EDGE v GPRS speeds?

[billpaxton]

hi all, i was just wondering how big the gap is between these two? im planning on buying an iPhone from the u.s and bringing it to aus, and the only EDGE provider charges a packet for it ($26 AUD for 80mb per month)

just wondering if its worth going GPRS, im planning on using the net frequently (i spend 2 hrs a day on the train, currently just watching movies/tv shows) but i could spend time surfing the web etc...

so is there really a BIG time diff between them? if anyone can provide examples of the difference, and there current usage per month that would help me immensely.

Cheers

 

[miniConvert]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Data_Rates_for_GSM_Evolution

"EDGE can carry data speeds up to 236.8 kbit/s for 4 timeslots (theoretical maximum is 473.6 kbit/s for 8 timeslots) in packet mode and will therefore meet the International Telecommunications Union's requirement for a 3G network, and has been accepted by the ITU as part of the IMT-2000 family of 3G standards."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPRS

"General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a Mobile Data Service available to users of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and IS-136 mobile phones. It provides data rates from 56 up to 114 kbps."

EDGE is about 200kbps faster, and that should be more than enough to notice a real-world difference. However, 80MB is unlikely to last you a month if you're browsing on Safari regularly.

 

[billpaxton]

can i get any experiences with GPRS (is it really do-able?)

and how much would others use on average (with a brief explanation of daily/weekly usage)?