O2 down-throttles 3G users to 128kbps – 3G speeds limited unless user requests otherwise
By Will Park on Thursday, April 10th, 2008 at 12:13 PM PST In Announcements, O2, Services
What good is having 3G data access if you can’t actually get to use that data connection to its full extent? Not much good.
O2 (NYSE: TEF) is apparently down-throttling many of their 3G customer’s data speeds.
According to the Register, unless the customer is paying more than £35 a month or is a business customer, O2 is capping 3G data access to 128kbps. The highest data speeds (386kbps) will only be given to qualified customers. On the upside, all customers can call in to O2 and request to have their 3G data speeds ramped back up to the full 386kbps that they are entitled.
It should be interesting to see how O2 handles access to their 3G network once the 3G iPhone launches. With speeds restricted to a paltry 128kbps, 3G iPhone customers on O2’s network may find that their EDGE-only iPhone counterparts are speeding along the internet just as, if not faster, than their 3G-capable iPhones.
If you suspect that your 3G data speeds are being down-throttled by O2, give them a call and request to have full-speed access on your account.
[Via: Electronista]
