5bars of 4g (not LTE), terrible data connection

[Phrozty]

I'm not sure if this is wp7 or ATT specifically, but it blows my mind. 5 full, unwavering bars of 4g coverage, and yet I get blocks of timeouts and a bad ping all around... what gives? Is there anything I can change?

I notice when I'm seeing the timeouts on my computer I also cannot browse on my phone (i.e., the ping I see on my comp reflects how my phone performs as well on a 1:1 basis). I just had to give my $25 grandfathered plan so I could get internet access on my phone for a week, and it's hardly worth it.

Would really appreciate some tips. I've already turned off all background tasks, multiple resets, made sure no other apps are running... dunno what else to do.

EDIT: other info-
htc titan
ATT
Auburn Hills, MI

 

[palandri]

Why are you pinging 8.8.8.8? What not try yahoo.com?

 

[Phrozty]

Why are you pinging 8.8.8.8? What not try yahoo.com?

8.8.8.8 = google

 

[palandri]

8.8.8.8 = google

That's their Domain Name Server. Why not try the actual name google.com to see if you get the same results? You might be hitting a firewall after so many hits to prevent hacking.

You're tethering correct?

 

[Phrozty]

That's their Domain Name Server. Why not try the actual name google.com to see if you get the same results? You might be hitting a firewall after so many hits to prevent hacking.

Your tethering correct?

Yes I'm tethering, and trust me I'm not hitting a firewall. As a web developer, I have a ping window hitting 8.8.8.8 24/7 so when I notice a problem w/the network I can know right away what's going on.

I've been using it for several years now.

 

[palandri]

Ok, I am confused.

You have a 24/7 ping window, pinging 8.8.8.8. Is this to make sure you're constantly connected? If so, not being connected to the internet would shutdown the SDK you are using, or something like that?

I am also a little big confused over you giving up your grandfathered in data plan. Others have kept their unlimited (3GB) data plan after upgrading. Is that what happened to you? or am I not reading that right?

 

[Phrozty]

Ok, I am confused.

You have a 24/7 ping window, pinging 8.8.8.8. Is this to make sure you're constantly connected? If so, not being connected to the internet would shutdown the SDK you are using, or something like that?

I am also a little big confused over you giving up your grandfathered in data plan. Others have kept their unlimited (3GB) data plan after upgrading. Is that what happened to you? or am I not reading that right?

Heh.. ok.. to the first question:
I just keep ping running all the time (start > run > ping 8.8.8.8 -t). If my internet feels weird, I just look at the window to see if there was a blip in service or something. It's also good to track obvious problems like in the attached example.

Second question:
I had to give up my unlimited plan just to get my HTC Titan ($50 for unlimited text/data/tethering). This was replaced by a 2gb DATA ONLY plan for $25 and unlimited texting for $20. I wanted to tether, so they told me I had to have the tethering plan for $50... in addition to my texting for $20. When I said I wanted to do this just for a week (I'm on a business trip), they mentioned that I'd have to give up my now grandfathered 2GB for $20 plan and the only one available when I switched back would be 3gb for $30.

I made sure to let that person and their resolution department know how verizon is currently obliterating them not only in price but also features ($60 for ulimited text/minutes/data/tether, shared for all phones on a plan).

 

[Phrozty]

You know, come to think of it... when I notice a gap in my internet sharing service, I can't browse at all on the phone. I've seen this on my phone before I had a tethering service as well!

I wonder if this is just something w/ATT's network... that occasionally data service is unavailable even w/a full 5 bars?

 

[Silverdogz]

Just thought that I would post how my computer is pinging Google there is no time out whatsoever. So its not a google firewall.

 

[Duvi]

HSPA+ as well is all of AT&T's 3G service ping very high. This is why a 3G smartphone on Verizon load up just as fast (if not faster) at times. I had my iPhone with HSPA+ (4S) versus my co-worker with his Galaxy S II (Epic Touch) on 3G and we both had virtually the same load up times.

 

[Phrozty]

HSPA+ as well is all of AT&T's 3G service ping very high. This is why a 3G smartphone on Verizon load up just as fast (if not faster) at times. I had my iPhone with HSPA+ (4S) versus my co-worker with his Galaxy S II (Epic Touch) on 3G and we both had virtually the same load up times.

So you're saying that the data works over HSPA+?? (Sorry probably a real noob question...)

One interesting thing.. I can't say 100%, but it seemed a lot of times my phone had problems, I saw a verizon phone on the wireless network list for my comp... perhaps the lines were interfering?

 

[eric12341]

Its probably another bug in the internet sharing feature because even on my TMOUS HD7 I occasionally get the timeouts as well . Toggling data off/on usually fixes it. I seem to only encounter this when tethering.