# Speedtest on a 3G Android Phone



## Sasqui (May 29, 2013)

If this belongs in a different forum, please move...

I have a 3G DroidX (yes it's old) with Verizon.  I'd upgrade, but the new plans cost more and have data caps.  On 3G, I use about 1.5GB per month.

Lately, I've noticed data over 3G has slowed to the point where I can't even listen to Pandora at the gym in the morning, it cuts in an out constantly.  Web pages take minutes to load.  I have few to none running applications with the exception of phone services and antivirus.

I checked Speedtest and got the following results:

Test  Download      Upload      Ping
1      115kbps        698kbps    101ms
2      69kbps         726kbps     107ms

Is this a conspiracy to make me upgrade?  What are others getting on 3G?


----------



## Steevo (May 29, 2013)

Your carrier may be throttling you. Call and ask first.


----------



## Norton (May 29, 2013)

Just checked my DroidX 

I got 2.77Mbps down/0.61Mbps up/122ms ping (3G tethered)


----------



## Sasqui (May 29, 2013)

Norton said:


> Just checked my DroidX
> 
> I got 2.77Mbps down/0.61Mbps up/122ms ping (3G tethered)



In my speetest history, I was getting close to 2Mbps down in 2012.  I'm now getting < 1/10 of that.  

BTW:  My account sumamry says I've used 1.3GB with 4 days left to go in my billing cycle.


----------



## Steevo (May 29, 2013)

Some companies bump you for daily or other data use. I force my phone onto WCDMA only and burn through 30GB a month.


----------



## Norton (May 29, 2013)

Sasqui said:


> In my speetest history, I was getting close to 2Mbps down in 2012.  I'm now getting < 1/10 of that.
> 
> BTW:  My account sumamry says I've used 1.3GB with 4 days left to go in my billing cycle.



I usually stay under 1GB usage and don't generally have too many issues with speed even though I use it at fairly remote locations... on a remote road atm watching hawks flying over a reservoir while catching up on some work stuff


----------



## 3870x2 (May 29, 2013)

They are throttling hardcore.  Depending on where you live, you would be hard pressed to get 3G speeds on 4G (tested AT&T Dallas TX, Miami FL, ATL GA, Nashville TN, Joplin MO, Oklahoma City OK)

About two years ago, I got 8.xxx Mb/s in Joplin, Mo consistently and 8x ms latency.  Testing right now in the same location I get 135 ms latency, and 2.6 Mbps (this rarely goes above 2 Mbps).

I believe that they are throttling the speeds due to the increasing demand, but not wanting to increase the infrastructure.

Not that any of this matters, with a maximum bandwidth usage of 3GB per month, I wouldn't be able to use it for anything consistently anyway.


----------



## Sasqui (May 29, 2013)

Norton said:


> on a remote road atm watching hawks flying over a reservoir while catching up on some work stuff



Nice 

Well I just got off the phone and am up to about 600-700 kbps but that's still not cutting it.  The rep spent about 20 min with me doing this that and everything.  He recommended a phone reset but I don't have the time at work to do that right now, he said he'd call me back at home tonight to walk thru a checklist to make sure I don't lose any data.

He insisted that they don't throttle.  Claimed they would only do that in rare cases, and they would send a letter.  Maybe thats all he knows!


----------



## remixedcat (May 29, 2013)

Sprint 3g speeds are pathetic


----------



## Sasqui (May 29, 2013)

remixedcat said:


> Sprint 3g speeds are pathetic



Do tell...


----------



## newtekie1 (May 29, 2013)

The simple fact is that they give 4G devices priority in the QoS setup, so 3G devices are starting to get absolute shit speeds.

I wouldn't say it is a conspiracy to get you to upgrade, but rather them just making sure the more important customers get better service.

You can upgrade to a 4G phone without changing your data plan to keep your unlimitted data ya know.


----------



## Sasqui (May 29, 2013)

newtekie1 said:


> I wouldn't say it is a conspiracy to get you to upgrade, but rather them just making sure the more important customers get better service.



I think you're right.



newtekie1 said:


> You can upgrade to a 4G phone without changing your data plan to keep your unlimitted data ya know.



Not on Verizon, at least not here.  Some people were lucky enough to upgrade to 4G when they still had the unlimited plan and are grandfathered, but that's no more.


----------



## newtekie1 (May 29, 2013)

Sasqui said:


> Not on Verizon, at least not here. Some people were lucky enough to upgrade to 4G when they still had the unlimited plan and are grandfathered, but that's no more.



No, you still can on Verizon, I just did it with the wife's phone last month.  You just have to buy the phone outright without a Version subsidy, you can then swap out the phone on your current plan.


----------



## Sasqui (May 29, 2013)

newtekie1 said:


> No, you still can on Verizon, I just did it with the wife's phone last month.  You just have to buy the phone outright without a Version subsidy, you can then swap out the phone on your current plan.



I don't know if i'd classify shelling out $600+ for a phone an "upgrade"


----------



## Delta6326 (May 29, 2013)

Yeah, I would say your being throttled my 3g(U.S. Cellular) gets right now 
Ping: 131ms 
Down: 1753kbps
Up: 671kbps
I would test my 4G LTE, but it never works at my home to far out of town...


----------



## de.das.dude (May 29, 2013)

that is quite slow. i get 1.5mbps. maybe look at other providers/plans??


