Telcos already messed up with 3G. What's next for 4G?

[the lynx]

Align standards to get 4G up to speed
by Lim May-Ann 04:45 AM Jul 26, 2012

Source: http://trpc.biz/commentary-align-standa ... -to-speed/

M1 last Monday announced that it was launching a new range of 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) service plans before the end of the year.

This announcement came hot on the heels of rival SingTel’s launch of its 4G LTE smartphone service for consumers early last month. With StarHub also planning to roll out its 4G LTE network later this year, subscribers may be wondering if it could be time to jump on the 4G bandwagon.

Anecdotal evidence from early adopters suggests that it could be. Users rave that 4G speeds are discernibly faster than our current 3G speeds, which fared below par during a recent mobile Internet speed test by Google.

However, the average consumer probably does not realise that a global standard for 4G has yet to emerge.



THE ‘TRI-BAND, QUAD-BAND’ PROBLEM … REDUX

Remember a time when you could not use your mobile phone in the United States or certain parts of Europe unless your phone was “tri-band”

[zzm9980]

Mostly accurate, except...

The problem is similar to how – even today – we cannot use Singapore-band GSM mobile phones in Japan, which uses a CDMA (code division multiple access) network for its mobile phone signals.

...GSM has been available in Japan for a while now. Softbank and KDDI at least, since you can buy GSM iPhones through them.

[nakatago]

Ad: "4G speeds! Download over 9000 TV shows, movies and songs! Countless hours of YouTube, blah, blah, blah..."

Later on: "We need to cap the usage of our subscribers because our network can't handle the traffic."

THEN DON'T FREAKIN' TELL PEOPLE YOU HAVE THIS MAGICAL OBJECT WITH WHICH THEY CAN DO ALL THESE WONDERFUL THINGS AND GET UPSET BECAUSE PEOPLE ACTUALLY USE IT LIKE YOU SAID THEY CAN.

[the lynx]

And they pulled back all unlimited data plans they used to offer. Thank goodness my contract is expiring next year. That will give me more time to enjoy my current plan before I have my new one capped later

http://sbr.com.sg/telecom-internet/mark ... thing-past

[zzm9980]

I wish there was an option to get off the overly congested 3G network besides their LTE network. I'd never lock myself in to an LTE device on Singapore's frequencies... Has anyone tried paying for "higher tier" 3G from Singtel or anyone else? I'm ready to do that if it means I won't have frequent timeouts from my data service even with full signal. Nothing like driving around, missing a turn, and having to pull over because my map can't pull down the new route for 2-3 minutes. That only happened once, but that was one time too many.

edit: the wrong turn only happened once - the data outages happen multiple times a day

[wwww]

Has anyone tried paying for "higher tier" 3G from Singtel or anyone else?

I had the high-end 3G broadband on mobile for my ipad for a while. It wasnt worth it...the same outages. I was still unable to use the mobile internet in congested areas such as in the MRT during rush hours. Its just a marketing fad.

[zzm9980]

Has anyone tried paying for "higher tier" 3G from Singtel or anyone else?

I had the high-end 3G broadband on mobile for my ipad for a while. It wasnt worth it...the same outages. I was still unable to use the mobile internet in congested areas such as in the MRT during rush hours. Its just a marketing fad.

That's what I was afraid of

[curiousgeorge]

Nothing like driving around, missing a turn, and having to pull over because my map can't pull down the new route for 2-3 minutes.

Nokia Windows Phones...fully downloadable maps, and "the best offline navigational tool on the market, on any mobile platform"

http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/01/noki ... a-900-for/

[zzm9980]

Nothing like driving around, missing a turn, and having to pull over because my map can't pull down the new route for 2-3 minutes.

Nokia Windows Phones...fully downloadable maps, and "the best offline navigational tool on the market, on any mobile platform"

http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/01/noki ... a-900-for/

You missed the plot. I don't care about the navigation (and even if I did, the last thing I'd do is throw my money away on that phone), I care about spotty data reception that is more fickle than the wind.