Which 3G network is the best?

IDG News Service — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:33:10 -0700

We all pack appropriate clothing when we leave for a business trip, but most mobile users will still feel naked if they don't have easy, fast access to the Internet.

Sure, you can stop at a Wi-Fi hot spot or catch up at the hotel at night, but what do you do the rest of the time? Enter cellular providers that offer 3G data service over their networks at broadband-like speeds.

Third-generation wireless technology, or 3G, started being rolled out in about 2001, and offers a wide range of services (from music downloads to mobile GPS) and greater efficiency than previous standards. In the U.S., three providers offer 3G service: AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint. The fourth nationwide carrier, T-Mobile, says it will roll out its 3G network starting later this year.

Although 3G can be accessed using many cell phones, road warriors who need to get serious work done will likely want to use their laptops. To that end, more notebook makers are offering optional built-in cellular data network connections. For those of us who aren't ready to purchase a computer with that capability, there are numerous plug-in radio modems that can offer the connection.

To test these capabilities, I got hold of cellular network cards from AT&T, Sprint and Verizon, and used them with a Lenovo ThinkPad X300 notebook. I watched videos on commuter trains, worked with e-mail at cafes, listened to Internet radio at the airport and downloaded large files while in a car.

How we tested

To gauge the speed and reliability of these three wireless data networks, I used my ThinkPad X300 to collect nearly 500 data points at eight different places in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, within a 50-mile radius of midtown Manhattan's urban canyons.

I timed how long it took to establish a connection with each network, followed by speed tests. Using Alken's bandwidth meter, I was able to gauge download and upload speeds as well as how long it took to load that vendor's home page. Finally, I ran an Internet radio station and timed how long it took to drain the battery. I then compared it to running the battery down using the notebook's Wi-Fi radio.

All speed readings -- connection time, the Alken speed tests and page loading times -- were repeated five times and averaged.

AT&T LaptopConnect

AT&T's LaptopConnect data network has definite appeal for those who live on the road. It not only delivered the fastest test speeds over its High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) network, but AT&T gives you the card for free -- if you commit to a two-year contract.

The carrier offers the choice of four connection cards; I tested Sierra Wireless' USBConnect 881 USB card. The 881 card is tiltable, has a 380 milliamp/hour built-in battery and an external antenna jack (although AT&T doesn't sell an antenna for it). It weighs two ounces and slips easily into a notebook bag pocket, but when inserted in my test laptop, it blocked a nearby USB port.

The card automatically loads the needed software the first time you connect it to your laptop. AT&T's Connection Manager (ACM) software has an online timer, and shows the network's signal strength bars and how much data has moved into and out of the computer.

You also can use it to control the notebook's Wi-Fi connection, although its interface lacks the real-time "fever" graphs showing connection speed that the VZ Access Manager shows. It is also missing the GPS abilities of Sprint's system.

In tests, AT&T's network left its competitors in the digital dust, with average download speeds of 755Kbit/sec. and average upload speeds of 484Kbit/sec. The peak download speed was 1.6Mbit/sec. It connected in just 3.0 seconds and loaded the test Web page in 0.228 seconds. On the downside, the cellular modem ate up 40 minutes of battery time, midway between Sprint's hour and Verizon's 20 minutes.

AT&T LaptopConnect

-- Card: Sierra Wireless USBConnect 881

-- Price for card: Free after rebate

-- Top cellular data service plan: 5GB per month for US$60

-- Coverage Map

AT&T has five DataConnect plans that start with the $20 entry-level plan, which includes 5MB of uploaded and downloaded data per month (extra megabytes are a whopping $8 each). The top-of-the-line plan is the 5GB plan that costs $60. If you go over that limit for two consecutive months, the company doesn't charge for it, but a representative will contact you about ways to cut your use. Failing that, AT&T "will work to terminate the contract," according to a company representative. He added that this outcome was very rare. Without a two-year contract, the 5GB plan costs $80.

AT&T concentrates its data network in the country's top 270 markets and plans to add 80 more by year's end, but falls back to its older data network in some areas. According to the company, a large majority of covered markets use the latest HSPA technology.

AT&T might not offer the best laptop interface or GPS, but AT&T's LaptopConnect gets you online with the fastest connection available.

Sprint Mobile Broadband

Based on Revision A of the Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) protocol, Sprint's Mobile Broadband network is available in most U.S. cities. The network delivers reasonable but not blazing connection speeds.

Although Sprint offers five different data cards, I chose the $100 Novatel Wireless Ovation U727. At 1.1 ounces, it's not only half the size of the other cards but also includes a micro-SD flash card slot for saving data. The card, with its a fold-out antenna extended, sticks out three inches from the notebook but didn't interfere with adjacent USB outlets on my laptop.

Sprint's Mobile Broadband connection interface has about the same functionality as AT&T's ACM, but lacks the connection speed fever graphs of the Verizon's VZ Access Manager. It shows the network's signal strength as well as the amount of data sent and received.

