TELCEL Banda Ancha

Broadband Connection

Telcel Banda Ancha

Note the really bad upload speed on Telcel. This is not a true 3G connection. Both tests were done at about 6:15 am. I am sure there was no one else on Telcel and may be 2 or 3 connections on Broadband. The more users the worse the service. It would be nice if some of the posters would go to speedtest.net and post their results. Try it early in the morning and then early evening when all the kids are at home. My Telcel is usually quite good until 6 PM. My broadband will drop by 50 % after 2 PM and then gets worse.

Moisheh

In the Yucatan my Telcel Speed, depending on time of day, is between 1.7 to 3.0 download and 0.3 to 0.45 upload.

We had the same speed problems with Verizon 3G after a couple years of not too bad speed. So we got Verizon 4G and in some areas it was better but not so much in other areas - even in 4G areas. Our download is almost always faster than our upload no matter what we use. It can vary dramatically depending on location and time of day. Telcel has several levels or types of internet. Below is some info I do not pretend to completely understand. If you look at your banda ancha window you will see letters in the lower left. This tells you the type of signal you are picking up. It can change by the minute depending on the tower etc. I probably have some of this wrong but maybe someone else can clarify.

EDGE
"Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution". Transmits data from three to four times the speed currently available which substantially improves the browsing experience on mobile data network benefits such as large file downloads and access to video and multimedia services faster.

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) 2G -- 9.6Kbps

GPRS (General packet radio services) 2.5G -- 35Kbps to 171kbps

EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) 2.75G -- 120Kbps to 384Kbps

UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) 3G -- 384Kbps to 2Mbps

HSPA (software upgrade to UMTS) 3.5G -- 600Kbps to 10Mbps, averages 1-3Mbps

WiMAX/LTE "4G" -- 3Mbps to 6Mbps average, 10Mbps+ peak download speeds.

3G
Data service third generation type broadband with speeds up to 384 Kbps when sending and up to 1.5 Mbps in download information.

HSDPA: Up to 3.6 Mbps

HSDPA: Up to 7.2 Mbps

HSUPA: up to 5.76 Mbps

High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is an enhanced 3G (third-generation) mobile-telephony communications protocol in the High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) family, also dubbed 3.5G, 3G+ or turbo 3G, which allows networks based on Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) to have higher data-transfer speeds and capacity. As of 2013 HSDPA deployments can support down-link speeds of up to 42.2 Mbit/s. HSPA+ offers further speed increases, providing speeds of up to 337.5 Mbit/s with Release 11 of the 3GPP standards.

UMTS
(Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service) is a third-generation (3G) broadband, packet-based transmission of text, digitized voice, video, and multimedia at data rates up to 2 megabits per second (Mbps). UMTS offers a consistent set of services to mobile computer and phone users, no matter where they are located in the world. UMTS is based on the Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication standard. It is also endorsed by major standards bodies and manufacturers as the planned standard for mobile users around the world. Once UMTS is fully available, computer and phone users can be constantly attached to the Internet wherever they travel and, as they roam, will have the same set of capabilities. Users will have access through a combination of terrestrial wireless and satellite transmissions. Until UMTS is fully implemented, users can use multi-mode devices that switch to the currently available technology (such as GSM 900 and 1800) where UMTS is not yet available.

Couple more thoughts....

You can disconnect and connect to try to get a better connection - watch those letters in the lower left - but this can change by the minute.

You can be 100 feet from another person running the same speed tests and get far different speeds.

I used to run tests at . . . http://www.numion.com/YourSpeed3/Select.php . . . because I could set it up to run a test every 3 minutes for an hour (20 tests) and see all the tests and an average speed over the hour of the tests. You can do this once an hour for a day or whatever - to get your average speed. You can do this manually with other speed test websites. I have seen speeds all over the chart from one minute to the next.

BUT BUT BUT - in my experience most speed tests use about 10mb of the data allotment we are paying for - running speed tests uses up all our time.

I use PVC pipe to raise our stick up over our RV and then connect to the computer using a USB extension cable. I even move the pole around to see if the stick does a little better even just a few feet away. But then there are so many other factors from how many others are using that tower to which way the wind is blowing that can affect the speed you are getting at this moment in time. We just do the best we can an if things aren't going very well maybe they will get better the next time we sit down at the computer to try again.

More confusion............

GSM / GPRS / EDGE/ 3G / HSDPA / HSPA (plus) and LTE

It can be confusing trying to understand the differences between the various mobile connectivity options listed in the specifications of smartphones and touted by the mobile networks as the best way to connect to the internet. In this guide we will try to summarise these technologies and point out the advantages and disadvantages of each technology.

