The following is an independently conducted, comprehensive test of packet data speeds for Telecom XT vs. Vodafone 3G, performed on Wednesday 4 August 2010 using an iPhone 4 tethered to a MacBook laptop.

DISCLAIMER

• This is NOT a test of which network is “best” or “fastest” out of Telecom XT and Vodafone 3G.
• This is an iPhone specific test, and should only be taken as such. It is a comparison of speeds using the  iPhone 4 device, on Wednesday 4 August 2010 in Dunedin.
• The test results should not be extrapolated beyond the scope of the test. However the results should be of interest to iPhone users in Dunedin, and to iPhone users generally. Your milage may vary if you use a different handset/device, or if you live in another city/town.
• I am not a telecommunications expert. I am simply an iPhone user with an interest in testing the claims of Telecom XT being “faster in more places”. I repeat – this is a hobby. I welcome any feedback about these results and will endeavour to correct any errors which have been made if they are pointed out to me.

Welcome to new readers, and welcome back to those that have taken interest in my previous speed tests:

• XT *Still* Faster in More Dunedin Places for iPhone 3G (March 2010 update)
• XT Faster in More Dunedin Places for iPhone 3G

Background

The XT launched in late May 2009 and boasted to be “faster in more places”. As an iPhone user that values speed, naturally I was attracted to XT by these claims of speed and since the launch of XT have conducted two independent speed tests of XT vs. Vodafone 3G to determine whether the results were consistent with the marketing claims. Of course this is the same network, which came crashing down in spectacular and now famous fashion in early 2010. Recently CEO Paul Reynolds introduced a “30 day risk free trial” to new XT customers as gesture of confidence in the current state of the network. The XT is a 3G only network which runs on the 850Mhz frequency.

Vodafone 3G operates its 3G network on two different frequencies – generally this 2100Mhz in cities and 900Mhz in non-urban areas. Coverage maps comparing 2100 and 900 signal can be found on the Vodafone website.

When it comes to 3G frequency, “lower is better” in my opinion. Lower frequencies have better “in-building penetration”, meaning few dropped calls/signal cut-outs when entering buildings that the 2100Mhz frequency is unable to penetrate.

iPhone 4 introduces new support for the 900Mhz frequency (3G UMTS, not to be confused with 900Mhz GSM which has always been found on the iPhone). Rural iPhone users (and city travellers to rural areas) will now have access to 3G data speeds when on Vodafone (previous iPhone devices could not utilise 900Mhz UMTS and therefore had to “fall back” on GPRS speeds which are similar to dial-up internet).

Because of this new 900Mhz UMTS support, it has been suggested in the media that the iPhone will now somehow be ‘better” on Vodafone. I take issue with this claim simply because most of the population (statistically) live in cities, and in areas covered by Vodafone’s 2100Mhz 3G coverage rather than 900Mhz. This means that in-building penetration and signal will continue to be relatively poor. Regardless of this though, city dwellers with iPhone 4s can now travel around New Zealand and have “nationwide” 3G coverage (which XT users have always enjoyed due to the nationwide 850Mhz 3G-only network).

Dunedin only has 900Mhz coverage outside of the central city, so I drove 12km out to Waldronville to perform one of the six speed tests there. I confirmed that I was in a 900Mhz coverage area by bringing out my iPhone 3G – there was no 3G signal on the phone, and in fact the area I tested in appears to be a GSM dead-spot also.

Another reason why the iPhone 4 may potentially have improved speed on the Vodafone 3G network than previously is that the 2100Mhz radio antenna was reportedly a bit crap. Improvements to the antenna (aside from the antenna-gate controversy) should theoretically mean improved signal on the iPhone 4 for Vodafone users.

Test methodology

I followed a similar methodology to my previous test in March 2010. An iPhone 4 running iOS 4.0.1 was tethered by a USB cable to a MacBook running OSX 10.6.4. All required OS updates were pre-installed on the MacBook.

It was suggested by Geekzone user Steve Biddle for my last test that I should find a large “cached” file on an Akamai server and download this on both networks (Steve’s endorsement of this test is not implied by this acknowledgement). The file that I used this time was the 31.08Mb Safari 5 for Windows, from Apple downloads. The file was confirmed to be cached on an Xnet ADSL connection prior to the test. Download time for the 31.1Mb file was then recorded.

Next I introduced a “web browsing” test, the validity of which I am unsure of but I thought it would be a fair reflection of “real world” usage. I bookmarked a set of websites including Trademe, NZ Herald, Stuff, Geekzone, Air New Zealand, Grabaseat, Telecom, Vodafone, Apple, and finally loaded a Youtube video. The time taken to load all the websites followed by the completed Youtube video was recorded. Naturally Safari was “reset” and the browser cache emptied between tests.

