24 January 2011
A user case study
Summary:
To test the ability of the WiBE in extending access to the 3G
broadband network, in even the most remote of locations, Deltenna
asked Geoff A, a 62 year old from the Llŷn Peninsular in North
Wales to trial the device. There is no listed 3G coverage in Clynog
Fawr, his nearest village.
Measurements were taken in late 2010 using the WiBE;
measurements were also taken with a control device - a USB
dongle.
Using the WiBE Geoff was not only able to access the 3G network,
he was able to stream video from the iPlayer and watch YouTube
during peak usage times.
Participant:
Geoff A, is a 62 year old, (4/2/1947) recently retired
university lecturer. He is au fait with the internet and owns a 3G
dongle, but has never used a mobile phone to access the web and,
stereotypically for his age group, does not use the more recent
online services, such as Facebook and Twitter.
Location:
Geoff lives in a small cottage outside Clynog Fawr, a small
village on the Irish Sea coast of the Llŷn Peninsular; south of
Anglesea and by the mountains of the Snowdonia national park. The
region is predominantly a farming community with little mobile
coverage. And the cottage is surrounded by the mountains Gym
Ddy (), the Rivals (Yr Eifl - 564 ft) and Red Rock (Mynydd Graid
Goch - 2001 ft).
Google maps terrain
data
Google maps
satellite / place name
data
Photos of the area surrounding the cottage - both taken
from the cottage looking out onto the mountains of Gym Ddy and the
Rivals (image 1) and across the Irish Sea to Anglesea (image
2)
Image 1
Image 2
State of the network:
Geoff uses Orange. It is the only mobile network that any lists
coverage in Clynog Fawr; this is backed up by personal
experience.
Accessing the 2G mobile network to make calls is possible when
outside the cottage, or by a window. Reception reduces greatly when
moving further inside the cottage and phone conversations become
unintelligible. The Orange coverage map states there is no 3G
coverage available in or around Clynog Fawr.
Image 3: Orange broadband ranking showing 2G but no 3G
coverage
Tests undertaken:
Geoff was asked to run three tests using both a Deltenna WiBE
and his 3G Dongle.
1. To run a speed test four times, Geoff used Insert URL:
2. Watch a one-minute video on YouTube (URL) - Danny Macaskill's
VW advert http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4fs8gS7ANA
3. Stream a half hour episode of QI using the iPlayer in
standard definition.
All tests took place during peak usage times - between 6:30 and
7:30pm
Results:
USB dongle
1. Speed tests gave an average of 22Kbps (16,16,24,32)
2. It was not possible to watch the iPlayer or YouTube
WiBE:
1. Speed tests gave an average of 595.5Kbps (418, 792, 624,
548)
2. A YouTube video required 6s buffering
3. iPlayer streamed after 24s of loading. It paused once
during the 29 minute programme for approximately 5
seconds.
Availability for interview:
Interviews with Geoff can be organised via Deltenna's PR agency,
Publitek.
Contact Oliver Davies, 01225 470 000, oliver.davies@publitek.com
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