LTE in Chicagoland

[MJedi]

Hello,

I have the new iPad with LTE from Verizon, and would like to see what others are getting for their speeds. I am especially curious what the AT&T LTE iPads get.

From Arlington Heights:
Server: Chicago, IL
Download: 23.65 Mbps
Upload: 16.01 Mbps
Ping: 38 ms

From Elgin:
Server: Chicago, IL
Download: 11.21 Mbps
Upload: 8.09 Mbps
Ping: 38 ms

From Hoffman Estates:
Server: Chicago, IL
Download: 9.04 Mbps
Upload: 6.02 Mbps
Ping: 39 ms

 

[Icedog]

I'm curious about AT&T in Chicagoland as well.

 

[McPhallus]

Vernon Hills:
18.96/7.42

 

[Bgriz]

sub par out in far west suburbs: just west of Aurora on AT&T LTE 3 bars

4.82/ 1.58



Go further west to Plano/Sandwich 4G

2-3 down/ 2 up

 

[Harthag]

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2393286,00.asp

Interesting read on AT&T LTE service in Chicago, not sure if things have since changed here. I am in Chicago and avoid AT&T like the plague, I've had bad experiences in this city (live in river north, work in loop). You made a wise choice, stick with Verizon.

 

[shareef777]

Southside (Burbank)

4.57Mbps/3.67Mbps on iPad3 showing LTE
7.90Mbps/3.11Mbps on iPad3 showing 4G (LTE disabled)
7.93Mbps/2.88Mbps on iPhone4S showing 4G connectivity

I hate ATT so much right now

 

[thaghost]

Verizon lte woodridge/lisle

Ping 37ms
Download 18.85 Mbps
Upload 10.32 Mbps

It's twice as fast as my Comcast service.

 

[sydia21]

Just visiting in the Northbrook area...

3 bars

6.17/9.55

I get 3 times that in DC with about 1-2 bars.

AT&T

 

[shareef777]

Looks like ATT is gonna have a hard time selling LTE in the Chicago area. I'll be heading to my local Apple store to trade in my ATT unit for a Verizon one.

 

[KPOM]

Chicago is probably one of AT&T's weakest LTE markets. They have only enough bandwidth for a single channel of LTE. Verizon has more than twice as much spectrum. Also, from what I understand, AT&T's LTE coverage isn't as widespread.

 

[Bgriz]

My LTE speeds above are not much faster than 3G speeds. Hoping it improves over time.

 

[JockItch43]

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2393286,00.asp

Interesting read on AT&T LTE service in Chicago, not sure if things have since changed here. I am in Chicago and avoid AT&T like the plague, I've had bad experiences in this city (live in river north, work in loop). You made a wise choice, stick with Verizon.

Interesting. I get between 15-25mbps on Verizon consistently on the north side of chicago. My coworker on AT&T gets 11mbps at best on the south side. I sent him this link, I'm thinking he's going to return it for Verizon, he's already mentioned he's considering it.

 

[Q Bert]

Verizon LTE North Aurora, IL

Down: 21.08
Up: 11.56

 

[beret9987]

Chicago is probably one of AT&T's weakest LTE markets. They have only enough bandwidth for a single channel of LTE. Verizon has more than twice as much spectrum. Also, from what I understand, AT&T's LTE coverage isn't as widespread.

Yea, until AT&T uses their AWS holdings(or the Qualcomm spectrum), it's gonna be a tougher sell for them. SF has 20Mhz though so I've been pulling down decent speeds on ATT

 

[MJedi]

Thanks everyone for posting your speeds.

Anyone else care to add their findings?

 

[TheRedOx]

I work in Wheaton.
AT&T LTE speeds average 10Mbps down;4.5Mbps up there

 

[j3yq]

Thanks for posting your speeds, I usually have to be in the Chicago land for meetings a few times a month. I do have AT&T though.

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

From Park Ridge/Rosemont IL:
Ping: 22ms
Down: 25
Up: 16

From Glenview IL:
Ping: 40ms
Down: 22
Up: 11

From Geneva IL:
Ping: 33ms
Down: 14
Up: 11

All were against the Aurora, IL server.

