| AIS has a very good blanket of 2G Edge across the | | | | ongoing effort to forecast and analyze the growth and |
| country...and even over the boarder into Burma, Laos | | | | use of IP networks worldwide. The Cisco VNI initiative |
| and Cambodia from my experience. I've used the data | | | | includes distinct elements to provide a comprehensive |
| plan for checking email and light browsing. I also have | | | | view of the ever-changing IP network landscape." |
| used it to upload photos to Flickr, Twitter posts, | | | | The site also predicts: "By 2013, global online video will |
| Facebook posts and a few other "light use" apps. So | | | | be 60% of consumer Internet traffic (up from 32% in |
| far it's been decent for this type of work but I wouldn't | | | | 2009). - Not with my current bandwidth speeds it |
| want to do much more than this. | | | | won't! AIS will have to ramp up their 3G roll-out...or |
| I wanted to get a better idea as to exactly the type of | | | | even better, migrate directly to a 4G solution. That's |
| bandwidth speeds I was getting so I did a search for | | | | the kind of forward thinking I would love to see. |
| bandwidth testing apps for my iPhone and found the | | | | Unfortunately, the demand isn't quite here yet. |
| Cisco GIST app. GIST stands for Global Internet | | | | It's interesting that Cisco posts these kinds of |
| Speed Test. This app not only performs a speed test | | | | bandwidth increase predictions though. It's also no |
| for you but it compares you to others that have run | | | | coincidence that Cisco purchased Flip back in March |
| the test as well. The program feeds data into a | | | | 2009. Flip is a maker of consumer video cameras. |
| database maintained by Cisco. For those of you that | | | | They are geared towards people that want to shoot |
| want to keep everything private, this is not the app for | | | | video to upload to sites like YouTube. Here's Cisco's |
| you because you will be asked to give up location, | | | | strategy: |
| phone number and other information. Cisco says they | | | | 1. Sell video Flip products that are mainly used to |
| will keep the info private but I just wanted to mention it. | | | | upload to the Internet. Make a small profit or at least |
| You have been warned! | | | | break even. |
| I decided to throw away my privacy and boot the app | | | | 2. Wait until ISP's bandwidth is tapped out. |
| up on my iPhone. I ran a test and received the | | | | 3. Sell ISP's the latest and greatest Cisco equipment |
| following results: | | | | capable of handling the increased bandwidth needs at |
| The information section of the app explains that my | | | | a nice profit. |
| bandwidth is "Web Grade" and I would agree. Here is | | | | One other cool feature about the GIST iPhone app is |
| how Cisco breaks down each bandwidth category: | | | | that not only does it save all of your tests every time |
| Web Grade (150Kbps-449Kbps): Your connection can | | | | you run it. You can go back and review them on an |
| support Web browsing, email, text messaging and | | | | interactive map. This will show you when and where |
| other basic tasks. | | | | you were on the planet when you ran each test as |
| Music Grade (450Kbps-749Kbps): Your connection is | | | | well as what your speed results were. In addition, you |
| good enough for audio streaming or downloads and | | | | can look at other peoples test results around the |
| basic web browsing. | | | | world. You can sort the speed tests by "Most Recent", |
| Video Grade (750Kbps and Greater): Your connection | | | | "All Time Highs" and "My Tests" referring to your |
| is strong enough to handle all the rich media the web | | | | personal tests. Pretty cool to compare bandwidth test |
| has to offer. | | | | results with people all over the planet. |
| So what does Cisco do with all this data they are | | | | So that's it, my AIS data plan is web capable and I'm |
| collecting from users that test their wireless bandwidth | | | | happy with that for now. I won't really care too much |
| speeds? According to the Cisco VNI website, "The | | | | about a faster connection until I finally upgrade my |
| Cisco Visual Network Index (VNI) is the company's | | | | phone. |