iPhone Speeds on Vodafone (Auckland) this morning much improved.

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#245610 12-Aug-2009 14:36

ahmad: alikat - that 117kbps down is eerily close to the 116kbps problem that some have reported here (IIRC you move out of 3G, then back into 3G, and are "capped" at around 116kbps).

There is a issue with the iPhone's and some 3G networks with the iPhone not 'stepping up' to the faster 3G speeds, which is a handset problem, but is kinda a network problem as well (XT uses different radio gear from Vodafone so may not have the same interop issues.)

It looks like Vodafone have been hard at work fixing the problems with iPhones being stuck at ~117kbps and iPhones are now consistently getting higher and closer grouping of speeds, i.e. if you run 3 speedtests in a row they won't wildly vary.

I suspect they have only done this on parts of the network which is why some people are still seeing slower speeds in different parts of Auckland and NZ.

Anyone from Vodafone care to comment?

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freitasm

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#245613 12-Aug-2009 14:39

ahmad: Wonder why you have to switch it to get working properly.

Because probably there's a software bug on the handset that locks into the lowers speeds, and doing a reset unlocks it until the next time.

ahmad

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#245617 12-Aug-2009 14:45

Ok because I was surprised that you got 4.8Mbps on Vodafone in 1 test, and then under 2Mbps on the 2 other tests.

ahmad

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#245619 12-Aug-2009 14:48

freitasm:
ahmad: Wonder why you have to switch it to get working properly.

Because probably there's a software bug on the handset that locks into the lowers speeds, and doing a reset unlocks it until the next time.

Ok I didn't fully understand the problem but DrCheese had advised me to reset the phone before testing on Vodafone which is what I did.

As the results showed, I was able to achieve greater than 116kbps so I was not stuck in this "zone".

I will be testing Vodafone again in Dunedin in the next day or two and will update my speed testing with the results.

hallannz

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#245620 12-Aug-2009 14:48

freitasm:
ahmad: Wonder why you have to switch it to get working properly.

Because probably there's a software bug on the handset that locks into the lowers speeds, and doing a reset unlocks it until the next time.

But this is a software fault with all iPhones not one which requires handset replacement, which is what Voda were telling me to do. This has been puzzling the hell out of me for a month now, very glad to get this cleared up.

DrCheese

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#245625 12-Aug-2009 14:54

I am aware of at least three problems:

1. Relatively slow speeds on the 2100 MHz 3G vodafone network (300 kbps download)
2. Slow Wi-Fi speeds on the iPhone, compared to a PC on the same local network (one-fifth of the speed)
3. Getting stuck in the "116 kbps zone" on the vodafone 3G network.

It would have to be a problem with the iPhone itself, and *may* be a problem with the 2100 MHz vodafone network as well, but I'm no expert on this.

And just to keep it on-topic, I'll mention the word "Auckland".

ahmad

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#245628 12-Aug-2009 15:00

DrCheese I find my webpages load slow on WiFi compared to desktop on same home network. I figured it was something to do with Mobile Safari?

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#245639 12-Aug-2009 15:18

Not sure of the reason why. Maybe the next update to the iPhone (version 3.1) will fix this.

hallannz

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#245657 12-Aug-2009 15:47

Behold, I have treasure:

This is what I got all over Auckland. Tested all over the North Shore, Takapuna, Northcote, Albany, Belmont, Devonport. Auckland CBD too. Always locked to <=128kbps. I've done about 10 different tests I'd say.

Tried it just now, hotswapped my XT Sim for a Voda prepaid and walked up the hill to get 5 bars 3G. No resets, no 3G resets, nuthin'

They've done something to their network I swear. Things have been fixed.

That was the second test, lost the first, that was faster, about 211KB/sec.

I'm glad I cancelled my Voda contract and switched to XT, this may be fixed but the coverage issues linger. Also the lousy customer service lingers where they just can't admit the real fault but you know, as Oprah would say, I have closure. The good kind of closure where I was right, it wasn't a fault with this handset, and they were wrong. :)

ahmad

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#245668 12-Aug-2009 16:03

Hotswapping the SIM should do the same thing as resetting 3G anyway.

DrCheese

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#245672 12-Aug-2009 16:07

Sorry to be the bearer of deflating news but when you hot-swapped to your vodafone SIM card, you were effectively carrying out a similar procedure to switching the airplane mode on and off again.

hallannz

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#245676 12-Aug-2009 16:11

Yeah but I'd have been going in and out of 3G on the way up the hill I think, I don't think this test is different to the other 10 I did. I was switching the phone on and off for those.

I'd do a test, then switch it off and on, do another test right away. I think they've made changes to their network.

I remain victorious sirs! :) It's not a fault with this particular handset. All iPhones? Sure.

Thing about your XT network is it never switches between GSM and 3G because there is no GSM, fault would never show up.

corksta

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#245882 13-Aug-2009 01:41

Yeah must admit I have also seen improved speeds in the last couple days. Not enough to make me go WOW, but still a nice improvement - I live in Takapuna.

I don't know if it's going to be enough to keep me from moving to XT and taking up their iPhone offer though.

exportgoldman

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#245934 13-Aug-2009 09:48

K Road Central City Auckland Wednesday

Botney Downs Outter Suburbs of Auckland Late Last night

Note that all the faster sites have a limited upload of around ~100kbps

I would suspect Botney has not been done yet.

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psychrn

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#245939 13-Aug-2009 09:58

Speeds have definitely gone up here in Hamilton.

Central CBD

Over at Forrest Lake

But at Home I get a paultry 300 kbps at Te Rapa.
I must add that turning on/off the airport setting didnt make much of a difference.'Though I suspect it does make a difference sometimes??

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