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3G Data Speed

lisaz
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

From your experiences, is the 3G data speed sufficient for video chats?

9 REPLIES 9

will13am
Oracle
Oracle

This is qualitative.  The tier 3 carriers have determined the lowest speed throttle that allows general usage on wireless data to work.  They would not cap at a point where nothing works.  That would then reflect negatively in the product. 


@computergeek541 wrote:

I know that was just a typo, but I don't know anyone who has 2500Mbps.


It was a typo, I meant 2.5Mbps.  I wasn't aware that the cap is actually 3Mbps, I recall some misunderstandings about the exact values when pseudo-3G was new.  3000Kbps (375KB/sec, 22.5MB/min) is even more overkill than 2500Kbps for video chatting.


@Korth wrote:

FaceTime uses about 3MB/min (0.18GB/hour) on all Apple hardware.

Skype uses less than 24MB/min (1.44GB/hour) at normal quality and less than 72MB/min (4.32GB/hour) at HD quality.  Much less if your either Android phone supports maximum camera or screen resolutions lower than FHD (1920x1080@30).

 

Public Mobile (Telus) "3G" is actually a 4G/HSPA+ upper-capped at 2500Mpbs (312.5KB/sec, 18.75MB/min) - sometimes even faster in off-peak times - it's far more than needed for video chat.

 

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Plans-Add-Ons/3G-or-LTE/m-p/231180#M26925


The HSPA+ network has a maximum possible speed of about 42Mbps.  For Public Mobile's "3g" plans, LTE connections are capped at 3Mbps.   In some places, Public Mobilie does still mistakenly say 2.5Mbps.

 

I know that was just a typo, but I don't know anyone who has 2500Mbps.  I wish I had that, but that's even faster than some of the newer gigabit home internet services offered. 

NuYearNuMobile
Great Citizen / Super Citoyen

I just want to mention that there is no perfect answer to your question.

 

Telcos mention 3g,4g,5g etc based on theoretical speeds which are subject to disruption from various factors like buildings,tree,weather, user density etc.

 

So you may get top speeds at one place with 5g but you may also get slow speeds at another place with same 5g.

 

I had my work phone with 4G data but I used to getter higher speeds in rural areas vs slower speeds in cities for whatever reason.

 

Hence, get your friends 3g subscribed phone with PM and see the speeds you get at the exact location.

Korth
Mayor / Maire

FaceTime uses about 3MB/min (0.18GB/hour) on all Apple hardware.

Skype uses less than 24MB/min (1.44GB/hour) at normal quality and less than 72MB/min (4.32GB/hour) at HD quality.  Much less if your either Android phone supports maximum camera or screen resolutions lower than FHD (1920x1080@30).

 

Public Mobile (Telus) "3G" is actually a 4G/HSPA+ upper-capped at 2500Mpbs (312.5KB/sec, 18.75MB/min) - sometimes even faster in off-peak times - it's far more than needed for video chat.

 

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Plans-Add-Ons/3G-or-LTE/m-p/231180#M26925

@lisaz More info on this topic:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Plans-Add-Ons/Share-Your-3G-Real-World-Experience/m-p...

and

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Discussions/LTE-vs-3G/m-p/251494#M73020

 

EDIT: forgot to add the tag line to those threads to save you reading them! Robot LOL

"Basically, 3G is fine unless you stream HD movies or upload large files."

 


>>> ALERT: I am not a CSA. Je ne suis pas un Agent du soutien à la clientèle.

geopublic
Mayor / Maire

@lisaz wrote:

From your experiences, is the 3G data speed sufficient for video chats?


@lisaz  HD video calling uses max  1.5 Mbps. PM throttles it's LTE+ (3G) connection at 3Mbps so it's more than enough.

Melissa-H77
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

I haven’t notice any difference switching to 3G. I still use my phone for all the same activities as when I was with Rogers. 

GinYVR
Mayor / Maire

@lisazYes it is fine for Facetime etc.

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