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Speedtest and Traceroute comparing HSPA vs Wimax (M1 Broadband vs Qmax)
Bluetooth 7 Jan 2009

Introduction

 

We tested this on 28 Dec 2008 at 11pm using Speedtest.net. Both devices are connected direct via USB (M1 Broadband) and Ethernet (Qmax wimax).

First, we take a look at speed test to the Singapore server. Both give a rather high ping time of 100+ ms. In fact, if we do a ping on an afternoon to www.singnet.com.sg, Qmax will average 99ms while M1 broadband around 59ms.

As for plans are 2mbps, we see that the M1 Broadband is closest to the acclaimed speed. As for the Qmax, it is able to attain 1.8mbps on a normal afternoon and M1 is able to reach 2mbps.

As for the New York server, M1 still gets almost double the bandwidth and scores a slightly lower ping time of 385ms. As for London, it scored 1.035mbps while the Qmax is only 674kbps. Again for Yokohama, the speedtest result is better at 1869kbps vs 1319kbps on Qmax.

We noticed that all the ping time on Qmax seems to be a bit higher than that on the HSPA network. Secondly, the uplink speed seems to do better but it is not up to the acclaimed 1mbps even for a local server (score = 595kbps).

M1 Broadband (HSPA) Qmax (Wimax)

Now let's take a look at the traceroute results of both devices. Using the traditional tracert command, we do a tracert to singnet.com.sg

Here are our findings. For M1 Broadband, it took 9 hops to reach the destination, 2 more hops than the QMax. The ping time also fluctuates between 59ms to 359ms depending on the hop. 7 hops was required by Qmax to reach the server and it averages between 69ms to 549ms

TRACEROUTE RESULTS (M1BB) TRACEROUTE RESULTS (QMAX)

C:\Users\admin>tracert www.singnet.com.sg

Tracing route to www.singnet.com.sg [165.21.74.59]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 * * * Request timed out.
2 313 ms 359 ms 419 ms 172.31.250.2
3 57 ms 59 ms 69 ms 202.65.244.15
4 137 ms 209 ms 89 ms 172.16.255.1
5 187 ms 170 ms 188 ms 203.117.163.141
6 244 ms 169 ms 89 ms anatll2.starhub.net.sg [203.118.7.59]
7 167 ms 89 ms 59 ms 165.21.45.93
8 137 ms 69 ms 69 ms GE-5-1.crawford.singnet.com.sg [165.21.12.56]
9 267 ms 199 ms 89 ms www.singnet.com.sg [165.21.74.59]

C:\Users\admin>tracert www.singnet.com.sg

Tracing route to www.singnet.com.sg [165.21.74.59]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 200 ms 168 ms 351 ms 1.122.246.124.qmax.com.sg [124.246.122.1]
2 127 ms 113 ms 69 ms 41.210-193-4.unknown.qala.com.sg [210.193.4.41]

3 266 ms 69 ms 69 ms 60.203-211-158.unknown.qala.com.sg [203.211.158.
60]
4 68 ms 89 ms 79 ms ge-0-1.alpha001.qala.com.sg [203.211.158.1]
5 77 ms 89 ms 149 ms 165.21.19.13
6 156 ms 209 ms 160 ms GE-5-1.crawford.singnet.com.sg [165.21.12.56]
7 66 ms 549 ms 129 ms www.singnet.com.sg [165.21.74.59]

Trace complete.

Next we take a look at a tracert to youtube which is in the USA.  On M1 broadband, the tracert isn't able to get every hop listed but shows a request time out. Only on the 18 hop, we see a ping time of 251ms. The last hop listed a ping of 949ms which is rather high.

As for the Qmax, all the routes except for the last few can be seen clearly. The average ping time ranges from 79ms to 516ms. The last hop registers 269ms.

C:\Users\admin>tracert www.youtube.com

Tracing route to youtube.l.google.com [208.65.153.253]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 * * * Request timed out.
2 56 ms 59 ms 159 ms 172.31.251.2
3 * * * Request timed out.
4 * * * Request timed out.
5 * * * Request timed out.
6 * * * Request timed out.
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 * * * Request timed out.
9 * * * Request timed out.
10 * * * Request timed out.
11 * * * Request timed out.
12 * * * Request timed out.
13 * * * Request timed out.
14 * * * Request timed out.
15 * * * Request timed out.
16 * * * Request timed out.
17 * * * Request timed out.
18 238 ms 251 ms * youtube.com [208.65.153.253]
19 238 ms 229 ms * youtube.com [208.65.153.253]
20 777 ms 949 ms 1049 ms youtube.com [208.65.153.253]

Trace complete.

C:\Users\admin>tracert www.youtube.com

Tracing route to youtube.l.google.com [208.65.153.253]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 78 ms 129 ms 79 ms 1.122.246.124.qmax.com.sg [124.246.122.1]
2 77 ms 79 ms 79 ms 41.210-193-4.unknown.qala.com.sg [210.193.4.41]

3 136 ms 99 ms 99 ms 60.203-211-158.unknown.qala.com.sg [203.211.158.
60]
4 137 ms 109 ms 119 ms ge-0-1.alpha001.qala.com.sg [203.211.158.1]
5 107 ms 109 ms 119 ms ge-0-1.alpha004.qala.com.sg [203.211.159.4]
6 97 ms 109 ms 99 ms ge-0-3.google.qala.com.sg [210.193.4.254]
7 138 ms 109 ms 109 ms 209.85.254.168
8 227 ms 189 ms 189 ms 209.85.254.155
9 237 ms 199 ms 199 ms 209.85.255.57
10 338 ms 309 ms 289 ms 72.14.236.166
11 307 ms 259 ms 249 ms 216.239.47.185
12 408 ms 516 ms 520 ms 209.85.250.254
13 297 ms 259 ms 327 ms 209.85.248.2
14 * * * Request timed out.
15 * * * Request timed out.
16 302 ms 269 ms 259 ms youtube.com [208.65.153.253]

Although we get pretty good results from our JE, forums have been flooded with complains about HSPA networks and minimum issues with Wimax. No matter what, we can see that both wireless internet speed is subjected to a lot of factors like location, weather and the amount of users it can support.

In terms of pricing, the current M1 BB 2mbps is priced at SGD38 per month while the Qmax 2mbps plan is at SGD34.90. M1 BB or any HSPA allows you to be mobile and you can surf the net with your portable netbook in any part of the country. As for Qmax, it is still usnig the Ripwave modem which is buggy and needs an external power supply.

I would recommend the M1 BB over Qmax at this moment until Qmax migrates to 802.16e and comes out with portable USB connectors. From what we gathered, it should be as early as Q2 of 2009.

So which wireless network will you subscribe to? If you have HSPA or Wimax service in your country, do tell us how you feel about the performance. Discuss it in the networking forum at http://my.ocworkbench.com/bbs

 

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