Been an AT&T user since iPhone's intro years ago and almost 5 years prior to that with various other phone models. Voice quality was always spotty, call drops 3-4 times per day. Data was always just OK, never great. I was the last to switch to Verizon in my family and now have all lines on Verizon, a LTE MiFi and data packages on everything. Very, very happy with both voice and data quality. Just wish we could do both at same time.

 

[dpfenninger]

My AT&T iPad in Naperville:

LTE
64 ms ping
11.91 Mbps down
4.20 Mbps up

In Lombard:

LTE
89 ms ping
6.08 Mbps down
1.68 Mbps up

From researching and reading about AT&T's LTE limitations in Chicago (and Verizon's speed, coverage, and hotspot advantages), I chose to trade in my AT&T model for a Verizon one. I haven't signed up for a Verizon data plan yet as I still have data left on my AT&T plan...as such I kept my AT&T SIM card and am using it in the Verizon model for access to "4G"/HSPA+ data. Results in Lombard for Verizon model with AT&T SIM:

4G/HSPA+
108 ms ping
4.84 Mbps down
0.62 Mbps up

 

[mac jones]

Yikes! ATT really sucks.

I wonder if they will improve it.

Also, how about in city? Probably spotty as hell.

 

[bowlerman625]

AT&T:

Downers Grove

14 DL
12 UL

LaGrange

23 DL
10 UL

Happy so far! I have unlimited data so I'm staying with AT&T for now, at least.

 

[TheKricket]

I'm getting pretty lackluster speeds with AT&T.

Out in the burbs, it is a little more bearable - I remember I got a few downstream numbers in the upper teens - but in the city, it's just ugly.

Here are the results from a test I took sitting at my desk - heart of the city:
- 128 ms ping
- 3.21 MBps down
- 0.58 MBps up
- The LTE indicator is on with 2 bars

How is Apple about swapping out iPads for a different version? With the 14 day return policy, looks like I have about 2 days left to decide...

I stuck with AT&T - since I have phone service with them - but since these things are just completely separate, I figure I might as well go where the speed is...

EDIT - as far as the rest of the city - coverage hovers around that "really fast 3g" mark - even on the train ride home, where I travel about 19 miles a day, the fastest I have ever gotten has been in the 6-7 MBps down range...

 

[shareef777]

I'm getting pretty lackluster speeds with AT&T.

Out in the burbs, it is a little more bearable - I remember I got a few downstream numbers in the upper teens - but in the city, it's just ugly.

Here are the results from a test I took sitting at my desk - heart of the city:
- 128 ms ping
- 3.21 MBps down
- 0.58 MBps up
- The LTE indicator is on with 2 bars

How is Apple about swapping out iPads for a different version? With the 14 day return policy, looks like I have about 2 days left to decide...

I stuck with AT&T - since I have phone service with them - but since these things are just completely separate, I figure I might as well go where the speed is...

EDIT - as far as the rest of the city - coverage hovers around that "really fast 3g" mark - even on the train ride home, where I travel about 19 miles a day, the fastest I have ever gotten has been in the 6-7 MBps down range...

I'm in the same boat. I predominantly need coverage for my train ride (Metra Southwest Line). I get horrible coverage on it, and avg about 1Mbps during first quarter of the trip out of Union Station. The rest hovers around 3-5Mbps, and the absolute max I've hit is 7Mbps (same as my 4S). I called Apple who said it wouldn't be a problem to trade in for the Verizon model. My only concern now is that I'll get the Verizon unit, am curious if I'd be able to switch back if I notice that the Verizon coverage isn't any better for my train ride.

 

[shareef777]

Traded in my AT&T unit for a Verizon one. Speeds went from 6d/2u to 15d/13u. :-D

And Apple rep says I have a fresh 14 days to test and see if I want to go back.

 

[b_scott]

curious about those in the city of Chicago, with Verizon.