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Level 4

1,122 points

O2 3G HSDPA 7.2Mbps HSUPA 2.1Mbps,

Hi

I wasn't sure where best to post this but decided to do it here given O2 supplies the UK iPhone. I'm still holding out for a 3G iphone before purchasing but decided to give the above mentioned service a go as it will be, no doubt, the same service extended to the 3G iPhone. Of the 7.2Mbps down, 1Mbps seems to be the norm and from 2.1Mbps upstream, just 400kbps. What bothers me the most though is the poor quality of images displayed on web pages - for instance, iTunes looks awful on O2 3G due to compression. When i asked O2 about it, i was told it's down to browser preferences (I'm using Safari) which at first sounded ridiculous until I considered that perhaps Apple web pages detect the 3G connection, classify it as Mobile and then deliver compressed, low res images to the web page. What do you think?

MacPro 3.2Ghz 2GB RAM, Macbook Pro 15" 2.2Ghz 2GB RAM, Mac OS X (10.5.2), Be* Pro 24576/2560kbps on Netgear DG834GT and AEBSn

Posted on Apr 24, 2008 9:21 AM

17 replies

ibosie Author

Level 4

1,122 points

May 7, 2008 11:39 AM in response to John Lockwood

Hi John,

I live in central London so the signal is pretty good. Although most 'broadband' providers in the UK advertise speeds which, for the most part, are not actually achievable for the majority of customers, O2 has at least admitted to problems: link. The 3G product 7.2Mbps down, 2.1Mbps upstream launched only recently but it looks like the network will not be able to deliver that, even at full signal, until later this year. As an existing customer you pay £20 instead of £30 for 3GB allowance - very expensive compared to the competition, especially considering the speed is not actually achievable, but that's the mobile phone industry for you.

PS I have Be* broadband - the company O2 bought to be able to sell broadband to the fixed-line market. You're right, it's the best ADSL product in the UK - unless you're lucky enough to live in a fibre area which unfortunately discounts London where digging up the roads remains the preserve of just about every other utility.

ibosie Author

Level 4

1,122 points

Jun 6, 2008 12:32 PM in response to ibosie

Perhaps as a result of the new Voluntary Code of Practice in the UK to which O2 are signatories, I noticed the advertised speed of 3G broadband is now more realistic. Where it used to read 'up to 7.2Mbps' it now reads 'up to 1.8Mbps'. What sort of speeds do people in the UK get on Edge with their iPhones?

http://shop.o2.co.uk/promo/o2mobilebroadband
O2 USB Modem
Plug and Play design - easy to install
Mac and PC compatible
Connection speed up to 1.8 Mbps
USB Modem can be used abroad
Automatically connects to the fastest available network speed
HSDPA & HSUPA 7.2 Mbps and 2.1 Mbps support
Tri-Band UMTS/HSDPA support
Full radio diversity and embedded antenna

O2 3G HSDPA 7.2Mbps HSUPA 2.1Mbps,