iPhone and Android users are very outspoken about the nice full web browsing experience on their device. That is, until they step into the Paris metro and then try do do anything meaningful with their device. With 'only' EDGE available and the network being quite busy anyway most of the time, you can't get more than a couple of kbit/s out of the line. That's nowhere near sufficient to download full web pages in any reasonable amount of time.
Now there is an obvious solution to the problem and that is to put UMTS into the metro as well, but I don't expect to see that anytime soon. In the meantime, I am happily surfing away with my OperaMini and network side compression while the full-web guys give up after a couple of minutes and tuck away their device. At least the people using Android could put Opera Mini on their device to help out, if they are aware of it.
Hey Martin,
Not sure if you’re aware, but here in HK they have pervasive 3G and PCCW Wi-Fi in the MTR (their equivalent of the Metro) – works flawlessly for both voice and data.
It’s actually paid for through a government initiative which puts a subsidy on all mobile phone bills to fund it.
However it’s paid for.. it’s fantastic!
(fantastic blog btw, keep up the great work and would love to read some more technical articles on the architecture and internals of mobile networks.. fascinating stuff, and difficult to find information imho).
Take care,
Jay
now all those iPhone users can enjoy O-Mini
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/04/12/apple_approves_opera_mini_app_for_iphone.html
Really funny 😀 In Prague’s metro there is no signal in tunnels, only in stations! So you can’t even call and EDGE sounds really great in that perspective 😉 Only stations are covered with signal.