Over the weekend, I had two iPhone 4 devices to play with. One with a Telstra SIM, one with an Optus SIM (MicroSIM to be precise)
As you may know, I haven’t yet decided which carrier to choose – should I decide to get an iPhone 4.
How did they perform?I did some random tests at home, and found Optus to be performing much better than my old iPhone 3G. This is because the iPhone 4 uses HSDPA data for the first time this is better speed, and also the iPhone 4 as I understand it uses the 900MHz spectrum which the old iPhones did not, and as such reception is better (in regional areas this will be great, as the lower the freqency the better the signal travels distances).
So, this morning, between home and the office, I did a vast number of tests – using the SpeedTest App, firstly on the Sydney Server, then choosing Canberra which is not directly hosted by Optus.
I did a LOT of tests on the drive from Northern Sydney (Hornsby area) to Artarmon.
Basically, constant checks most of the way.
I was stunned by the results. For the first time in a long time I was seeing actual speed via 3G, 4Mbs regularly.
MOST IMPRESSIVE was Telstra showing uploads at high rates like its downloads, unlike Optus who’s uploads are more like we are used to where they are clearly slower than downloads.
I removed the three worst for each telco, just to get rid of any issues that might have been there for each.
iPhone 4 Speed Tests - Optus vs Telstra
The top straight line (light Blue) is Optus’ Download average – they highest. Next is the Aqua Blue line, Telstra’s Download average, then closely followed by the Orange which is Telstra Upload Average, and down the bottom is the pinkish line, Optus’ Upload average
Overall the Telstra parity between Up and Download is impressive, as is their consistent speed, Optus while fast was also sometimes inconsistent. However, this is markedly better than it has been in the past.
Now to do some sort of call drop out test!
Rounded totals:
| Telstra Down | Telstra Up | Optus Down | Optus Up | |
| AVERAGE | 2809.31 | 2634.96 | 3135.47 | 1428.56 |
| MIN | 874 | 407 | 419 | 376 |
| MAX | 6269 | 3592 | 6112 | 1717 |
(*All figures are kpbs)
| Telstra Down |
Telstra Up | Optus Down | Optus Up |
| 1840 | 2274 | 1447 | 1703 |
| 1094 | 2863 | 2256 | 1540 |
| 1517 | 489 | 1940 | 1596 |
| 3699 | 407 | 1348 | 1606 |
| 1574 | 1088 | 2491 | 1581 |
| 2992 | 3002 | 800 | 1509 |
| 874 | 3366 | 2072 | 1335 |
| 1662 | 1639 | 2410 | 1576 |
| 2659 | 3386 | 2578 | 1584 |
| 5158 | 2633 | 3936 | 1428 |
| 3824 | 2870 | 3873 | 1586 |
| 3564 | 3484 | 4573 | 1628 |
| 3827 | 3478 | 4357 | 1426 |
| 3881 | 3561 | 4078 | 1575 |
| 2754 | 3401 | 4923 | 1487 |
| 3772 | 2284 | 4854 | 1552 |
| 2654 | 2902 | 855 | 671 |
| 2542 | 3281 | 2538 | 1441 |
| 1778 | 1984 | 2365 | 1553 |
| 968 | 2013 | 4482 | 927 |
| 3742 | 2967 | 1673 | 1583 |
| 2366 | 3046 | 3452 | 1614 |
| 5240 | 2530 | 3436 | 1525 |
| 4476 | 2954 | 2914 | 1579 |
| 5519 | 2835 | 3401 | 1012 |
| 3436 | 3308 | 3749 | 1413 |
| 4011 | 2546 | 4529 | 1618 |
| 3379 | 2369 | 4887 | 1601 |
| 1058 | 2781 | 4970 | 1639 |
| 4070 | 3146 | 6112 | 1645 |
| 4290 | 1748 | 1961 | 930 |
| 1723 | 1257 | 1287 | 1346 |
| 1505 | 1835 | 1046 | 1571 |
| 878 | 2495 | 1578 | 1601 |
| 1337 | 1497 | 2015 | 1612 |
| 1576 | 2776 | 4605 | 1395 |
| 2071 | 3359 | 4701 | 1601 |
| 2554 | 2171 | 419 | 376 |
| 4973 | 3205 | 3393 | 1561 |
| 1504 | 2802 | 3038 | 1689 |
| 1215 | 3391 | 3036 | 1499 |
| 1849 | 3592 | 4137 | 1537 |
| 880 | 2495 | 952 | 671 |
| 989 | 1422 | 2313 | 1316 |
| 1493 | 1220 | 1663 | 1334 |
| 3309 | 3453 | 628 | 550 |
| 1925 | 3480 | 894 | 1544 |
| 4843 | 3266 | 2374 | 1717 |
| 2662 | 3506 | 5714 | 1599 |
| 5703 | 3543 | 4458 | 1621 |
| 3217 | 3099 | 4263 | 1477 |
| 1841 | 3167 | 4183 | 1430 |
| 6259 | 3076 | 4949 | 1586 |
| 3489 | 3323 | 2966 | 1244 |
| 3727 | 3121 | 3023 | 1545 |
| 4050 | 3460 | 3943 | 1575 |
| 2320 | 2972 | 3841 | 1574 |
| 2096 | 3171 | 3726 | 1592 |
| 5894 | 2689 | 5588 | 1517 |
| 6269 | 3317 | 3678 | 981 |
| 6256 | 3324 | 848 | 1319 |
| 1082 | 1113 | 3184 | 1378 |
| 1026 | 1426 | 2735 | 1541 |
| 1060 | 1707 | 3138 | 1366 |
| 2041 | 2549 | 3243 | 1024 |
| 1118 | 1805 | 3956 | 1414 |
| 1078 | 2271 | 4087 | 1459 |
| 1001 | 2187 | 4350 | 1517 |
