O2 limiting most 3G users to 128Kbps
updated 01:45 pm EDT, Wed April 9, 2008
O2's 128Kbps 3G cap
The British division of O2 is deliberately limiting the speeds its 3G customers can operate at, representatives have admitted. Most customers, it says, are being artificially restricted to 128Kbps, equivalent to an ISDN landline connection. By default only customers paying £35 or more per month are being given access to O2's top speeds, rated at 384Kbps; business customers are also being upgraded automatically, as deemed necessary.
The average O2 customer can, though, obtain 384Kbps at any time, by contacting the carrier directly and requesting the speed upgrade. The issue may nevertheless have a significant impact on British iPhone customers, who have been anticipating the 3G iPhone as a panacea to the slow speeds of O2's EDGE network. Initially, some owners may find that 3G is no faster than their current 2.5G technology.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Dec 2005
re:BBC coverage
BBC ran an article today talking about who should pay for the increased infrastructure cost for supporting faster speeds- the content providers or the internet SERVICE providers. That had to be the most assanine question I've heard this month.
If people didn't want the content, they wouldn't be using their connection to get it. If the current network was too slow for their taste, they can go to a faster one. If there isn't one, then it should be seen as an opportunity to create a higher speed with increased pricing packages. What should have been viewed as an opportyunity to improve a company and increase business was couched as the ISP bitching at the content providers for being too successful and making them have to work harder.
Sorry, idiocy annoys me, especially when it's held up as newsworthy. Of course, the people writing the article were serving themselves when bringing such to the public's atention:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7336940.stm