Cable Forum - View Single Post - Three's Ultrafast DC-HSDPA+ Network

qasdfdsaq · 01-11-2012, 18:18

Barely anyone, since barely anyone has DC-HSPA devices. The ones that do though have had it available on Vodafone for about a year longer. AFAIK everyone is only running DC-HSDPA so far though, with no DC-HSUPA.

Dunno about O2 but many major sites in my city are now running it. Then again OTA capacity doesn't help without adequate backhaul and 3 definitely have the lead there - many of their sites are fed with gigabit fibre thanks to VM

I should point out HSPA+ is widely overrated but DC-HSDPA is actually of real benefit. HSPA+ provides a small amount of capacity relief in busy areas and only under good signal conditions, DC can be of benefit under all conditions. That's why Vodafone capped out at 14Mbps and went straight for 28Mbps-DC while everyone else was banging about trying to rush out 21Mbps HSPA+ which made sod all difference, Vodafone ended up with a 28Mbps network that was nearly 3 times as fast than everyone else's 21Mbps HSPA+.

For the vast majority of people who don't have DC-HSPA+ handsets though, O2 performs better than 3 (or did, at the last national test), even when comparing HSPA-only O2 sites (not even HSPA+), they'll happily out-speed 3's DC-HSPA+ most of the time where I live.

Still, progress is progress. As you say, none of this is new, they've just had no reason to brag about it given the lack of handsets until they had to compete with "4G"

01-11-2012, 18:18	#4
qasdfdsaq cf.mega poster Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 11,207	Re: Three's Ultrafast DC-HSDPA+ Network Barely anyone, since barely anyone has DC-HSPA devices. The ones that do though have had it available on Vodafone for about a year longer. AFAIK everyone is only running DC-HSDPA so far though, with no DC-HSUPA. Dunno about O2 but many major sites in my city are now running it. Then again OTA capacity doesn't help without adequate backhaul and 3 definitely have the lead there - many of their sites are fed with gigabit fibre thanks to VM I should point out HSPA+ is widely overrated but DC-HSDPA is actually of real benefit. HSPA+ provides a small amount of capacity relief in busy areas and only under good signal conditions, DC can be of benefit under all conditions. That's why Vodafone capped out at 14Mbps and went straight for 28Mbps-DC while everyone else was banging about trying to rush out 21Mbps HSPA+ which made sod all difference, Vodafone ended up with a 28Mbps network that was nearly 3 times as fast than everyone else's 21Mbps HSPA+. For the vast majority of people who don't have DC-HSPA+ handsets though, O2 performs better than 3 (or did, at the last national test), even when comparing HSPA-only O2 sites (not even HSPA+), they'll happily out-speed 3's DC-HSPA+ most of the time where I live. Still, progress is progress. As you say, none of this is new, they've just had no reason to brag about it given the lack of handsets until they had to compete with "4G"