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Holy crap LTE is fast!

JasonR

JasonR

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 11, 2008
958
2
I just turned on LTE on my Verizon iPad...holy **** it SMOKES my cable connection. About 20mbps down and 3mbps up...and I'm on the edge of the LTE network.

I think I just may get a new number and switch my unlimited plan to my iPad.... :D
 
Last edited:
JasonR said:
I just turned on LTE on my Verizon iPad...holy **** it SMOKES my cable connection. About 20mbps down and 3mbps down...and I'm on the edge of the LTE network.

I think I just may get a new number and switch my unlimited plan to my iPad.... :D
Click to expand...

didn't know you could switch plans between phone and iPad.

still best to use wifi when possible to avoid usage penalties
 
Too bad its like taking a big gulp straw and hooking it into a 8 oz can

In otherwords what good is speed (straw) when you only have like 5 gb of data a month (liquid).
 
iEvolution said:
Too bad its like taking a big gulp straw and hooking it into a 8 oz can

In otherwords what good is speed (straw) when you only have like 5 gb of data a month (liquid).
Click to expand...

That's an excellent analogy. I have to be so careful now because watching videos with out all the lag that came with 3G makes it easy to go overboard. One time I used a whole gig in a day.
 
iEvolution said:
Too bad its like taking a big gulp straw and hooking it into a 8 oz can

In otherwords what good is speed (straw) when you only have like 5 gb of data a month (liquid).
Click to expand...

I realize that limited plans suck, and I agree with that. But we have the cap regardless of LTE or 3G. Just because I have LTE I'm not suddenly going to change HOW I use the service, simply because of the cap.

But.. it will allow you to do what you were already going to do without waiting around.
 
Unless you stream Netflix via LTE, a 5mb webpage loading is a 5mb webpage. EDGE, 3G or LTE.

I just don't quite get why people think that the same usage 3g vs. LTE will suddenly cause you to hit your cap. Yes videos will take advantage of the additional speeds by streaming at a higher quality, which will use more data. No, you shouldn't stream Netflix incessantly on pre-paid iPad data with only 1gig of data anyway, regardless of speed.
 
JasonR said:
I just turned on LTE on my Verizon iPad...holy **** it SMOKES my cable connection. About 20mbps down and 3mbps up...and I'm on the edge of the LTE network.

I think I just may get a new number and switch my unlimited plan to my iPad.... :D
Click to expand...

I am pretty amazed too. Was getting 22 down and 11 up in San Diego today.
 
I'm amazed by AT&T LTE! I'm getting 43Mbps Down and 20 Up right now as we speak. :D
 
If a Verizon LTE connection was sold unlimited at $60/month, I would so buy it and ditch my DSL connection. I mean 6Mb for $45/month? This whole broadband market sure doesn't advance very fast. A decade ago we were paying $50 for 1.5Mbps. My provider offers a 12Gb service, but the wires around me can't handle it. Plus considering I seem to have trouble doing more than one thing at a time downstream, it's not like it would totally help (and I have no idea why that happens.)

But unfortunately I don't think the bandwidth exists to start doing that. I can just hope that the next iPhone will be LTE so I can get one next year.
 
I accessed LTE for the first time at the Chicago airport. Wow indeed, even at the Airport is was lightning fast.

I'm grandfathered into the unlimited AT&T data plan but it will be a while before my city has LTE i am guessing, so I will use it on the road.
 
I agree! LTE is blazing! I'm in Atlanta and just called Comcast and downgraded my internet as i'm getting unlimited LTE through Verizon for $9.99!
 
coolbreeze said:
Unless you stream Netflix via LTE, a 5mb webpage loading is a 5mb webpage. EDGE, 3G or LTE.

I just don't quite get why people think that the same usage 3g vs. LTE will suddenly cause you to hit your cap. Yes videos will take advantage of the additional speeds by streaming at a higher quality, which will use more data. No, you shouldn't stream Netflix incessantly on pre-paid iPad data with only 1gig of data anyway, regardless of speed.
Click to expand...