If you click on the Menu button in the upper-left corner, there's a handy connection history and other details. If you want to have Sprint software control your Wi-Fi connections, you'll need to download the Sprint SmartView program.

The slowest of the three cellular data networks, the Sprint network delivered on average 494Kbit/sec. download speeds to my notebook. That's roughly a third slower than AT&T's network. Its average upload speed was 294Kbit/sec. and the network's top speed was 1.2Mbit/sec. It connected in 3.7 seconds. Since it doesn't have a built-in battery, the radio reduced the runtime of the battery in my system by an hour.

Sprint Mobile Broadband

-- Card: Novatel Wireless Ovation U727

-- Price for card: $100 after rebate

-- Top cellular data service plan: $60 per month for high (within limits) usage

-- Coverage map

The radio offers the optional ability to map where you are and where you need to go with a built-in GPS receiver and online maps.

Sprint has two service plans. The entry level $40 plan includes 4MB of data per month; after that it costs $1 a megabyte, topping out at $100 a month. I used the $60 plan that lets you download to your heart's content; without a two-year contract, it costs $80. Sprint can restrict heavy use and cancel a contract if a user is overwhelming the network.

Sprint says its EV-DO data network reaches 242 million people in the U.S. Sprint may not offer the fastest service, but Sprint's network and Novatel Wireless' small radio provides GPS and makes getting online easy.

Verizon BroadBandAccess

Like Sprint, Verizon's BroadBandAccess network uses EV-DO Revision A, but makes better use of the technology with higher speeds and less battery drain. Unfortunately, it has the most expensive modem.

Verizon offers 10 connection cards; I went with Sierra Wireless' USB AirCard 595U, which weighed in at 2.2 ounces, has a 380 milliamp-hour battery, tilts and has an external antenna jack. It also squeezed out an adjacent USB device on my X300 ThinkPad. Unlike the free card from AT&T, Verizon includes a handy charging dock and USB cable, but charges $130 for the card with a two-year contract.

Setup was uneventful and took all of two minutes; it involved running a software CD. After that, installation was automatic.

The VZ Access Manager interface is the most thorough of the bunch with an online timer, signal strength bars and the ability to start applications. It has a history of your online use and it displays a cool set of fever graphs that show current connection speeds. You can also use it to control your notebook's Wi-Fi connections.

A midrange performer, Verizon's BroadBand Connect network averaged 592Kbit/sec. for downloads and upload 232Kbit/sec. for uploads. Peak speed was 1.3Mbit/sec. On the downside, it took a relatively pokey 5.6 seconds to connect.

Verizon BroadBandAccess

-- Card: Sierra Wireless AC595U

-- Price for card: $130

-- Top cellular data service plan: 5GB for $60 per month

-- Coverage Map

To its credit, the modem only used 20 minutes of my notebook's battery life, making it the one to choose if staying online longer is most important.

Verizon used to have an unlimited data plan but stopped offering it last April. The company's $40 monthly plan includes 50MB of data and each megabyte beyond that costs 99 cents. I think the $60 monthly plan that provides up to 5GB plan is more reasonable, but if you go over that limit, every extra megabyte costs 49 cents.

Conclusions

All the cellular data networks are reasonably fast (although AT&T pretty much swept the field). In the course of my tests, I was able to click, connect and get online, on average, in about 4 seconds; download data at 614Kbit/sec.; and upload at 337Kbit/sec. That's more than enough for most basic on-the-road business applications such as e-mail, connecting to most Web sites and even watching online movies.

There are some things you should know, however, before you invest in cellular data. For one thing, using this technology can be a bit like being on a roller coaster. I found that I could be screaming along at 1.1Mbit/sec. only to have speeds slow to a crawl at 20Kbit/sec. a moment later. That's because, as with all cellular service, speed and reliability depend on a variety of conditions, such as how far you are from a cell tower, how many other users are connected in your vicinity and how much data they're moving.

In addition, while 3G service is undeniably convenient and reasonably fast, those benefits come at a price. Expect the cellular data modem to drain the notebook's battery. In my tests, the modems lowered battery life by an average of 40 minutes per charge. Plus, 3G service is not inexpensive. It costs about $60 for the plans that provide 5GB per month (or, in the case of Sprint, "unlimited" service -- to a point).

You should also be aware that, even though the service providers say they use the latest technology, their coverage is a mix of old and new. For example, on several occasions while testing on Sprint and Verizon, rather than connecting via the current-generation EV-DO 3G technology, I could see in the user interface that I was connected via 1xRTT, an older and slower technology. All three networks are currently building out their newest-generation networks, so it's a work in progress.

A final issue you should be aware of when considering 3G service is coverage. Although some sort of cellular data coverage is available in most midsize and larger cities, the top-of-the-line technology coverage may not necessarily be available as widely. And certain areas of the nation, such as the Great Plains, are virtually ignored by the three carriers when it comes to 3G. As a result, you'll need to scan each carrier's Web site to learn which technology is available in your particular area.