Bit Tamer
join:2002-02-14
Rolling Meadows, IL
| reply to evilbat7
Re: Trying soon
I had an opportunity to visit DC last week, and was able to try out the Verizon EV-DO service.
1. It did not work in the Metro. Boarded at the Clarendon (VA) station, got off at Smithsonian. Didn't work sitting on the platform or on the (moving) train.
2. Reverts to 1xRTT mode frequently. But I will say there was a connection of one type or another during most of my (2-day) visit.
3. I really wonder why the upload speed runs so slow ( 100 kbps) and if Verizon can/will do anything about it. |
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Bit Tamer
join:2002-02-14
Rolling Meadows, IL
| reply to dcEVDOuser
dcEVDOuser,
I found your post to be very interesting.
Do you have a pointer to that other user's report that EV-DO works in the Metro? Do you recall if s/he was actually travelling in a train car, or stationary on a platform?
It would be really amazing technology if EV-DO works in the Metro underground. I would have expected way too much structural and EMI interference in that environment. |
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dcEVDOuser
@sub-166-180-39.myvzw
|  reply to evilbat7
I've used Verizon's EVDO in Washington virtually 24/7 since 12/03. It's been generally good and measure routinely see (using various bandwidth sites) download at 350 kbps with occasional peaks of 500kbps. I've seen upload speeds of 80 kbps with high-bandwidth users in P2P file sharing.
However, as happy as I am with it, it is not without problems:
1) The PC5220 card was not compatible with my Compaq 1200z laptop nor a PC adapter I purchased for a Compaq tower. It was compatible only with a Stealth SFF machine I had coincidentally acquired.
2) I experience frustrating, sporadic signal loss that can last for minutes. The problem has not been identified and disappears for weeks at a time. Verizon's first hunch was a faulty PC5220 card. I rotated the SFF machine 30 degrees and it seemed to cure it for a week or so. Might be my location, the PC5220 card or who knows?
3) Inactivity puts the software/PC5220/link into a 'dormant' mode (probably to conserve bandwidth for other users). It takes a fair amount of time to get it active again. I don't have the metrics on this, but someone else at work who also got the service reports that it is unpredictable and bothersome. I would guess that a ping on a 'dormant' link would not look as good as one on an active link.
Even with the problems, I wouldn't (can't) part with it for the relative speed, mobility and privacy it affords me. Also, reports from another user that it works in the Metro underground just fine. |
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evilbat7
join:2001-03-07
Nashville, TN | I'm going to be trying this soon for work. Will let ya'll know how it turns out! |
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