Originally Posted by
SegNerd
As I said, Clear service is not fast. I don't think my problem was throttling, since it was not SOMETIMES slow - it was ALWAYS slow. But I guess I'll never know, since their tech support doesn't speak English. What I do know is that there are hundreds of posts on Clear's site backing me up and pretty much zero posts backing you up.
Correction: Clear service was not fast
FOR YOU and for some other users whose posts you saw online. You have made no mention of what area you were in when using it, or what exact modem models you were using, or what kind of signal strength you had, or anything else that would help people determine if you were in an area known for service issues, or were using a model of modem that had a known issue at the time you were using it. You also made no mention of what amount of bandwidth you were using, or what you were using the modem for.
I, on the other hand, will tell people where I am right now and share my speed I'm getting, using the Sierra Wireless 250U 4G+ Modem, plugged into Sierra Wireless' Desktop Performance Cradle for that modem to boost the signal strength and download speed. I am right now sitting in my office on the 8200 block of Georgia Ave in Silver Spring, MD, a major, downtown area just outside of D.C. Here's my SpeedTest.Net results obtained at 1:03 PM, Eastern Standard Time, this afternoon. This is, again, using the Desktop Performance Cradle, which gives my modem the same powerful, signal-boosting, omni-directional antenna as the Home/Office Desktop Modems. And, to be fair, directly across the intersection from me, there's a very large radio transmitter antenna on top of an office building, with a cluster of cell phone antennas on it. In all likelihood, Clear has a transmitter right there, next to where I am:
I got the same exact kind of speed yesterday when I tested it. That's the best speed I've ever received, at home the Desktop Cradle is getting me up to about 9, 9.5 mbps. And where I live is about halfway between D.C. & Baltimore, so it's completely suburban. It's not even a major downtown area like where I work. I have been told by Clear Tech Support, when the 4G service to my neighborhood was temporarily down, that there are 2 transmitters/cell sites near my house for WiMax 4G, one to the North (which if it's where I think it is, is in a shopping center just a couple traffic lights away from my house) and one to the South. So, being in the overlap of 2 sites, I may receive better service than some users.
The best speed I've ever heard of anyone getting was 12 mbps, and that was a HoFo member using a ClearSpot. At the time, it was sitting right next to his Desktop Home/Office modem, which in the same location, was delivering only 6 mbps, which proved that Clear is artificially capping the top speed the Home/Office modems deliver to 6 mbps, while allowing USB modems and ClearSpots to deliver the full and total speed the network is capable of delivering in that area, and that speed can be maximized by the use of a Desktop Performance Dock.
And you can't use Clear service on the go, either. I briefly tried Clear's ClearSpot, and it could not get a signal, anywhere. Not even right next to my home WiMax modem, which was able to get a signal. The ClearSpot had a battery life of about 8 minutes, and that is not an exaggeration. I exchanged it for a second ClearSpot and it had exactly the same problems.
Simply NOT TRUE! I can and DO use it on the go! Okay, granted, I'm not trying to use my laptop w/ Clear internet while driving down the street in my car, because I'm too busy, you know, DRIVING, but I use it anywhere and EVERYWHERE that I'm regularly at! I've used it at my house, multiple office locations for the company I work for, including ones in Laurel, MD; Greenbelt, MD; Wheaton, MD (another major downtown area); North Potomac, MD; Germantown, MD; Olney, MD... which was the only location where I experienced the stupidly low speeds you had, and it was clear that I was in a fringe area, as I had to use the Desktop Performance Dock to even stay connected to 4G consistently at all; and now Silver Spring, MD. I've also used it when traveling to Cincinnati, OH, and other cities. If Clear's WiMax 4G signal is available with a good, strong signal, I get good service everywhere I go. It's only when I'm in a fringe area with weak coverage, or no coverage, that I have to switch to Sprint 3G as a back-up.
As I mentioned before, I am DEFINITELY a "power user", using this as a replacement for landline service because that's the option that worked best for ME. I never said it was my ONLY option, but the other option was DSL, which would not have worked well for my needs, as I also needed mobile internet to use with my laptop. So, it was either pay for BOTH DSL and Clear, or just use Clear alone. I chose the latter. And after more than a year, it's working out pretty well so far.
And that's the FACTS of what I'VE experienced with Clear. As always,
Your Mileage May Vary.
Since there is no factual content in your posts, I'm just going to start reporting them instead of trying to debate this rationally with you.
I've posted plenty of facts about what I've experienced with Clear since signing up with them in October, 2010. By comparison, your own posts have been lacking in the sorts of facts I've posted.
And again, it is childish and arrogant to state that everyone that uses Clear (or Sprint 4G, or Time Warner 4G, or whatever other names the service is sold under) and is happy with it should LOSE the ability to use their service just because YOU had a bad experience. Clear didn't work for you, so you took your business elsewhere. That should have been the end of it.
Weirdness with 4G coverage at my house -- anyone else had this happen?
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