Does anyone get above 3.6Mbps on their 7.6Mbps t-stick ?

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Does anyone get above 3.6Mbps on their 7.6Mbps t-stick ?

xlinknz

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#95899 16-Jan-2012 13:58

i.e. is it worthwhile getting a 7.6Mbps t-stick rather than a 3.6Mbps t-stick ?

I have this feeling that if average speeds are circa 4Mbps why paid a $40 premium for the faster stick ?

I'm only going to use for infrequent web browsing on holiday where there is no free wifi or 2degrees zone coverage

sbiddle

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#569458 16-Jan-2012 14:14

Where are you located? And is this on a single cellsite or on various sites?

xlinknz

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#569493 16-Jan-2012 15:22

sbiddle: Where are you located? And is this on a single cellsite or on various sites?

Thank you for the reply

I will be in holiday in Rotorua. Telecom's own and independant tests http://www.telecom.co.nz/mobile/mobile/ournetwork/independenttests shows averages of 3-4Mbit in Auck/Wgtn

What I don't understand is why TCNZ say average speeds with the 3.6Mbps stick are 1.5Mbps and the average speed with the 7.6Mbps card 3.6Mbps, why would the sticks average be half what they are rated at unless the quoted throughput is bi-directional ? [as is often the case with Wifi]

Bottom line is it would appear on average that a faster stick has no advantage.

NZFINEST

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#569498 16-Jan-2012 15:29

I was in Rotorua this weekend, staying on the main road well one of them, Fenton St. I used my Vodafone Vodem where I was and had no issues at all.

Anything I suggest or say is my own thoughts and not provided by anyone else unless stated

nitrotech

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#569514 16-Jan-2012 16:03

I'm in Rotorua now and on Hinemoa Street my speedtest was 5.6mbps with a HSPA+ t-stick but it can vary greatly depending on network load etc.

I recommend you get the 7.2 stick due to the fact that (most of the) 3.6mbps sticks have no HSUPA - eg. fast upload speed.

That makes a big difference to the likes of skype video - not much difference in browsing though.

xlinknz

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#569523 16-Jan-2012 16:24

nitrotech: I'm in Rotorua now and on Hinemoa Street my speedtest was 5.6mbps with a HSPA+ t-stick but it can vary greatly depending on network load etc.

I recommend you get the 7.2 stick due to the fact that (most of the) 3.6mbps sticks have no HSUPA - eg. fast upload speed.

That makes a big difference to the likes of skype video - not much difference in browsing though.

Thank you for the reply

What is your typical average ?

FYI it would appear the current TCNZ 7.2Mbps stick the MF190 does not do HSUPA !

http://www.zte.co.nz/main/MF190.htm

grant_k

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#569524 16-Jan-2012 16:30

nitrotech: ...
I recommend you get the 7.2 stick due to the fact that (most of the) 3.6mbps sticks have no HSUPA - eg. fast upload speed.

That makes a big difference to the likes of skype video - not much difference in browsing though.

I would second that. My MF636 can send large email attachments a helluva lot faster than the MF626 (and 190) because the 636 has HSUPA.

Maybe hunt around for a second-hand MF636 on TradeMe?
Or stump up for a Sierra Wireless stick instead of the ZTE ones.

BarTender

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#570577 18-Jan-2012 20:30

The Sierra 885's on Trademe are great. I have a few of them and they work a treat. ~$50 on TM.

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johnr

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#570578 18-Jan-2012 20:33

You could always look at the 42Mbps Vodem 4605 Vodafone sells

BarTender

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#570584 18-Jan-2012 20:47

johnr: You could always look at the 42Mbps Vodem 4605 Vodafone sells

So you go through your 1GB of data in 5 mins instead of 10...

Anything above 4MB up and down on Mobile Data is just icing on the cake IMHO.

johnr

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#570591 18-Jan-2012 21:08

BarTender:
johnr: You could always look at the 42Mbps Vodem 4605 Vodafone sells

So you go through your 1GB of data in 5 mins instead of 10...

Anything above 4MB up and down on Mobile Data is just icing on the cake IMHO.

So that gives you 5minutes to do something else with your time