How fast is 3G data on your Android phone?

Taylor Wimberly — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 01:17:59 +0000

T-Mobile has been busy all week rolling out 3G to dozens of new markets according to our friends at TmoNews. California, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois, and several other states now have cities that are coming online. Thousands of Android users are getting to experience 3G speeds for the first time.

We know T-Mobile is working to upgrade their 3G network to HSDPA (7.2 Mbps) in 2009 and HSPA+ (21 Mbps) in 2010, but how fast is it right now? The T-Mobile G1 and myTouch 3G are capable of HSDPA 7.2, but I do not believe any markets reach that speed yet. From the reports I have read, T-Mobile 3G data speeds tops out around 1 to 1.5 Mbps down and 384 Kbps up.

Download the Xtreme Labs Speedtest and post your results (make sure WiFi is turned off). I have been running the test for several days and the fastest downloads I get around my place are 500 Kbps. The best results have come when I was outside. Run the test a couple times and share what you find.

Please post your results in the following format:

Carrier and phone
Location
Max download
Max upload

Example:

T-Mobile myTouch 3G
Corpus Christi, TX
Download: 531.4 Kbps
Upload: 134.1 Kbps

For a sneak peek at T-Mobile HSDPA+ check out the hands on report from PCMAG.

Update (9/26 21:47): From what I can tell, the current T-Mobile 3G network is capped at HSDPA 1.8 Mbps. Their is also HSDPA 3.6 Mbps, but it appears T-Mobile has skipped that speed in favor of launching HSDPA 7.2 by the end of 2009. I’m trying to get further information to clarify this.

T-Mobile 3G to reach 21Mbps in 2010

Taylor Wimberly — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:30:50 +0000

T-Mobile CTO Cole Brodman revealed that T-Mobile will ramp up their 3G speeds to 21 Mbps in 2010. They expect to have its 7.2Mbps HSDPA service online by the end of 2009 and move to HSPA+ in 2010. It remains unclear when T-Mobile will build their 4G network, but HSPA+ should extend the life of their growing 3G network. According to Cole Brodman, T-Mobile is likely to go with LTE technology for 4G.

Sprint has chosen WiMax for their 4G network and claims peek download speeds of 10Mbps. Verizon is going to be building their 4G network in 2011 and has selected LTE technology which offers 50 to 60 Mbps.

You can see an archived copy of Cole Brodman’s talk with Om Malik on GigaOM TV.

Android and Me » hsdpa

How fast is 3G data on your Android phone?

T-Mobile 3G to reach 21Mbps in 2010