What is the down low on third parties getting slower 3G internet and bandwidth (HTC/android)

rogueblade · 21 Oct 2010 at 19:15

Hey guys,

There's been some mention on the HTC Desire HD thread that buying your HD from a third party (mobiles.co.uk, MPD etc) will result in you getting a smaller bandwidth allowance (1gb instead of 3gb)and slower limited mobile internet speeds than if you were to order directly through the main providers (T-Mobile, Vodafone etc).

I've looked this up and seen some mention of it on XDA but can't find enough info to be convinced and as I'm fairly new to the UK it's hard to really know what's up.

I really want to figure out the truth behind this so I can know whether or not I am safe to order from a third party and not get botched internet speeds and bandwidth with a desire HD.

I can pass most third party credit checks but not the credit check by the main providers (Only been in the country for 4 months).

If this stuff is true about the slower mobile internet speeds and limited bandwidth, I'm going to wait until I have good enough credit to go directly through T-mobile.

If this stuff is a bunch of hog wash I will go ahead and order online through a third party provider.

Thanks guyss

Azza · 21 Oct 2010 at 19:19

Never heard or seen anything about it at all.

Foyman · 21 Oct 2010 at 19:21

It's only a T-Mobile thing as far as I'm aware. I have heard nothing of the other providers doing this.

paradigm · 21 Oct 2010 at 19:22

Can't see how that would be enforceable, just change the APN settings if they are using a different username/password/apn to create a different connection.

At the end of the day, even if they somehow cooked it into the ROM, you could just use another ROM anyway.

rogueblade · 21 Oct 2010 at 19:28

Foyman said:
It's only a T-Mobile thing as far as I'm aware. I have heard nothing of the other providers doing this.

So if I order a T-mobile contract from a third party, I will get a slower connection than if I were to order a Vodafone contract from a third party? The Vodafone mobile internet/3g speeds will be just the same as if I were to order direct from Vodafone?
So a third party t-mobile contract is going to have slower speeds than all other 3rd party contracts (vodafone, o2, orange)

paradigm said:
Can't see how that would be enforceable, just change the APN settings if they are using a different username/password/apn to create a different connection.

Is this a simple task?

Foyman · 21 Oct 2010 at 19:43

rogueblade said:
So if I order a T-mobile contract from a third party, I will get a slower connection than if I were to order a Vodafone contract from a third party? The Vodafone mobile internet/3g speeds will be just the same as if I were to order direct from Vodafone?
So a third party t-mobile contract is going to have slower speeds than all other 3rd party contracts (vodafone, o2, orange)

I can't comment on other networks as I don't use them but I do know that if you order from a third party, MPD in my case, then your t-mobile speed will be restricted to 360kbs. This happened to me and if you look at the below threads, it has happened to quite a few others too. Most people won't even realise they can browse at faster speeds so don't mention it. When I first got my desire my connection alternated between G and 3G depending on my signal. Since getting the upgrade to web 'n' walk plus I now get HSDPA and haven't seen the 3G symbol since.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=685883
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=659695
http://android.modaco.com/content/h...-uk-hsdpa-only-giving-me-380kbs/#entry1183292

tom_e · 21 Oct 2010 at 19:48

I've read about the lower cap on tmob but if you phone up and say your using an android device that apparently up it. Also as far as I'm aware never mind where you order it from you still have to go through a credit check from the originating network

rogueblade · 21 Oct 2010 at 20:36

Foyman said:
I can't comment on other networks as I don't use them but I do know that if you order from a third party, MPD in my case, then your t-mobile speed will be restricted to 360kbs. This happened to me and if you look at the below threads, it has happened to quite a few others too. Most people won't even realise they can browse at faster speeds so don't mention it. When I first got my desire my connection alternated between G and 3G depending on my signal. Since getting the upgrade to web 'n' walk plus I now get HSDPA and haven't seen the 3G symbol since.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=685883
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=659695
http://android.modaco.com/content/h...-uk-hsdpa-only-giving-me-380kbs/#entry1183292

Thanks, I'll check these out.
What did you have to do to upgrade to web 'n' walk plus?
Did you just call and ask? Pay? Haggle?

