3G or Edge on iPhone

[andyhofer]

I'm fairly new to all this iphone stuff so I visited my local O2. I asked when 3G on the iphone was coming out and obviously they said they didn't know. The next question was why I wanted 3G.

Now I use my current phone to make phone calls, but looking for more internet access/emails etc, so why do I need 3G. The O2 store said that Edge was far better than 3G as I commented that Internet speeds would be quicker with 3G.

Their response re speed was
1. Wifi - quickest
2. Edge - quick
3. 3G - slowest

So what is best, what's 3G for and do I buy the iphone now. I've looked thru forums and loads of people get excited when 3G is mentioned so should I wait.

Like I said, new to this area of communications, but a little advice that meant I could get quick internet access from anywhere would be great.

ps
I assume on an unlocked phone, the phone would work fine, but getting internet access would be more costly and the £35 contract would actually be worth it.

Thanks all
Andy

[Johnnie]

3g is, or at least should be faster than EDGE, however latency is probably more relevant when it comes to web browsing.

What I have found personally is that although the connection speed is slower on the iphone than 3g equipped phones the safari browser is really quick, the ability of the browser to render pages and the speed of the processor and OS is very important when it comes to mobile web browsing.

If you need to download files, emails, programs and even videos, then this is when 3g wipes the floor with EDGE, that is another problem I have with the iphone, the youtube function is very well integrated however the slow transfer speeds of EDGE cripple it.

4G will be with us soon anyway ; )

[andyhofer]

Thanks Johnnie, I'm just looking at any site I can find and it appears the following applies.

Edge - same speed as dial up (around 40% coverage) ???
3G - Somewhere near broadband, not sure whatcoverage is.
Wifi - not sure of speed but I guess its only available in hotspots.

What the hell is 4G, at some point I need to buy the iPhone, and as always the next technology is always just round the corner, the difficulty is which corner to buy at. Does everyone recon 3G is a decent corner, or is 4G the next thing if it exists, and will the iPhone skip a G and go straight to 4G.

My head is starting to hurt already and I've only jut started looking

Andy

[Tejstar]

If you get a phone which is 3G HSDPA enabled it will run speeds equivalent to broadband speeds. I've never relied on a the phones browser and almost always use a third party browser like Opera Mini which is extremely quick.

I recently went back to an Edge phone tenporarily and the drop in speeds was noticeable and frustrating compared to 3G HSDPA.

[Johnnie]

I'm actually considering selling my iphone, as much as I love it I find it too limited in features and I almost wish I hadn't got it and had waited for a 3g version.

I feel much of the usability of the iphone is crippled by it's slow connection speeds, google maps, mail, youtube and web browsing all benefit from high network speeds and unfortunately EDGE is slow.

I was constantly swapping my T-Mobile web n walk sim from my Ameo and my iphone, I like using the iphone as it's UI is brilliant however the Ameo was big and bulky but at least it was fast when it came to browsing!

I feel that the Orbit 2 is as near as I can get (at the moment) to the functionality of the Ameo in a device the same size and weight as the iphone ( do a search for my orbit II mini review for images etc).

The 2nd generation iphone should be almost perfect if it has a better camera, video recording, 3G HSDPA, GPS, the ability to be used as a Bluetooth modem and a decent battery life.

I don't even care about built in wifi any more, to be honest the only place I have ever used wifi is at home which is the last place I need internet access on my phone, I have PC's, a Mac and a broadband connection!

When I take my Macbook out with me I can use my orbit 2 as a modem and connect to the net (at near broadband speeds) and for all other mobile web access the orbit 2 is good enough, I wish the screen was a bit bigger/better and I'm still waiting for the perfect mobile web browser, but for now opera mobile will do (hurry up skyfire!).

[PeterNav]

What the hell is 4G, at some point I need to buy the iPhone, and as always the next technology is always just round the corner, the difficulty is which corner to buy at. Does everyone recon 3G is a decent corner, or is 4G the next thing if it exists, and will the iPhone skip a G and go straight to 4G.
Andy

4G (IMT-Advanced) standardisation is only just getting underway. Expect years of discussion, development and commercial launch in 2014/15.

MobileWiMAX and LTE are not 4G but they are often called 4G by marketeers. Expect some mobileWiMAX in the USA this year if Sprint can get their finances sorted out and LTE could launch in Japan in 2010 but 3G derivatives have a lot of life in them yet:
3G HSDPA>HSPA>HSPA+ support increasing data rates up to 42Mbps download & 11Mbps upload. HSPA+ is in commercial trials this year and could start to roll out next year.

On that basis the next iPhone won't go to 4G but is likely to support one of the 3G derivatives, HSDPA or HSPA because they will be widely available when it launches.

[Tunney]

EDGE - up to 256kbps
3G - up to 7.2Mbps
Wifi - usually 54Mbps

The other advantage with 3G is that it does voice and data at the same time. If you're downloading a website or e-mail on EDGE, people calling you will be put straight through to voicemail.

I've met some very decent mobile phone shop staff but the majority seem to be wannabe estate agents. They'll tell you anything to make you buy the phone they're currently advertising.

[KISSMAN]

DONT think i could ever go back now,this phone is the bees knees,its only got buggy features like other phone,but its superb

[dejongj]

O2 Did tell it totally wrong; Wifi = quickest, then 3G, then Edge, then GPRS

But as someone already stated in real useage terms EDGE is absolutely fine for the iPhone, plenty fast enough to browse the net, check one's email and even to stream Youtube video. Yes it could go quicker with 3G, but other phones are lacking in useability and you loose the speed advantage immediately, and no 3G iPhone or other upgraded features has been announced as well. All this speculation about the next iPhone is exactly that, speculation nothing has been announced.

I'm really pleased I took the plunge when it came out, just like with anything else like cars, if you get it when it just came out you have the shortest period using the 'old' model.

The iPhone works absolutely just fine as it does, go for it and you won't regret it.