I think you misunderstood. You're completely correct of course, that your speed won't directly affect your cap. But because the connection is so much faster, some users will do things they wouldn't usually do, and that would reduce the time until he cap is reached. For example, someone may really want to watch an online video, but knows it will take ages to load so they don't bother. But with the new speed, they know they can easily do it and happily watch. The speed can have an effect on the amount of data used, because it may allow the user to use online services more.
 
Peter Harrison said:
I think you misunderstood. You're completely correct of course, that your speed won't directly affect your cap. But because the connection is so much faster, some users will do things they wouldn't usually do, and that would reduce the time until he cap is reached. For example, someone may really want to watch an online video, but knows it will take ages to load so they don't bother. But with the new speed, they know they can easily do it and happily watch. The speed can have an effect on the amount of data used, because it may allow the user to use online services more.
Click to expand...

No misunderstandings here. If anyone chooses to stream video on a prepaid limited plan, they are asking for trouble. LTE isn't at fault here, the user is.

Just saying the same use profile is the same use profile regardless of speed. People seem to think that faster data causes more data to be used. It simply doesn't. The user uses more data so it's the user who's at fault for increased data usage, not the network speed. Ah well, this back and forth 3g vs. LTE debate will always exist so I'll step aside.
 
JasonR said:
I just turned on LTE on my Verizon iPad...holy **** it SMOKES my cable connection. About 20mbps down and 3mbps up...and I'm on the edge of the LTE network.

I think I just may get a new number and switch my unlimited plan to my iPad.... :D
Click to expand...

I don't think it's even possible to switch your unlimited phone plan to your iPad.
 
I picked up both AT&T and Verizon models to test. Verizon smokes AT&T LTE. I'm keeping Verizon and giving up my unlimited datat (well leaving with my old iPad that my mom now uses). You'd think AT&T would be better in the NYC/north east NJ area.
 
mac.cali said:
How are you getting it for that price?
Click to expand...

Verizon had a promotion last year that got you $20.00 off each line of unlimited data on your account so I converted one of my grandfathered lines to 4G so i'm getting unlimited 4G for $9.99
 
Holy crap again...tested my LTE connection at work:

38.09 mbps down, 25.70 mbps up

34.55 mbps down, 21.32 mbps up

That's just insane fast. I'm used to my home cable 10mbsp down 1.4 mbsp up connection.
 
iEvolution said:
Too bad its like taking a big gulp straw and hooking it into a 8 oz can

In otherwords what good is speed (straw) when you only have like 5 gb of data a month (liquid).
Click to expand...

Yup. Verizon entices you with the incredible speed of their version of LTE, then they SLAM the breaks with data limits that are so low that you can barely use the service, if you don't want to get hit with additional charges. I cannot imagine my cable company getting away with charging me broadband at home at the same price and bandwidth rates.
 
After reading the AnandTech review, stating it can get 25+ hours on a single charge when working as a mobile hotspot, I'm starting to wonder if someone will try to convince their IT guys to get a new iPad as a 'emergency backup' internet solution.

30+Mbps is perfectly acceptable for a small/medium workgroup, and - as an iPad - it even has it's own "UPS"! So even if the broadband and power is down, as long as the cell-towers are still functional and everyone is working on laptops, you're still in business.

Don't think any IT guys would fall for it though! ;)
 
whooleytoo said:
After reading the AnandTech review, stating it can get 25+ hours on a single charge when working as a mobile hotspot, I'm starting to wonder if someone will try to convince their IT guys to get a new iPad as a 'emergency backup' internet solution.

30+Mbps is perfectly acceptable for a small/medium workgroup, and - as an iPad - it even has it's own "UPS"! So even if the broadband and power is down, as long as the cell-towers are still functional and everyone is working on laptops, you're still in business.

Don't think any IT guys would fall for it though! ;)
Click to expand...
Why would they do that when you can surely buy cheap LTE hotspot devices?
 
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