Delivered-To: dfarber+@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2003 22:00:08 -0400
From: "Alan A. Reiter" <reiter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [IP] Verizon Starts Speedy Wireless Web Access
To: Dave Farber <dave@xxxxxxxxxx>
Hi Dave,
This afternoon I received a 1xEV-DO modem from Verizon Wireless. Verizon
told me there were "thousands" of people testing the service in
Washington, D.C. and San Diego.
This evening I conducted a few basic speed tests, using some online
sites. Verizon says the data rates will be 300K bps - 500K bps. I am
getting speeds in Chevy Chase, Md. in the low to mid 200K bps for
downloads, but in the mid 30K bps to mid 40K bps for uploads.
According to the Verizon "dialer" software, I'm getting three bars of
coverage or better.
Here are the rates -- http://reiter.weblogger.com/2003/09/30.
These are initial tests on a network that (1) isn't heavily loaded and
(2) probably will undergo a fair amount of "tweaking."
If any of your readers could recommend good sites for testing 1xEV-DO
data rates, I'd certainly like to know.
By the way, I also having been using a 1xRTT modem. Verizon says the
typical throughput will be 40K bps - 60K bps. Using data compression
software, provided by Verizon from Fourelle, I have been getting download
speeds of 40K bps - 140K bps in the Washington, D.C. area.
Most of the time, the speeds are pretty much what Verizon says: 40K bps
- 60K bps. 1xEV-DO "feels" much faster.
Alan
http://reiter.weblogger.com/2003/09/30
On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 07:04:56 -0400, "Dave Farber" <dave@xxxxxxxxxx> said:
>
> >Verizon Starts Speedy Wireless Web Access
> >
> >September 29, 2003
> > By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Filed at 5:25 p.m. ET
> >
> >NEW YORK (AP) -- Verizon Wireless is launching a faster
> >generation of wireless Internet access in two cities,
> >Washington and San Diego, promising download speeds between
> >five and 10 times quicker than dial-up service and the
> >typical cellular-based data connections currently
> >available.
> >
> >The new service, which costs $79.99 per month and requires
> >a special laptop card, is not as fast as a wireless data
> >connection using the popular Wi-Fi technology. But it can
> >provide coverage over a much wider area than Wi-Fi, whose
> >current range is limited to about 300 feet.
> >
> >Verizon Wireless, owned jointly by Verizon Communications
> >and Britain's Vodafone, would not say when it plans to
> >introduce the speedier service in other markets around the
> >nation. The carrier is using equipment from Lucent
> >Technologies and Nortel Networks to upgrade its national
> >cellular network.
> >
> >Most of the nation's big mobile phone companies are
> >upgrading their networks to deliver faster data connections
> >for laptop users, but the process has been costly, complex
> >and time-consuming. Cingular Wireless recently introduced a
> >next-generation service in Indianapolis, and AT&T Wireless
> >plans to launch the service nationally by year's end.
> >
> >In addition to improving laptop connections, cellular
> >companies hope snappier data services will eventually boost
> >sales of a new generation of multimedia-capable phones so
> >Web surfing on a handset is finally practical.
> >
> >The first phase of next-generation cellular technologies,
> >rolled out to customers last year, disappointed many users
> >in terms of speed, offering downloads that rarely surpassed
> >a telephone dial-up connection.
> >
> >As a result, many cell phone companies have embraced Wi-Fi
> >to deliver faster wireless connections in at least some
> >locations, such as cafes and airport terminals, that
> >valuable business customers frequent.
> >
> >But they have also pressed ahead with plans to deploy
> >speedier service over their cellular networks, which offer
> >the advantage of covering far more territory compared with
> >a Wi-Fi signal.
> >
> >Verizon said its service will deliver average speeds of
> >between 300 and 500 kilobits of data per second, on par
> >with the wired broadband connections provided by DSL and
> >cable TV.
> >
> >During off-peak network usage, the Verizon service could
> >provide speeds 20-to-40 time faster than dialup, which has
> >a maximum capacity of 56 kbps.
> >
> >In theory, the technology Verizon continues to use on the
> >rest of its cellular network is capable of delivering
> >speeds of up to 144 kbps. In practice, however, download
> >speeds tend to average between 40 and 70 kbps, depending on
> >the customer's location and the number of other subscribers
> >using the network.
> >
> >The next phase of service due from Cingular and AT&T
> >Wireless, which use a different wireless technology than
> >Verizon, is slated top provide average downloads of
> >130-to-150 kbps with a maximum speed of 384 kbps.
> >
> >Instead of mixing voice and data traffic, the new
> >``1xEVDO'' technology deployed by Verizon in Washington and
> >San Diego allocates a specific portion of the company's
> >wireless spectrum to data.
> >
> >The laptop card required to access the 1xEVDO service,
> >offered by Verizon at $150 after rebate, will also be
> >compatible with the ``1xRTT'' technology that Verizon
> >continues to use to transmit data elsewhere in the country,
> >so users will not need to carry two wireless cards.
> >
> >http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/technology/AP-High-Speed-Wireless.html?
ex=1065919318&ei=1&en=9dcbd09c1c99a9a0
-------------------------
Alan A. Reiter, president
Wireless Internet & Mobile Computing
reiter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://reiter.weblogger.com
http://www.wirelessinternet.com
1-301-951-0385