onsdag den 12. december 2012

3G in Denmark

3G broadband Denmark


The mobile broadband in Denmark is established by 4 major mobile providers. It's Telia, Telenor, TDC and Hi3G (3 Mobile). They each have their own 3G network of masts across Denmark.

Each mobile network is made by a lot of signal masts that send and receive data wirelessly. When the masts receive data from a user (data signal) the masts takes it further down to the ground and out of the ordinary wired Danish Internet.
And conversely, when the mast transmits data, its received by a end user on a 3G modem in a PC or tablet.

An example:

You visit a online paper to read news
You click on the 3G mobile broadband icon and enter your code. Now your usb modem setup a connection to your providers nearest signalmast and then down to the terrestrial Internet, which askes to see online news papers website. It provides contact to the website and it sends all the data you need to see it. For example, all the images on the frontpage and all the articles. Everything is sent via the Internet out to your suppliers mast that make it wireless and sends it to your USB modem through radio waves.


You are sending a small amount of data when you ask for a website(called to ping) and receive much data from the website so you can read it.
A new paper website is big, and you will use app. 3 MB data just to see the frontpage. (more about data use later)

The beauty of 3G

The most brilliant, of course, is that no external wiring is needed and it works pretty much throughout Denmark. As long as there is a good signal, you can surf smoothly almost as fast and stable as you know it from ordinary wired ADSL Internet.

You can take the internet with around the in country without paying extra. For example, you can save an installation of Internet in the cottage, on the boat - or just be independent of others' Internet when you go on holiday around the DK.

You should be aware of
The 4 telecom companies which have built up a network of masts in Denmark, has made it on 4 different ways.
This means that their 3G net is different and offers different strengths in the 3G signal around the country.
One company may have full strength signal throughout the small city Horsens and another may have almost no strength in Horsens.

You should be aware that the 3 G signal is different depending on where in the country you live and depending on which company you choose as a supplier.

3G Coverage = quality of Internet experience

Coverage is another word for mobile broadband quality.
At the 4 mobile operators homepages, you can find so-called "Map of coverage" showing their 3G strength in Denmark and thus the expected possible Internet quality.

You will then be able to quickly see if you have the opportunity to have a good internet quality in your area.

One common place you can check the amount of fitted signalæmasts in an area, is on the “IT and Telecom Agency tool” called www.Mastedatabasen.dk (it's free to use)


Why is 3G masts strength important?
Mastering The strength is extremely important. The masts can send and receive data very quickly if you stand close to them. If you are staying far away from the mast, the signal from the mast is weaker and therefore they can not receive or send data to you so quickly. The experienced Internet quality is worse if you are far away or trees, hills or concrete buildings is in the way..

In other words it means, that you get a worse experience (it's slowly turns itself off, etc), if there is poor coverage, just where you live.

Do you live in a rural area outside a major city, you should pay extra attention to which provider you choose and how powerful signalmasts this has.

The number of 3G masts are also important

The signal towers can only handle a certain amount of traffic. And you share the total provided net with all others online on the specif tower. You could say it that way, if you are alone on a mast, then it is only the mast transmit power that determines whether you get fast or slow Internet.
Should you share with many others, you may find that the internetspeed varies, depending on how many others who are connected to the same mast.
If you choose a company that uses a network but few number of masts in the area, is the likelihood that you constantly experience speed fluctuations much larger. (the small companies in Denmark)

Theoretical speed and speed experienced in practice

The speed as providers indicates is often somewhat different from those usually seen in practice.
When the provider gives up 32 Mbit / s internet speed, it means that under the most favorable conditions, it will be able to achieve this speed.
In practice, you will experience far less speed and the further from the nearest mast, the slower,

There are many who do not know that part and therefore feel cheated when they paid for 32 mbit and experience only 5 mbit - but thats how it is in practice.

Prices of 3G and 4G in Denmark
There are 3 different options for payment in 2013
It is fixed subscription with 6-month bond, pay-per. months without binding or usage-based refueling.
If you choose subscription with bond, you pay the same price every month and get access to the mobile broadband to a certain data limit (expressed in GB).
If you choose not binding, it is the same conditions, however, you can close your subscription at anytime.
Choosing usage-based mobile broadband, you pay for the creation and modem and some included data, so you get started, and then you must pay for the number of MB you want to use.
(good for vacation in Denmark)
.
Your consumption pattern should of course be to determine which option you choose.

Most families can easily get by with 10 GB per. months, see below.

1 GB is sufficient for most approx. 2 hour surf every day for a whole month.
3 GB covers need to also send pictures and files, see some youtube videos, and of course surf every day.
10 GB also allows you to stream some music and watch longer videos in high resolution.
40 GB gives access to everything except downloading too many movies, and music - but a great deal during the month.

The vast majority who use mobile broadband as an extra connection, downloads less than 3 GB per. month.

Virtually all providers, shut down your speed if you use too much data - very few allow you to continue and send a bill for the extra data. Take special care with the type of providers abroad - it can be hugely expensive. (thats why you should by from a Danish provider, if you are going to Denmark)

In Denmark you can buy start packages with all you need on every postal office.
The provider is Oister, who have great coverage in Denmark, and the solution is cheep if you only need a week or two.

Sources for more info:
Wikipedia