Database Users

Is HDSPA a RIP OFF! Lets find out!

I have an ATT-Tilt, I keep hearing that the high speed ATT 3.5g is supposed to go at 3mb down - All I get is somewhere between 100-700kbs Max in Los Angeles. My friend is on Verizon and he gets easily double my max rate all the time. He can watch his slingbox no problem, I cannot unless I am Wi-Fid.
So I think we should all use this post to see just how bad GSM high speed (H or U) is around the world.
I used http://dslreports.com/mspeed?jisok=1&more=1 and clicked on the 1mb test. To repeat use the back button and click 1mb again. I use IE as the other browsers don't seem to work. I have run the test in various spots around LA.
On each reply how about using this format:
Location = Los Angeles, CA USA or City, Country outside US.
Min = 100kbs
Max = 700kbs
Test Used - dslreports 1mb
PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR LOCATION!
Also, if anyone knows of a better test, let us know.
Also, if anyone knows if or when the GSM network will get better, please report.
As far as I am concerned, if this is the status Quo, I am not going to pay them $40 bucks a month for an inferior data service - better phones or not.

I think you are mixing up megabytes/second with megabits/second the HTC Kaiser has a max connection speed of 3.2Mb/s not 3.2MB/s

bsw11 said:
I used http://dspreports.com/mspeed?jisok=1&more=1 and clicked on the 1mb test. To repeat use the back button and click 1mb again. I use IE as the other browsers don't seem to work. I have run the test in various spots around LA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bad link it should be dslreports
I tested out of curiosity:
browser OPERAMINI
Location = Fairfield, CA USA
Min = 594kbs
Max = 1492kbs
Test Used - dslreports 1mb
I'm lacking 2.1 MB

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"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
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"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
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Location = Largo, MD (outside of Wash DC)
Max = 810 kbit/s
Test Used - dslreports 1mb

No I am not
dolbe said:
I think you are mixing up megabytes/second with megabits/second the HTC Kaiser has a max connection speed of 3.2Mb/s not 3.2MB/s
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I clearly show mbs not MBs - I know the difference!
Look at the results - you can see so far only one area that looks like its getting the real deal - probably near SF cause they don't want a full tech-y revolt.
Also please just type in the results and make sure you include a location.

705 kbit/sec
San Antonio Texas

then DO NOT get Eten x800 VGA phone if u want 3.5G HSDPA!
this phone is advertised as 3.5G HSDPA, but all u get is regular 3g UMTS speed at a max of 384k!
good thing this company is not located in USA, otherwise they will get lawsuits for false advertising!

guys, You need to understand that it Can do 3.6mb/s
My Cable internet is rated so that it Can do 12mb/s I rarely get over 2 or 3 mb/s. And that's with a wire.
Wireless connections are even more fragile. if you're getting 700-800kb/s then that's fine. It works the same way a Wifi Access point does. The Further you are from the tower, the crappier the connection is. My tower is about 1300 feet away according to Google maps and I'm getting... lets see here. 672kb/s. I'm also inside. Its also crappy weather outside.
Another factor is where the data being downloaded is being cached. Flash isn't the fastest thing ever, but the ROM Flash inside your phone is WAY faster than the SD Card, and I'm storing my cache to the SD Card.
Another thing, Just like Wifi, More users = Less bandwidth for everybody.
There's even more factors I'm not going to get into.
Devices, Radio versions, Use of Proxies.
Also, UMTS is not GSM high speed, its a completely new technology, and HSDPA is a bolton for it. They are different. UMTS is just the 3g evolution path for GSM according to the world. Keep in mind, NTT DoCoMo went to UMTS (I know, FOMA first. they're going to Plain UMTS now) from PDC.

Location = GAP, FRANCE, EU
browser PIE
607kbit/sec
0.615s latency
14.148s d/l time
Test Used - dslreports 1mb
GPRS Monitor tell me 1028kbit/s (max)...

Cleveland, Ohio
1565 kbit/s
0.334s latency
5.524s d/l
Opera Mini

karch4 said:
Cleveland, Ohio
1565 kbit/s
0.334s latency
5.524s d/l
Opera Mini
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wow, I dont get those speeds w/ my home wi-fi (I got 1000-1200)
I'm getting:
450-550kbit/s w/ HDSPA
around 250 w/ EDGE when I lose the faster tower around my house
w/ internet exploder
in easton, pa
w/ a tilt w/ dutty's rom ver 6

Cincinnati, Ohio (USA)
PIE
741 kbit/s

One more test to run
As to the comment about actual vs real bandwidth - DUH!
Its not about that at all, its about the ability to actually use their 3g to play media of any type.
So here is another test to run - if you have TCPMP setup correctly - go to YouTube.com - use classic mode and try to play any video on their site.
For me, WIFI plays fine, 3g rarely starts up TCPMP.
Can anyone explain why this is the case?

bsw11 said:
As to the comment about actual vs real bandwidth - DUH!
Its not about that at all, its about the ability to actually use their 3g to play media of any type.
So here is another test to run - if you have TCPMP setup correctly - go to YouTube.com - use classic mode and try to play any video on their site.
For me, WIFI plays fine, 3g rarely starts up TCPMP.
Can anyone explain why this is the case?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, especially since I can stream using YTPocket.com no problem over UMTS (HSDPA Disabled) and sometimes, even over EDGE. Depending on network conditions.

