VISA FONE EVDO VS STARCOMMS EVDO

[Salvage]

If you are in Naija, are you using any of these two broadband internet services?

Which of the two would you say is faster/better (based on experience and feedback from other users).

I am using Visa Fone and its quite fast and very convenient(very mobile) but it does go off on its own at times.

What about starcomms EVDO? Who uses it hear and what is it like?

[jazmil]

I use starcomms. It also goes off on its own sometimes but not too frequently. Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with it. Its fast enough for downloads and stuff but you can't really stream video.

I checked the download speed here just now: http://www.internetfrog.com/mypc/speedtest/

Three quick tests I did ranged b/w 198 and 256 with an average of 216kbs.

Why not check yours at the same site and compare.

[Salvage]

I checked the speed as well. Used the url you posted and this one : http://www.ip-adress.com/speedtest/ . And its almost the same thing. It fluctuates between 199 and 240kbps
And averages at 220 kbps .

Though earlier in the day when I did the test , It read 312kbps at a point.

Video streaming is another kettle of fish.

the video always breaks and jerks.

[lumidii]

I signed up to Starcomms's evdo a fortnight ago, and i'm pretty satisfied with it, after touring several cyber cafes with snailspeed connections. It took four days for starcoms to activate my connection, after configuring up my laptop, which effectively reduced the value to be received for one months subscription. I found out that the tariffs weren't that flexible, and i had limited options. I just went with their high-end(broadband ) connection, despite the fact i only needed it for 16days. Their engineer did say i could transfer the tariff to someone else though, to use up the balance for the month.

My speed is not too dissimilar to those posted above, its been pretty stable in lagos, ibadan and abuja.

[Salvage]

@lumide

It took four days to activate?

Thats not good.

My Visafone EVDO took about 24 hrs to get activated.

You said you went for their high end package, whats the package called and how much is it per month?
I suppose its 24/7 connection right?

[lumidii]

@lumide

It took four days to activate?

Thats not good.

My Visafone EVDO took about 24 hrs to get activated.

You said you went for their high end package, whats the package called and how much is it per month?
I suppose its 24/7 connection right?

Oh yeah, it took four days for starcomms to activate my connection. My laptop was configured on a thursday, and i got activated on following tuesday. I paid N24k for the evdo(including 1mth subs), and its their top-speed and a 24/7 connection. The engineer said subsequent monthly subs will be N16k. I don't know the name of the tariff, but its their top-speed evdo 24/7 connection. I also found EVDO software wasn't vista compliant by default, so he had to do some abracadabra to get it configured.

One thing i've noticed tho, is that my laptop battery goes down rather quickly, i used to get three hours out of my fully charged laptop battery using SKY wireless broadband, but that goes down to about 1hr40mins with starcomms EVDO. The laptop also generates a lot of heat, i cannot place it on my laps.

[Salvage]

@lumide

The laptop battery staying time is actually determined by the processes your computer is running.

All the same, my laptop battery when fully charged, gives me about the same time yours is.

If I have a number of programs open and running.

The normal laptop(especially the new high end ones), generate a lot of heat when running because of the high processor speeds but if yours is generating heat in excess you may want to find out if the cooling fan is still functioning well.

Does your laptop trip off on its own sometimes?

Back to the EVDO, the VisaFone comes compliant with Vista cause I didnt have any problems after install.

And I didnt need their engineers to install for me.

My subscription is 15k per month. 24/7 .

I didnt go with starcomms because what they have is the Aircard hardware and not USB ?

And my laptop does not have the large card slot for it but has many usb ports.

[jazmil]

The Sierra AirCard that starcomms uses predates Vista so the installation software that comes in the box isn't compatible. Sierra released a Vista compatible version of the software which can be downloaded from the net and installed. The IT people made a big show about the whole installation process so I when I eventually found out what they were doing, I had a big laugh. I hope they didn't stick you with the AirCard 580 Watcher. In my experience, the normal windows dial-up program is more convienient (especially since they also told me I have to type in my password manually every time I log in).

Someone told me that Starcomms also has one for usb ports now but its much more expensive so I guess you're better off with visafone.

[lumidii]

@ SALVAGE

You are right about the inverse relationship btw no of processes and battery staying power. But i now have fewer processes running, i've disabled most of the auto-updates, scans, chats-skype etc. yet my battery goes quicker. From an average of 3hrs to about 1hr40, or could it be that my battery is on its way out? I get longer time out of the laptop without the sierra wireless card. Anyways, i'll get to find out when i'm back in the UK on my wireless broadband. The fan? i think its working, it might just be due to the fact that i'm using it now in a warmer clime.

My laptop doesn't trip off on its own except, when the battery goes as low as 8%, even then you get notified then it shuts down on its own. I experienced a crash once, when my lil niece suddenly yanked out the AIRCARD without using the "safely remove hardware feature" at bottom of the screen. The guy wanted to flog me an AIRCARD-USB adaptor for N18k, i declined. Did you have to pay any fee for activation? or you just parted with N15k for the first, and subsequent months?

