Which network for your iPhone?

Over in the US, iPhone users are locked into one network (AT&T), which seems odd for the land of the free, home of the massive market choice (for which you may need to be brave).

Over here, we also have just one official provider for the iPhone (Vodafone) while another seems to covet Apple's device greatly (Telecom) to the point of cash incentives for iPhone (and other model) users to change networks.

But why would you? What about if you have to go overseas with your mobile?

Telecom's new XT network is faster, supposedly, than Vodafone's. I've had the chance to try both. In Grey Lynn, my iPhone clocked an average download performance of 1925Kbits/second on Vodafone while Telecom gave me less: 1318Kbits/s.

Uploads were 214Kbits/s on Vodafone and 164Kbits/s on Telecom. Latency was 306ms on Vodafone and 322ms on Telecom.

These tests were conducted with the free app Speedtest by Xtreme Labs.

Conducting alternative tests, also a month ago, using SpeedTest.Net's free app Speed Test, I got a download of 1434kbps on Vodafone (upload 114kbps) and 758kbps on Telecom, with an upload of 93kbps.

(Note that with wireless turned on and connected to my home network the same tests results in 4699kbps download and 123kbps upload, on a network served by Apple Airport Extreme.)

So, Vodafone's network was actually faster for me, in Grey Lynn, anyway. But it's quite possible other places have faster XT performance. Please add your stats in the comments, if you have any.

I have heard that some people using iPhones on the XT network have problems with Telecom's voicemail centre. It seems the centre doesn't like the dtmf tones from iPhones. Geekzone has a few forum posts on that topic.

Well, I'm sticking with Vodafone. Not because of the speed, but because of tethering. It's so handy! It means I can connect my iPhone to my Mac via the sync cable or via Bluetooth, then use the iPhone as a wireless modem.

It's easy and useful, and Vodafone doesn't seem to mind how much you use it, although you may get stung for over-data if you really go nuts.

But the XT network won't let you tether (and nor will 2Degrees), at least not on iPhone OS 3.1x.

Is anyone using an iPhone on 2Degrees? Please tell what it's like.

Not that I'm a heavy tetherer: I've used tethering twice in the last two weeks (I reset the data count on my iPhone once a month when my contract rolls over, to keep an eye on data and call minutes).

Once I tethered for a short time, but the other time it was for an hour to demonstrate Mail, surfing tips and online safety to some seminar attendees. I have sent 13.9MB of data in the last two week period and received 48.3MB, but via tethering (it's a separate information panel in Settings>General>Usage) I have sent 1.9MB and received 12.7MB.

The data count only works for the cell net - downloading and uploading is free inside wireless zones.

That strikes me as not much data. Now, I'm possibly a really light user - I know NZ iPhone developers who hit the Vodafone data wall after a week of use, but for me the 250MB limit (on the $40, $60 and $80 plans; $130 plan users get 500MB) is plenty, and tethering is an absolute boon.

Note that new iPhone signups on Vodafone currently get 3GB of data and 1000 free PXTs to any NZ mobile as a special offer, but only until the end of this month.

In the US AT&T, while encouraging tethering usage on Blackberries and other smartphones, still hasn't deployed it for iPhone users,. This won't help the criticism from iPhone users against the relatively small company Apple did its exclusive US iPhone cellular network deal with.

AT&T now reckons it's delivering tethering next year. It's possible AT&T has to bulk up data capacity before then, since iPhone users rank very high in mobile data use. Apple has gone from 2 per cent global share to 14 per cent share in a year, according to Canalys figures reported by Business Insider.

In other NZ iPhone news, the Yellow Pages app got a great boost. Called Yellow NZ, an update means now you can search residential phonebook information as well as business. I love this as you can touch the number to dial.

The free app also has maps with normal and satellite view, driving and walking directions, you can save businesses and contacts to your iPhone contacts and share listings via email.

It's a good example of a well written and truly useful application. Another is the new, free TVNZ iPhone app, which was developed in Christchurch by Orsome.

Orsome has also developed the excellent NZ tvGuide app ($2.59) and the similarly priced WeatherNZ, amongst others.

I'll no doubt be using the weather app more once the weather improves. I used it a lot last summer but haven't been able to bear to look at it since April.

Meanwhile, more traditional NZ software companies like Jade are dipping their toes into iPhone app development. Results will be announced, apparently.

Meanwhile, in the 'really not PC at all' camp, a husband and wife team in Auckland called Rosebrae Technology has released an app called iRateEm. It's $1.29. You take pictures of people you meet and pass the phone around your mates to 'score' them. Yikes.

Andrew Griffiths and Claire worked with a local design consultancy and they're developing another, which is certainly going to be a lot more PC, by the sounds of it. I pass no judgement on this, OK? I don't have it.

Overseas, the Independent news app has been improved with a tick icon at bottom right - pressing it marks a section as read, which is cool.

Still waiting for that Herald news-serving app, though. Any more NZ app news, please do let me know.

- Mark Webster mac.nz