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Jim’s experience with T-Mobile “Pants” Internet

Jim of MX Alliance took delivery of a wickedly good new T-Mobile Vario. I asked if he could let me know how he got on with it. (Yes it’s Windows Mobile and yes I’m going to reserve judgement until after this comment he sent in):

Well after using my new T-Mobile account for a couple of days, I have to say I’m under-whelmed at the moment with the data performance. It’s worse than dial up – sitting waiting for pages to load, then nothing happens. Even with Opera loaded the number of sites that just barf is pretty high (50% maybe?)

Forget HSDPA, which the Vario comes with, because at home I’m not even getting any network coverage. (Despite the map on T-Mobiles web site saying that I would have excellent coverage…….

So at home I can’t make or receive any calls unless I’m on the top floor at the back of the house, very inconvenient. I can use Skype over Wi-Fi, but I have to say I’m seriously considering cancelling the contract.

Even on the wi-fi connection, data performance is still sloooooooooow compared to desktop and laptop.

Maybe there are some settings on the Vario that need fiddled with, but if that’s the case it would seem the industry is still not getting it.

Is it just me – am I too cynical?

Writing this from my laptop!

No, you’re not cynical, Jim. At least I don’t think you are. I’m just continually disappointed with Windows Mobile devices — even when you connect them to a bullet-fast wi-fi connection can’t really hack it. Woe is me. I really don’t think it’ll take them long to sort this out. Is it just me and you, Jim, who’re experiencing this as an issue?

6 COMMENTS

  1. I have a T-Mobile Vario and nearly threw it out of the window on a number of occasions in frustration with the Internet access, and then I came across this info [http://www.modaco.com/index.php?showtopic=244497] on MoDaCo. It changes the DNS from the default T-Mobile to another server, and makes an unbelievable difference! I made the change on an Orange Mobile 5 device, and this has also improved things (but not to the degree with T-Mobile).

    Hope this helps!

  2. And illustrating my point exactly – can you imagine a “normal user” worrying about their DNS server?

    Some years after the launch of 3G, I don’t consider myself to be an early adopter. In fact I felt a bit weird being in the industry and not making much use of mobile data and so on. I assumed that the device manufacturers and the operators would have figured out how to make a service work out of the box.

    I rest my case m’lud!

    Off to look at the web site now – will report back later.

    Now anyone care to tell me how to get BT, Telewest and The Carphone Warehouse to figure out amongst themselves why I can’t make any calls from my landline.

    I must have taken up some mind altering drugs and signed up for TalkTalk Broadband. Realising my mistake, I cancelled the order and then must have had a relapse and moved everything over to BT. Oh forget it, it’s just too complex.

    I can always call people from my T-Mobile phone – oh dear I forgot I can’t do that in 75% of my house…….

    As Richard Adams said “Technolgy is stuff that doesn’t quite work yet.”

    Jim

  3. In Edinburgh sat in a coffee shop. Performance is a bit better – perhaps there’s 3.5g coverage here.

    But at least it`s just about usable.

    Jim

  4. Finally got round to changing thr DNS settings. Made a significant difference.

    Is it any wonder voice and txt are still 95% of operators revenue?

    Looks like they can’t even getthe basics right?

    I’m stunned,

    Jim

  5. […] Well here’s a fix. Sort of. Jim recently took delivery of his T-Mobile Vario and found it ridiculously slow accessing the internet (as documented on this post). Kmara of RipPod.com added a comment on the post suggesting Jim take a look at this link on MoDaCo. Essentially, top MoDaCo man Paul figured out that most of the Windows Mobile devices (in the UK at least) are set to use operator default shit-slow DNS servers … […]

  6. It’s back to being slooooow and I’m getting closer and closer to cancelling the contract.

    Decided to call T-Mobile and got connected to charming lady on their business help line.

    Told her about the poor performance, her reply floored me:

    “Ah well Internet on mobile is just slow all the time – I know how you feel I have a Vario 2 myself.”

    So is there anything she could do to help? She said she could switch on the uplink – I pretended to know what the hell she was talking about.

    After a long delay, she came back and said that this is now only available on Web n Walk Pro.

    Well what about another device – say the E61?

    “No they are all slow.”

    Oh well that’s that then – it’s official – the mobile internet is slow!

    So I think I may wait to see what deal 3 comes up with for their new service.

    Since I’ve been running my existing 3 phone side by side with the Vario, it’s been interesting to see how the networks compare on coverage.

    T-Mobile coverage up here in the central region of Scotland is simply horrible. Low signal strength, huge areas of no coverage and so on.
    (Coverage in my house still remains non-existent).

    Being in the industry, I desperately want to be an evangelist for the mobile internet. But this experience has left me stunned at how terrible the service can be.

    Ok, so others may consider me to be a heretic, but I fear if the industry does not get their fingers out of their arses and address some of these problems, we will still be talking about the mobile internet five years from now.

    Jim

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