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Geek Internet Kuwait Technology

Zain e-Go 21.6Mbps Mobile Internet

I got a phone call yesterday from a friend at Zain. He wanted me to try out their new e-GO which can hit speeds of up to 21.6Mbps. Sadly I couldn’t pass by to pick it up since I had to catch a flight to Lebanon but I was just catching up on some blogs and it seems some other bloggers managed to get the e-GO and try it out. So far the reviews have been positive. Here are some blogger reviews on the new 21.6Mbps e-GO:

zDistrict
Review: Zain E-Go 21.6 MB/s

4th Ring Road
Zain e-go 21.6 mbps…. we like.

Some Contrast
Exclusive: Zain’s latest E-GO 21.6 Mb/s

Blushberry
Review : Zain 21.6 Mbps Internet

I should get my hands on the new e-GO once I get back to Kuwait in a couple of days. The picture above is taken by zDistrict.

Update: According to Some Contrast, the new e-GO and 21.6Mbps connection is available right now at every Zain branch. The new e-GO sells for KD45 and the monthly membership is KD32 but if you sign up for 1 year you get the new e-GO for free.

Update2: 360Dewan tried his 7.2Mbps connection after Zain upgraded the network to 21.6Mbps and he was able to achieve download speeds of up to 758kb through a connection via his iPhone 3GS. So it looks like everyone’s connection has benefited from this upgrade. [Link]

61 replies on “Zain e-Go 21.6Mbps Mobile Internet”

Hmm, 4 to 9 mb connection. Not bad…maybe now service providers like quality net will lower their prices to realistic amounts. I mean this thing will probably be around 30KD per month maximum right? Thats much better than paying 41KD per month for a 5MB connection. I mean realistically speaking though I doubt anyone will actually reach a 21MB connection with this thing.

But still, 4 to 9 mb is pretty amazing. Now make a decent router that doesn’t conflict with devices such as the xbox 360 and ps3 and you have me sold Zain.

mark I reviewed all the guys link about Ego and according to my experience Zain will probably have no port forwarding, also they gave priority connection to the Ego 21.6 (easy to be controlled), now I wouldn’t advice the guys go ahead and say it’s gr8 and fast unless it’s in the market plus we all know very well there is a certain download amount if you exeed it you’ll be given like 128KB connection in the next month.
My question is:
1 – will Zain give unlimited download?
2 – will it be refundable for first month use? if they trust their merchandise the should make money back guarantee
3 – will it work all over kuwait? I know some ppl bought Ego and didn’t work this much at their areas
4 – Will it be with prot forwarding option? (I’m buying the product and I have the right to do what ever I want)

I hope you’ll be able to give me these feedback once you try it 🙂

Download caps on broadband devices are ridiculous, especially if you are paying for “unlimited” use. Viva is the only cellular based internet provider in Kuwait that doesn’t have a cap (yet) and so far I’ve been satisfied with them (going on 6 months).

one more thing. Why not giving us the 7.2MB speed that they claim using the 7.2 E-Go and we would be more than happy! why to buy a new one capable of 21.6MB when we wont get more than what they are claiming of 4-9MB?!

RIPOFF

After all, ViVa is using FASTTELCO as there Internet Service Provider and they are going to come out with something similar to E-Go soon……..

One thing I wanna add here 21.6 Mbps will show you till the Tower only and this is a shared bandwidth and not dedicated. so some towers you will get good speed and some lower speeds.

This is the speed you should have been getting with the “7.2” connection.

As others have stated, the claimed speed is not the speed to the Internet, it is the speed to the closest Zain tower. This speed increase will be most appreciated by those people using things like video chatting on mobiles.

The speed to the Internet will fluctuate just like it does now with the current setup.

There is no such thing as ‘unlimited’. This is marketing hype. Is it metered Internet. When you go and purchase it, ask the sales rep what is their FUP (Fair Use Policy). This is what really matters.

useless if you have a 21.4 mb USB with a 1mb connection speed…no wireless internet speed can reach that speed in the MENA region…

Well ever since i reached my download cap on zain 7.2 mbps connection … my speeds have been absolutely sad and pathetic ( the contract states if you download more than 20 GB a month they have right to decrease ur speeds , tho they havent mentioned to what speed they would be decreasing it to, they had brought down my connection speeds to 176 kbps ) … my connection is suppose to have been reinstated in the beginging of Sept .. unfortunately this has made no change to the speeds …. The customer service has been absolutely pathetic … as in one of the chappies even claimed that our contract specifies that zain has all the right to decrease ur speed at any pt of time according to their will … and im like i spend KD 27 every month to have them take me off my service when ever they please …. like hellooo where are my rights … and since im tied up to a contract i cant even get rid of it … as in i need to pay KD 50 to get this leash off of me .. and i dont mind paying the KD 27 if they were to provide me with a consistent worth while connection … but for a service which is absolutely not reliable … i doubt it …. most of my frnds have also had issues … as in initially when u purchase the connection u go thru a wow phase … as in the connnections are ridiculously awesome .. but in time the connections deteriorates…. IS zain reliable … are their future service / products going to be worth it …. hmmm im highly doubtful ….. mE

For some reason I’m getting 2mb-2.6mb forthe last couple of days on my wataniya router, which usually gives me 1.1mb-1.4mb.
Maybe wataniya are now updating towers following viva and Zain? However I do live in shamiya where Internet traffic is less. But 2mb and above is good. I’m not complaining.

