Telecom Cloud

Well I have never done a review on my blog yet, but my recent travels and a positive experience has made me a happy camper  ! I had recently switched providers and had gone from an Iphone to a My Touch 4G after reading a lot of reviews from CNET, Endgadget, etc. Comparing tech specs are good, but how many times does a common user use all the features from the phone ? So I was convinced that HSPA+ is better than no-LTE available today! I am not really somebody who likes to have the flashiest device around, but would not mind if I have one, so for me it was a downgrade from the Iphone to a Mytouch by ‘cool’ standards.

I was excited to get back to an Android Smartphone as it means there are more free apps on the Marketplace, plus I can tinker around with the OS if I want to do some customization.

iPhone 4

The iPhone 4 juggernaut continues where the iPhone 3 let go. This device though not capable of  LTE or WiMAX packs features that makes other handset manufacturers squirm. One of the most appealing features of the iPhone 4 is FaceTime. Leave it to the Apple developers to be the first company to offer video calls right from the iPhone 4 handset, albeit over Wi-Fi. The device has a camera on the front of the phone as well as the back that makes video calling possible. An iPhone 4 owner can have FaceTime conversations with any other iPhone 4 owner, anywhere in the world. With one of the highest resolution screens available on a mobile device, the iPhone 4 brings sharper images and text views to the screen. Some of the other specs: Read more…

So the word on the street according to T-Mobile USA is HSPA+ is like or better than ‘4G’. Well there is some strength in the argument if not all – let’s explore and see if the litmus test proves to be true. Interestingly enough, HSPA+ offers a better and cleaner solution at the moment for circuit switch calls and IRAT handover to GSM then LTE or WiMAX!

T-Mobile USA announced last week that it will increase the maximum possible data speeds offered on its upgraded 3G network to 42 Mbit/s in 2011. The fourth-ranked mobile operator in the US has been upgrading its GSM-based 3G network with a high-speed packet access plus (HSPA+) software update for months now. Upgraded markets offer a theoretical peak download speed of 21 Mbit/s. The operator has previously said that this translates into average download speeds in the 5-to-8-Mbit/s range using its HSPA+ webConnect Rocket laptop stick with peaks at 10 Mbit/s and over.

This already puts T-Mobile in the lane with Clearwire LLC average mobile download speeds of 3 to 6 Mbit/s and within spitting distance of Verizon Wireless ‘s promised average downloads of 5 to 12 Mbit/s for its upcoming Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network. After being late to 3G, T-Mobile clearly doesn’t intend to lose the marketing battle to offer “4G speeds” even if no carrier actually provides a real 4G service yet. Read more…