Community

pjstock · ‎03-20-2018

I'm a new PM client attracted by the more affordable data plans available here than on the other carriers (I am presently with Fido).

I don't think I have a need for fast data and so can probably get away with one of the pretty cost effective 3G data plans.

So, I've just activated a new PM SIM and am testing it out before I permanently abandon Fido and the world of LTE.

initially tests, side by side, my old LTE versus the new PM 3G I am getting about 6-7mbps on fido/rogers LTE versus 2.2Mbps on PM 3G.

So about 1/3 the speed of LTE.

Does that sound about right?

what are other 3G data users seeing?

Peter

, I am only getting about

computergeek541 · ‎04-08-2019

@wildstreak73 wrote:
My phone that I bought used is an old Koodo phone too, and I noticed that it too is capped at 2.5Mbps when I am supposed to be at 3g. 😞

You could possibly be in an area of weak signal and/or of network congestion.

When you say it's an "old" Koodo phone, how old do you mean and which model is it?: Some phones don't even have LTE capabilities, while there are sone older phones that you could possibly use on Koodo that have maximum 3g network speeds of 384Kbps, 3.6Mbps, or 7.2Mbps, far below the maximum HSPA+ speeds that the network is capable of.

Anonymous · ‎04-08-2019

@wildstreak73 wrote:
My phone that I bought used is an old Koodo phone too, and I noticed that it too is capped at 2.5Mbps when I am supposed to be at 3g. 😞

And for the sake of your data bucket, those speedtests gulp a lot of data.

srlawren · ‎04-08-2019

@wildstreak73 wrote:
My phone that I bought used is an old Koodo phone too, and I noticed that it too is capped at 2.5Mbps when I am supposed to be at 3g. 😞

@wildstreak73 you should be getting "up to" 3Mbps, so that doesn't sound like it's far off.

>>> ALERT: I am not a moderator. For account or activation assistance, please click here.

wildstreak73 · ‎04-08-2019

My phone that I bought used is an old Koodo phone too, and I noticed that it too is capped at 2.5Mbps when I am supposed to be at 3g. 😞

sheytoon · ‎07-10-2018

@gmd, you're right. There was no inter-operability between the CDMA and UMTS/LTE networks in Canada.

99% is a number I made up 🙂

Video will work fine if it's 480p and potentially 720p. I think 1080p and higher would have issues.

gmd · ‎07-10-2018

@sheytoon wrote:

Side note: both Bell and Telus had fully functional 2G CDMA networks.

...but not in the context of "falling back onto".

Does 99% include video chat?

sheytoon · ‎07-10-2018

Speed limit on "3G" plans is actually 3 Mbps, and it's LTE as mentioned by others.

It's good enough for 99% of smartphone usage scenarios.

Side note: both Bell and Telus had fully functional 2G CDMA networks. Telus decommissioned theirs a while ago, and Bell will be doing so as well.

gmd · ‎07-09-2018

Bell does not have a 2G (GSM) infrastructure.

How are Hangouts on PM's "3G" (aka Telus LTE capped at 2.5 Mb/s)?

Korth · ‎03-20-2018

@pjstock

@Aidenwrote:
It may be advertised now as 3G but it really is just LTE that is throttled to a maximum of 2.5mbps download speeds, hence the marketing message behind the coverage and reliability of LTE network, yet was confusing with the 3G lingo thrown in.
Feedback around latency of surfing webpages and streaming YouTube on mobile would be great to really understand how "bad" this plan sounds like.
Reality is if the latency is just as fast as full speed LTE, then normal browsing experience won't change much, perhaps a few seconds slower loading up a media dense webpage.
A throttled LTE at up to 2.5mbps download is much better than 5-7mbps actual 3G due to faster response time for general usage.

Emphasis mine.

I'd recommend you extend your testing beyond raw download/upload benchmark scores. Compare your "general usage" - your websites, social media, email, games, whatever - on PM's "3G" vs Fido's 4G. You may find 2.5Mbps "3G" is perfectly adequate ... or that it's inadequate.

Remember that you also have the option of upgrading your PM plan to 4G/LTE, and PM (Telus) LTE is usually far faster than Fido (Rogers) LTE. Telus consistently advertises themselves as "the fastest 4G network in Canada" (built on top of "the fastest 3G network in Canada", lol) - they've also deployed 4G/LTEA (220Mbps) and they're even running 5G pilot projects in some urban areas (and PM obviously doesn't offer these things, but chances are good that they will be able to do so before Fido).

Telus 4G/LTE is up to 110Mbps in ideal conditions and 12~45Mbps in typical conditions; Telus 3G/HSPA+ is up to 42Mbps in ideal conditions and 4~14Mbps in typical conditions (although, again, Public Mobile "3G" is actually Telus 4G capped at 2.5Mbps). Telus never constructed a full 2G infrastructure (like Bell and Rogers did) to fallback onto - and they've completely scrapped all their CDMA technologies - if that's relevant.

https://www.pcmag.com/article/348825/fastest-mobile-networks-canada-2017

https://business.telus.com/en/business/support/global/faq/coverage-canada-3g-4g

It almost goes without saying that you can only achieve the fastest possible speeds on compatible phones. Some phones just don't have enough hardware oomphf, some phones just don't have full compatibility with all the required frequencies and bands and channels - such devices will have limited performance parameters regardless of how awesome the network-side technologies might be.