Comparison clip of iPad 3G on Vodafone NZ and XT

Forums › Apple iOS and devices › Comparison clip of iPad 3G on Vodafone NZ and XT

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1923 posts

Uber Geek

#356643 26-Jul-2010 16:26

Hardly a fair comparison...
You were operating the VF unit with your left hand.

bingothewonderdog

18 posts

Geek

#356648 26-Jul-2010 16:43

oxnsox: Hardly a fair comparison...
You were operating the VF unit with your left hand.

I'm left handed :-)

oxnsox

1923 posts

Uber Geek

#356662 26-Jul-2010 17:11

freitasm:
xpd: So not a fair test IMO but as MF said above........

I think it's a fair test. It shows the iPad won't get 3G everywhere with one operator, but it will always be 3G on another. That's all. It also shows a comparison where both have 3G services available.

Really it's a mixed bag test.... the CBD test is relevant and shows comparable speeds (we know nothing about the individual network loads at the time), and as MF indicates it shows the differences in speed when one is using a 2G service. Which is useful to know if you find yourself having to use those services.

But if the implication is that one carrier is sooo much faster than another then it's not a valid test. May just as well have tested devices where one carrier had no coverage.....

Left handed or not surely a comparative test is with both devices on 2100 networks????

jpollock

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#356674 26-Jul-2010 17:27

Of course it's a valid test. It shows the behaviour of the device at various locations. It would have been just as valid to have another test where one device was on WiFi.

It doesn't make any statements whatsoever about which network is better than the other one. But the video does give us 4 data points that we didn't have before.

All it does is say, "Look, in Piha, the iPad is 2G on VF, 3G on XT. Downtown, they're both 3G. YMMV"

Even with all that, there are many things which go into the decision of which network to use. Coverage is usually only a minor part.

---
http://blog.jason.pollock.ca

bingothewonderdog

18 posts

Geek

#356682 26-Jul-2010 17:37

But if the implication is that one carrier is sooo much faster than another then it's not a valid test. May just as well have tested devices where one carrier had no coverage.....

Left handed or not surely a comparative test is with both devices on 2100 networks????

Err no, because customers will buy the iPad 3G model to browse and the performance difference in a large chunk of NZ is substantial. If they're going to use it in Grey Lynn then it's similar.

Here's a list of locations according to the Vodafone coverage maps where the wild speed difference shown at Piha would be the same or similar as in the clip.

from the top - kaitaia, kerikeri russell, paihia, dargaville, thames, waihi, huntly, raglan, te awamutu, matamata, putaruru, tokoroa, otorohonga, taumaranui, waiouru, masterton - shall we keep going or is there a picture starting to form?

Would potential customers in these "limited" areas like to know about the browsing performance of the iPad on Vodafone versus XT?

Would it be fair to say that the iPad is "faster in more places" on one network versus the other?

xpd

Geek @ Coastguard NZ
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#356683 26-Jul-2010 17:39

OK, but was actually on test here ?
The iPad's capability, or the networks speeds ?

The way I read the title, Id assume the iPad itself, therefore the network speed is a moot point but the fact it connects to both networks is made, but Im probably being pedantic ;)

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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richms

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#356685 26-Jul-2010 17:43

How about you go into the greylynn supermarket, last time I was there I was back down on GPRS?

A test in the CBD in a car boot outside vodafone doesnt show the real suck of vodafones urban network, and no amount of extended 3g will fix that since its not in urban areas.

Richard rich.ms

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bingothewonderdog

18 posts

Geek

#356686 26-Jul-2010 17:43

xpd: OK, but was actually on test here ?
The iPad's capability, or the networks speeds ?

The way I read the title, Id assume the iPad itself, therefore the network speed is a moot point but the fact it connects to both networks is made, but Im probably being pedantic ;)

The iPad browsing experience around the country on one network or the other (which is a function of both iPad technical specs and high-speed network coverage)

Cut to the chase, if a good friend wanted your recommendation on which network to connect to for using their iPad both in the cities and the regions, putting aside contracts and data price and concentrating on the experience - what would you advise?

myndlyz

472 posts

Ultimate Geek

#356734 26-Jul-2010 19:53

bingothewonderdog:
xpd: OK, but was actually on test here ?
The iPad's capability, or the networks speeds ?

The way I read the title, Id assume the iPad itself, therefore the network speed is a moot point but the fact it connects to both networks is made, but Im probably being pedantic ;)

The iPad browsing experience around the country on one network or the other (which is a function of both iPad technical specs and high-speed network coverage)

Cut to the chase, if a good friend wanted your recommendation on which network to connect to for using their iPad both in the cities and the regions, putting aside contracts and data price and concentrating on the experience - what would you advise?

