Do you feel the need for speed?

Digicel is promoting its new state-of-the-art 3G+ network as “enhanced coverage island wide”.

The highly anticipated network has been available for about two weeks and customers are said to be hungry for the latest technology.

The cellphone company claims it is “the fastest mobile broadband network in Bermuda.” The signal is said to “better penetrate buildings and structures”.

This technology is only available in a few countries in the world and Bermuda is the first of Digicel’s 32 global markets to offer it to their customers.

It means people can use their smartphones to quickly stream video, download music and other large files.

Wayne Caines, Digicel’s CEO, said: “We have been working toward this for some time and our team has put a great deal of effort into making our network the fastest in Bermuda.

“This means the great coverage you had before is now even better, from St. David’s to Dockyard and everywhere in between.”

To coincide with the launch of Digicel’s 3G+ network, the Bermuda Sun’s Don Burgess and Sirkka Huish put the company’s new USB modem to the test. You can see how they both got on by reading their reviews.

It is the first time Digicel customers have had the ability to access mobile broadband by plugging a USB modem into a laptop or a computer. Mobile broadband allows customers to access the Internet on the go, at speeds equivalent to their home broadband.

The single user USB modem is $69 and the multiple user WiFi modem that can provide data to five users simultaneously is $139. These introductory offers continue until August 31.

For more information visit www.digicelbermuda.com/3Gplus.

My speed wasn’t any faster at home, but elsewhere it delivered

By Sirkka Huish

Okay, now I know it’s true, I officially live in a black hole of 3G abandonment.

I’ve become a creature of habit when it comes to poking my head out the window and hanging off the end of the bed to try to get any hope of a signal bar on my BlackBerry. But I’ve continued to give Digicel the benefit of the doubt, hoping that the network know-it-alls would eventually notice they didn’t actually have me covered.

So remaining in optimistic mode, I was happy to put the cellphone company’s new 3G+ wireless modem to the test.

That was easier said than done. Unfortunately it just confirmed what I already knew, the 3G network doesn’t seem to like me or rather the corner of Spanish Point where I live. I don’t live in the depths of a valley but as far as 3G coverage goes, I may as well be hiding in a cave.

Yes, the wireless modem did indeed do what it was supposed to do, but it was more at a Skoda than a Ferrari speed. It’s a good job I’m not a gamer and I don’t really download movies or music as from the comfort of my own home, my need for speed was not met.

The device connected to the standard 3G rather than the 3G+ network and the speed was rather embarrassingly and annoyingly even slower than my Internet service provider.

The real bugbear for me was that this device only notched up a top download speed of 0.19 Mbps and sometimes dropped out altogether. But once I left my apartment and took my laptop for a spin around the island, it was a very different story. I had access to the Internet at my fingertips, anytime, anywhere and when I measured the download speed it lived up to the hype.

Speeds were great across Hamilton, as they were in Devonshire, Bailey’s Bay and in Southampton. Things remained consistent at a speed of about two to three Mbps.

It definitely did the job of making mobile broadband more accessible. With its flexibility and mobility, you just need a cellphone or a laptop and away you go.

The pros are that it is about the size of a memory stick and definitely looks the part. It’s compact, lightweight, easy to carry around and convenient to use.

The initial set-up is hassle-free and the device comes with step-by-step quick start instructions. And then when you plug the modem into the USB it opens automatically with a choice of whether you want to connect with the modem or another wireless device. However, it would be better if it connected automatically without having to manually hit the dial button.

As for cons, I’d suggest you go carefully with the device as it’s so flimsy it is subject to damage. It’s also worth noting that the modem gets quite warm after running for a few hours. And of course its usefulness relies greatly on the areas where you are going to use it

In conclusion, this nifty little device is great for road warriors who are always on the go and need a little Internet fix here and there, as long as their needs are modest. But don’t rely on it, it’s only affordable wireless Internet if and when you’re passing through a hotspot.

I loved zooming around Bermuda and having access to the Internet

By Don Burgess

Men love their gadgets and I’m no exception so when Digicel offered me the opportunity to test-drive their new wireless 3G+ USB device, they didn’t have to ask me twice.

My wireless home network already operated at one Mbps speed, which I confirmed prior to installing the software for Digicel’s system.

It was simple to set up and even the most non-tech savvy people shouldn’t have a problem to get it up and running in minutes.

The first thing I did was test the new speed — close to four Mbps, but to be honest, I really didn’t notice much of a difference in how fast my web pages loaded. It did make a difference in one local website whose graphic heavy page seemed slow under my home network.

The real difference for me is the ability to move my laptop around and use it wherever I wanted.

Even with a wireless home network, there are nooks in my house where I couldn’t pick up a signal thanks to concrete blocks not only protecting me from hurricanes, but also from accessing the network. No such problem with the wireless USB port.

Even better, I could sit out on my deck in the evening and use it under the stars.

That said, I sit at the top of Crawl Hill with my house located at one of the higher points on my block so having a clear line of transmission usually isn’t a problem for me.

Being out on the deck allowed me to immediately report on the Bermuda Sun’s Facebook page when a distress flare was fired off a couple of weeks ago off of North Shore near Crawl.

I was able to pop the laptop into the box on my bike and take it for an investigation to see if a ship was in trouble (turned out a couple of people were messing around with a flare gun near the shore — I’m sure Harbour Radio really appreciated that).

I was also able to use it for mobile reporting as I zoomed around Bermuda over the weekend.

From Sandys to Devonshire to Bernard Park, I was able to use my laptop to report right away what was happening rather than popping back into the office or going home.

In that way, it was a great convenience and time saver. I loved being able to prop my laptop onto my box and get connected right away.

The slowest speed I encountered on one of my trips was three Mbps.

One drawback was I ended up bending the stick as it rattled around in my box on one trip.

The price is right at $69 a month (that’s for everything — you don’t have to pay an ISP additional money) so it can be a considerable financial savings, but it also comes with a 12 meg limit.

After that you start paying extra for exceeding the limit so those who like to download a lot of movies and music might not find it as much of a bargain.

For somone who is single and doesn’t need several laptops connected to the same network, this could be a great money saver. A comparable price for that speed might cost you upwards of $170. If you’re looking to save some cash and increase speed, Digicel’s USB Wireless device is worth a look.