Fountain Hills, AZ
855 kbit/s
0.507s latency
1.079s d/l
IE
Fountain Hills, AZ
1630 kbit/s
0.457s latency
5.481s d/l
Opera Mini
both varied with each successive test but Opera was always faster.

Opera Mini useless testing
I do not care how fast a wired server in Norway can download data. Remember, mini is using a proxy server. That is why it will always report faster speeds. Totally useless.
Please stop using Opera Mini as a speed test. It is totally inOperaBle!
What I am trying to find out is Tilt upload speeds. I am in Houston, which supposedly has HSUPA now, and I have an 8525 and always wanting more. Has the Tilt really tested faster internet speeds than the 8525 (using PIE)?
I'm also in the market for video out, which would exclude the Tilt if I find something better.

Using PIE Fairfield, cali
789 kbit/sec
0.426s latency
10.795s d/l time.

Location = Saudi Arabia, Riyadh (Faisaleya Area)
Max = 865 kbit/s
Test Used - dslreports 1mb
Operatort: Mobily

Turn HSDPA mode off and "pure" 3G mode on

I've recently bought the HD2, former I ownt the TyTn II and th XDAII
Now I want to turn off the HSDPA data connection (The "H" icon appears in the taskbar) I only want to hav a "normal" 3G connection!
Can somebody help me to finnd the switch in the settings to do this!?
Cheers Chris

Why would you want to ruin your cellular data connection?

Connections > Advanced network...disable HSPA. Soft-reset.

Spike15 said:
Why would you want to ruin your cellular data connection?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what he said...
why turn off the thing thats going to allow you to have much higher speeds?

spiderhider said:
what he said...
why turn off the thing thats going to allow you to have much higher speeds?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) If you're in an area with low to nonexistent HSPA, having it on will drain your battery immensely as it searches for signal as you're surfing.
2) Similar to #1, using EDGE or 3G will reduce battery consumption because data pulling will be less intensive.
3) if you're not doing a lot of streaming and only use your phone to read websites and/or update stock/weather/twitter/fb/etc, having it on EDGE or 3G produce similar results.
I can't believe I'm listing the options as to why the original poster would want to limit his data to just 3G, but I guess I shouldn't give too much credit to the kind of people who post on this forum.

HSDPA - isn't it working only under umts? I have EU HD2 - GSM model, should I turn it off permanently?

pooh4o said:
HSDPA - isn't it working only under umts? I have EU HD2 - GSM model, should I turn it off permanently?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
uhh what? Do you have an "H" symbol on your HD2? If not, then there's nothing you should be worried about.

nor really an bump but
HSDPA is not very reliable once single levels get below 100/95dbm (or 2 bars some times 3 as it does not always update in real time)
other note if H is enabled the phone will waste time trying to connect to an H signal that's not there or mite just be in range but is not
on my HTC HD1 the phone works 95% of the time with UMTS basic 3g some calls are diverted, but with HSDPA it sucks more power and more of my phone calls get diverted on an daily basis (diverts to my other network phone when phone not connectible, not stating networks as its the phones Fault for connecting to an H or 3g when it should be on stepping down to 3g then 2g due to signal) norm as i use my phone for business use i leave the phone on 2g only so (my other phone that's an htc desire i norm do use the h on it as it tends to play nice and drop to 2g when it should normally)
any way my phone is not the issue as i have the benefit to disable H speed and use 3g (umts) on the htc hd1
i have the hd2 phone here right now but the phone keeps on insisting to stay on H when single levels are poor and resulting in txt'ing only working , forcing the phone onto 2g fix's the problem but norm 3g coverage is fine
is there any way to turn off H on the hd2 like the hd1 can or is there custom firmware that adds the option or adjusts it so its less aggressive

don't know why we are bringing this up from the dead, but I get great download speeds with only 1-2 bars of hspa (+). I can't see why I would want to turn that off.
And to the poster that says edge works fine for most things, most of my updates time out trying to update on edge.

nrfitchett4 said:
don't know why we are bringing this up from the dead, but I get great download speeds with only 1-2 bars of hspa (+). I can't see why I would want to turn that off.
And to the poster that says edge works fine for most things, most of my updates time out trying to update on edge.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i hate edge.

