# Is 4G a scam?



## stuff_it (Jul 10, 2014)

These are the speeds I'm getting on H+/3G out in Arsend-on-Nowhere. I get download speeds of up to 20 Mb/s on 4G, but upload speeds are always around 0.5 Mb/s.


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## skyscraper101 (Jul 10, 2014)

stuff_it said:


> These are the speeds I'm getting on H+/3G out in Arsend-on-Nowhere. I get download speeds of up to 20 Mb/s on 4G, but upload speeds are always around 0.5 Mb/s.



Thats not 4G though is it? You're getting 3G surely (unsurprisingly if you're in the middle of nowhere?) - presumably when you get into a 4G covered city your speed will switch to 4G/LTE and those speeds will jump.

At a guess?


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## Boris Sprinkler (Jul 10, 2014)

But she said that. I think .5 upload on 4g is not correct. This was mine last night on 4g. On a boat in the middle of the harbor. Also with 3 as a provider. Different country though.


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## stuff_it (Jul 10, 2014)

skyscraper101 said:


> Thats not 4G though is it? You're getting 3G surely (unsurprisingly if you're in the middle of nowhere?) - presumably when you get into a 4G covered city your speed will switch to 4G/LTE and those speeds will jump.
> 
> At a guess?


Yes, that is my 3G speed. I get a good 4G signal out the back window as I'm next to a main train line and the M1. I stated the speeds I get on 4G.


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## Mojofilter (Jul 11, 2014)

I think it is a bit, in my experience at least. 
I get 20 meg on Three 3G / H / whatever its called on a good day - sameish with 4G.

I'm not complaining though, I'm not paying any extra for it and it's good enough to stream Netflix in HD without buffering - I can't think of any application for a faster mobile connection.


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## ChrisFilter (Jul 11, 2014)

It's a fuck load faster up and down on O2 in London and Tunbridge Wells.


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## Supine (Jul 11, 2014)

16-18mb on 3g here.  Jusy tested 4g and got 9mb!


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## slainte (Jul 11, 2014)

Hmm a lot of the telco are claiming 4G but in reality are actually offering what is called HSPA+ which can be around 4 Mb per second download difference from current version of 4G or LTE  with crap upload speeds .5 or up to 2Mb

Real 4G or LTE (Which technically again are different ) would give ..currently depending on the infrastructure around the same download speed but equivalent upload speed when the correct back end is deployed . Unfortunately a lot of the same providers are not investing in the correct infrastructure to give this but give "the equivalent of " as 4G and marketing it as such..

Real 4G is an IPv6 protocol only so when you are offered an IPv4 address ..which you can check on some handsets..its not 4G.

Also other issue is a lot of the engineers within the telcos are stuck in their ways just deploy Cisco and dont deploy Alcatel Lucent ..the leader in speed for MNVO and 4G LTE technology but are re-using kit or beefing it up. Or other vendors and they are not upgrading the AP to the controllers but only the core of their networks....

I know quite a bit about the whole thing as Im currently in the South of Germany implementing and designing a 4G LTE rollout as we speak..for the second largest telco in Germany..

But if you think the speeds are bad here as in the UK ...you would get a real shock in Germany in short its slow and shit ...and did I mention expensive.

I honestly think until the all the analogue frequencies from radio and television is retired in the UK you wont be able to offer or experience the "4G LTE " truly. However, over the next few years I anticipate an improvement to the HSPA+ speeds on upload and a slight increase on the download...as things are tweaked.


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## slainte (Jul 11, 2014)

And the speeds which are nearly symmetrical are achieved with L2oGRE tunnels back to the aerials ...which combines and time slices between the connected users..the proof the ping time...40 ms is quite a lot..
There all you need to know..you may now sleep


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## TodayIsCaturday (Jul 11, 2014)

It would be nice to be able to get a 2G signal in more areas of SE England. I'm not asking for too much, just along train lines and within a mile of A-roads etc.. 

3G vs 4G meh


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## 2hats (Jul 11, 2014)

IMHO 4G is a scam if you are paying extra (over and above the cost of 3G) for it...


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## stuff_it (Jul 12, 2014)

slainte said:


> Hmm a lot of the telco are claiming 4G but in reality are actually offering what is called HSPA+ which can be around 4 Mb per second download difference from current version of 4G or LTE  with crap upload speeds .5 or up to 2Mb
> 
> Real 4G or LTE (Which technically again are different ) would give ..currently depending on the infrastructure around the same download speed but equivalent upload speed when the correct back end is deployed . Unfortunately a lot of the same providers are not investing in the correct infrastructure to give this but give "the equivalent of " as 4G and marketing it as such..
> 
> ...


Where I live seems to fit this scenario. Then again next door are getting 15 Mb/s on their cable broadband so I can't really complain too much. 

I managed to get a 24 month unlimited tethering One plan before they stopped them so I'm not paying any extra.


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## dervish (Jul 17, 2014)

In Bristol, (which tends to get pretty good speeds) I get about 40-50Mbps down and about 10-15Mbps up fairly consistently.  Can't post up a screenshot but I just got 34.10Mbps down and 5.5Mbps up indoors in the middle of a large room with metal bars on the windows with one bar of signal. 

One of the best things about 4G is that due to the speed it can do a hell of a lot more on a lot less signal as the base speed is so much faster.


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## beesonthewhatnow (Jul 17, 2014)

A "scam"? What a bizarre thing to say 


I've regularly seen over 40Mbs down and 20Mbs up and seem to average around 20 down, 15 up.


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## Mapped (Jul 17, 2014)

Not where I am

My home connection peaks at about 10mb, but my 4G is consistently about 25mb.

Mobile data is very expensive here though.


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## neonwilderness (Jul 17, 2014)

Depends on your location really. I'm not in the city centre, but get decent 4G speed round here


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