Dtech Edge Modem Usb Vs. Nokia 3110 Classic

[edwardandtubs]

There's a USB EDGE modem on sale in Thailand for around 4000 baht. See it here. You can also buy a Nokia 3110 Classic which supports EDGE for about 4000 baht. I'm wondering what the best option is, looking at it from the perspective of getting the most reliable connection.

Someone told me that USB sometimes drops power that causes a disconnection unless the device has its own battery. I find that doubtful as I used a USB modem with a fixed line for broadband and I could stay connected for weeks at a time. If it is true though then the Nokia would probably be the best option as it has its own battery.

I have a feeling that I'm missing something though. Why would anyone be silly enough to buy a USB EDGE modem from an unknown Chinese company when for the same price they can get basically an EDGE modem and camera phone in one from a reputable manufacturer? What is the supposed benefit of these USB EDGE modems?

Also when you have your Nokia plugged into your computer and you want to keep it on 24/7, would you need to plug your Nokia into the mains or would it get its power from the computer via the USB port?

I'm using a desktop so an Aircard is not an option.

[LivinLOS]

I know its not what you asked..

But you could use the CAT wireless system with an USB modem now.. Or even try the slower cheaper handset system with USB that is probably same speeds as edge.

[LivinLOS]

I know its not what you asked..

But you could use the CAT wireless system with an USB modem now.. Or even try the slower cheaper handset system with USB that is probably same speeds as edge.

[edwardandtubs]

Thanks. You can get the high speed one for 12,000 baht or so but I think it's only on postpaid (so not available for those of us without a work permit). The cheaper one is about 4000 baht but speeds are slower than EDGE. EDGE seems the best option.

[Gary A]

There are no land lines out here in the boonies. A friend of mine has an ancient Dell laptop and wanted to use the Internet. He bought a 3110 Classic and I hooked it up with the USB cable that came with the phone. He is thrilled with GPRS even though it is sometimes very slow. There is NO EDGE coverage out here.

[nikster]

Thanks. You can get the high speed one for 12,000 baht or so but I think it's only on postpaid (so not available for those of us without a work permit). The cheaper one is about 4000 baht but speeds are slower than EDGE. EDGE seems the best option.

I have the 12K CAT model and I don't have a work permit. I did show my Thai driving license, and that was good enough for them. BHT 799/month unlimited, which comes to about 850 including tax.

It doesn't compare to EDGE, it's a zillion times faster. EDGE is slow as heck whether you use the Nokia or the dedicated card. I'd go for the Nokia, BTW. At least you get a phone with it. The CAT modem is faster than my DSL line at times - though I assume that is because nobody out here in the country is using CAT CDMA except for me. So don't get it, I want it to stay that way

Edited January 20, 2008 by nikster

[lomatopo]

I have used the 3110 Classic for ~ 6 months. (I actually have two 3110's!) I use it as a phone, still-camera, video and/or audio recorder, MP3 player (can take a 2 gb uSD), synch to Outlook, email and EDGE (One-2-Call). I get EDGE everywhere (One-2-Call has much better coverage than DTAC) ~ 150 kbps. Connects via IrDA, Bluetooth or standard mini-USB cable. Note that data sessions are suspended during voice/text activity. If you don't need a phone then a modem is probably fine.

I do not believe the 3110 charges from the USB connection; you'd have to keep the charger plugged in. GPRS use does seem to tax the battery.

[monty]

Different reasons.

Not all phones charge through the USB/datacable connection (some do though), they definitely won't charge when using bluetooth, so for any lengthy connection you'd need to bring along the charger and hook it up to the phone.

The USB modem is a rather small device plugging straight in a USB port, powered entirely through your PC.

I'm not sure reliability is much of an issue though, I used to have an older nokia phone (plane GPRS, no Edge) and it was terrible, losing connection all the time (actually freezing, needing to take out the battery before being usable again).

Bought a Samsung phone, and it was brilliant, both charging through the USB cable (which the Nokia didn't) and keeping connected for hours on a row.

After bought a solomon gprs usb modem which was terrible, until I updated firmware with the latest version and it became rock stable!

Now using an aircard when on the road and loving it.

Tried using bluetooth with my current phone, and it's a disaster, needing to push buttons to accept connections initiated form my laptop etc. Would be great if I didn't need to take the phone out of it's pouch every time I wanted to connect!

Not sure that specific Nokia gets powered through the data cable, you'd probably need to keep the charger plugged in...

