Advance2000 Private Cloud + Verizon 4G LTE network – Things are getting downright interesting!

Well I just got my new HTC Thunderbolt from Verizon with the 4G capabilities.  I got to say, it’s my best phone ever and that includes my old Iphone that I had to dump because of the spotty network connections where I seemed to travel.  I debated on waiting for the Motorola Bionic but I’m glad I didn’t.  Until the end of May my wifi service (aircard) is free.  I can turn my HTC into a 4G wifi hotspot (wireless tethering).  This will eventually cost me $20/month but it allowed me to shut off my $55/month Clear card, thus saving $35/month.  I was wondering what the battery would be like and it’s not bad if you don’t use your phone.  But now with the 4G capabilities, I burn through batteries.  Soon an extended battery will be available and I have two regular ones.  Keep your charger handy.  It’s not a big deal because I am using it all the time.  Just plug it in when you’re using as a wifi hotspot.

So now what about cloud computing?  While the 4G speed is very fast for downloading email, attachments, applications, and surfing, it is just OK for real-time computing like RDP or PCoIP to a cloud.  I connected up to the Advance2000 Private Cloud running an architectural application (Revit) over a 4G network.  Just that was a pretty cool feat—couldn’t really do that before 4G.  I was doing real work on a wireless network.  PCoIP will theoretically run a remote desktop at 300ms latency but you will see some choppyness.  It’s kind of like hitting a website where sometimes it loads fast and sometimes it takes a bit.  If I had a 250ms latency connection on my 4G phone, I probably wouldn’t want to work on that for 8 hrs, but to login, check a critical system or data store, it works really well.   If you are fortunate enough to get a sub-100ms latency, you really can work on the cloud from the air.   I couldn’t even do this on a 3G network.  My guess is that Verizon is expecting a huge load on their 4G network and is adding that latency on purpose to keep the real-computing to a minimum.  But I don’t know that for a fact.

Here’s my laptop in Costa Mesa CA connected to my 4G phone wifi.  Interesting how the upload speeds are faster than downloads.

Costa Mesa Starbucks – I could not get a good 4G signal so I couldn’t work.

Time Warner Cable Roadrunner Wideband (30x5) from my house.  This connection is VERY conducive to cloud computing and running full IP telephony from the cloud.

This is my 4G wifi from my house in Waxhaw NC.  Not quite like my wideband connection but this blows away a DSL connection:

4G from Charlotte Airport Wired.  BTW, I forgot to mention that I can connect my laptop to my 4G phone in one of two ways.  Direct connect via USB cable or wireless via the wifi hotspot.  I think I get better performance with a direct USB connection:

Speedtest in Charlotte airport with direct USB connection:

Speedtest in Charlotte airport with wifi hotspot access.

The Verizon 4G service is quickly rolling out across the country.  You can check out their website for your location.  I’m in Charlotte and my closest ISP on speedtest was Overland Park, KS.  I wonder why that is?  By design?

I’d like to give a shout out to Emeral Childers who has been very helpful setting me up will all my business and personal Verizon communications.  She also told me that for a limited time, the people that upgrade to 4G and already have an unlimited data plan will be grandfathered in with an unlimited plan.  Verizon will almost definitely cap the data usage on their 4G network so that it doesn’t implode.  If you want to buy a Verizon phone, shoot Emeral an email.      emeral.childers@cellularsales.com