I recommend that you DONT buy the new E-Go usb device! .. just get the new service and use your current 7.2 e-Go or Zain Router and see how it goes!

Unless zain does not allow that which I very much doubt, cause I am able to use the current 21KD subscription sim card on my built in generic 3G module and any other 3G/HSPDA module and my mobile. But if they do that then it would be stupid!

What the use if u can not excessed 20 GB per month !!!!!!!
if u did , then they will cut your speed to less than half !!!!!!
THIS IS CALLED MA95ARAAA !!

ive reached 6 MB with my Zain e-go and that really great !! u have to try it out !! i have both Viva and Zain and both are Great ! and impressive Results in both ! im getting the Adapter soon to share my connection but its out of stock !

I already paind 6 months for my wataniya connection is it worth switching to zain for the 20 mb connection or should I wait for 6 months?

RubberChickenDude:

No, its not worth it. Wataniya will upgrade their network as well. You are wise to stick with Wataniya.

Still a loooong way to go before we can even dream of T1, T2 and T3 connections in Kuwait. I remember paying 280KD per yearfor a dialup =)

Reading all this hype about the new e-Go 21Mbps on all the blogs makes me think how long will be ripped off like this? Similar was the case with Mobile call rates until Viva changed the dynamics of the market or at least improved it.

T1, T2, T3 providers out there, Be our Angel – come and make it all right, Come and save us tonight…!

I couldn’t agree more guys. We also need a revamp of our phone lines…the government is too slow…at this rate we wont be a fiber optic nation before 2050…

Akbar, a T1 connection is 1.54 Mega Bits. A T2 is 6.3 Mega Bits. Whats soo special about that? I think you have been stuck in 2003, and have been repeating that statement ever since.

All you should know that 7,2Mbps or 21.6Mbps are just theoretical values and never meant to be real…This not only in kuwait but the whole mobile networked world. Your download speeds all over the world will depend on where you location is, how far from signal tower, and the time of the day…Also how many people using eaach tower…p.s. people at night time or on holidays use more internet and more downloads..all these fancy speeds are just some improvement

rg, T3 operate at 44.6Mbps =)

A true T1 line operating at full capacity can accommodate up to 24 users working at 64 Kbps.

In addition to very fast Internet access, very high bandwidth and reliability, T1 and T3 connections also offer increased security.

More info:
https://hindi.blog.com/2009/09/06/t1-and-t3-connection-what-are-they/

Agree with SSaMM, what they offer is not what you get. We are charged futuristic rates and given past services, In rg terms, 2003 bandwith at 2010 rates!

when i checked all blogs i noticed that everyone is happy with the speed although it should be faster, but what they forgot is that will Zain remove the 20GB dowload limit??? cause I had this problem last month and the connection went to almost 128KB

please if anyone have Viva Internet can you tell me if they have unlimited download?

Look guys give zain a break. I give the reason why they have the download limit.

They are not an Internet Service Provider, they have no connection to the internaional gateway. They get their internet from Kems and QualityNet and they get charged per byte. Thats why they are forced to have a download limit.

Also, the network doesnt really support 21.6 just yet, the network can only provide 14.4. The new e-gos supports both. Major hardware upgrades are needed on the network and are expected by the end of the year. So expect even faster speeds in January 2010.

One other thing, People mention if i am paying for 7.2Mbps why i get much less.

Thats the nature of the 3G/HSDPA technology anyways, and zain has nothing to do with it again. Many factors are involved:

1. Most improtant is that the 7.2 is shared between all users on that specific area. So its the basestation that supports a Max of 7.2 and is shared with all users covered by this basestation.

2. Coverage. You being indoors does effect your throughput alot. Try and go outside and see the speed you get. The speed you get depends on something called Channel Quality Indicator (CQI). The worse your CQI the lower your speeds.

Many other factors can effect why you get bad thourghput, its the nature of the technology and nots Zain’s fault.

Zain Network doesnt support 21.6 speed yet,while VIVA covered 10% of Kuwait already and speed has been registered in 60+ locations across Kuwait mainly in the residential areas and working on the other areas, and for other areas it reaches up to 14.4 speed, im not sure about the cap but VIVA has 100 GB cap i guess.

