With the approach of summer-holiday season, mobile access to the Internet is of particular relevance. New proposals we are pleased with all GSM-operators, and now is the time to understand the "overwrite" price tags, and new variants have emerged. A small educational program for beginners
A reminder for those who are just starting to use Internet access via GPRS: no guarantees nothing. Packet data service is available as a residual, ie speed of information exchange is highly dependent on the workload of this particular base station. Until full "fading" the compound. The priority of voice traffic, which is quite obvious: the income statement on a call (per unit time) is much higher. Although it is a complete lack of GPRS-transmission is rare, the majority of operators tightly reserve one channel for data transmission. As the distance from the center of Moscow as a GPRS-connection is improved (less load on the fragments of the network), so that mobile Internet is on the shore Klyazma reservoir is likely to be much more comfortable than inside the Garden Ring.If the mobile internet access (almost) absolutely necessary, it makes sense to pre-configure and test the connection from dialup (CSD), can greatly help out. + Per-minute charge is relatively low transmission rate, but almost 100% reliability and availability regardless of the location of the phone and the network load - if only to cover present. With this kind of mobile internet access is well familiar to many subscribers Jeans-Tonic.
The asymmetric nature of the GPRS-connection (3 +1, 4 +1, 3 +2) is well suited for use with the Internet (the predominance of the incoming traffic), but sending mail is somewhat worse. Letters with large attachments (photographs) go slowly. Not to forget about the billing of all traffic - both inbound and outbound.
If it is very important trouble-free telephony, mobile Internet is better to have a separate unit. Incoming calls during a GPRS-session does not take place during an active data transfer (send / receive mail, download web-pages). Stable and fast Internet on the lawn outside the city contributes to the same steady and rapid depletion of the account and the payment office is not every 20 meters. So the balance is better taken care in advance.
Elusive "quality"
In general, GPRS-access for all three GSM-operators today faster and more stable than a year or two ago. Largely due to the increased features of tubes, but also upgrading the network equipment has played an equally important role. The undisputed leader in quality and speed of access is now SkyLink, but this niche segment of today we do not consider: the subscribers of the operator, and so everyone knows, a contract to purchase and expensive handset specifically for the old internet is clearly inappropriate. Quality of GPRS-access depends heavily on geography, the load on the BS, the phases of the moon and god knows what else.In general, the distance from the BS voice is almost not affected, but the data rate decreases. But sometimes the converse is true: GPRS-packets continue to walk (albeit slowly) is already abroad Zone stable voice, which is consistent with theoretical calculations. Two years ago in the village of Udine (MoD) to communicate with colleagues solely by e-mail, it was impossible to call from one of the three tested phones. The new EDGE technology really enables data transfer in 2 - 2,5 times faster, but phones with EDGE is not at all (to put it mildly) + in Moscow, the system really only works in MegaFon (and even then not in all areas). In Moscow EDGE has not yet found at all. From the subjective trends observed in the suburbs: GPRS from Beeline most predictable (less than "white spots"), and GPRS from MegaFon is faster. Regarding the real GPRS-speed, then, despite all the assurances of advertising, the classic dial-up much quicker and smarter in most cases. Below - the weighted average results of multiple measurements in different locations in Moscow and Moscow region (different operators). For clarity, the data are quite good modem connection. Tested while downloading a test file 500 KB with a specially selected for this purpose server abroad (I think one of the Scandinavian countries), the sessions were interspersed (MegaFon, MTS, Beeline), the data is averaged.Megafon: average = 4318 bytes / sThe figures are relative (real average speeds are likely to be below) in any way do not pretend to objectivity. These "tests" to fully include the old joke about the average temperature in the hospital. But, at least, it is clear what to expect from the mobile GPRS-Internet.
MTS: average = 2416 bytes / s
Beeline: average = 3092 bytes / s
Dialup: average = 7316 bytes / s
Her Majesty Competition
With the welcome advent of GPRS on the tariffs' Jeans (MTS), a full-fledged GPRS tariffs in "Light" (MegaFon Moscow) Moscow market of mobile Internet has finally become truly competitive. What is immediately reflected in pricing. As expected, the fee for a "package GPRS-services" (GPRS-Internet, GPRS-WAP, MMS) in the Beeline reduced from 23 April to $ 0.03 per night (including VAT - a little more dollars a month), and the cost of 1 MB Wap-GPRS traffic will be $ 3 (hereinafter - VAT). MegaFon-Moscow "edit" the parameters of their tariff "Communicator", making it more accessible. MTS switched to tarifitsiruemy interval in 1 kilobyte, which will save some money at the expense of lesser magnitude rounding, but would deprive the opportunity for free to view the message headers. Small and seemingly "cosmetic" changes with the active use of mobile Internet in the country and travel can result in quite appreciable difference in cost. Fortunately, now anyone can buy for the summer internet SIM-card of any of the three GSM-operators in almost any underpass, the main thing is not to be mistaken with a choice. Ideal - first drive of all three federal GPRS is the place his summer "dislocation" because some potential gain in the price of traffic may result in additional costs on liquor for pouring of grief from the unavailability of your favorite site mobile-review. Comparative analysis of tariff offers - in the plate below.What is how much
Prices - in units, excluding VAT.Ruble prices with tax for TP ruble "and" Just "is available at MegaFon-Moscow. Contracted rates specifically for data transmission in Beeline yet provided. The cost of a megabyte rounded (1 Mb adopted for 1000 kb) for ease of calculation.
** In the night time (from 22:00 to 08:00)
Summary
Again: the main criterion - performance of GPRS in a particular place of summer residence. No discount / goodies will not be happy if over the Internet have to drive to a nearby village. Assume that the GPRS all three major operators in the desired location works equally well. In this case we have three obvious conclusions:- GPRS is the undisputed leader on MTS 'Jeans "in the event that the owner at the time bothered to buy a dozen of the other five-dollar SIM-cards from 48 rubles for the little things. Especially given the gift of money, of which the summer season for a few dollars on each Simka have time to "blow the whistle." Unfortunately, today the bulk purchase SIM-cards is almost unreal, and the price of boxes grew.
- MegaFonovsky "communicator" is not bad for the active use of mobile internet, but if you regularly send SMS - even the most it.
- GPRS from Beeline is attractive for smartphone owners, and those who can not live without regular mail reader. Non tariffing interval will allow at least 40 times a day for free download headers and delete spam at the mail server. IF to May 23 Beeline while reducing monthly fee does not abolish free threshold (pah-pah, would not nakarkat). Prices Wap-traffic Beeline also look very good, but let's not forget rounding.