What network is best for web surfing?

[thespeakerbox]

I'm out alot and really need a good carrier that can handle tons of email and web browsing. I'm currently using the BB 8700 on tmobile.

 

[pm]

The best network in the US that I have seen is the new 3G service from AT&T - which is as fast as basic DSL speeds (1.2Mb/s down, 650kb/s up) and has almost no noticeable latency that I could really see. My father has a wireless card for his laptop and it's really impressive - it feels almost as fast as using WiFi on cable modem connection. You can bring up the Yahoo homepage in about a second.

The next best is Sprint and Verizon with EVDO. Sprint is on EVDO rev.A and is usually somewhere around 900kb/s down and 500kB/s up) while Verizon is on EVDO rev.0 and is 800kb/s down, 120kb/s up. It has a much more noticeable latency than AT&T's 3G, but it still a pretty reasonable browsing experience. My mother has a wireless EVDO card on Verizon and bringing up the Yahoo homepage takes about 5 seconds but fees a bit laggy.

Below that is EDGE on T-Mobile and AT&T (for AT&T areas without 3G - which is most of the US). It has a significant amount of latency and bandwidth is around ~140kb/s down and about ~10kb/s up. I have EDGE on T-Mobile and I can pull up the Yahoo home page in about 15 seconds and feels very slow.

All of these assume excellent radio coverage... if you only have one bar worth of reception, even 3G is pretty slow... and EDGE is so slow that pages usually time out. I haven't actually tried running ping on any of the above - but I have spent some time browsing on my Dad's 3G and my Mom's Verizon EVDO and a ton of time browsing on my home cable modem and my T-Mobile EDGE and I can say that 3G feels very close to a "real" internet connection. It's slightly laggier and a bit slower... but it feels "fast". But a lot of areas don't have 3G AT&T yet... in which case you are back stuck with EDGE again. If you aren't in an AT&T 3G area, or you travel a lot, then Sprint is your next best bet.

 

[Jawo]

I have used Sprint extensively and love the EVDO RevA service. I can get 1.2 Mbps down and about 450kpbs up. Its very similar to being on a DSL modem, nothing is instaneous (like FiOS), but its quick. Outside the EVDO areas its about 150kpbs down and 65kpbs up. I've had one and still able to connect! Its quite a nice service.

 

[uli2000]

At&T's 3g is great if you live and/or work in one of the 3g areas, It is expanding, but compaired to say, Verizon or Sprints EVDO coverage, its much smaller. I believe Verizon's network is almost 80% EVDO and Sprints native network is 100% EVDO, plus both have lots of Rev. A in larger areas. Sprint also has a roaming partnership with Alltel that I believe makes their evdo network larger than Verizons, though the Alltel parts dont have Rev. A (or evdo in some places) yet.

 

[corkyg]

I agree with all of the well thought out comments above. However - reality is this: It really depends on your location. I recently travelled to Silicon Valley area - and Sprint EVDO Rev A was outstanding in some areas, and not so good in others. The same happens to Verizon and AT&T. It you are well within a system's "tower" coverage, you are golden. Anything less than 4 bars sucks.

A good example happened when I visited a friend in Pasadena - just off of Orange Grove Blvd. Evdo was fringe - kept reverting to 1xRTT. Went one block East (sat in the car) and got EVDO 5 bars!

Bottom line = location, location, location!

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Sprint, Duh. Unlimited, tethering, blah blah and if you have SERO it's definitely the best plan out there.

AT&T has great 3G coverage, but 19.99+ is a hefty price and those Sero users always laugh at you ><

 

[dnuggett]

Originally posted by: DLeRium
Sprint, Duh. Unlimited, tethering, blah blah and if you have SERO it's definitely the best plan out there.

AT&T has great 3G coverage, but 19.99+ is a hefty price and those Sero users always laugh at you ><

CDMA laugh at GSM? Ha, now that's a good one. I had Sprint for 9 years and recently went to ATT. I couldn't be happier. Having a SIM card and switching phones whenever/wherever is priceless.

 

[imported_Mike]

3G > EVDO > EDGE

...depends on your location.