AT&T 3G Speeds - iPhone 4 vs. Captivate

[kt401]

I have a question about the speeds of both phones over AT&T's 3G network. I have the Samsung Captivate and a friend of mine uses the iPhone 4.

Both phones are listed as using the same technology (HSDPA 7.2mbits for downstream and Category 6 HSUPA 5.76mbits for upstream).

- Downloading is just fine. Both of us get anywhere from 2-3mbits in LA which is very decent for his area.
- When uploading though, the iPhone 4 easily gets over 1mbit most of the time. My Captivate however falls flat on its face. I get 100-200kbits most of the time - maybe break 300kbits if I'm lucky.

I'm wondering why this is. We used a few different speed testers, both application based and web based and the results are pretty similar across the board.

Did I miss something about the technology in these phones, or could it be that AT&T is imposing limitations on Captivate users?

 

[gsaldivar]

Interesting... I'm pretty certain it isn't a limitation of the phone. I would suggest asking this question on the Android subreddit, you will get many more people looking into the issue there.

Good luck!

 

[DeviousTrap]

AT&T has disabled HSUPA on the Captivate, even though the phone physically supports it. Everybody on the android forums is pissed about it, but so far the only device on AT&T with HSUPA is the iPhone4.

 

[gsaldivar]

AT&T has disabled HSUPA on the Captivate, even though the phone physically supports it. Everybody on the android forums is pissed about it, but so far the only device on AT&T with HSUPA is the iPhone4.

Wow that's sad.

I smell a class-action...

 

[tatteredpotato]

AT&T has disabled HSUPA on the Captivate, even though the phone physically supports it. Everybody on the android forums is pissed about it, but so far the only device on AT&T with HSUPA is the iPhone4.

How much you want to bet they'll enable it once Apple jumps ship with the iPhone.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Wow that's sad.

I smell a class-action...

wtf. but if we can root this, we can fix it right?

 

[gsaldivar]

wtf. but if we can root this, we can fix it right?

Why should non-rooters settle for inferior speeds just because their provider happens to have a more profitable phone on the same network?

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Why should non-rooters settle for inferior speeds just because their provider happens to have a more profitable phone on the same network?

Oh I agree with you. the phone should work well out of the box.... but I'm wondering if this is fixable via root

 

[gsaldivar]

Oh I agree with you. the phone should work well out of the box.... but I'm wondering if this is fixable via root

My bad, I misread your comment.

I only skimmed one of the AC threads, so I don't know for sure but I think they are working on a root fix for the issue.

 

[kt401]

AT&T has disabled HSUPA on the Captivate, even though the phone physically supports it. Everybody on the android forums is pissed about it, but so far the only device on AT&T with HSUPA is the iPhone4.

*sigh* That is just sad and pathetic on AT&T's part. What can I say?

 

[kt401]

Apologies for the necro but I discovered something a bit weird that may help some people.

Apparently the HSUPA block only applies for the Captivate? My buddy has an unlocked Vibrant with an AT&T SIM card and it does have HSUPA...

 

[vshah]

they probably messed with the build.prop files, that's where these parameters are set. once it is rooted I imagine someone will upload a fix

 

[coolVariable]

Apologies for the necro but I discovered something a bit weird that may help some people.

Apparently the HSUPA block only applies for the Captivate? My buddy has an unlocked Vibrant with an AT&T SIM card and it does have HSUPA...

Vibrant is the TMUS Galaxy S - so no at&t 3G?

 

[kaerflog]

Vibrant is the TMUS Galaxy S - so no at&t 3G?

The Vibrant has the 1900mhz 3G band for ATT.
The 850mhz 3G band is must more useful though.

 

[shaolin95]

Get the Cognition ROM and add the HSUPA to really make your Captivate fly! But if you use Bluetooth (which I dont) then it seems this messes that up for now.