the thread was never answered correctly (users posting on how good H is over 3g but from where i am its not so good as its turning the hd2/1 into an iphone 3 dropping calls wise when 3g/H is enabled) also turns the phone into an oven compared to umts mode and phone only lasts about an day with H enabled (2-3 days UMTS, 3-5 days 2g/GPRS depending on use)
3g?UMTS {most reliable for 3g} > HSDPA > HSUPA think there is an H+ as well for 7.5mb support
2g> gsm/gprs is king for keeping signal levels (EDGE unknown as I never get it but should be the same as GPRS) as there are more 2g towers then 3g or 3g/H towers, not cost affective to upgrade them all to 3g
one thing i not done yet is update the phones firmware as its still running on an 1-2 year old os this HD2 (uk t-mobile), the radio on it is 2.04 as well (my HD1 is 2 years or older) some one did post that it is in settings > adv network {was an older post that i found on google} that is missing on this currant HD2 phone i have
Most of the UK networks have not upgraded to edge around where I am so its GPRS or 3g/H

Some ROMs have the Advanced Network control panel applet in Settings/Connections where you can disable HSDPA and HSUPA.
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I believe the relevant registry setting is at registry key HKLM\Software\OEM\RIL - DisH (Where a value of 0 disables HSDPA/HSUPA, 1 enables HSDPA and 2 enable HSDPA/HSUPA, reboot needed)

That was very useful comment I try it when I get back home later on (should really update the firmware as well the HTC touch flow is quite unstable on it)

i dont know where the problem is.
start -> settings -> connections -> advanced network.
there u can choose "disable hsdpa / hsupa"
bling, u got no H anymore..
if u use sense, u have to go via the windows settings, u cant change that in sense settings tab i think

D4rkSoRRoW said:
i dont know where the problem is.
start -> settings -> connections -> advanced network.
there u can choose "disable hsdpa / hsupa"
bling, u got no H anymore..
if u use sense, u have to go via the windows settings, u cant change that in sense settings tab i think
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know where it should be
It's not on this phone they removed the advanced network or never added it on this build on comes with the hd2 from t-mobile (phone has never been updated)

leexgx said:
I know where it should be
It's not on this phone they removed the advanced network or never added it on this build on comes with the hd2 from t-mobile (phone has never been updated)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i would hate t-mobile for this.
so if ur not going to flash another rom, registry is probably really the only way

D4rkSoRRoW said:
i would hate t-mobile for this.
so if ur not going to flash another rom, registry is probably really the only way
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have to ring him on his G1 phone, if i ring the HD2 i get 2 things that happen its not connect (5 secs then the peeps call not conencted) or he answers it and it disconnects after 2 seconds
mite flash the device i never done it my self so mite do it on my HD1 first as mine is running on winmobile 6.2
--------------
i use an blackberry 8520 as an test at this time, was only £100 for it but i am missing the touch screen but like the idea of the 9800 having both screen and slide out pad but i prefer the windows phones input calendar points (hoping the win7 way be the same or like it)

that seems to have worked, did not seem to take it on the first reboot,was set to gsm only, set to auto was doing H still, still set to auto and powered down again and pulled the bat (prob did not need to) no h any more phone has constant 2-4 bars now on 3g (before 1-2 bar or drop call, on H if the phone was picked up 4 bars idle) can use phone and internet (was an fast call test was stable an clear not breaking up) should also stop it turning into an oven as well (as my HD1 does with H enabled), 3g is fine with opera as it has the turbo feature so web pages load fast still
give you rep if i could
i am not new to these forums but i have not done any messing with rom as my HTC HD1 one is currently just an unused PDA so i will have an go with it just need to look at the updating guides (need some class 6 sd cards as well all the ones i got are class 2 and are bit slow) if
once i have played with my hd1 i update the HD2 as that is an active phone (but needs updating on both phones as the default htc touch flow is an bit of an ram or cpu hog making the phone unstable, i disabled the touch flow on my hd1 as preventing phone call answer from working after 2-3 days as i needed it for business use but i like the default windows mobile layout anyway but i also like the htc layout when it works but must work all the time)

HD2 Handset or 3G Blackspot?

Right. You might remember I had connection issues with the HD2. I sent it off for repair, and it came back, but now displaying "3G+" at the top. This was super fast and everything was working fine. Now, all of a sudden it has gone back to 3G that is REALLY slow! Now, I see other people are having this problem. According to Vodafone, I am in a 3G blackspot and there is nothing I can do. If this was the case, I would never receive 3G+ in the first place, which they just ignore when I ask them about it. Could it possibly be the phone? I personally think Vodafone are just messing me around

Only 1 view? Any reply would be appreciated, this is an ongoing problem for me...

