LTE is Overrated

[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.


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[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.


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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.

 

[aox4121]

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.

I think Verizon also throttled like AT&T even on their so called "unlimited" plans. But even if Verizon's unlimited applied to LTE there are loads of reasons to still use Wifi at home IMO.

 

[moneymike]

I think Verizon also throttled like AT&T even on their so called "unlimited" plans. But even if Verizon's unlimited applied to LTE there are loads of reasons to still use Wifi at home IMO.

I've never been throttled with Verizon. When i tethered my android i would hit 50gb some months and never get throttled. I agree wifi has more uses and is more practical though. Not so much if you live in the sticks and only have limited satellite Internet available. 4g is the best option if your still unlimited and out of cable areas. Just depends on the person and their situation.

 

[ktez]

Wow - all this talk about how fast LTE is made me want to compare it to wifi so I did....5.5mbps on wifi, 20.25mbps on LTE. I know I don't have the fastest home wifi, but I never realized there was that much of a difference!

 

[perezr10]

Wow - all this talk about how fast LTE is made me want to compare it to wifi so I did....5.5mbps on wifi, 20.25mbps on LTE. I know I don't have the fastest home wifi, but I never realized there was that much of a difference!

You just proved my point beautifully. You're getting 5 down on your wifi and didn't notice that your LTE was faster until you measured them. Why? Because 5 down is sufficient for most tasks unless your downloading HUGE files. Which you don't want to do on LTE anyway since you'd blow your data cap.

Thanks for that post.

 

[aox4121]

You just proved my point beautifully. You're getting 5 down on your wifi and didn't notice that your LTE was faster until you measured them. Why? Because 5 down is sufficient for most tasks unless your downloading HUGE files. Which you don't want to do on LTE anyway since you'd blow your data cap.

Thanks for that post.

I will agree that data caps are a Catch 22 of this new LTE speed. You can easily burn your data very quickly. But the original question shouldn't have been "is LTE over-rated". I think everyone thought that meant in comparison to 3G and 4G (non LTE). LTE can't be "over rated" when it comes to speed - I think we'd all agree.

But there are hidden pitfalls in having all this speed now. Agreed. I think that it's only grandfathered-in people still on the Verizon unlimited who are worry free about their LTE usage.lol

 

[perezr10]

But the original question shouldn't have been "is LTE over-rated". I think everyone thought that meant in comparison to 3G and 4G (non LTE). LTE can't be "over rated" when it comes to speed - I think we'd all agree.

The statement of LTE being overrated was in reference to its position as a new feature on the new iPhone 5. And I still say its overrated. Netflix performs no different for me, songs on Pandora sound the same, and web browsing feels the same.

 

[Col.bris]

I can agree with that when you have poor reception for LTE or 4G as it will revert to 3g performance however when you are downloading at speeds of 50 to 60mb per sec it is a massive increase in performance. The only devices that support 4g or LTE are the 4th generation iPad 4g., iPhone 5, and iPad mini 4g.

One other area is tethering... When in Melbourne Australia recently I tethered my iPad 3 wifi to the iPhone 5 and speed test on the iPad was around 50mbs per sec. I was able to complete an upgrade which I needed in no time at all. Web browsing was a dream.

Regards Col


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[aox4121]

I can agree with that when you have poor reception for LTE or 4G as it will revert to 3g performance however when you are downloading at speeds of 50 to 60mb per sec it is a massive increase in performance. The only devices that support 4g or LTE are the 4th generation iPad 4g., iPhone 5, and iPad mini 4g.

One correction: the 3rd gen iPad 4G also supports LTE. I know cause I have one on Verizon and I clocked 60mb down on LTE on several occasions on my 3rd gen iPad. The readout next to Verizon also says LTE.

 

[Col.bris]

Yes and no the ipad 3generation so called 4g supports only one type of LTE and that is for Verizon in USA and I believe one other carrier. In the rest of the world it is not supported and that is why Apple was sued for $3 million dollars by ACCC Australia government watch dog for false advertising . The same applied in England and Europe. Now Apple has 2 version models of the iPhone 5, ipad mini and also iPad 4 th generation.

That was also one of the main reasons Apple released the iPad 4 4g within 6 months as they were loosing sales world wide because of the issue.

It's cool I guess living in America one expects this forum to be USA only but that is far from the truth as we have members from many countries world wide.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD In Australia

yes 14,000 Kl from USA 18 hours ahead of USA population about 30 million Aussies and 45 million kangaroos......

 

[aox4121]

Yes and no the ipad 3generation so called 4g supports only one type of LTE and that is for Verizon in USA and I believe one other carrier. In the rest of the world it is not supported and that is why Apple was sued for $3 million dollars by ACCC Australia government watch dog for false advertising . The same applied in England and Europe. Now Apple has 2 version models of the iPhone 5, ipad mini and also iPad 4 th generation.

That was also one of the Marin reasons the released the iPad 4 4g within 6 months as they were loosing sales world wide because of the issue.

It's cool I guess living in America one expects this forum to be USA only but that is far from the truth as we have members from many countries world wide.
.

Thanks for that reminder of the minimal LTE bands with 3rd gen. I had read that but forgot. And the AT&T version of 3rd gen also supported real LTE, not just Verizon.

And there's a reason why these forums tend to contextualize in American terms: America is Apple's largest market.