Do normal users actually need 4G?
Mark in Essex
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I don't think I actually need it at the moment and I would rather the mobile phone companies get their 3G, HSDPA and HSDPA+ sorted out first without capping the speed that can already be achieved .
Even when I am streaming video in great quality even plain HSDPA is good enough and even large files download in a reasonable amount of time (I have downloaded manuals for work etc).
Browsing the Internet is lighting fast as it is on HSDPA (pages load in 2 secs so don't see much point if they are just going to load 1.75 secs quicker especially when you can start reading the Page before it fully loads anyway)?
Also will the mobile phone companies cap the speeds of 4G like they do at the moment and you would definitely need over 5gb of data allowance per month if the point is to download movies?
Even when I am streaming video in great quality even plain HSDPA is good enough and even large files download in a reasonable amount of time (I have downloaded manuals for work etc).
Browsing the Internet is lighting fast as it is on HSDPA (pages load in 2 secs so don't see much point if they are just going to load 1.75 secs quicker especially when you can start reading the Page before it fully loads anyway)?
Also will the mobile phone companies cap the speeds of 4G like they do at the moment and you would definitely need over 5gb of data allowance per month if the point is to download movies?
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100% agree would rather have a rock solid 3G signal than they start doing 4G
What we do need though is the sub 1ghz coverage, but no network can deliver that until after the auction.
I certainly won't be basing my network choice on 4G until 2014 at the earliest.
i wonder what kind of data bundles they will be offering? anyone know?
I can already tehther my phone.
He means that 3.5G is sufficient speed for a handset and you would only really benefit from 4G speeds if you were using it for domestic broadband replacement.
Some mobile networks around me are very poor, ( 2G & 3G ) though 3 is ok, so also it would depend on the network supplying 4G service.
I thought one of the reasons behind it though was not cause people actually need the super duper speeds as such, it just decongests the network for everyone (as you get whatever your browsing/downloading etc much quicker).
My Orange Dongle only reached max 3mb/s occasionally on 3G, 0.3mb/s 2G most of the time.
Using a 3 SIM, it is on 3G more often, but still max 3mb/s.
My Broadband via BT Line is around 20mb/s !
To compete, 4G would have to supply 20mb/s, at a comparable cost, and I could then ditch the BT line I never use. (And line fee)
(I'm not with BT for BB)
Oh i see thanks.
Ooooh cat fight. Meow.
A lot don't, but I love a big screen as you don't have to squint at it, and movies look better and with the quad core the main bonus is that it shuts down the 3 other cores so it does not use as much power when not used (50% more effective than a dual core).
And people will love 4G even if they don't 'need it'
I'm not sure i see why it would be more effective than a dual core processor running one core? Surely they would both be the same?
BBC iPlayer delivers HD Video at around 3Mbps. HSPA+ can deliver 21Mbps so more than enough to deliver HD video to mobiles but the issue is that a cellsite can only deliver so much at one time. So LTE 4G will up the speeds to 80-100Mbps giving networks the opportunity to deliver the same content to more customers using the same bandwidth. That is good news for those in built up areas like cities where 3G is now struggling to keep up with demand especially with networks selling dongles and devices that attempt to compete with fixed line services.
So - Do we need 4G? Not really if networks are careful and manage demand but we do if the expansion of data is needed and present growth suggests it will for some years to come as we expect more services on the move.
Plus with the 800mhz band which is very good at penetrating buildings will mean better coverage then 3G. Just because you get by on what you get now doesn't mean innovation should stand still. Most handsets are being limited by what the networks can do now but I want to be able to stream HD on my 720p screen while I download all my latest podcasts and upload all my pictures to dropbox. I want to have 4G speeds while I tether so even when my wife wants to use the connect their is ample.
It will change the way people work remotely no more having to rely on a piddly couple of megabyte connection sending and receiving huge files will become normal.
The so called cloud will actually become something useful rather then just a place to back up a few word docs, pictures and contacts.
I remember when I got a 1MB connection ADSL connection, then thought 20MB was fast but now 20MB seems slow compared to my 60MB one. Data speeds can never be to fast.
I must admit that I don't really notice any difference between being on HSDPA or HSDPA+ for browsing and streaming and my home broadband (10meg).
And who is to say that you will get full 4G speeds from the networks like you don't already with 3G HSDPA and HSDPA+?
I don't know any better? how do you know what i know? maybe i do know and just disagree with you? How much better is it at penetration that HSDPA @900MHz? That is not what people are saying at all. Nobody is saying that innovation should stand still. we are talking about LTE, and how useful it is for a phone. Most? what 90%? made up fact. the coordination required to pull that off on a phone would be quite remarkable. perhaps you could download your podcasts after you have streamed your 720p video? megabits. we are still talking about phones right?
I think you have missed the point of this thread and think we are all dumb because we don't share your vision. look at the thread title.
yes if you want to stream HD video whilst urgently downloading a podcast and syncing your photos then LTE is the way to do it. but that is not going to change your life. and it's not typical.
everyone in this thread has basically said this much but managed to do it without telling everyone else they are wrong.
absolutely.
i guess a question is how much would you be willing to pay for it....?
Always a price for early adopters but I am guessing the following.
No 18 month contracts
£40 will be the minimum over 24 months
5gb to 10gb data cap for 4g but unlimited 3G after
And I suspect the same price deposits etc for the phones.