So I've started using my windows mobile phone as a USB 3g modem (maybe not as elegent as the USB 3g modems but its more useable. For some reason since I've upgraded the phone to Windows mobile 6.1, the bluetooth connection has failed to work and I've not found the time to really find out what's wrong. Anyway I did a couple of speed tests using the phone connected via USB while sitting on the 13th floor of the Travelodge (trust me, your licence fee is not going on expensive hotels) in Holborn. The phone was showing a strong HSDPA signal and I wanted to know exactly what that meant in real speed, because it felt like I was using wireless or something.
The best download speed I could achieve was 1995 kbps (249.4Kb/sec) and upload speed 361 kbps (45.1Kb/sec). Frankly this is pretty amazing speeds, although a long way off the therotical 1440Kb/sec on the download the upload is very close to the maximum 384Kb/sec. Even on average I'm not getting less that 200Kb/sec download or 38Kb/sec upload. Not bad for a 6 pounds a month extra charge for evening and weekend 3g access.