Azza · 21 Oct 2010 at 20:39

rogueblade said:
Thanks, I'll check these out.
What did you have to do to upgrade to web 'n' walk plus?
Did you just call and ask? Pay? Haggle?

The thing was to tell them (T-mobile), you've got an Android phone and that you should have 3Gb limit and not the 1Gb you get from ordering from MPD / mobiles.co.uk etc.

And to start off with they were changing everyone onto it, because it comes with all plans direct from t-mobile. This would then free up a booster you could use for something else. But apparently after a while they started to tighten up on it.

rogueblade · 21 Oct 2010 at 20:57

Azza said:
The thing was to tell them (T-mobile), you've got an Android phone and that you should have 3Gb limit and not the 1Gb you get from ordering from MPD / mobiles.co.uk etc.

And to start off with they were changing everyone onto it, because it comes with all plans direct from t-mobile. This would then free up a booster you could use for something else. But apparently after a while they started to tighten up on it.

Ah, yea I see that now after reading through all those posts. Of course they are all from the original Desire release days.....nothing up yet regarding the HD, hopefully someone who ordered third party will go through this process and let us know what T-Mobile does 6 months later.....

SlugForAButt · 21 Oct 2010 at 21:36

paradigm said:
At the end of the day, even if they somehow cooked it into the ROM, you could just use another ROM anyway.

For the win!

1) Buy Android.
2) Root
3) Flash new ROM

I got a branded Android handset and Rooted and Flashed a new ROM within an hour (just followed a guide).
Get rid of all that network bloat and run your phone as it should be.
I'm running the LeeDroid ROM and it's just like running the HTC Sense software, but with all the extras that my network would deny me. (Wifi hotspot & Titanium backup for starters)
Take a look here & see the benefits and how easy it is.

http://www.htcdesireforum.com/htc-desire-how-to/(guide)-rootin-flashing-rom/

Other forums will have the same sort of guides for other phones.
Free your Android!

rogueblade · 21 Oct 2010 at 23:47

Thanks, interesting stuff, but none of that is going to prevent a speed limited put on the network by tmobile

Lumeycom · 22 Oct 2010 at 00:02

Vodafone dont do it at all

rogueblade · 22 Oct 2010 at 00:10

Lumeycom said:
Vodafone dont do it at all

True but with them 1gb of data isn't even possible even if the speeds are even across all third parties...

It's a catch-22. I can get a third party phone from t-mobile, have a decent amount of data usage but slowww speeds Or I can get third party phone from vodafone, have a good connection equal to that of non third party contracts but run out of bandwdith with a small small limit

DBT85 · 22 Oct 2010 at 09:06

As I recall its done with T-Mobile because the Booster that they offer you 1st party is actually used to give you the internet when you go 3rd party.

The reason its not beatable by a rom or anything is because T-Mobiles system recognises your number as being one with the internet via a Booster instead of via your contract.

IMy T-Mobile HD arrived tomorrow so i'm looking foward to 3gb a month and probably faster downloads than on my ADSL line

[TW]Fox · 22 Oct 2010 at 10:29

Surely the credit check is the same whoever you buy the contract from as its the network that does it?

rogueblade · 22 Oct 2010 at 11:07

No apparently not. Some companies have slightly different requirements than others (apparently). I passed MPD and failed Vodafone and T-mobile. I have no credit history as I've only lived here for 4 months.

[TW]Fox · 22 Oct 2010 at 12:37

But MPD are not giving you credit, they are simply signing you up to a contract with T-Mobile are they not?

Moving house doesnt reset your credit history, btw.

Azza · 22 Oct 2010 at 12:40

[TW]Fox;17626311 said:
But MPD are not giving you credit, they are simply signing you up to a contract with T-Mobile are they not?

Moving house doesnt reset your credit history, btw.

He's only lived in the country 4 months, he's come over from Canada.