With voice communication along the federal highway E105 us all more or less okay, "strategic" highways are well covered. A few things are worse with a link on a train (there are "dead zones"), which is understandable: the steel train good screens, plus radio focused operators paid a dense covering highways. I must say that the Russian GSM-operators have with you outrageously spoiled, even though you know it's only overseas. In the same small (by Russian standards), and densely populated German quality connection to the railway station Hamburg-Hannover simply depressed. Nedozvon, break the connection - a common, one four-minute conversation could finish only third attempt. Phone constantly migrate between the three different networks, but even roaming omnivorous not saved: some stretch of a 10-15 or even 30 kilometers serviced by the operator "Search Network". About the data and say nothing, and rare occurrence of a working GPRS-konnekta seen as unexpected joy. However, in this case we are not interested in Germany and did not even voice, and the performance and characteristics of packet data in a train moving at a decent speed under 100 km / h. between St. Petersburg and Moscow. In theory, GPRS-connection should not break when driving at speeds up to 120 km / h but it will look like in practice?
General impression
Direction - from St. Petersburg to Moscow. In no way do not pretend to an objective and comprehensive picture, primarily because of the discreteness of the test downloads - the laptop was the one card (GPRS / EDGE Class 10) is also one. Over the lifetime of the battery failed in each of the three GSM-networks 4-5 times to upload a package of 100 kb and one time - 500 KB. Taking into account breaks for the replacement SIM-cards and time spent on unsuccessful attempts, on the whole very good. Speed characteristics of the data from all three operators are pleasantly surprised, really, you can work and complaining is not necessary. Upsets instability connections: about 25% of attempts to counter long died down, several times connection with the server was eager to timeout. Watching "palkomerom" led me to think that there is no GPRS-hendovera between individual base stations, so that comfortable to sit the whole trip on the Internet will not work - the connection will have to regularly rebuild.Now see the screenshots separately for operators that are essential for us the parameters - the total time and average speed of receiving the test packet.
MTS
Perhaps the highest average speed (based on the results of all attempts). Of the minuses - long wait for a connection and a relatively long pause before the download package. On the results of "race" did not affect the pause as the program starts the countdown to the moment of the actual start of data reception. Not very impressive download 500 KB packet was formed because of the rather lengthy fade during injection.
Beeline
Speed characteristics of a few worse, but failed attempts less. Although it may simply come across successful sites. Subjective feeling - quite smoothly, without accelerations and decelerations.
MegaFon
Smooth, stable, but slower than its competitors. Although not much slower, but from the "motherland of elephants" expected a more impressive results.
St. Petersburg
GPRS-roaming service - a great thing, how well pleased not to run around town in search of an internet cafe! Special surprises were not observed, sorry not been able to catch Peter Megafonovskogo hedgehog. Although in some places it is present, the phone met. After podnadoevshego slow GPRS, honest half a megabyte per second in WiFi networks are perceived as a holiday. Perhaps the beginning want the third or fourth generation. Or at least a full EDGE-coverage for all operators.