GSM

GSM (Global system for mobile communications) is the standard by which the vast majority of mobile handsets work in Europe and is becoming dominant in other parts of the world with over 2 billion people currently using the system. When you purchase a mobile or smartphone it is important to understand what frequencies are used by each technology because manufacturers and networks have a tendency to quote these figures with little explanation as to what they mean.

The majority of GSM networks use 900MHz and 1800MHz but in the US the 850MHz and 1900Mhz are prominent. If these are quoted the phone will be classed as a tri-band phone and can be used in Europe, the US and many other territories (provided your SIM is enabled). If you require mobile access in the Far East and areas such as Scandanavia you will need to check with your mobile provider because at the minimum a quad-band phone will be required and in some areas only a phone purchased in the country will work.

Most GSM phones are primarily used for voice but can be used for mobile internet access via the GPRS Core Network.

GPRS

GPRS is a system used to transmit data at speeds of up to 60 kbits per second and is a battery friendly way to send and receive emails and to browse the internet but in these days of broadband connectivity it will be seen as slow by some. To set up GPRS connections on your smartphone you will need to obtain specific information from your mobile provider to input into your phone. Most are happy to provide this information and some manufacturers such as Nokia offer pre-configured files that you can install onto your phone for your network.

GPRS is a tried and tested system and is therefore very reliable for standard mobile data use and will suit people with moderate data needs. Once you have the required settings in place you can use the network whenever you like and it requires no further adjustment as it works in the background of your internet enabled applications.

EDGE

EDGE (Exchanged Data rates for GSM Evolution) is a recent development based on the GPRS system and has been classified as a '3G' standard due to the fact that it can run at up to 473.6 kbits per second. If a smartphone is EDGE compliant it can be used for heavy mobile data transmission such as receiving large email attachments and browsing complex web pages at great speed. To use EDGE cell sites must be modified to accept transmissions of this type so coverage can be patchy in certain areas- it is a technology well worth having built in to any smartphone though.

3G

3G was initially marketed as a way to make video calls on the mobile network but is also a highly efficient way of browsing the internet and communicating on your smartphone using voice over IP and by email and instant messaging. Most UK and some European networks now have 3G networks and with speeds similar to EDGE it is fast becoming a common way to connect while on the road.

In areas where 3G coverage is poor the handset will constantly try to find a 3G signal and this can have a dramatic affect on battery life. Some phones handle constant 3G enablement well but some can have their battery life reduced by up to 50% so it is worth checking that your potential purchase is able to cope with this. At this time though 3G has good coverage and enables high speed internet access from your phone and is fast becoming a standard for mobile connectivity.

HSDPA

HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) is a technology based on the 3G network which can support speeds of up to 7.2 Mbits per second. In reality you will most likely get a top speed of around 3 Mbits but this is useful for mobile TV streaming and other high end data transmissions. To use HSDPA your phone must be able to support the technology and of course you will need to be located within range of a cell site that has been upgraded to offer the service.

HSUPA (High Speed Uplink Packet Access) is the other side of this coin, although for mobile devices it is rarely mentioned as download speeds are considered more important. Together the 2 technologies make HSPA (High Speed Packet Access).

HSPA (Plus)

This is an evolution of the HSPA (HSDPA & HSUPA) standard and allows for faster speeds. The maximum download speed allowed by the standard is 168 Mbit/s although in reality networks that support HSPA (plus) will offer 21 Mbit/s download. This is because the existing 3G network architecture operators would have deployed and made compatible was never designed to handle such massive bandwidth.

The idea of HSPA (plus) was to allow network carriers to move towards 4G speeds (defined as 100 Mbit/s download) without having to use new masts and radios. Networks which have been upgraded to allow HSPA (plus) traffic are backwards compatible so phones with standard HSDPA receivers will work on them but to take advantage of the higher speeds you must have a device with an HSPA (plus) receiver. Many devices fitted with an LTE receiver are also capable of HSPA (plus).

LTE

Long Term Evolution or LTE is the first step towards true 4G technologies. To be a truly 4G technology, download speeds of 100 Mb/s and 1Gb/s should be available from moving (i.e. in a car) or pedestrian points respectively. It was however widely decided across the world that companies could market LTE as "4G LTE" due to some having already taken that step and to avoid further consumer confusion with the terms 3.5G or 3.9G that were starting to surface.

