Is Public Mobile's LTE throttled vs Telus/Koodo? Who here has the fastest Public Mobile speed?

[Eug]

I set my wife up on Public Mobile and it is working well for her. However, I've noticed that the max download speeds are more limited than I was expecting. They're decent and more than sufficient for her, but still, not quite what I might have expected for Telus or Koodo. (She was on Koodo before.)

Thinking it might just be luck of the draw for wireless conditions right at those times tested, I looked online, and it seems a few people have done comparative tests between Public Mobile and Koodo side by side, and Public Mobile is consistently slower. Well, at best Public Mobile is sometimes similar, but most of the time Public Mobile is slower. For example, one test had two Galaxy S6 phones testing Koodo against Public Mobile tested side by side. Koodo was over 100 Mbps, but Public Mobile was 20ish Mbps. Others have done maybe 5 tests in a row with the same phone models and again, Public Mobile usually was slower. Furthermore, I have never seen a Public Mobile speed test benchmark out there hit over 100 Mbps. In fact, over 60 Mbps seems to be rare.

Are Koodo and Telus given priority over Public Mobile in terms of download (and upload speeds), or is Public Mobile actively throttled (but still provided LTE speeds)? Or is Public Mobile using a more limited LTE feature set? Or is this all just by chance? To be fair to Public Mobile, I don't think I've ever seen truly scientific speed test comparisons between Public Mobile vs Telus/Koodo.

BTW, my iPhone 7 Plus on Fido is consistently slower than Public Mobile on my wife's iPhone 6s for upload speeds in my house, with my Fido consistently in the 1.5-2.5 Mbps range, and her Public Mobile in the 8-15 Mbps range. That's a pretty huge difference, and I'd rather have the faster uploads. This is her iPhone 6s on Public Mobile, to show the decent uploads.

[TheOldVR]

Not sure that this helps much... but I am downtown in a tower near York and King with a Telus iPhone and two sim cards (Telus plus PM).

Best of three Telus tests: Download 59.79 Upload: 6.34 Ping: 39

Best of three PM tests: Download 8.07 Upload: 4.41 Ping: 29

Both had 4 of 5 bars at the time....

So after running the PM tests I quickly thew my Telus sim back in and as expected....

Last Telus test: Download 3.34 Upload: 1.78 Ping: 20

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What did I learn? Testing off an app, even if off the same phone and in the same place will give sketchy results at best....

Oh - and that 6mbps of data speed handles most of my apps just fine .

Cheers peeps!

[edward203203]

Distance to test servers are not a huge factor, since many Internet Service Providers get access to super fast fiber optic cables that can potentially achieve crazy triple digit tbps. However, the closer a server is located to the user, fewer potential backlogs can occur.

Think of how Internet is delivered to an office or a home, if the local Internet company is cheap and only gets 100mbps to data connections outside the country. Then if you do speedtests just over the border, you will notice slower speeds than at a domestic location.

This is very true in China (PRC), since they slow down anyone in China trying to access servers outside of the country to < 100mbps. That < 100mbps is also throttled and shared with everyone in China, so usually speeds are around 1 mbps or not usable. Yet, Chinese Internet companies boast of fast speeds to it's customers in China. They are fast, but only on domestic servers.

[theoc198]

@kav2001c

Speedtest.net is fairly accurate. It can handle much faster speeds than 60 mbps. Look at the speeds Telus/Bell/Koodo customers are getting. 

The fact remains that we are using the same network, handsets, software, and apps as Telus/Bell/Koodo customers but we are getting much slower speeds. 

[theoc198]

@srlawren

It has nothing to do with the testing app you used. It has everything to do with the server you are connected to. The faster results are likely servers closer to you and the slower ones are servers further from you. 

With that said the fastest speed you got was around 60 mbps. This is also the number that I believe Public Mobile is throttling all users too. Sure the speed tests app might display a larger/smaller number but the max speeds are always between 55 - 75 mbps. 

Do speedtests again with Speedtest.net. Let it auto choose the server for you or select a server close to you. If you do a few, one after the other, you'll see results much closer in range. What you want is to get the shortest and best path to a server to be able to determin max speed. For the purpose of figuring out if we're throttled, that's what you want. You won't get this speed from every server on the internet but that's expected and why you should avoid basing your speed on apps connecting to speed test servers outside Canada. 