Next, I performed a “Command Prompt” ping test for www.trademe.co.nz, www.nzherald.co.nz, and www.nbr.co.nz. 10 pings were performed, all “outlier” results were ignored, and a range of the remaining ping times was reported.

Finally, for 4 out of the 6 sites across Dunedin, I performed a speed test on the speedtest.net site. This was added as an afterthought and included in the results below for the sake of comparison to other test results.

Results

Waldronville (Vodafone 900Mhz UMTS)

I decided to drive out to Waldronville about 12km out of Dunedin so that one of the test sites could take advantage of the iPhone 4’s new 900Mhz UMTS support. Download test involved downloading Safari 5 for Windows – 32, 586, 024 bytes or 31.0764542MB

Vodafone 3G – Time taken 2:33 (153 seconds) = 1913 Kbit/sec

Telecom XT – Time taken 1:34 (94 seconds) = 3115 Kbit/sec

Web browsing test:

Vodafone 3G – Time taken 2:03 (123 seconds)

Telecom XT – Time taken 1:38 (98 seconds)

Ping testing – www.trademe.co.nz, www.nzherald.co.nz, www.nbr.co.nz:

Vodafone 3G – 105-125ms; 102-113ms; 96-117ms

Telecom XT – 71-77ms; 80-87ms; 79-84ms

Speedtest.net results:

Octagon, Dunedin

Camped out at Hoyts Cinema lobby. Safari 5 for Windows download:

Vodafone 3G – Time taken 2:35 (155 seconds) = 1889 Kbit/sec

Telecom XT – Time taken 1:20 (80 seconds) = 3660 Kbit/sec

Web browsing test:

Vodafone 3G – Time taken 4:05 (245 seconds)

Telecom XT – Time taken 1:17 (77 seconds)

Ping testing – www.trademe.co.nz, www.nzherald.co.nz, www.nbr.co.nz:

Vodafone 3G – 117-128ms; 110-123ms; 87-119ms

Telecom XT – 79-85ms; 81-87ms; 77-83ms

Speedtest.net results:

University of Otago

Central library at ISB building. Safari 5 for Windows download:

Vodafone 3G wins by default. XT speeds unbearable and I gave up trying.

Web browsing test:

Vodafone 3G – Time taken 2:07 (127 seconds)

Telecom XT – I gave up in frustration.

Ping testing – www.trademe.co.nz, www.nzherald.co.nz, www.nbr.co.nz:

Vodafone 3G – 137-147ms; 108-119ms; 117-121ms

Telecom XT – 131-209ms; 123-175ms; 118-181ms

Speedtest.net results:

Meridian Mall

Downstairs in the food court near Whitcoulls and Arthur Barnett. This is traditionally a Vodafone dead-spot (900Mhz GSM included). However recently I noted that I was getting reasonable signal down here – unsure what the changes have been but I must say I am impressed! Ironically iPhone 3G (running firmware 3.1.3)  had a full 5 bars of signal while the iPhone 4 had around 3-4 bars – perhaps the iPhone 3G was “falsely displaying” the signal strength?

Safari 5 for Windows download:

Vodafone 3G – Time taken 3:59 (239 seconds) = 1225 Kbit/sec

Telecom XT – Time taken 1:13 (73 seconds) = 4010 Kbit/sec

Web browsing test:

Vodafone 3G – Time taken 2:40 (160 seconds)

Telecom XT – Time taken 1:27 (87 seconds)

Ping testing – www.trademe.co.nz, www.nzherald.co.nz, www.nbr.co.nz:

Vodafone 3G – 116-136ms; 117-129ms; 115-156ms

Telecom XT – 78-80ms; 73-83ms; 71-83ms

Speedtest.net results:

Edgar Centre

Sitting in the reception/foyer area. Safari 5 for Windows download:

Vodafone 3G – Time taken 3:02 (183 seconds) = 1609 Kbit/sec

Telecom XT – Time taken 3:17 (197 seconds) = 1486 Kbit/sec

Web browsing test:

Vodafone 3G – Time taken 2:14 (134 seconds)

Telecom XT – Time taken 3:13 (193 seconds)

Ping testing – www.trademe.co.nz, www.nzherald.co.nz, www.nbr.co.nz:

Vodafone 3G – 115-130ms; 87-117ms; 107-157ms

Telecom XT – 76-85ms; 120-239ms; 83-125ms

Speedtest.net results:

Not performed

Dunedin Chinese Gardens

Safari 5 for Windows download:

