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EDGE Can Out-Perform 3G; Here's Why

Posted by kdawson on from the bandwidth-is-the-new-mhz dept.

goombah99 writes "Blackfriars's communications has an interesting discourse on why the practical difference between 3G and EDGE cellphone data networks is less than it appears to be based on a naive bandwidth metric. Their argument is that the user experience of TCP/HTML is much more impacted by latency, error rates, and processor speed than by bandwidth — and Edge had the edge on all three. Additionally, EDGE may consume considerably less power."

2 of 255 comments (clear)

  1. Re:The latency issue is for real by Saint+Fnordius · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Translating into "layman's terms", EDGE is more responsive than UMTS or HDSPA, but the 3G protocols are better at shovelling huge files up and down the stream. That means that lots of small data like an IM client will feel faster on EDGE, but downloads and video will be faster on UMTS/HDSPA.

    I can accept that argument. If this is true, then Meebo would be faster on EDGE; but YouTube faster on UMTS. Using my cell phone as a modem (no DSL in my neighbourhood), I can say that my experience has been pretty much like that, though I thought it was due to longer "handshaking" at the beginning of a UMTS connection...

  2. Re:Is this article sponsored by Apple? by jrumney · · Score: 5, Insightful
    • iPhone: 667MHz Samsung S3C6400
    • Nokia E61i: 220MHz TI OMAP1710
    Yep, must be the network causing all that slowdown.