LTE is Overrated

[Thomasjtsi]

Something seems wrong that LTE could top Wifi. I've heard that from a few - but the theoretical top of Wifi is still well beyond LTE at its best. Am I missing anything, guys?

Wifi speed depends on the speed & bandwidth of the landline Internet connection supplying it. If you're on 10MB/sec terrestrial Internet w/ wifi... of course 39MB/sec LTE is gonna be blazing.

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[Darkstar2007]

Wifi speed depends on the speed & bandwidth of the landline Internet connection supplying it. If you're on 10MB/sec terrestrial Internet w/ wifi... of course 39MB/sec LTE is gonna be blazing.

The wireless router and modem also play a role in speeds.

[aox4121]

The wireless router and modem also play a role in speeds.

Ah.. yes, of course. With my Comcast wide open thru a DOCSYS 3modem Wirelness N - I regularly get 60MB down and 15up. So I guess LTE is approaching or topping most Home services. Hey - I should call Comcast and ask them - how they're going to compete with my blazing LTE! Haha.. Haven't thought about that recently. Thanks all!

[Bsadle1]

Not worth it??? This was in Atlanta! And as you can see It was during a heavy traffic time too. image.jpg

[Bula]

it's obvious LTE speeds vary with Country/City/Network..... Here in the UK the LTE network is just starting to roll out...and is very expensive.

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[Silverado8405]

Dang, I don't know what LTE speeds are around me but if I could pull some of the speeds pictured I'd drop charter and just use my phone. I'm only pulling 10M-18M off my charter connection.


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

[aox4121]

Dang, I don't know what LTE speeds are around me but if I could pull some of the speeds pictured I'd drop charter and just use my phone. I'm only pulling 10M-18M off my charter connection.


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

The more I think about this there're a number of impracticalities in using just your phone as your only Internet source via tethering; not the least of which is that your phone has a cap in terms of data usage over which you'll have to pay more money. I don't think we realize just how much we use our Wi-Fi at home for data and just how much data we use on Wi-Fi. So it is possible that LTE is faster than our current Wi-Fi but our Wi-Fi is truly unlimited in a fixed rate plan we pay monthly. There is no truly unlimited unthrottled tethering plan out there with any of the major cellular companies to my knowledge.

Then the other issue is that, from the friends I have in the business, I've learned that both Comcast and Verizon, here in the US, in their current fiber-optic lines coming to our homes, have theoretical pipes as large as 205 MB downstream that we simply don't have available to us yet in terms of residential or business services. Then of course they will build wireless routers able to handle that much data as well and once again Wi-Fi will be king !! So LTE being almost as fast or faster than our current home or business Wi-Fi is only a very temporary thing.

[perezr10]

Not worth it??? This was in Atlanta! And as you can see It was during a heavy traffic time too. <img src="http://www.iphoneforums.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=10469"/>

I get up to 60mb of down at times and, no, it's no big deal. You are missing my point. My point is that once you get over like 5mb of down, it doesn't seem to make a difference. Videos play the same, Spotify plays the same, Facebook is the same etc. I could get 5mb of down on AT&T 3G before.

I'm not doubting the speed of LTE, It just seems to play an insignificant role in making my phone feel any faster. I go back and forth between my iPhone 5 and my wife's 4S and they feel about the same.

[aox4121]

I'm not doubting the speed of LTE, It just seems to play an insignificant role in making my phone feel any faster. I go back and forth between my iPhone 5 and my wife's 4S and they feel about the same.

We have very different experiences. I guess you don't surf or download files much. The 4S is a toy in comparison to a 5 in surfing and downloading experience on LTE and in general speed of use due to A6 processor on the 5. I've only done store comparison so far - but no comparison of any kind. But I respect your experience, it's just not mine.

[moneymike]

Verizon has an unlimited 4g tethering plan for $30 a month but you need to be on a grandfathered unlimited plan to get it. I used to have that before I got a 4s. It was faster and cheaper than my roadrunner service. Just sucked that my phone was always plugged in to charge. I miss watching my apps download almost instantly.