Edited : Was being a fool

Just because people look at it it doesn't mean they are going to have an answer i have seen some threads on here go unanswered for the best part of the day until someone comes on-line that actually has an answer, so just give it time, not every member knows what everybody else knows, that's why its a forum for people to club together and help each other out.
rant over

Oh ok, I'm sorry

Ok, so now Vodafone are ignoring me, which is just great (pfft). I would appreciate ANY help if there are any tips as to any procedures I could undertake. The HSDPA I was receiving just cut out the other night, and won't budge from 3G any more, not even to G or E, which is kinda annoying.

Have you tried it in a different area? You'll not get HSDPA coverage everywhere - that's normal. The way you're talking, seems like you're just sitting in your house testing it.

Of course I've tested it elsewhere. What you need to understand is though, I was receiving HSDPA full in my house for a good few days after I got the phone back from repair, now its just gone. All of a sudden, gone. I try doing the network selection process again, and the 3G+ flickers for a millisecond at the most, and then disappears. I don't know why this is happening, I used to get brilliant HSDPA connection wherever I went in Preston

Just to give you guys a glimpse of EXACTLY how bad the connection is, I ran a speed test on my phone via speedtest.net. Here are the results:
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There is DEFINITELY something wrong here, but what could it be?

Faz20 said:
Just to give you guys a glimpse of EXACTLY how bad the connection is, I ran a speed test on my phone via speedtest.net. Here are the results:
There is DEFINITELY something wrong here, but what could it be?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is wrong? that you're getting as-expected 3G speed (.38mbps is the equivalent of 384kbps 3G standard) or the fact that you're getting a 3G+ symbol but are only getting 3G speed? Just because it's showing 3G+ (im assuming that it's similar to HSPA) doesnt mean you're at the optimal cell distance to receive it. It may be VERY POOR in your case, so it bounce you down to 3G.

That's the thing, its not poor in my area. I mean, I don't think even standard 3G is as slow as I'm experiencing. A 12 second YouTube video taking a minute to buffer? www.google.com taking a LONG time to load, there's something wrong man. I feel like just selling this phone and getting a BB or something, I know the connectivity will be strong with that.

Faz20 said:
That's the thing, its not poor in my area. I mean, I don't think even standard 3G is as slow as I'm experiencing. A 12 second YouTube video taking a minute to buffer? www.google.com taking a LONG time to load, there's something wrong man. I feel like just selling this phone and getting a BB or something, I know the connectivity will be strong with that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you verify? Do you have another vodafone nearby that you can test out?

That's the annoying thing, I can't test out my SIM in another smartphone, as this is the only one I have. I have however tried another SIM in my phone and there is the same problem. This is the reply I get from Vodafone eForum:
Hi Faz20,
If it was a site fault that was to blame for this before, then it's highly likely to be the same sort of problem again. Issues like this are rarely ever the fault of the handset.
I have checked the postcode listed in your profile, and can see there are three possible HSDPA sites around you, none of which are showing any open faults at this moment, so we'll need to raise a case to our Faults Team for this to be investigated further.
I've emailed you so that we can start this process off
Jon
eForum Team
What is annoying me is that they keep ignoring me when I say I was experiencing fine internet connection with smooth speeds, and it just suddenly cut out. They just change the subject ALL the time when I mention it :angry:

One more to remember: you have to consider the speed AND QoS as well.
Try another site, I'd google for visualvare my speed.
If you have poor quality of service (you have veeeery long ping) that means: your phone tries to download.. then waits.. then tries again.. and some packets are lost.... so tries again... and so on.

1699ms ping is quite a lot I imagine? As my puter is only like 0.6ms, but surely the phone can't have that big a difference. Is there anything I could do to lower the ping, I don't want to flash and cooked ROM's atm as I am very inexperienced and don't want to void the warranty.

Faz20 said:
1699ms ping is quite a lot I imagine? As my puter is only like 0.6ms, but surely the phone can't have that big a difference. Is there anything I could do to lower the ping, I don't want to flash and cooked ROM's atm as I am very inexperienced and don't want to void the warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then you're simply in a 3G blackspot. I know it's disheartening for having an HD2 and stuck with ****ty data coverage, but that's what seem to be the problem right now. You have a seriously high ping coupled that with slow transfer speed would only dictate that you're not in an ideal area where 3G coverage is plentiful.

How would that explain that I was receiving fine connection speeds before? This is where my hair is falling out

Faz20 said:
How would that explain that I was receiving fine connection speeds before? This is where my hair is falling out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe you're hallucinating that you had fast connection before? Maybe Vodafone thought that your area doesn't deserve the bandwidth and thus prioritizing the 3G speed for other, more robust, cities? Or maybe radioactive termites have run amok on the cell tower, causing you to not get fast 3G speed?
Who knows...

