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Data speeds

Scooter2shoes
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

What happened to my data speeds??!!!??

i used to get around 15-20mbps and now im literally getting 50-60kbps??? Tried resetting phone and turning data off and back on but to no avail.
I have 8.5 gb per cycle, so why throttle the embarrassingly limited amount you crooks offer? Your no better than bell/rogers/telus.

15 REPLIES 15


@darlicious wrote: 

Of course it is.....but in layman's terms....


You can't change any settings on your device to change how much data is used for video streaming. That's decided for you by the network "optimization". If you try to increase the video resolution you get upper capped by the number of pixels on your display hardware. If you try to decrease resolution you get to watch at the lower resolution but the same amount of data still gets burned anyhow (which doesn't make sense, and is maybe something they can fix, but it's been this way forever). It doesn't matter which app or service you install, if it's a stream of audio/video packets (without any kind of unusual encryption or masking) then it'll still get recognized by the network and "optimized" to Telus preferences.

 

If you have two devices which consume different amounts of data to watch the same video from the same source then they are probably doing the playback at different screen resolutions or they have built-in acceleration features which prefer different codecs.

@Korth 

Of course it is.....but in layman's terms....


@darlicious wrote:

.....you will use less data when using apps with video content such as youtube becsuse the apps detect your data speed and will automatically switch to a lower resolution to accomodate the slower download speed so you get a better experience (no buffering) thus less data usage. It works opposite of speed tests....which will try to send the maximum amount of data in a short period.


Streaming audio/video content is more complicated than that.

 

Telus network machinery implements what Public Mobile calls Wireless Video Experience Optimization - what Telus calls Wireless Network Experience Optimization - what is actually called Openwave Mobility Media Optimizer (one component of an Openwave suite which provides all sorts of industry-leading integrated tools for analytics, datamining, mobile and remote telemetry, untargeted advertising, targeted advertising, maintaining user identity repositories, etc).

 

Anyhow, part of the video optimization is interception of all packets between the browser/client and the webserver. They are automatically transcaled to the display resolution of the browser/client device, to conserve mobile data bandwidth. They are sometimes transcoded to different file/compression formats, to helpfully support best available device-side capabilities. They are always region-locked and license-locked to enforce local DRM, to unhelpfully interfere with pesky things like VPNs and user anonymity which annoy commercial content providers.

 

Short version is that the "optimized" communication isn't directly between the stream provider (Youtube, Netflix, Prime, Twitch, whatever) and your device. It's between the provider and Telus, then between Telus and your device. Your resolution and viewing configuration (as seen by the network) is not controlled by your device, your data speed and capacity is not controlled by your device, your attempts to anonymize or localize are not controlled by your device, you can change whatever settings you like but actual settings and actual performances will be determined (and monitored, and filtered) by the network-side "optimization".

@HALIMACS 

Its the same with throttled or unthrottled 4G LTE. My A3 has the $10 plan and my g7+ has the $15 I cannot discern any noticeable difference except the A3 uses more data to watch the same thing.


@darlicious wrote:

@HALIMACS 

When you're watching on your phone you can't tell the difference......on your 70" tv is whole other matter or @Anonymous 's "new" plasma tv.


True -- most users are watching on 4 - 7" screens these days  -- difference between 480 & 1080 not very discernable.

 

I get a kick out of people thinking they're seeing 4K+ resolutions on devices that don't even support anything higher than 1080 or 720.   Amusing. 

 

 

@HALIMACS 

When you're watching on your phone you can't tell the difference......on your 70" tv is whole other matter or @Anonymous 's "new" plasma tv.


@darlicious wrote:

@HALIMACS 

While your theory holds true.....you will use less data when using apps with video content such as youtube becsuse the apps detect your data speed and will automatically switch to a lower resolution to accomodate the slower download speed so you get a better experience (no buffering) thus less data usage. It works opposite of speed tests....which will try to send the maximum amount of data in a short period.


Yup.

 

The fellow at this retail location knew nothing of what he was talking about.  It was kinda funny actually listening to him trying to qualify it... LOL

 

Indeed, if folks let their choice of video players "auto" select resolution, then it should reduce buffering, albeit at a resolution hit.  

 

You're right though, the lower the resolution, the less data consumed by watching the same content.

@HALIMACS 

While your theory holds true.....you will use less data when using apps with video content such as youtube becsuse the apps detect your data speed and will automatically switch to a lower resolution to accomodate the slower download speed so you get a better experience (no buffering) thus less data usage. It works opposite of speed tests....which will try to send the maximum amount of data in a short period.

HALIMACS
Mayor / Maire

@Scooter2shoes wrote:

What happened to my data speeds??!!!??

i used to get around 15-20mbps and now im literally getting 50-60kbps??? Tried resetting phone and turning data off and back on but to no avail.
I have 8.5 gb per cycle, so why throttle the embarrassingly limited amount you crooks offer? Your no better than bell/rogers/telus.


Let's look at the bright side of this, @Scooter2shoes 

 

The SLOWER your data speed, the longer it'll take to get the desired search results - thus you're less likely to burn through your data before the end of your cycle.

 

Which is contrary to what a merchant told me about 5 months ago - they claimed that the slower data speeds at Public Mobile actually meant one uses MORE DATA to achieve the same search results as someone using faster data -- gotta love merchant disinformation.

111111
Great Citizen / Super Citoyen

@Scooter2shoes I use 3G only and I’ve noticed I get better speeds as the LTE it’s majorly throttled to around 3MB Try setting your phone to 3G only. Right at the end of the day it’s your decision what works for you I hope this helps

@Scooter2shoes...

I just ran 3 separate Speedtests on my old iPhone SE. All 3 were 3.5 to 3.7mbps.

Before you give up on PM...try again tomorrow, if none of the above suggestions improve things.

@Scooter2shoes 

Does talk and text work properly?  Maybe try a network reset of phone.  Remove and re-insert SIM card.  

 

You could also try the SIM card in another working phone. This helps determine whether it is a hardware issue versus PM service problem.  

@Scooter2shoes 

We are just fellow customers like you and using profanity is against the ToS but we understand youre frustrated.....that is very slow for LTE which is normally very consistently around 2.7-2.9 mbps. Toggle airplane mode on/off. That will establish a brand new connection to the network. Clear your browser and make sure you have no other apps running in the background. Reboot your phone.

 

If you want to try another speed test to what your results are.....if your local network connection is very busy during primetime hours this can slow your data speeds considerably. Do a speed test before bedtime and see if it improves. If its always that slow at all times of day that would require more investigation.

Scooter2shoes
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

Already tried that and no, no difference, and to be clear, im not cussing out pm directly, its the actual canadian telecom etc etc not that im upset with for not policing the “big three” companies and putting an end to the ridiculous data costs we pay.

Its not like internet/data is a non renewable resource, yet they charge us for it like it is! Its a pathetic joke, the rich just get richer...

hairbag1
Mayor / Maire

@Scooter2shoes wrote:

What happened to my data speeds??!!!??

i used to get around 15-20mbps and now im literally getting 50-60kbps??? Tried resetting phone and turning data off and back on but to no avail.
I have 8.5 gb per cycle, so why throttle the embarrassingly limited amount you crooks offer? Your no better than bell/rogers/telus.

 


Try manually selecting 3G instead of LTE...does that improve things...(without cussing us out please )

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