XT FTW...

tarquinnz

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#356749 26-Jul-2010 20:27

I had many, many issues with Vodafone coverage in central Hamilton and my iphone. Eventually after three months of complaints I thought I might try Telecoms $600 credit + 24 months free data if I changed to XT.

I have to admit my coverage is first rate now. I also travel around the greater Waiakto regulalryl visiting customers and I have not had any further problems with phone coverage, lost calls or data. My wife has a Vodafone iPhone which I often use as a comparison and the Vodafone issues still persist. In fact you lose all Vodafone coverage driving between Hamilton and Cambridge!

Further to this I recently visited a client on South Morrinsville area who had no broadband coverage. I had organised Rural Link to connect the customer. When I visited the site I noticed they had a Telecom XT data card. I gave it a whirl and lo-and-behold the download speeds were as good as some of my customers Telecom broadband connections !

I can't say I am a fan of Telecom, in fact changing from Vodafone was like pulling teeth. The issue really is the age and coverage of their networks. The Telecom XT network is new and pretty darned good. I would expect that Vodafone will upgrade its network eventually and when it does I will swap back but for the moment ...Telecom is the bees knees !

morocco

62 posts

Master Geek

#356760 26-Jul-2010 20:52

I am not sure why piha was so slow on telecom, here in Kerikeri I am 2+ Mbps during the day & it slowed down to .6 Mbps at 7:30pm, that is light and day over vodafone 2g. ( 1.8 Mbps now )

oxnsox

1923 posts

Uber Geek

#356770 26-Jul-2010 21:10

... (edit)... Cut to the chase, if a good friend wanted your recommendation on which network to connect to for using their iPad both in the cities and the regions, putting aside contracts and data price and concentrating on the experience - what would you advise?

Well since they're a good friend..... I wouldn't be recommending an ipad...

(Am not trying to start another debate here)

johnr

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#356773 26-Jul-2010 21:13

morocco: I am not sure why piha was so slow on telecom, here in Kerikeri I am 2+ Mbps during the day & it slowed down to .6 Mbps at 7:30pm, that is light and day over vodafone 2g. ( 1.8 Mbps now )

These speeds are not over the 2G

morocco

62 posts

Master Geek

#356790 26-Jul-2010 21:36

johnr:
morocco: I am not sure why piha was so slow on telecom, here in Kerikeri I am 2+ Mbps during the day & it slowed down to .6 Mbps at 7:30pm, that is light and day over vodafone 2g. ( 1.8 Mbps now )

These speeds are not over the 2G

Umm no, they are speeds on telecom xt. My point was telecom xt outside the cbd of Auckland does not necessarily slow down and in fact I probably get better performance in Kerikeri as there is not alot of congestion ( though that is changing unfortunately, I had it brilliant for along time ).

ChillingSilence

301 posts

Ultimate Geek

#357008 27-Jul-2010 11:05

oxnsox:
freitasm:
xpd: So not a fair test IMO but as MF said above........

I think it's a fair test. It shows the iPad won't get 3G everywhere with one operator, but it will always be 3G on another. That's all. It also shows a comparison where both have 3G services available.

Really it's a mixed bag test.... the CBD test is relevant and shows comparable speeds (we know nothing about the individual network loads at the time), and as MF indicates it shows the differences in speed when one is using a 2G service. Which is useful to know if you find yourself having to use those services.

But if the implication is that one carrier is sooo much faster than another then it's not a valid test. May just as well have tested devices where one carrier had no coverage.....

Left handed or not surely a comparative test is with both devices on 2100 networks????

Interesting you mention load. Surely if you were going to test "real world situations" then you want to know which network suffers from load issues.
You don't run a speedtest and then say "Oh but by connection is actually 7m/bit, not 80kbps, but it's just because the Exchange is overloaded". No, you suck it up and say "Well damn I've got a crappy as connection right now don't I".

All in all I think the way the tests were done was about as "pro" as you can get for testing real-world situations.

Sure, lock both up in a lab like Apples Antenna Testing Labs and you may get different results, but I can safely say that when I switch my iPhone3G from Voda to XT, I immediately jumped 20-fold in my regularly attainable speeds. My data usage each month also went up, even though I was using it less, simply because it was able to poll every 15 minutes for emails, and use PUSH notifications at all times, whereas on Voda it was regularly out of decent coverage even in my pocket around west / central Auckland.
Sure that may change now with the iPhone4s frequencies, but the point is why bitch about a test like this just because you happen to like the Vodafone network the best, and it got slammed?

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