Vodafone 3G – Time taken 3:41 (221 seconds) = 1325 Kbit/sec

Telecom XT – Time taken 1:54 (114 seconds) = 2568 Kbit/sec

Web browsing test:

Vodafone 3G – Time taken 3:34 (214 seconds)

Telecom XT – Time taken 1:59 (119 seconds)

Ping testing – www.trademe.co.nz, www.nzherald.co.nz, www.nbr.co.nz:

Vodafone 3G – 129-148ms; 127-188ms; 127-129ms

Telecom XT – 86-91ms; 79-83ms; 77-86ms

Speedtest.net results:

Not performed

Summary of results

In four out of six test locations, Telecom XT held a distinct and significant speed advantage over Vodafone 3G. At the University of Otago, for some reason XT struggled to take on dial-up speeds and the experience was horribly frustrating. There were no widely reported faults in the Dunedin network on the day of testing. Coincidentally, the University of Otago was also the location for a previous poor XT test – in the March 2010 test this was the only location tested where Vodafone 3G was faster (albiet marginally). I am unsure what is going on around the Campus area when it comes to Telecom XT coverage but my test results now give cause for concern because they are so out of keeping with the rest of the XT network results in Dunedin. I intend on contacting Telecom with regards this and will post any updates as I receive them.

The speedtest.net results are provided for interest only, and the results differ from those I obtained by downloading the Akamai hosted Safari for Windows file. Which test methodology is more accurate I will leave up to the reader. The speedtest.net results did not differ in terms of which network was faster but did differ in reporting how much of a difference there was.

I can only draw one conclusion from these results, and it is almost the same as that I made in March 2010 – that when it works, the XT is faster in more Dunedin places than Vodafone for the iPhone 4. The blistering top speeds recorded by any test methodology were always obtained on the XT network rather than Vodafone 3G (something I have noticed in other speeds tests also). However at times, the XT network can be as slow as, or even slower than, Vodafone 3G. Or even worse, it can be down completely – but let’s not go there again shall we?

5 August 2010 – This test has now been superseded by my iPhone 4 Speed Test once again comparing Telecom XT with Vodafone 3G.

DISCLAIMER

• This is NOT a test of which network is “best” or “fastest” out of Telecom XT and Vodafone 3G.
• This is an iPhone specific test, and should only be taken as such. It is a comparison of speeds using an iPhone 3G device, on one day in March (16 March 2010), in Dunedin.
• The test results should not be extrapolated beyond the scope of the test. However the results should be of interest to iPhone users in Dunedin, and to iPhone users generally. Your milage may vary if you use a different handset/device, or if you live in another city/town.
• I am not a telecommunications expert. I am simply an iPhone user with an interest in testing the claims of Telecom XT being “faster in more places”. I repeat – this is a hobby. I welcome any feedback about these results and will endeavour to correct any errors which have been made if they are pointed out to me.

Geekzoners may recall that I performed a (crude) test of iPhone mobile data speeds at several locations around Dunedin last August which concluded that the iPhone 3G was “significantly faster in more Dunedin places on Telecom XT (compared to Vodafone 3G)”.

There has been various work done in recent times on the Vodafone network in Dunedin, which the company believes should improve iPhone data speeds on the network around Dunedin. Therefore I set out to perform a repeat test to compare speeds on the XT and Vodafone 3G networks at various locations around the Dunedin CBD.

The SpeedTest.net iPhone app which was used in last year’s test has been panned as inaccurate, so after consultation with sbiddle from Geekzone, it was decided to use the following methodology for this repeat test:

Steve suggested that I use a tethered iPhone to download a 20Mb+ file which is hosted on an Akamai server (such as Microsoft updates). I was able to find 2 files which should be hosted from Akamai servers – IE8 for Windows XP (16.1Mb) and Apple’s Security Update 2010-001 for Snow Leopard (21.9Mb).

In an ideal world I would have been able to download the 21.9Mb file multiple times at various locations on both XT and Vodafone 3G networks, but unfortunately due to data restrictions I needed to limit the total data used to roughly 100Mb to avoid heavy additional data charges. This is why I chose to use a combination of the 21.9Mb and 16.1Mb files, and from the results that I got for the testing, I do not believe that repeating the download multiple times would have affected the final results dramatically.

I used an iPhone 3G (same device as used in last year’s test) running firmware 3.1.3 (7E18). The XT carrier bundle from www.iphonewzealand.co.nz was installed to the iPhone. The iPhone was tethered by USB to an Intel MacBook running 10.6.2, with all software updates applied. Safari 4.0.5 was used to download the files, with the Safari cache being deleted before and after each download, and Safari being reset to “factory settings” before and after each download was made. For the purpose of comparison to last year’s tests, I also ran the SpeedTest.net iPhone app before each download, for what that was worth.