----------



## newtekie1 (May 29, 2013)

Sasqui said:


> I don't know if i'd classify shelling out $600+ for a phone an "upgrade"



That is where it all comes down to if you are really going to go over the 2GB a month cap and if paying double for a phone is really worth saving on the overages each month.

But I managed to get a Galaxy S III of ebay for $350, so it was worth it since she listens to Pandora all day long, even when she's driving, so 2GB of data would kill us in overages.  $600 is what I'd expect for an unlocked phone, but you can still get a locked phone and activate it on your plan, so locked phones can be bought for cheaper.  Especially if you go for one that has a newer model out, yeah the one you get isn't top of the line, but it will still be a good phone.


----------



## 1freedude (May 29, 2013)

are you rooted and the such?  try installing/flashing a newer radio (modem).


----------



## Delta6326 (May 29, 2013)

newtekie1 said:


> That is where it all comes down to if you are really going to go over the 2GB a month cap and if paying double for a phone is really worth saving on the overages each month.
> 
> But I managed to get a Galaxy S III of ebay for $350, so it was worth it since she listens to Pandora all day long, even when she's driving, so 2GB of data would kill us in overages.  $600 is what I'd expect for an unlocked phone, but you can still get a locked phone and activate it on your plan, so locked phones can be bought for cheaper.  Especially if you go for one that has a newer model out, yeah the one you get isn't top of the line, but it will still be a good phone.



Yeah, I listen to Digitally Imported for 60min. every night it add's up I usually use around 3-4GB I have 5GB for $30


----------



## Sasqui (May 29, 2013)

Delta6326 said:


> Yeah, I would say your being throttled my 3g(U.S. Cellular) gets right now
> Ping: 131ms
> Down: 1753kbps
> Up: 671kbps
> I would test my 4G LTE, but it never works at my home to far out of town...



That's 2x the download I'm getting!



newtekie1 said:


> That is where it all comes down to if you are really going to go over the 2GB a month cap and if paying double for a phone is really worth saving on the overages each month.
> 
> But I managed to get a Galaxy S III of ebay for $350, so it was worth it since she listens to Pandora all day long, even when she's driving, so 2GB of data would kill us in overages.  $600 is what I'd expect for an unlocked phone, but you can still get a locked phone and activate it on your plan, so locked phones can be bought for cheaper.  Especially if you go for one that has a newer model out, yeah the one you get isn't top of the line, but it will still be a good phone.



Yes, in some cases it does make sense.  If I go with a Razr HD Maxx, it's $200 for 2 yr contract (lose the unmilited data).  Buy it for $650 and keep the month-month unlimited.  So, for $450 keep the unlimted data and pay about $15 less per month (going with 2Gb plan).  $15 x 24 months = $360 saved in monthy fees, net cost is about $90 and keep the unlimited data.  Hmmm...


----------



## remixedcat (May 30, 2013)

Sasqui said:


> Do tell...



1.8mbps on a good day with 600ms ping


----------



## Steevo (May 30, 2013)

So my 4G speed with tethering of 6-7MBps DL and 1.5 up.........is OK?
74ms ping


----------



## Delta6326 (May 30, 2013)

Steevo said:


> So my 4G speed with tethering of 6-7MBps DL and 1.5 up.........is OK?
> 74ms ping



I would say that's good. I live litterly on the edge of 4G LTE I just went to the closest spot in my home got 100ms ping, 4MBsdown and 5.5up.

Lol I walked 6ft to my left and no 4G LTE… next time I go to town I will have to check the speed.


----------



## scoutingwraith (May 30, 2013)

T-mobile US in my area i get 10 to 15 Mbps DL and 1 to 2 Mbps UP.


----------



## Sasqui (May 30, 2013)

Steevo said:


> So my 4G speed with tethering of 6-7MBps DL and 1.5 up.........is OK?
> 74ms ping



Damn!



scoutingwraith said:


> T-mobile US in my area i get 10 to 15 Mbps DL and 1 to 2 Mbps UP.



Double damn!


----------



## scoutingwraith (May 30, 2013)

Oops Wrong Thread


----------



## Sasqui (Jun 11, 2013)

newtekie1 said:


> That is where it all comes down to if you are really going to go over the 2GB a month cap and if paying double for a phone is really worth saving on the overages each month.
> 
> But I managed to get a Galaxy S III of ebay for $350, so it was worth it since she listens to Pandora all day long, even when she's driving, so 2GB of data would kill us in overages.  $600 is what I'd expect for an unlocked phone, but you can still get a locked phone and activate it on your plan, so locked phones can be bought for cheaper.  Especially if you go for one that has a newer model out, yeah the one you get isn't top of the line, but it will still be a good phone.



I got a virtually new Razr Maxx HD through local Craigslist for $350 including all sorts of goodies (car mount, adaptors, HDMI cable).  Clean ESN and supposedly tranferrable SIM.  Called Verizon last night to check and they were all ready to activate it and continue with my current plan.  Need to do some house cleaning on my current phone before I activate it though, probably tonight or tomorrow night.

Considering my other option was to pay $200 and move to a *higher priced capped data plan*, I'll actually be saving money, plus keep unlimited data and MOVE TO 4G!!!

Thanks!  



scoutingwraith said:


> Oops Wrong Thread



Happens to me all the time


----------



## remixedcat (Jun 12, 2013)




----------

