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NodeMobile Data

NodeMobile Data - the performance you can expect.

The maximum possible speed of your NodeMobile Data service will depend on a number of factors. These factors will vary with:

  • the equipment that you are using to access the service;
  • the location at which you are using the service;
  • the time at which you are using the service; and
  • the web sites and applications that you are accessing.

Your NodeMobile Data Equipment

Internode currently offer two equipment options for NodeMobile Data. This equipment conforms to various generations of 3G standards - noting that the speed associated with these standards are theoretical maximums only; your actual performance will be below these speeds:

  • Huawei E3131 USB Modem - 21 Mbps HSDPA / 5.76 Mbps HSUPA standards.
  • Huawei E583C 3G WiFi Hotspot - 7.2 Mbps HSDPA / 5.76 Mbps HSUPA standards.

Actual speeds will vary below these theoretical maximums. Both devices operate at both 900 MHz and 2100 MHz, to ensure maximum network coverage and capability.

Previously sold hardware conformed to the following standards:

  • ZTE MF652 USB Modem - 21 Mbps HSDPA / 5.76 Mbps HSUPA standards.
  • Huawei E173 USB Modem - 7.2 Mbps HSDPA / 2.0 Mbps HSUPA standards.
  • Huawei E1762 USB Modem - 7.2 Mbps HSDPA / 5.76 Mbps HSUPA standards.
  • Huawei E160E USB Modem - 3.6 Mbps HSDPA / 384 kbps 3G standards.
  • Huawei E5832 3G WiFi Hotspot - 7.2 Mbps HSDPA / 5.76 Mbps HSUPA standards.

Where and When You Are Using The Service

Clearly, if you are outside of NodeMobile coverage areas, then you won't be connecting at all - your speeds will be 'zero'.

Similarly - as with any radio technology - your connection will be affected by local conditions such as whether you are using the service inside a stone or concrete building, underground in a tunnel or basement, electrically shielded inside a lift, behind a large mountain, etc.

Antennas Can Help

We offer a laptop/desktop antenna for use with the Huawei E3131, E160E, E1762, E173 USB modems, and the ZTE MF652 USB modem. This is the Panorama TCLIP2, available for $29.95 when you order NodeMobile or from our online store. It is also compatible with the Huawei E583C portable hotspot.

Antennas can improve the speed and stability of your connection when you are at the margins of NodeMobile coverage (ie at a long distance from the base station).

Mobile Base Station Factors

NodeMobile uses a large network of base stations across Australia to provide your connection:

  • Each base station has a defined radio spectrum that can be used. Depending on the number of active users connected to a specific base station at a specific time, this spectrum can become congested. This is a transient effect that results in a reduction in the speed of your connection.
  • Each base station is connected back to the Internet via a transmission path called the 'backhaul', and for both commercial and technical reasons, backhaul links do not have an infinite bandwidth. Depending on the number of active users connected to a specific base station at a specific time, this backhaul link can become congested. This is a transient effect that results in a reduction in the speed of your connection.
  • The base stations are not identical in their technical capabilities. Progressively, base stations are being upgraded to deliver the higher speed technologies to as many customers as possible. However, you may sometimes be connected to a base station that cannot support the very latest 3G technology standards. In this case, your connection speed will be reduced.

For these reasons it is important to check the locations where you intend to primarily use the service before purchasing, using our online NodeMobile coverage checker.

What You Are Using The Service For?

Not everything connected to the Internet has been dimensioned to operate at maximum possible bandwidth to every other device connected to the Internet, at every moment in time. In fact, quite the opposite!

Hence - as with any other Internet connection type - the speed of your connection will vary with the capacity of, load on, and access data rate of the destination host computer which you are accessing.

Traffic Shaping

Internode apply traffic shaping to specific types of Internet traffic on NodeMobile Data. This shaping is designed to optimise the 'real time' traffic (also called 'eyeball traffic' - like loading web pages, where you are waiting for the result before you can proceed). This is prioritised over 'non-real-time' traffic, such as large file transfers, which is typically a background task.

For this reason the various 'speed testers' available on the Internet do not provide a particularly useful speed measurement on NodeMobile Data.

Your Computer

As is equally the case with every other type of Internet connection, the speed of your downloads may be reduced because of the hardware capabilities, software configuration, operating system and software applications on your computer.

So What Speeds Should I Expect?

Typical download speeds usually exceed 512 kilobits per second from well connected Internet data sources.

The extent to which the speeds are higher or lower than this in practice depends the extent of influence from all of the factors described above, in your specific location, and at the specific time that you use the service.