Nah, I can assure you I wasn't hallucinating, I stay away from the Magic Mushrooms
I just think Vodafone are a bag of s*it. All my friends with the same phone on O2, Orange are receiving HSDPA all the time. Its stupid
I'm gonna phone up Vodafone today and kinda go mad at them. The last time I phone they "escalated" the connection, maybe the reason why I was getting HSDPA all the time, wherever I went. Now suddenly its gone again. Quick question for you guys, when your phone is on 3G Full bars, how is the speeds. Are they quick and rapid? Do Internet pages load quickly? etc. etc.

Ok, so what do I get told when I ring up Vodafone. I have bad 3G coverage in my area (blatant lie). When I ask how do I resolve this? Buy Vodafone Sure Signal, £50 one off payment or £5 a month. Great way to resolve a problem, try to sell me something else, another one of Vodafone's probably bullsh*t products. Its so frustrating, having to live with a stupid network provider with such a beautiful phone!
Can I cry on someone's shoulder?

Speed testing and RIL settings

So I felt like doing some testing with a couple different radio versions and RIL settings to see if I actually did get any differences in speed or latency.
Phone is running CM6 Nightly 09192010. I did 8 tests on each state. Tests were done from 12a-1a so virtually no load on the network. After changing settings, I rebooted twice. All 8 speed tests were done by the SpeedTest.net app. I checked radio signal strength in Settings>About>Status and waited roughly 10 seconds for it to stabilize at the lowest value. I am located in Tempe, AZ. T-Mobile has not officially enabled HSPA+ but the download speeds reflect it. I hit 6.1mbps a couple times The phone was not moved at all for the entire process. To see the exact RIL settings I used, links are in the spreadsheet.
I have attached my excel file for ****s and giggles
Here are my results:
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Green and positive means it was an increase with respect to the baseline. Red and negative means a decrease with respect to the baseline.
The "5.10 Error" is strange. I tried to flash 5.10 (see link in spreadsheet). It kept erroring in fastboot. Tried in recovery and it looked like it worked, but the bootloader was reporting 5.08. I did the tests anyway and I got different results which is strange.
In case you like numbers:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmKcnlXnO3h6dExGSUlIdUtvSG56X2lvVHAwSlpSSlE&hl=en
PLEASE take these with a grain of salt! There are MANY variables I can not control that will affect signal strength, through put, etc. etc.
Also, one thing I noticed with 5.08U+Tweaks is the download was much more consistent. The standard deviation was much lower than the others.

Where are these radios of which you speak? (particularly 5.8+Tweaks)

Links are in the spreadsheet.

Since 5.10 is a desire radio, it won't flash unless you have a "PVT SHIP S-OFF" nexus.... those are usually engineering samples where the SPL allows you to flash literally ANYTHING...
This was discussed earlier in the 5.08 radio thread.... I'll try and find the exact posts when I get home later, but IIRC, the one person who was able to flash the desire radio did notice increased speeds.... but since its not quite the same phone AFAIK your chances of bricking the phone are exponentially higher....
That being said, phenomenal breakdown of the build.prop settings! I'll have to look around and see if I can contribute anything later, but great job!
Sent from my Nexus One

