Orange admits capping iPhone download speeds

Mobile network operator Orange has admitted a cap on the speed of its French 3G network.

The cap, which was in place to ease the load on the company’s 3G network, limits data transfer speeds to 384kbps, a fraction of what other network operators are offering.

Orange is the official iPhone network in France, and the low speed of Orange’s 3G broadband came to light when users of the new 3G iPhone realised that users in other countries were achieving much faster download speeds.

iPhone users in Germany can access the internet at speeds of up to 1.8Mbps, whilst the average speed in America is 990Kbps.

Customers who discovered the discrepancy were furious, claiming that Orange has violated its contract with them in which Orange promises to provide high speed HSDPA internet access.

Orange says it hopes to work out a solution to its slower 3G speeds in France, and is currently in the middle of an upgrade that will allow speeds of up to 1Mbps by the middle of September.

Meanwhile, French iPhone users frustrated at poor download speeds would do well to complain at their local Orange store.

A number of iPhone users in France have had the speed cap removed by Orange customer services installing a ’software change’.

The speed capping is the second iPhone controversy in less than a week for Orange.

Earlier this week the network operator’s Polish head office admitted to paying actors to line up in queues for the iPhone.