Both the AT&T and Verizon versions of the new iPad claim fast 4G data speeds. How does that translate to real-world usage? Dong Ngo of CNET did some tests around the San Francisco area to see what you can expect from the new 4G capable iPads.
A couple of months ago, I had a chance to roam around San Francisco with the new iPhone 4S from all supported carriers and found that none offered cellular Internet speeds even close to those of the slowest 4G device. Now, I just did the same thing with the new iPad, both AT&T and Verizon versions, and it was quite the opposite story.
Ngo tested in three locations around the San Francisco area. CNET’s headquarters near the financial district, the Pier 39 area, and Union Square. He did 3 tests at each place, 30 minutes apart. This way he tried to make the average number similar to what you’d likely experience, since different times of day are factored in.
Ngo writes: “For the testing, I used the Speedtest.net mobile app, which is not designed for the iPad’s screen, but since it’s not a game, that won’t be a problem. For each test, I picked the same and closest server for each device.”
The tests, broken down at the 3 different places (averages):
CNET office: AT&T – 13Mbps up and about 5.5Mbps down. Verizon – 12.4Mbps up and 7.0Mbps down.
Union Square: AT&T – 30.4Mbps for downloading and around 24.5Mbps for uploading. Verizon – 15Mbps for download and 9.6Mbps for upload.
Pier 39: AT&T – 10.3Mbps down and 8.9Mbps up. Verizon – 8.7Mbps down and 6.3Mbps up.
Ngo reports that while the AT&T version was generally faster, both perform so well that consumers should be satisfied with the speeds no matter which carrier they choose.