cell phone & streaming

[ajg617]

OK. I use Speed Test on the computer but for some reason questioned how accurate it would be for cell signals. I guess download/upload speed for internet activity is the same regardless of the device used.

Ookla seeks out the best server (as it determines) to run it's test against and I'm necessarily they are same as the server my phone on hotspot is using. I always note the location of the servers Ookla offers and then browse a website (like Harvest Hosts) to which I temporarily grant location privileges. Sometimes HH would resolve that I was in Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, or Seattle when I was in the MT, WY, SD area the whole time. It kind of surprised me the first couple of times I had my laptop connected to my T-Mobile or VZ phone hotspot and browsed the HH map while I was in the Rapid City area only to get HH locations around Chicago or Minneapolis.

 

[trailrydr]

Ookla seeks out the best server (as it determines) to run it's test against and I'm necessarily they are same as the server my phone on hotspot is using........

For best speed test results in the area you are staying, be sure to turn on "location" on your cell phone when running any speed test, and, turn off any VPN service you may be using.

All of the locations selected by "speed test" sites try to use your (last) server/tower location. If you don't have your location turned on (and I don't most of the time except when using mapping directions - to save battery usage) it might not pick the best server. My android keys off the last server location I had used or when I had location turned on (sometimes rebooting can help).

Also, if you use a VPN service like PIA, "speed test" sites will find the best or closest server in the state you selected for your VPN server. Plus, keep in mind, a VPN service will slow down your speed as well since it is routing your communication through another possible different city/server than where your current cell service is located.

Note: Try to pick your carrier's server for your phone or a fiber server if your carrier's server is not available in your nearby local area. Sometimes a fiber service, or even a Comcast server produces better test speeds than your carrier related servers.

 

[Casa_Woody]

I like to compare results from various speed test sites: Fast.com, Speedtest.net, and Speedof.me Results can differ significantly. I have seen Speedtest.net = 30Mbs while Fast.com = 4Mbs. There are also sites where you can download a specific size file and time your download. Doing this has revealed Fast.com to be the most accurate for me.

 

[ajg617]

For best speed test results in the area you are staying, be sure to turn on "location" on your cell phone when running any speed test, and, turn off any VPN service you may be using.

Note: Try to pick your carrier's server for your phone or a fiber server if your carrier's server is not available in your nearby local area. Sometimes a fiber service, or even a Comcast server produces better test speeds than your carrier related servers.

Interesting - for the 5500 mile trip, I had location services turned on for google maps as an emergency backup.

Haven't figured out how to select a carrier server to route a hotspot through - that seems to be determined by carrier networking - not sure I can control that. I know in southern NH sticks and bricks with Comcast, Speedtest will not always pick up the Boston Comcast server though I'm sure that Comcast is using it. I can select it in Speedtest, but it's interesting to see what Ookla believes is the optimal server (i.e. Tufts, Starry, Axcelx).

 

[dryfly]

I agree with the comments of throttling even for the "grandfathered" VZN unlimited plans, cause I have one and have been throttled after 22gbs, and 15gbs of hotspot too - unless VPNing, which for some reason VZN doesn't throttle once you go past your limits (or its not noticable anyways).

When you were throttled after 22gbs what kind of download speed reduction did you see?

My only interest here, as mentioned in my OP, is to stream video, not general internet usage. I was getting about 3.5 mbps down this afternoon and the streaming seemed fine. I have no idea the minimum required.

 

[trailrydr]

When you were throttled after 22gbs what kind of download speed reduction did you see?

My only interest here, as mentioned in my OP, is to stream video, not general internet usage. I was getting about 3.5 mbps down this afternoon and the streaming seemed fine. I have no idea the minimum required.

A VZN rep told me that it could be as low as 600kb for both data and hotspot usage during "peak" times. However, it did depend on how busy their server/tower was that I was connected too, if it wasn't very busy at the time it may not be any less than the speeds guarenteed with my plan. I believe this follows the same guidelines as their current Unlimited plans.

In most cases, I've not been throttled that low, but, streaming does take up alot of bandwidth, and even if you dont get throttled, you could still be at the mercy of the tower/server bandwidth capacity currently being used by all users at that time. THIS has happened to me multiple times especially during high peak usage.

So, in other words, throttling effects the MAX guarenteed amount of data once you reach your monthly plan data limits, where speed of your service, whether throttled or not, is based on total bandwidth usage on a particular server/tower your connected too.

Think of it this way.... You can only get so much access through a certain sized supply pipe when demand is high, no matter how big of a pipe your given from the supply distribution point to your home. Throttling just dynamicaly controls the size of pipe from the supply distribution point to your home. Similiar to power outages from your utility.

 

[tigerGUY1955]

Works great in good areas. Not so great in more remote areas.IOW...what common sense suggests. Also, a PHONE booster helps almost all the time.

 

[dgcampbell]

I hope this will be a benefit to you all. I have had a lot of experience with this issue but not because of our RV but the home we purchased a little over a year ago. We moved to a house in a fairly remote area of South Central Washington. The town is 8 miles away. When we pruchase we were told it had Starlink but turned out it was only ordered and what it actually had was Hughes Net. Totally worthless but I subscribed. Wife and I work remote from our computers through VPNs and no way HN works for that much less streaming TV. We both switched to Verizon as that is the predominant carrier but little to no signal at the house. I purchased a 1000k cell booster which made it workable. The tower is 21 miles away. Then we both got the 30 gig plan on our phones as hotspots but quickly learned that even for just work it wasn't enough so I purchased the MiFi jetpack With. 100 gigs and I believe that's the most you can get outside of a business plan, which worked fairly well. I figured between that and the 60 we had on the phones we would be good. Wife had iphone and it rarely worked but for a year we managed. Lots of griping from the work station upstairs.

Mind you, I had placed an order for Starlink right after we moved in, wasn't going to rely on seller. A few months ago Starlink advertised Starling for RVs without the wait. Got it in less than a week. Hooked it up for the house and yes it's everything it's advertised to be. Funny thing, a couple weeks later I get an email saying my order for the house one is being shipped. Long story short, we now have the house one all hooked up and the speeds are impressive. I have internet all around the property to about a 100 yard radius. Strangely l, the equipment is identical for house and RV. We took a trip to Silverwood north of Spokane and stayed in a little park with lots of trees but I was able to find an opening in the canopy and it worked wonderfully. Seems to want to point to the northern sky. Anyway, while the initial invest in equipment seems high 500 for house 600 for RV we are paying $245 a month for both in services. The RV one you can suspend service like you can with DISH which we also have but that is usually a nightmare to get and keep running but with the Starlink you can get rid of all the rest and have reliable super highspeed internet and just switch your phone to internet calling and you have cell service.

That's my two cents. Regards

D Campbell
Goldendale WA