Connectivity: Internet speed

[Doug_G]

Americans wanted!

There have been some suggestions that the 3G internet speed might be a lot slower in Canada. I'd like to try and confirm or refute that. I've located a speed testing site that doesn't require flash, etc.:

TestMy.net Broadband Internet Speed Test

Here's my initial results - I'm going to try this again in a location where I can get more "bars".

Maybe a few others could post their results?

 

[Todd Burch]

Doug, I'd be happy to test mine tomorrow... But for comparison we should all test at equivalent signal strength (what's max on the Model S? 5 bars?)

 

[Doug_G]

Yes let's aim for max bars...

 

[adurstewitz]

I have done some similar testing in NC, with a different site, and usually get between 1 and 1.5Mbps.

 

[rbergquist]

From Auburn, California on 19Jan at 10:00PM -- 2 bars showing - Download: 2.3mbps, Upload 727kbps

 

[Doug_G]

I finally found a spot with 5 bars. I got 4.8 Mbps download and 545 kbps upload.

 

[Doug_G]

Bump: Would appreciate a couple more Americans checking their wireless speed!

 

[brianman]

In my driveway (3 bars):

 

[Todd Burch]

Haven't blown you off Doug--just trying to find a spot with 5 bars of 3G that I can conveniently stop at!

BTW, on the way to work I was streaming Slacker this morning. Most probably have already realized this, but the touchscreen makes no changes whether you're in a 3G or Edge coverage area. Unlike my iPhone, which indicates if you're in an Edge area. I had 4 bars of signal, with "3G" listed. But the audio was stuttering. Finally concluded that I was actually in an Edge coverage area (no 3G), and the touchscreen just wasn't indicating it. Super minor issue, but probably something they ought to address at some point.

To add weight to this theory, has anyone ever seen the "3G" change into "Edge" or something different?

 

[efusco]

Ugh....it feels that slow too!
In Springfield, MO

 

[efusco]

Same location, minutes later.

 

[efusco]

4 bars 150 meters from the 2 bars

 

[brianman]

Haven't blown you off Doug--just trying to find a spot with 5 bars of 3G that I can conveniently stop at!

BTW, on the way to work I was streaming Slacker this morning. Most probably have already realized this, but the touchscreen makes no changes whether you're in a 3G or Edge coverage area. Unlike my iPhone, which indicates if you're in an Edge area. I had 4 bars of signal, with "3G" listed. But the audio was stuttering. Finally concluded that I was actually in an Edge coverage area (no 3G), and the touchscreen just wasn't indicating it. Super minor issue, but probably something they ought to address at some point.

To add weight to this theory, has anyone ever seen the "3G" change into "Edge" or something different?

I've seen an "E" before (and I think I posted the picture as well...), but I have no idea if that means "Edge" or something else.

 

[drbradfo]

This is at home in the morning and I have a LTE enabled tower very close (I'm getting 21.9 Mbps down and 4.3 Mbps up on my iphone 5).

 

[Doug_G]

Wow, I think you've got the record. That speed is decent if not rocketing.

Regardless, the theory, purported by some, that internet speeds were slower here in Canada appears to be busted. I think people just don't have enough bars!

 

[Joel]

Bump: Would appreciate a couple more Americans checking their wireless speed!

I consistently receive 5.0 Mbps Down 1.0 Up

I can send a picture if you'd like :smile:

 

[FalconNinetyD]

With 3 bars, I was able to get 4.9Mbit/1.0Mbit today...

 

[Doug_G]

With 3 bars, I was able to get 4.9Mbit/1.0Mbit today...

Three bars? Interesting, I couldn't get anywhere near that with three bars. Makes me think that maybe we have different modems...

 

[pbrulott]

It's not just about the bars, data speed depends on various factors such as cell site congestion, distance from the cell site, etc which varies by location and time of day. Radio signals strength from the cell sites is not static and change with the weather, distance and number of users on it. It's a shared network alike the Coax Cable bandwidth. That may explain the lower speed noticed. With the current focus on deploying LTE, it's possible that HSPA+ networks are more congested and not relieved since the Capital $ are used to deploy new LTE BTSs. ÉMight be a factor where you are, Doug.

I checked with my wireless colleagues and roaming is not a factor.

 

[znino]

It's not just about the bars, data speed depends on various factors such as cell site congestion, distance from the cell site, etc which varies by location and time of day. Radio signals strength from the cell sites is not static and change with the weather, distance and number of users on it. It's a shared network alike the Coax Cable bandwidth. That may explain the lower speed noticed. With the current focus on deploying LTE, it's possible that HSPA+ networks are more congested and not relieved since the Capital $ are used to deploy new LTE BTSs. ÉMight be a factor where you are, Doug.

I checked with my wireless colleagues and roaming is not a factor.

You are 100% right. The signal strength indicated by the bars is but one factor. As to roaming not being a factor, I agree that technically it wouldn't be any slower just because it is using another network, in theory, BUT because it is roaming (and assuming we are still saying that the deal is with AT&T), it is costing AT&T more for that data in Canada than it would on its own network in the USA. They completely have the ability to throttle down speed based on various criteria including amount of use (I have noticed that my speed is usually faster in the morning than after a few hours).

Anyhow, the point here is that the service is completely inconsistent. I accept that the speed will not always be the same and dependent on many factors. I see that on my phone BUT not in a stationary spot and not when you do 5 tests with 30 seconds between each and have, as I did yesterday, variance between 6.7Mbps (yes!) and 300 Kbps. Something is not right there. It's free now and so hard to complain but if I was paying for this, I would not be happy nor accept it by any stretch of the imagination. When the speed is so slow that maps take forever to display or your internet radio cannot play, it's just not a service that's useful anymore. Overall the speed of the connection is mediocre at best and it would be nice if we got some straight answers and explanations from Tesla on what the deal is and not have to run a million user experiments. Tell us what deal is in place, and what speed we should be expecting under which conditions.