LTE offers maximum download speeds of 299.6 Mb/s although there has been controversy over the speeds some operators running LTE networks are providing, sometimes being lower than the supposedly 'inferior' HSPA (plus) technology. Commercially available speeds vary wildly and using the (at the time of writing) recently launched UK LTE network, tests have shown anywhere in between 8-50 Mb/s in available areas. LTE requires brand new network technology and masts / radios. This also means that the devices that support LTE will also need to have a compatible receiver.

Much like the available 3G technologies, connection to an LTE signal will cause an extra strain on your device's battery and it is recommended to manage your connections.

LTE frequency bands vary quite a lot across the world and as a result it is very possible that an LTE compatible device may work in one territory but not another. Due to the difference in frequency bands this could even happen within territories (with different network providers supporting different bands) and is possibly more likely than with previous GSM based technologies where frequency issues existed but were less likely to cause a problem unless you travelled internationally.


True 4G

There are technologies (LTE-Advanced, Mobile Wimax) that are capable of reaching the recommended speeds for 4G. At the time of writing these are not yet deployed and commercially available in any country. Some countries will have these networks available in 2013 for testing, but it is not expected that these true 4G technologies will be commercially available globally for some time.

The key to all of these technologies is to understand what your typical usage will be and which of the above suit your needs. It could also be worth future proofing your needs because well connected devices often cost little more than phones with basic connectivity.

Summary
GPRS(114Kbps) < EGDE(368Kbps) < 3G(3.1Mbps) < HSDPA(14Mbps) < HSPA+(168Mbps) < 4G/LTE(299.6Mbps)

http://www.distribuidorestelcel.com.mx/centros-de-atencion-telcel.html . . . . this is the link to the main list of Telcel company stores....
There could be kiosk/franchise stores that can do banda ancha and there could be more Telcel offices than on this list - but these are the large offices with many Telcel employees who can usually help with any problem related to banda ancha or phones.

I have been having trouble with the modem for 2 days. I get no service when I open the connect window. For 2 minutes it showed EDGE. In the tool tray is shows NO SIGNAL. I can only assume there is a problem at the tower. No one to call. I tried that once and even in Spanish it is impossible. Probably 200 people in one concrete room all talking at the same time. I just hung up! Telmex Internet used to be like this but now they have real techs and they will put you through to one who speaks English!

Moisheh

Moiseh,

You haven't said where you are. With over the air internet location is everything. If you are not in a good location you are not going to get very good internet service. We are in Valle de Juarez at Hacienda Contreras and Telcel has always been very poor here - but we get by. You can be in good locations or bad locations. If there nearest towers are not able to get a signal to you or if too many others are using the service then you are just not going to have a good internet experience. This is true of any internet service in the states as well. There can be multitudes of reasons. Land lines and cable provide more stable service. But for those who travel these air cards are our only option. Calling Telcel may help but chances are it is just your location.

Brian: We are still in Kino and the tower can be seen from our patio a few blocks away. At this time of year almost no other users. The tower is new and in October it was not hooked up to the power grid. Was running on a generator. The tower is at the top of a small mountain/hill and I could shoot a laser beam from my roof to the tower! Yesterday I called Telcel. Can you imagine that a telephone company has bad connections! After talking to 4 different people in both languages they finally said I need to recharge my modem as it is out of time. I hung up and 10 minutes later it was working. I had plenty of MB and time left! Our power was out 3 times on Thursday and maybe something had to be reset. The signal being down is not abnormal but for 2 days? Good old Telmex!

Moisheh

It is certainly possible for a tower to go down and there are ways for them to check it but someone has to call to tell them. We have had that happen with Verizon in the US. We have also been places you would expect to have a good signal but do not - example - we were in a Verizon company owned store in White Plains,NY and could not get phone or internet - no one could - in one of their stores!!?? We had tower down experiences all over the west coast a couple years ago as they switched out the 3G for 4G - why not put up the 4G before turning off hte 3G? Must be a reason. There is always a reason. You would think that somewhere in their main computer signal center somewhere they would have bells and buzzers and flashing lights when a tower goes down - and meters to show signal strength and number of users etc. I doubt that over the air internet will ever be as good as cable as far as speed goes. When 3G first came out we could stream Netflix but that did not last even a month before the system bogged down with users. Then came 4G and things picked up a bit for awhile but we still can't do Netflix - or afford to pay for the time. We try to do the best we can with what we have. Somehow we are getting on up here in VdJ when others are not - but I have my stick up high over our Bus.