Breakdown
Okay, found it here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=723839&page=42&postcount=413
From that page forward is the discussion I was referring to earlier...sorry it's somewhat long, but I think they covered the desire radio question thoroughly there...
Okay, I apologize in advance for the following post, I know it's rather long-winded, so feel free to flame away if you disagree with anything I'm saying here or any of it is blatantly incorrect (I apologize if it is)
And these are just my thoughts and observations of what works for me, I'm not recommending you settle on anything here before figuring out what works for you...
OP, I'm sure you know this already based on your research here, but here's a breakdown of the "H" and "U" 'versions' of the radio for others who might be reading this thread and are interested in "tweaking the radio"
H - as in 32.36.00.28H_4.06.00.12_7 or 32.41.00.32H_5.08.00.04
Means that ro.ril.hsxpa = 1 (in the build.prop) is set, putting the radio in HSDPA mode rather than just plain old UMTS
U- as in 32.36.00.28U_4.06.00.12_7 or 32.41.00.32U_5.08.00.04
Means that ro.ril.hsxpa = 2 (in the build.prop) is set, which enables HSUPA
Now, not having these values set in build.prop doesn't necessarily mean that you won't get the HSDPA goodness (AFAIK AOSP ROMs are usually preset to hsxpa = 1 and Sense ROMs are usually preset to hsxpa = 2) because I believe that Android (or at least the radio) is hard-coded to jump up to the higher speed connection if available, but having these settings in build.prop just means that the phone will try making an HSDPA connection sooner than it would otherwise...
The OP has compiled an EXCELLENT breakdown of both speed tests/ping times/signal strength....that's outstanding work....
Sorry I'm making this post a little drawn out, and I'm not trying to hijack the thread here, but I'll share my 2 cents on what works for me if anyone is interested. Also, I apologize in advance for not having as much hard data as the OP, as these are merely my observations....
Ultimately, there is not one way of specifying these settings that will work for everyone....they are HIGHLY dependent on location, signal strength, radio version, ROM, service provider, number of applications running, clock speed, kernel type and version, maintenance on the cell towers.....etc....I could go on for a while here....
So what I'm trying to say here is that THERE IS NOT ONE SOLUTION THAT WILL WORK THE SAME FOR EVERYONE....
For reference, I'm living in Chicago, on T-Mobile, running eVIL's NXSense Desire Rom v1.20 with the network fix described in the second post (of that thread) applied (it replaces libhtc_ril.so and libhtc_acoustic.so because of connectivity issues when waking up the phone from standby, sorry, I don't know enough about how those executables work to give a better explanation) so I'm sure that makes a bit of a difference...
I'm also using the 4.06.00.12_7 radio (Official Froyo OTA), I tried the 5.08.00.04 radio for a while and I felt like it got slightly faster speeds and ping times (could be just placebo) but I ultimately switched back because it did seem to cause noticeably increased battery drain and my girlfriend repeatedly complained about my voice sounding "digitally mangled" during calls...
Though I agree with the OP's statement that the 5.08 radio did provide much more consistent speeds....with the 4.06 radio I've hit 5.2mbps (same situation with HSPA+, not officially turned on in Chicago) and then I'll be lucky if I can get 1mbps a couple tests later.... I did notice that ping times were also much more consistent with the 5.08 radio (usually around 90ms-160ms) and that unlike the 4.06 radio, did not usually require a "warm-up" test (usually the first speed test was garbage because the speed only kicked in about half-way through when radio/software/network realized that it needed to switch into HSDPA mode, this happens CONSIDERABLY more often with the 4.06 radio)
Okay, sorry, I don't mean to turn this into a discussion on radio versions....back on topic...
There seem to be some settings that work globally across both areas and providers, but most of what works well is limited to your location and your service provider.
It seems that setting ro.ril.gprsclass = 12 should work universally, from what I've read in other threads there hasn't been any negative reaction to this setting, as it just adjusts the number of GPRS timeslots requested by the phone. A quick glance at wikipedia reveals that UMTS (and by extension HSDPA) is still based on the GPRS core network, and while the nexus one's official specifications stated that it only supports GPRS class 10, I did notice a slight improvement with Class 12 set compared to without.
From what I've read during my time lurking on XDA, it seems that setting ro.ril.hsxpa is a bit of a mixed bag...some people are reporting that when it is set to = 1 they see dramatic differences in speed compared to = 2 or not being set at all....though some report that = 2 seems to work better and more quickly than = 1....like I said earlier, AOSP ROMs (Cyanogen, etc...) usually have it set to = 1, and that seems to work for most people using those particular ROMs....on the other hand, Sense ROMs (like any Desire Port) usually have it set to = 2, which also seems to work well for most users of those ROMs
What I've noticed when I have it set to ro.ril.hsxpa = 2, upload speeds seem to double from hsxpa = 1 regardless of location....
Also, these are not mentioned by the OP, but setting ro.ril.hsdpa.category = 8 and ro.ril.hsupa.category = 5 seem to increase the speed slightly from not having either set (look up "HSPA" on Wikipedia for more information on HSDPA/HSUPA categories and what they usually mean)
Since HSDPA category 8 is the highest speed the chipset in the nexus will support, there isn't really any reason to set it higher, though setting it lower could potentially increase speeds for those living in areas that haven't been upgraded to HSDPA 3.6 or 7.2... Same thing for HSUPA category 5, it's the highest the nexus will support, but not having it enabled would probably help in areas where your service provider has not enabled HSUPA...
Setting ro.telephony.default_network = 3 is the same thing as setting the preferred network type (in the *#*#4636#*#* testing menu) to GSM Auto (PRL), whereas setting it to = 0 would be the same as setting it to WCDMA Preferred....I'm not sure what setting 1 or 2 would do here, as this is just what I learned from my build.prop
Ever since I got my nexus I had it set to WCDMA Preferred, though when I switched to eVIL's NXSense about a month ago and found the default setting to be GSM Auto (PRL), I ran with it and it seems to be faster that way....or I'm at least getting less instances where it will randomly lose signal....but this could also be due to T-Mobile upgrading the network in the Chicago area (HSPA+ here we come! )
Okay, so that's about it....sorry again about that being so long winded, I just wanted to share what has been working for me and hopefully clear up any confusion for those reading this thread....
I'm sure there's some things I've left out of this or stated incorrectly, it wasn't meant to be exhaustive or authoritative, just merely my observations on the matter....
And thanks again for the OP for starting this topic and putting up their findings in spreadsheet form (I'm a statistics geek ) it is very well compiled and organized....I hope I didn't clutter up the thread too much here....