@ JAZMIL
I'm saddled with the A580 card watcher, but i dont have to put in my password. Its already saved, and hidden. I have a number as a username, which is visible, and i've got that written on my card case too. This guy also made so much fuss about adapting my vista to work with their sierra wireless, all he got was a thank you. Is visafone evdo transferable?  Starcomms said i could transfer it to someone else, but it has to be done at their office, and for no extra charge. Not quite sure if that's true, or just a ploy to make me overlook the fact i was effectively paying N24k for just over two-weeks access to their internet service.

[Mcshawn]

@all... can visa fone ..romm its internet .. that if am using abuja line ..when i go to east will i be able to browse with it ?

[Salvage]

@ SALVAGE

 The guy wanted to flog me an AIRCARD-USB adaptor for N18k, i declined. Did you have to pay any fee for activation? or you just parted with N15k for the first, and subsequent months?

@lumide, the fact that the engineers at starcomms claimed that the USB hardware for the EVDO, was three times more expensive than the Aircard, made me decide not to go with them . Imagine spending 65+ k only on connection?

I paid for the Visafone hardware namely the Anydata USB which is 25k, then I paid for the first month which is 15k.

They also have the same Sierra Card option that Starcomms uses.Its for people who have the large card slot that can accommodate it and it goes for 12k

@ JAZMIL
 Is visafone evdo transferable?  Starcomms said i could transfer it to someone else, but it has to be done at their office, and for no extra charge. Not quite sure if that's true, or just a ploy to make me overlook the fact i was effectively paying N24k for just over two-weeks access to their internet service.

I dont think you even need to go through the process of making the transfer official.

All you need is go to the office when you need to renew subscription and just pay on the account/EVDO number and it activates.

[Salvage]

@all... can visa fone ..romm its internet .. that if am using abuja line ..when i go to east will i be able to browse with it ?

Its actually a mobile phone. The internet service is not like the typical dial up that Multilinks uses that you need to hook up to a phone line.

You can actually subscribe to only the data services without buying the phone line.

So anywhere that they have coverage, you can use the internet service and doesn't matter where you bought it.

And I know they have coverage in Abuja, Lagos and most of the east.

[kashif]

@Salvage,

I can guess you are using the gold connection? Do you know the possibility of migrating from silver to gold? I want to get the silver connection now and might want to upgrade later.

Thanks.

[Salvage]

@Salvage,

I can guess you are using the gold connection? Do you know the possibility of migrating from silver to gold? I want to get the silver connection now and might want to upgrade later.

Thanks.

@kashif

Yes, I am on the Gold connection.
When you want to upgrade or downgrade to any package, just go to the office like a day or two before subscription expires and pay for the new package you want and let them know you are upgrading/downloading.

I think thats about it cause when I went to pay last month, I saw someone upgrading(paying for the new package subscription).

[kashif]

Thanks a lot.

[tkb417]

Nice one guys

im using EVDO starcomms and i think i'll check out the Visafone thingy this month.
im looking for the best tho starcomms is still ok

Video streaming? NO. we aint der yet

[amasn001]

If you are in Naija, are you using any of these two broadband internet services?

Which of the two would you say is faster/better (based on experience and feedback from other users).

I am using Visa Fone and its quite fast and very convenient(very mobile) but it does go off on its own at times.

What about starcomms EVDO? Who uses it hear and what is it like?

[hardMoney]

Help--- Connecting to the Internet:

I will be travelling to Nigeria in few weeks and I hope to have internet connection for my laptop.  I have a new Compaq laptop with build-in wireless card.  This laptop does not have any slop for pc card, but it has few USB ports.

I will be residing mostly in Abuja but will also spend some time in Anambra state.  I need to know the best ISP provider in terms of cost and bandwidth that allow the best use of my internet.  I have read some of the earlier postings but I know that telephony is fast improving in Nigeria and I am hoping that services have improved since previous postings. 

Do I understand from past posting that the wireless card in my laptop is useless since I possibly will need to install new hardware devise from the ISP.
hope

[shigidi]

hard money, both visafone or starcomms will be sufficient. they have data cards that can be plugged directly into USB ports. all that is needed will be the installation CD which they will provide. they both have affordable packages but starcomms may be a little bit cheaper. they may not work in anambra but both work very well in ABUJA

[Steps]

What about MTN Datacard? Is it any good?

Welcome to New Nigerians Forum. General discussion forum for Nigeria, Nigerians and the world. Share your experiences, your feelings, your knowledge, your likes and dislikes.

We aim to create the liveliest, wittiest and most provocative Nigerian Forum on the web – but it’s only as good as you make it. So join the debate… or even start your own!

While we encourage vigorous debates, we’d like all our users to observe a few common courtesies:

NO obscenities – all sorts of people use these forums and we don’t want to encourage language that will needlessly offend. Please be fair and considerate when criticising other users.

If you believe a fellow user has overstepped the mark, please let us know.