[edward203203]

@srlawren

Speedtest are effected by a few factors:
• Server speed capability; some test servers have a limited data transfer speed. Usually 100 mbps, if they have a limit.

• Server traffic; if lots of people are doing speedtests at the same time, the available data speed transfer to the server would decline. Imagine sharing your Internet with other people who download big files at the same time, your own data speed drops.

• Tower traffic; same as Server traffic, but on your end to the cell tower.

• Cell phone data speed capabilities; if your phone can't use carrier aggregation you are not going to get access to faster data speeds like the 335mbps from Bell/Telus.

[srlawren]

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@kav2001c wrote:

I posted this a few times before and I suspect the issue is with speedtest

I know it is a well known website but it does have other issues as well

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@kav2001cyou might be on to something with the testing app being a factor.  I did manage to break 60Mbps at my office just now using the OpenSignal testing app:

nPerf came close to that:

Yet with other apps I was consistently getting lower speeds, such as:

Speedchecker Internet Speed Test:

Sensorly:

The truly odd-ball was speedspot.org's Speed Test, which gave me tiny download and fast upload, very odd:

[stonechucker]

@sheytoon. Yes, it is possible, but again, location.  This test was done from <50m from the tower (I saw the picture on Howard Forum).  How often in day-to-day do you stand that close to a cellular tower?

[sheytoon]

@stonechucker

It's quite possible to achieve near peak speeds. See an example of a Koodo user getting over 328 Mbps (MAC layer) in Toronto.

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1777615-KOODO-LTE-speeds-post-em-if-you-got-em?p=16808019...

[stonechucker]

My understanding is that I will never reach the theorethical speeds adverstied by any provider, due to various things such as weather, network load, distance to tower, and even how I hold my phone, and whether I'm holding it against my head or leaving it on a picnic table.  Even age of technology comes into this as things change all the time.

As a consumer, there is no way I can expect the maximums stated, but yes, I should be able to get 40-60% speed rates on a regular basis.

[kav2001c]

I posted this a few times before and I suspect the issue is with speedtest

I know it is a well known website but it does have other issues as well

Actually download something of a substantial size and watch your speed

My numbers in real life are always way higher than what that website reports

[Smcanada99]

Hey guys I just sacrificed 89 mbs for the greater good! And the òutcome 71.56 download and 28.88 mbs upload on speedtest.net on Feb 28 2017 9:24 am ping 18 ms in streetsville mississauga Ontario. On s7 and off of Toronto server! So is the throttling still existing or just our paranoia. I would love to do another one but don't want use up more data! 10 test at this rate can be a gig gone in a heart beat!

[edward203203]

http://mobilesyrup.com/2017/01/18/freedom-mobile-lte-network-toronto-review-canada-speed/

Hmmmm... Why does Freedom Mobile and Telus get 100+mbps download, yet on Public Mobile we never gets beyond 100mbps using Telus towers?

[srlawren]

@sheytoon would love to hear what you can find out--please keep us posted!

[sheytoon]

@kav2001c
The test data indicates otherwise. I'll check with my Telus contacts to get a direct answer, as PM staff don't seem to be in contact with the Telus EPC team.

[theoc198]

@jgorman Either Public Mobile is dishonest when it says that it doesn't throttle speeds or there is something wrong. 

If Public Mobile wishes to throttle users it should publicly state that they are throttling. Both customers and potential customers should know if they should expect the same speed as on Bell/Rogers/Telus or if they will be slowed down to a specified speed. 

[theoc198]

Here are some speedtests that show what I believe to be the speeds we are being trottled to. These were all done late at night, max signal, on LTE-A, and on a Samsung S7. 

[theoc198]

@kav2001c

No one is getting faster than 60-70 mbps download speeds. While on Telus/Bell/Koodo it's not that difficult to get well over 100 mbps download speeds. I've done speed tests at 4 am when network load is relatively light with LTE-A showing on the phone and I can't reliabily get over 60 mbps).

Public Mobile/Telus is for sure throttling users. It might not be on purpose but something is causing this 60-70 mbps limit. 