Radio Interface Description
If anyone is interested, I found a more detailed explanation (from Google themselves!) on how the Radio Stack works...
http://source.android.com/porting/telephony.html
It gets into technical details that are a little over my head and it doesn't have a ton of information in regards to what is in question here, but I think it is still somewhat relevant and, if you have time, is a very informative read...

I'm not so concerned with blaaazing speed, as I am with sensitivity of the radio. I need reception in outlying areas, and I suspect this would help with speed as well, getting HSDPA sooner.

USA, packet data reception issues on AT&T :(

OK I am giving up. My first ever complain thread related to any phone I ever owned.
The 3g/4g reception on SGS2 - am I the only one with a not acceptable reception on AT&T in the States, New York City in particular?
I used to have the Captivate, and at work I would always get bad reception: it would show a bar or two or 3, but it would ALWAYS stick with that and stay on the data network. So basically speed would go down, but the connection would still be present, if I am downloading something.
My Captivate was stolen. So a month or two later I buy the SGS2.
It seems the same at first - not ideal data connection.
But now I am noticing a very annoying thing. The phone would constantly switch like crazy between E, 3G, H, H+, and would sometimes DROP data connection altogether. When it drops the connection I have to either reboot it, and it comes back on H+, or I have to put it on the window sill where the signal is better, and then the signal will get reacquired in about 5-10 minutes (not immediately).
What is wrong?
I have the latest firmware from last night (the problem existed before too).
The phone is not rooted, and has minimal apps installed. Only gmail is set to push, plus the default widgets. I did try factory reset 2 days ago.

I'm not certain with this phone but I have owned several that once they lose the data connection and cant find it for a set time they stop looking for a period of time before recommencing a new search. This to save battery. While it doesnt speak to your problem directly I live in a low signal 3g area and I actually get better speed by switching to edge only than I do on 3g and without the hassle of it constantly losing its signal and then switching to edge, back to 3g, etc. Another thought is that it does not have to be your phone, it could be a tower issue.

its possible that since the SGS2 antenna is located on the bottom back left of the device, this time you are experiencing worse signal attenuation from your hand blocking the antenna. have you tried sitting the phone on the desk or table and see if it is any more stable? if so then you may have to learn to hold the phone with the antenna exposed away from your hand.
if none of that works, then i dunno...

I am ALWAYS placing the phone on wooden desk when I test connectivity
I agree that it may be disconnecting and waiting for longer time , to save time, I am just curious why my old Captivate did not do the same thing and worked my better in terms of reception.
I ALWAYS could rely on 3g on the Captivate.
Now with my SGS2 on my desk, I look at it and it shows no data, and the emails are not synched, etc.
Extremely annoying.

ok so now i noticed more people are facing this problem. i am wondering if this is a hardware or software fault.
look at my post
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1073958
regards,

Same here....Data network absolutely is rubbish and I live in the middle of a large City!!
I get disconnections, slow or broken downloads, network errors and constantly changing from H, 3G, E, G. Seriously its like going back to WAP! its unusable i cant even check e-mail reliably unless im on WiFI thank good im on BT broadnband with its FON & Hotspots.
I.m on Orange in the uK, Ive flashed to KE1 but not KE2 because that has problems with Orange...grrrrr I was on O2 before on an iphone at it was reliable at least. I am just going to put mu orange Sim in my ipone to see how it goes......
Spoiling the love of this otherwise fabulous phone.

Hmm it's odd
my phone isn't connecting to the data service either. Are you on medianet or smartphone plan? Also one of my co-worker's iphone isn't connecting either but another one did barely hitting 1mbit. Anyone else from nyc having issues with data service?
I just rebooted my phone for the first time ever and it's showing servers in kansas as the closest server for speedtest.

I'm in NYC and have had not so ideal connections the past couple days. It was fine last week. Now when I run the speedtest app, I get spikes in the packet speeds (like Dirac functions) and the results are always inconsistent
i just ran the speedtest and the server was in Sayreville, NJ

i am having the exact same issue..at least yours keeps switching the band..on mine..once it looses 3g it wont even switch to edge..just disconnects the data connection..until i reboot or cycle thru the flight mode.if i force it on gsm only than the data connection is solid on edge..but whats the point..i need a fast data connection...and this is the most important thing that i need on a phone..good and fast data connection..for voip and other apps.my previous phone, desire hd does this band switching smoothly and does not loose data connection.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

iznee said:
i am having the exact same issue..at least yours keeps switching the band..on mine..once it looses 3g it wont even switch to edge..just disconnects the data connection..until i reboot or cycle thru the flight mode.if i force it on gsm only than the data connection is solid on edge..but whats the point..i need a fast data connection...and this is the most important thing that i need on a phone..good and fast data connection..for voip and other apps.my previous phone, desire hd does this band switching smoothly and does not loose data connection.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It did it smoothly on mine until today.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App