[edwardandtubs]

I saw in Carrefour they have plenty of Samsung EDGE phones, the cheapest being the X380 for 5000 baht so that might be a good option. I was also told that One-2-Call has a new unlimited EDGE/GPRS package for 999 baht. It's a bit disappointing that you can only get 150kbps. That makes it the same as the slower CDMA offering from Hutch and CAT.

I think mobile phone + One-2-Call unlimited is going to be the best option. Thanks for all the info.

Edited January 20, 2008 by edwardandtubs

[nikster]

BTW I yesterday got downloads of 150KB/s over the CAT CDMA modem. That's over 1Mbit/sec, over the full 172MB download. I was pretty impressed with that. CDMA-EV-DO has a theoretical max. speed of 2Mbit, but CAT will only commit to delivering 600Kbps.

My CAT connection is also way faster when it comes to YouTube, but I think that's due to TOT severely limiting YouTube access. I get about 5KB/s using TOT, and about 30 or 40KB/s over CAT CDMA.

[Gary A]

Some guys talk about these great systems. That's fine except some of us live out in the boonies where we are lucky to even get a D-Tac signal and the only usable signal comes from AIS. AIS is usually reliable but to say it is slow is a compliment. CDMA? What is that. True has absolutely NO signal at all.

[edwardandtubs]

I went into the Hutch shop and they "no hab" the USB EVDO modems advertised on their website. I don't know if it's just that shop. I tried out the slower CDMA modem and even though connection speed was over 100kbps it took over a minute to open the BBC News front page. Even 150kbps with EDGE would be painfully slow.

[billd766]

Some guys talk about these great systems. That's fine except some of us live out in the boonies where we are lucky to even get a D-Tac signal and the only usable signal comes from AIS. AIS is usually reliable but to say it is slow is a compliment. CDMA? What is that. True has absolutely NO signal at all.

I am with you Gary.

I live 6km from the village where there is DTAC, AIS and True and 4km from the end of the landline. We have been waiting more than 4 years for a land line and the local AIS site now has EDGE put in especially for me as I bitched to AIS for 2 years about the service.

All you people that complain about getting "only" 256 or 512 kps have no idea how lucky you are with an internet service.

My Nokia 3110c also tells me that I get 115kps on Bluetooth which is absolutely correct BUT ONLY from the Nokia to the PC. From the base station to the Nokia if your are really lucky you May get 15kps and that will only be if the nearest site is not fully used.

On the other hand living out in the boonies my quality of life is soooo much better.

I have been in Bangkok since Sunday to do my annual visa run and I find that it is so polluted, the traffic is terrible and nobody smiles or asks how you are unlike the village at home where life is slower and much better.

Tomorrow we go home again. Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[lomatopo]

With my 3110C I prefer to use the mini-USB cable connection, along with Nokia PC Suite, as I find that to be simpler ( I need to use a BT dongle on my notebook). I think you can set up your phone and PC to automatically establish a Bluetooth session without authentication/approval. I haven't checked i the last six months but believe AIS/One-2-Call have deployed EDGE on all base-stations while DTAC have only deployed to 300 base stations. Re: data rates I use the adslthailand or csloxinfo speedometers so in-country, I seem to get results of 150 kilo-bits per second +/- 25 (so ~ 20 kilo-Bytes per second). I've used this service throughout Thailand, including in a moving car and bus (I use BT in these apps.) and some remote areas in the N, NE, E. It is painful to use compared to my home ADSL connection but usable (I leave the torrents running at home) for many apps. I do get some strange looks on the bus, have been asked once by another pax if they could check their email.

The 3110C is also tri-band so I use it in the U.S.A. with a T-Mobile pre-paid account. Unfortunately T-mo does not offer GPRS (in the U.S.A.) to pre-paid customers.

Edited January 22, 2008 by lomatopo

[dave_boo]

BTW I yesterday got downloads of 150KB/s over the CAT CDMA modem. That's over 1Mbit/sec, over the full 172MB download. I was pretty impressed with that. CDMA-EV-DO has a theoretical max. speed of 2Mbit, but CAT will only commit to delivering 600Kbps.

My CAT connection is also way faster when it comes to YouTube, but I think that's due to TOT severely limiting YouTube access. I get about 5KB/s using TOT, and about 30 or 40KB/s over CAT CDMA.

If you don't mind me asking, where are you in LOS? I'm looking to get CAT for the wifey when I get back, cause 1-2-Call's GPRS just ain't cutting it. If I can get those types of speeds out in southwest Nakhon Sawan I'd be very happy.