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Honolulu Thunderbolt 4G Test

Okay, Thunderbolt fans. I just tested my new Thunderbolt and drove out to Lagoon Drive by Honolulu Airport. Turned on Wifi Hotspot and fired up my Dell laptop to run Speedtest.net. Apparently, according to Verizon the Airport area has 4G ready to go and they are right. I hope this speeds lasts once everyone in Honolulu buys a Thunderbolt.

I got 18Mbs down and 2Mbs up...that is about three times faster than my home wired Oceanic speed. Normal cable around here is 7M down and maybe onem up. At work I get only 3m down and 767Kbps up.

I then fired up my iPad and logged on to Thunderbolt's Wifi hotspot. Really nice.

As a test I then fired up my iPhone 4 with Jail Broken Mywi 4.0..... just to see what was happening speedwise.

Long story short.... The Thunderbolt blew the doors off eveything I've ever hooked up to my laptop or iPad and the iPhone 3g wifi now seems a total waste. Not even worth the effort.

I also tested the icon for 4g LT per previous instructions at this group's site, and did so on my way to work and got 4g signal on the Thunderbolt from airport area to Aloha Tower where the 4G sputtered out to 3 G mode.

I don't know if all 4g is this fast or not. I had the Sprint 4g modem hotspot and besides never catching 4G when I wanted it the battery burned out quickly. The Thunderbolt does not seem to measure speed that great so that's why I took my trusted Dell laptop as I have a track record with it speed wise and I'd know if the results were bluffing or accurate. At this point I must say 18 down is fast and I think accurate.

Today my Thunderbolt batter is still at 35% after 18 hours up time and lots of playing around much of which in 4 G mode.

I am keeping my 4 g in spite of any perceived deficiency. Who cares about detail, I want 4G speed.

And the clarity for talking seems spectacular and way better than ATT's iPhone, at least in my area.

What's the record for 4G. on a Thunderbolt?

If anything thinks I misread my data please let me know but I think I got it right.

Comments

Tidbits

Told you that you won't be disappointed lol. Unreal speeds... If they offered a $40-50 unlimited tethering plan I would be all over it and would drop my iPhone 4 AND my OTWC in a heart beat(I wouldn't mind paying $30 of data for my internet for my phone).

dakota199600

Hi Alohaspirit,

Wondering if you've been noticing a drop in 4g coverange. When I picked the TB on launch day, I could catch the airport tower signal as far DH as the Ward area and in Kunia using the Mililani tower. Now I can't catch it unless I'm in the middle of Mililani or very close to the airport. Also, it's a no go for me in the downtown area too which is supposed to be an enhanced 4g coverage area.

Tidbits

They only have one tower in Hawaii and it's by the airport currently. If you got 4G signal else where then they may be testing the towers in those areas. The single tower has pretty good range, but not that good to hit Mililani though.

Enhanced 4G coverage is at the fringe of coverage. It'll phase in and out. I live in PC and it happens very often, but once I get close to the airport I am always on 4G. Did you try the Salt Lake area?

dakota199600

Hi Tidbits,

Yes, the Mililani tower is an "unofficial" tower. Although asking the corporate stores and phone reps, they'll tell you it's live. So solid 4g in Mililani so far. I guess what bothers me the most is that when I first picked up the tb, I always had 4g in the downtown fringe area and in the fringe areas of the Mililani tower and now I don't ever. Almost seems they dropped transmit power on these towers recently so only true 4g area receive 4g and the fringe will not for sure. That's fine by me, but I just want someone from VZW to give me that straight answer. I had coverage for one week and starting about last week Wednesday, poof, no more fringe coverage. VZW please answer. Also worried if there may be something wrong with my tb antenna. Only.way I can check if I had a another tb next to me, but I can't see that happening. I'll try salt lake tomorrow. Any particular area you would recommend?

Tidbits

dakota_96 wrote:
Hi Tidbits,

Yes, the Mililani tower is an "unofficial" tower. Although asking the corporate stores and phone reps, they'll tell you it's live. So solid 4g in Mililani so far. I guess what bothers me the most is that when I first picked up the tb, I always had 4g in the downtown fringe area and in the fringe areas of the Mililani tower and now I don't ever. Almost seems they dropped transmit power on these towers recently so only true 4g area receive 4g and the fringe will not for sure. That's fine by me, but I just want someone from VZW to give me that straight answer. I had coverage for one week and starting about last week Wednesday, poof, no more fringe coverage. VZW please answer. Also worried if there may be something wrong with my tb antenna. Only.way I can check if I had a another tb next to me, but I can't see that happening. I'll try salt lake tomorrow. Any particular area you would recommend?

Like the Mapunapuna area, or by the high school. I am wondering if the signal is great in that area as I will be moving there soon. I may opt to get one for myself, and my wife if the signal is good. have our iPhones as backups.

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