Hi All,

I have my zain e-go (KD 13.5 / mo) and upgraded to (KD 27/mo) … yet download speed really sucks! –> living in Ras Salmiyah.

I used my friend’s Viva chip — excellent speed !

I use uTorrent to download some movies, and get only 1.5 – 3.0 KBps !!!

Do I pay KD 27 to get this poor level of service? I still don’t get it.

i am using zain 386 kbps connection which seems ridiculous . i am simply waisting time in opening even a webpage for more than 3 minutes.i dont know all have same experience.

Wanna know what’s funny?
STC and Mobily both announced that they are the first company in the region to have hspa

IN THE SAME NEWSPAPER ON THE SAME DAY!
HSPA  https://bit.ly/7FbKcq  https://bit.ly/8ocXsx

Hey, I have the STC(KSA) version of 7.2Mbps(Huawei device e960) and event hough I connect it to the ps3 I cannot play fifa on it without lag.It really sucks for onlne gaming.Any idea the 21.6 mbps is gonna be good for online gaming or at least let me play fifa on ps3 without lag ?

@Bk19
7.2Mbps should be more than enough. What the companies don’t tell you is your connection isn’t a dedicated 7.2Mbps connection. If it was, you’d have more than enough to play games online.

@Kuwaiticrud
alright.So any idea if 21.6Mbps(not dedicated) has enough bandwidth to make sure that fifa online on the ps3 will have no lag.

There’s no way I can answer that. Because the way the wireless internet is here, it’s on a, ‘first come, first served’ basis. Meaning, you could play fifa or any games online with no lag because only 20 people are connected to the same tower as you. Tomorrow, 200 people could be attached to that same tower as you and you can barely check email. I used to love Viva but now, I can barely download at 200KB/sec. For the price we pay, it’s ridiculous

ego sucks with the limit thing just get a qualitynet connection 1 mb for 160 kd and if u really want to get online in shalah or anywhere else just get the ego device also and the 3 kd sim card so each time u want to use it just pay 1.500 kd for a whole day with a 500 mb cap

When I took my 7.2Mbps ego a year ago I was told about the fair usage policy. I signed in for a year commitment and I was told that I can download/upload up to 30Gb at the specified speed. But after just 2 months they suddenly changed it to just 20Gb! Thats clear ‘CHEATING’ for the part of ZAIN isn’t it? They should have implemented this new policy to new subcribers if they want to lower the usage limits and not to the subcribers who bought the contract earlier. Also now, the speed is very slow between 7pm to 1am. They must stop selling Egos’ if their system cannot cope up with the number of users!!!

Yea, about the gaming, I have the 7.2 Ego zain and I have a crazy lag like I’m using a phone line (Dial-up), I have 1 red bar on MGO on my PS3 and also 1 red bar on Black ops, and about the dedicated/not dedicated or whatever you call it, isn’t that enough for us to complain ? I mean if it’s that clear then why don’t people just do something like complaining at Zain so they just fix their servers which is now their number 1 excuse !! it’s like their server is not in their hands or something !!

anyway this is a good article (Bookmarked)
thank you !

all the mentioned services are the shittiest ever
with offence
i mean like full offence
i have never seen more legal rip off
download cap ?
am paying 32 for zain
and was paying 19 for viva router (1year contract)
and both gave me the shittiest service
and im just a mega browser they just cut me off with no notice.
and they have the most childish ppl working there
i mean the guys at the call center
mashallah
they hardly understand anything
HOLD ON HOLD ON HOLD ON
am even aking about an offer released in the news paper
and they cant even give me one extra bit of information about it
thats why this country will never upgrade in industrilization
get stuck with ur lame wires
am gonna go fibre optic!!! SMD!!!

i cant play online game here in kuwait like cabal ph, i using zain internet connection. stupid internet connection and is very slow, i used already the 21.6 mbps connection.

you know waht zain 21.0 mbps will give only 100kbps and a download speed of 50KB/s i bought this divice for a year contract paying 20 kd per moth while my friend gets gulfnet for 15 kd and constant 1.5 mbps connection some one should file a case against them

VIVA REALLY SUCKS!!!
I signed a data plan with them on 12 April 2014 and the router stopped working on 16 April 2014!! Went back to the sales office where I signed the contract they refused to help and referred me to Technical staff at Olympia mall. Went to mall they fixed the router and a day later it stopped working AGAIN. Opened a ticket with VIVA customer service and they referred me to technical staff. Spent 40 mins on the phone talking to various technical people and the end result go to the Olympia mall.
In a nutshell I made a BIG mistake signing with VIVA, WHY:
– Faulty routers
– Sales people don’t care after the contract is signed
– Customer services at 102 give you run around
– Technical staff at 102 are incompetent and clueless
– Ultimate solution for anything & everything go to Olympia Mall
To get out of the contract I have to pay more money; IMAGINE THAT!!!!
People please think hard before doing business with these VIVA people!!!!

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