First, one of the advantages of an international non-branded phone is the lack of carrier modifications and crapware. The downside is the radio is also not optimized for a specific carrier's network. That's the answer to the different behavior between the Captivate and SGS2.
Second, New York's the worst possible market to comment on AT&T's network performance. The problems and congestion they have there are legend. Also, if they're working on the network (EG: upgrading more back haul) you're going to get funky performance while they're doing it.
Third, my Arabian friends, this has nothing to do with the issues a handful of you are having.
I'm in a smaller market with little congestion and mine phone works flawlessly and consistently. Like everyone else, my phone drops from H/H+ when no data's being transmitted but kicks back in instantly when needed.

Just hit 5424kbps/1254kbps on Speedtest using a local server. Could it be a regional issue in NY?

well a wonderful thing happened today.
people were calling me all day on the office number and asking "why do not you pick up your cell?"
I look at the cell , see 5 full bars on it and think to myself that they must have dialed a wrong number by accident.
Eventually I get suspicious, and dial my cell from my office phone - sure enough, it goes to voice mail after about 6 tones.
I had 5 bars on the phone. I then tried walking close to my office window, and even went downstairs and outside of the building. Still 5 bars, but can't reach that number. And when I tried calling FROM sgs2, it would just say "dialing" and then "call ended" after about 30 seconds of silence.
It took a phone reboot to properly get on the network.

kreoXDA said:
well a wonderful thing happened today.
people were calling me all day on the office number and asking "why do not you pick up your cell?"
I look at the cell , see 5 full bars on it and think to myself that they must have dialed a wrong number by accident.
Eventually I get suspicious, and dial my cell from my office phone - sure enough, it goes to voice mail after about 6 tones.
I had 5 bars on the phone. I then tried walking close to my office window, and even went downstairs and outside of the building. Still 5 bars, but can't reach that number. And when I tried calling FROM sgs2, it would just say "dialing" and then "call ended" after about 30 seconds of silence.
It took a phone reboot to properly get on the network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Odd.
One of my co-worker said he had called me in the morning to see what i wanted for breakfast but i didn't pick up. Unless i received the call while i was in the elevator, i would have noticed the call. It didn't have a missed call notification or show up in the log.
Also i was able to use the phone during the day without a reboot.

I just reran the tests, it looks like my speeds are back to norm.
Just clocked in 4.38, 3.86, 4.7 and 5.75 down and 1.41,.97, 1.26, and 1.45 up. For those of you in nyc, run your tests again and see if it works

kreoXDA said:
well a wonderful thing happened today.
people were calling me all day on the office number and asking "why do not you pick up your cell?"
I look at the cell , see 5 full bars on it and think to myself that they must have dialed a wrong number by accident.
Eventually I get suspicious, and dial my cell from my office phone - sure enough, it goes to voice mail after about 6 tones.
I had 5 bars on the phone. I then tried walking close to my office window, and even went downstairs and outside of the building. Still 5 bars, but can't reach that number. And when I tried calling FROM sgs2, it would just say "dialing" and then "call ended" after about 30 seconds of silence.
It took a phone reboot to properly get on the network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried forcing 1900 or 850 to see if that helps? I'm near Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton in Pa, and 1900 does have a much faster ping and more bars, but 850 is generally faster and more reliable. In my particular case of course.

As further support of data being dormant on purpose, the Music Hub just popped up a dialog when I launched it that said "Activate data? Charges may apply." I get to NYC pretty frequently, you guys are really making me look forward to it.

rwj5279955 said:
Have you tried forcing 1900 or 850 to see if that helps? I'm near Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton in Pa, and 1900 does have a much faster ping and more bars, but 850 is generally faster and more reliable. In my particular case of course.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have not yet. I admit I panicked and bounced the phone Thought the phone just self destructed inside or something - never ever have I had a problem like this on AT&T in NYC in my 15 years with AT&T.
I can vouch this also never happened with my Captivate that I got on its release day.
Next time this happens I will try forcing bands.

kreoXDA said:
I have not yet. I admit I panicked and bounced the phone Thought the phone just self destructed inside or something - never ever have I had a problem like this on AT&T in NYC in my 15 years with AT&T.
I can vouch this also never happened with my Captivate that I got on its release day.
Next time this happens I will try forcing bands.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i've had a few instances of network connectivity issues with my captivate where i couldn't connect. That could have been from the custom rom. Now my buddy swears that he gets barely any network connection at his apartment
Anyways i'm getting much better network performance now. Even better than before
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I spent the majority of the day today in NYC and definitely experienced this, I actually tore through my battery completely bc of the lack of consistency with data connection. I even gave up checking xda.
I cannot wait till we have different modems to test!