[kav2001c]

Public (Telus) is not throttling data

If you do suspect this then file a complaint to CRTC 

They have the ability to inspect the equipment and issue penalties

[echf]

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@NDesai wrote:

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@sheytoon wrote:

Personally, the throttled speeds are still good enough for my usage, but I'd like to see 2 things from PM staff:

1. Acknowledge throttling exists
2. Identify the speed limit imposed, it seems to be around 60 or 70 Mbps.

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They have acknowledged that they 100% do not throttle. But since no one gets over 70mbps speed on LTE+, they are currently investigating for the actual problem. 

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I hope PM could give us a update on that! just curious

1. Did they change their policy? (No throttled)

2. What is the theoretical maximum speed of PM? (e.g. Bell 335 mbps)

3. Are we getting the same service quality as Telus customers?

[echf]

I guess it is just a cache and a system design thing. Not really about the network. 

Usually Samsung has better network chip then Apple. They are theoretically faster. 

But if you have a iPhone 7, it should be very fast too! You will have access to 3 band carrier aggregation. 

BTW I had a iPhone 6s, they just "feels" faster.

[Smcanada99]

I agree that the service is fast enough for day to day tasks as I use this as my second cell phone and have a work line from fido but the transparency would be welcomed by everyone whoseems phone seems to choke now and then when downloading or uploading. One interesting thing I noticed that my speed test are consistently faster on an iPhone with PM sim than my Samsung s7. Is there a reason for this? Does Apple preclude networks from throttling service on ios devices? Or is ios better finding better responding servers Thanks in advance

[srlawren]

@jgorman I agree that the speed is quick enough for my day to day tasks.  I think people are upset because PM has always given the impression (if not outright stating it) that we get the exact same quality of service (network service; not customer service) as Telus and Koodo clients, and have in the past denied that any throttling or limiting was in place.  Yet recently anecotal testing evidence to the contrary has been amassing.  I think although we get enough speed for most people's needs, it's the fact that PM have not been forthcoming about it that is upsetting.  For example, when trying to talk friends and family into moving over to PM, I've always told them it's the exact same network service quality for much less (with the other missing frills highlighted), but it turns out I may not have been correct, and I feel bad about that.  Having said that, as you say, it's "fast enough", and I havne't had any complaints from the people I've referred--they seem happy with the service and the $ they are saving every month.

[jgorman]

I think the speeds are great. Stop complaining everyone

[NDesai]

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@sheytoon wrote:

Personally, the throttled speeds are still good enough for my usage, but I'd like to see 2 things from PM staff:

1. Acknowledge throttling exists
2. Identify the speed limit imposed, it seems to be around 60 or 70 Mbps.

---

They have acknowledged that they 100% do not throttle. But since no one gets over 70mbps speed on LTE+, they are currently investigating for the actual problem. 

[jpar]

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@sheytoon wrote:

Personally, the throttled speeds are still good enough for my usage, but I'd like to see 2 things from PM staff:

1. Acknowledge throttling exists
2. Identify the speed limit imposed, it seems to be around 60 or 70 Mbps.

---

Yup.. for the sake of transparency, this needs to be done.

[sheytoon]

Personally, the throttled speeds are still good enough for my usage, but I'd like to see 2 things from PM staff:

1. Acknowledge throttling exists
2. Identify the speed limit imposed, it seems to be around 60 or 70 Mbps.

[edward203203]

It is kinda disappointing that even though LTE+ works on Public Mobile, Telus throttles down your connection to standard LTE speeds. At least with basic LTE, I avoid headaches from slow 3G connections that made browsing impossible on Freedom Mobile. I still hope that Telus will eventually remove the data speed limit on Public Mobile, otherwise I will have to consider keeping the Fido data only SIM active.

[srlawren]

@edward203203 interesting test.  Actually it's quite ironic that you would get faster speeds as a Fido/Rogers customer using the same network as an extended network than as a PM customer on your own parent company's network.  😞  

[edward203203]

@srlawren

I was forcing my Fido SIM to enter into extended coverage (Telus/Bell network)

[srlawren]

@edward203203 a Fido SIM connected to Telus?  I don't understand.