mbps that @RobertQc mentioned, but can say consistently (with strong reception) in the 10-15 mbps (download) and 1.5 - 3mbps (upload).

Re: LTE Data Option

PlanShopper — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 19:05:09 GMT

I appreciate all the info, thanks for sharing all the data. I'm just really surprised that this works this way, but also happy.

Now I just have to confirm I have actual 3G coverage where I'll be moving to and then switch. I can get my wife to test next time we're there.

We currently live outside of Ottawa, but will be moving to an hour east of Orillia. The only coverage there is from Bell/Rogers, but this shouldn't be a problem as far as reception. We also have limited coverage where we'll be, so I have to get a booster as well. This is the whole reason for having backup internet...rural living.

Thanks for the info!

Re: LTE Data Option

youbme — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 19:05:46 GMT

One more point...I usually find upload speeds are faster with a throttled LTE connection compared to 3G...

Re: LTE Data Option

RobertQc — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 19:09:32 GMT

@hzmy wrote:
I got different results though.

LTE speed

3G network speed

@hzmyThere are many factors involved with both latency and speed. Weather, time of day, network congestion, trees in the area, how far you are from towers, if its sunny, etc.

If you are on a 3G plan and you connect to LTE you are throttled.

If you are on a 3G plan and you connect at 3G you are not throttled.

Re: LTE Data Option

hzmy — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 19:10:34 GMT

@RobertQc wrote:

@hzmy wrote:
I got different results though.

LTE speed

3G network speed

@hzmyThere are many factors involved with both latency and speed. Weather, time of day, network congestion, trees in the area, how far you are from towers, if its sunny, etc.

If you are on a 3G plan and you connect to LTE you are throttled.
If you are on a 3G plan and you connect at 3G you are not throttled.

I am on 3G plan.

Re: LTE Data Option

PlanShopper — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 19:11:48 GMT

@RobertQc

Do you mind if I ask your whereabouts? Obviously not specifics, but are you in the downtown core of a major center (MTL?), or on the outskirts, rural etc?

Re: LTE Data Option

RobertQc — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 19:13:15 GMT

@PlanShopper wrote:
@RobertQc

Do you mind if I ask your whereabouts? Obviously not specifics, but are you in the downtown core of a major center (MTL?), or on the outskirts, rural etc?

@PlanShopperRight outside of a major city.

Re: LTE Data Option

RobertQc — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 19:16:33 GMT

@hzmy wrote:
@RobertQc wrote:

@hzmy wrote:
I got different results though.

LTE speed

3G network speed

@hzmyThere are many factors involved with both latency and speed. Weather, time of day, network congestion, trees in the area, how far you are from towers, if its sunny, etc.

If you are on a 3G plan and you connect to LTE you are throttled.
If you are on a 3G plan and you connect at 3G you are not throttled.

I am on 3G plan.

@hzmy

Exactly, so connecting at 3G got you 16, where connecting to LTE (with your 3g plan) got you 3

Re: LTE Data Option

hzmy — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 19:17:35 GMT

@RobertQc wrote:
@hzmy wrote:
@RobertQc wrote:

@hzmy wrote:
I got different results though.

LTE speed

3G network speed

@hzmyThere are many factors involved with both latency and speed. Weather, time of day, network congestion, trees in the area, how far you are from towers, if its sunny, etc.

If you are on a 3G plan and you connect to LTE you are throttled.
If you are on a 3G plan and you connect at 3G you are not throttled.

I am on 3G plan.
@hzmy

Exactly, so connecting at 3G got you 16, where connecting to LTE (with your 3g plan) got you 3

Yup this is what I am expecting as well.