Ok first, a tentative "WhooooPPiiee!!!"

Ok, now.. It seems that, if all goes well, I will FINALLY have wireless broadband internet in a couple weeks!!!!! If so, it's GOODBYE to 21.6k dial-up. If all doesn't go well, it's because they determine when they get here that there's not enough, or strong enough signal, and we'll need to wait until more infrastructure is installed.

But I would like to know, either from end users who (have) receive(d) their wireless highspeed via this technology, OR from technicians or experienced tech-support people who have experience dealing with customers who use this technology, what can you tell me about it?

I have downloaded Motorola's PDF article about this stuff, but it's basically a marketing article; nothing technical.
I've also done my Googling & got a tiny bit out of Wikipedia, and am currently awaiting a reply email from the tech-staff at the potential provider. I'm not anticipating anything incredibly enlightening from the tech-staff; I've spoken to them on the phone, and they're IMO standard-issue Borg-like customer support folks.

What I do know (not much):

• They offer up to 1.5MBit connectivity, 24/7, depending on how many users are on the system.
• They'll be installing an antenna on the house, with the modem built-in.
• Up/Download speeds differ by some amount.
  

What I'd like to know:

• How many users will it take on a tower to bog the system down noticeably?
• What's the working range of this system? As in, how far can I be from the tower (assuming minimal physical obstacles)?
• What frequency does this stuff operate at?
• Are there a lot of customer complaints about this stuff? Or are customers happy?

Any input you can give me about this system, from some sort of experience preferably, will be appreciated!

Thanks!
Sasha

I'm using Huawei E220 in Finland, but I can give few answers(same technology).

1. I dont know how many users it takes to bog it down, but I have never experienced any kind of slowdowns. (I live in quite a small town ~30k ppl)

2. Huawei operates at these frequences:
HSDPA/UMTS 2100MHz
900mhz = 2G
1800-1900mhz = 3G (not sure about this)

3. Yeah, there is alot off complaints but I have never had any problems.


I'm getting new 3Gmodem and account too in a few weeks (5mb/1mb)

Dial-up should be considered to be in contravention of human rights, these days...so its good that you are getting a proper connection


note that 'up to'; that being said, almost anything short of signalling with an aldis lamp at data rates in the sub-baud region is better than what you've got.

Note also thst, depending on their infrastructure, their bandwidth to the tower can be inadequate for large numbers of users, so bandwidth from the tower isn't the only potential problem.

The network provider ought, on their website, to have some kind of coverage map. If you are in the highest signal level area you should be ok. Going down the scale, even the next step down is likely to reduce the data rate somewhat and maybe even make it variable, depending on physical obstructions (trees, vehicles...). The frequencies involved are sufficiently high that communication is 'line of sight-ish'.

Over here (UK) there are often complaints about such systems which generally come down to data rate and coverage. It is unclear whether most of the people complaining about data rates are actually sufficiently competent to know anything other than 'they advertised x, I'm not getting x, the product doesn't work'. The phrase 'up to' and knowing that there can be other causes of slow downs are relevant here.

Coverage may not be an issue for you, provided it is good for you in the one spot in which you need it. Many of the complaints are from people trying to use similar technology 'on the road'.

YAY I just got it, speedtest shows download of 3.5-4,5 mb/s and upload of 0.3 mb/s.

Thanks for the feedback so far you guys; I have about 1.5 - 2 weeks yet before my scheduled appointment for the installation, so further input is still welcome and appreciated!

Sasha

I'll give a full report after I've actually *used* it some (I'm on it now -- I think I feel like a crack addict who's just found a key!)

For those of you who have never known dial-up, be grateful; this to me means: No more 21.6 k (3 kb/sec) &*@#&*^$*^% Dial Up!

Sasha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrabulations! Now guess what you can do with that connection? DOWNLOAD SLACKWARE 13!!!

Since I've -current installed already, I'll just wait till my DVD (ordering this afternoon) comes in the mail -- er..

Well, maybe I WILL rsync the WHOLE installation, just for the heck of it, but minus the rather large "exclude" file I have been using.. Hmmm!

Sasha

Since you said your connection comes from a 'celluar tower', I do hope your are NOT charged by minutes!

Nope -- it's a cell tower, BUT it's got new/specific equipment simply ATTACHED to the tower. It's $44.95/mo CDN w/no limit on bandwidth usage!

Sasha

Thats great!

Yup -- there's a 10 ft pole w/antenna ->> w/modem (similar to a sat-dish receiver) on the roof! And a little tiny box on the cat5 line coming through the wall, between the modem and my comp. I mean LITTLE TINY: this little box is about 1.0 inch square, with a wall adapter cord on it for power. It's like one of those "Smallest Linux Computers", basically a little computer built into a LAN connector.

So far it works GREAT -- I'm rsyncing Slack, AND browsing + posting without dupes!!

Hmmm. No bandwidth limit. I wonder how long that will last ...

(I have not idea where N.S. is -- or if that is way of saying "none of your business" -- but in the U.S. at least, bandwidth caps seem to be becoming all the rage.)

EDIT: Ah, you said CDN. I think that gives me a clue. Hopefully the Canadians don't pick up the bad habits of their neighbors to the south!

Well, it seems it is the other way around. Look at any wired broadband service in Canada, Rogers, Sympatico, Bell-Ca, and you have a 100GB per month cap. I haven't really seen any ISPS in the states YET to do that. I stress YET.

I cannot speak to whether this is the case NOWADAYS, but when I lived in the city and had cable broadband from Eastlink, there was no cap on bandwidth.

Up here, where we have so much land, vs relatively un-densely populated areas, the infrastructure is understandably (and sorely) lacking, which *might* influence why there may be so many caps on stuff like this: there simply isn't enough companies, providers, infrastructure, and competition, for big companies to be bothered giving a good deal on anything.

Most things are a scam in one way or another.