O2 limiting 3G and HSDPA to 128kbps?!

[slitchfield]

In the interests of public knowledge, I can't resist linking to this news story, reporting that (confirming customers' suspicions) the UK network O2 have been artificially limiting 3G and HSDPA connections to a meagre 128kbps, slower than EDGE. Any correlation between this observation and the fact that O2 are the same exclusive promoter of the EDGE-only Apple iPhone in the UK is entirely a figment of your imagination, surely?

Read on in the full article.

[krisse]

If this is true, it's possibly a case for Trading Standards to get involved?

Imagine if a broadband ISP started artificially limiting the speeds of people who don't use a particular computer model the ISP is promoting.

My t-mobile only gives me 124kbps when 3.5G shows on the phone! Very suspicious!

Even funnier is the slip by O2's PR. that users wanting faster speeds should be painted as "techie nerds"
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04...cidental_call/

Some Broadband ISP have some form of throttling in the UK during peak times. Virgin Media is a prime example where they trottle the bandwidth after X amount of data is downloaded.

As for trading standards getting involved, they don't when ISP say unlimited broadband and then add a fair use policy. Anyway O2 do not advertise any speeds for 3G and would probably be allowed to say "up to" as the ISP do with the broadband speeds. Also this will affect all 3G phones, it would really become an issue if the "3G iPhone" was not limited while the other 3G phones were.

[ramzez]

I don't see a big problem, from what O2 said if you need higher speeds just ring and we would remove the limit. If majority of the users don't need it....

obviously network should be clever enough to sort it out automatically...

[slitchfield]

Well, I see it as appalling. Users should ge given whatever bandwidth is actually available (contention and location/time permitting). Forcing people to ring up and complain before letting them use (up to) 3G or 3.5G speeds is just ugly on many counts.

I get the impression T-Mboile do this here too. My 3.5G on the N95 is worse than my 2G speed most of the time in London.

welcome to my world! @ T-mobile netherlands.
Umts/Hsdpa capped @ 128kbps down/ 32kbps up!! :@:@

[ajck]

Not only are O2 obviously trying to paint the slow EDGE connection of the iPhone in a better light so they get the higher handset revenue (and data revenue), and being pretty bloody sneaky in the process, but you can bet your life that when the 3G iPhone comes out in a couple of months, they will allow full speed access on that - "Hey look folks, the 3G iPhone is SO much faster than all other 3G handsets out there - come and buy one now!". Of course, the bottom line is as ever money, and making things look good for shareholders.

Does corruption ever end?

Time for Ofcom to kick some O2 arse, no?

[satsuma]

It's quite clever in a sneaky underhand kinda way.
I don't approve as a consumer, but it makes business sense.
Although now it's out in the open, and all over the InterWeb etc, it might be quite damaging for their reputation.

So, do you think the cap's on the Network, phone or account? I can only think it must be on my account...

I'm also with t-mobile in Holland, and they do exactly the same thing.
Download speed is limited to 128Kbps for the €9,50 per month flat rate subscription. If you pay €19,50 pm, you can get up to 384Kbps, but this is reduced to the slower rate once you have exceeded 250MB in a month...

Hardly what one would call lightning quick for a 3,5G phone!!

[zxon]

OMG! It must be true. I once checked my download speed when I was connected on 3G a few weeks ago and it was downloading at roughly 15kb/s.

128kbps / 8 = 16kb/s

Coincidence? I think not.

Will o2 definitely remove the throttle if I call them up and ask for it to be removed? I'm on o2 Pay and Go.

[scott.herring]

Hi,

Is this the reason i have great difficulty streaming vids, i.e youtube on my phone?? It works fine with wi-fi but not at all on o2 mobile web.

Which dept. should i call to get this restriction removed??