Tests were conducted between 12pm and 3pm on Tuesday 16 March at four locations scattered across the Dunedin central city. After discussion with an anonymous blog commenter “Sean”, I decided to go back to these four locations later that evening to perform “ping” testing (using OSX’s Terminal ie. equivalent of Window’s Command Prompt). Even though these ping tests were done at a different time of the day (around 11pm on the same night), they should hopefully be able to be compared between networks as they were performed at the same time as each other (XT vs. Vodafone 3G).

First of all, here are the daytime download tests that were performed, along with the SpeedTest.net app results:

Location One – Nova Cafe, Octagon, Dunedin

Sitting at an outside table at Nova (next to the Art Gallery), sipping a delicious flat white, and waiting for Snow Leopard Security Update 2010-001 (21.9Mb, 22,960,515 bytes).

Telecom XT – Time taken 1:13 (73 seconds) = 2826Kbit/sec

Vodafone 3G – Time taken 9:09 (549 seconds) = 376Kbit/sec

Location Two – Dunedin Chinese Gardens

Sitting in the central pagoda as per last year’s test, waiting for IE8 for Windows XP to download from Microsoft Downloads (16.1Mb, 16,883,056 bytes).

Vodafone 3G – Time taken 6:48 (408 seconds) = 372Kbit/sec

Telecom XT – Time taken 0:51 (51 seconds) = 2974Kbit/sec

Location Three – Otago University Campus

The weather packed it in so I wasn’t able to do this from the Campus lawn like last year. I sat inside the Information Services Building in the central foyer where all the students gather and mingle, looking very out of place as I downloaded the Snow Leopard Security Update once more (21.9Mb, 22,960,515 bytes).

Telecom XT – Time taken 9:18 (558 seconds) = 370Kbit/sec (this file download seemed to stall at around the 6 minute mark – about 19.2Mb complete – and then picked up again slowly)

Vodafone 3G – Time taken 8:53 (533 seconds) = 387Kbit/sec

Location Four – Edgar Centre

A return to where it all started. The first test location in last year’s test is the last location to be tested this time around. I downloaded IE8 for Windows XP once again from Microsoft Downloads (16.1Mb, 16,883,056 bytes)

Vodafone 3G – Time taken 7:14 (434 seconds) = 349Kbit/sec

Telecom XT – Time taken 2:51 (171 seconds) = 887Kbit/sec

Ping results

Here are the results of pings made to www.stuff.co.nz, www.nzherald.co.nz, and www.nbr.co.nz. I set OSX Terminal to ping 10 times, and discarded any grossly high ping times or “time-outs”. What is listed below is the range of the ping times that were left over.

Otago University Campus

www.stuff.co.nz XT 141-155ms; Vodafone 3G 318-479ms

www.nzherald.co.nz XT 120-143ms; Vodafone 3G 210-527ms

www.nbr.co.nz XT 120-137ms; Vodafone 3G 438-558ms

Nova Cafe, Octagon

www.stuff.co.nz Vodafone 3G 219-537ms; XT 170-185ms

www.nzherald.co.nz Vodafone 3G 178-318ms; XT 155-170ms

www.nbr.co.nz Vodafone 3G 196-435ms; XT 123-164ms

Dunedin Chinese Gardens

www.stuff.co.nz XT 131-162ms; Vodafone 3G 213-378ms

www.nzherald.co.nz XT 124-128ms; Vodafone 3G 196-316ms

www.nbr.co.nz XT 135-138ms; Vodafone 3G 197-376ms

Edgar Centre

www.stuff.co.nz Vodafone 3G 223-529ms; XT 131-355ms

www.nzherald.co.nz Vodafone 3G 198-338ms; XT 120-125ms

www.nbr.co.nz Vodafone 3G 179-357ms; XT 118-137ms

Summary of Results

In looking back and comparing the SpeedTest.net results from August 2009 and today, it would appear that Vodafone 3G has made speed improvements. At the same time, Telecom XT results have also improved compared to last year. However a quick comparison of the results using the SpeedTest.net app and those obtained by timing the download of a large file suggests that the SpeedTest app is inaccurate, as claimed by many critics. Unfortunately this is the only data I have to go on when comparing Vodafone 3G speeds in March 2010 and August 2009, so no valid conclusions can be drawn about whether there has been any change to speeds on the Vodafone 3G network when accessed using an iPhone in Dunedin.

When we look at the timed downloads performed today, we can see that XT appears to have a clear speed advantage – sometimes dramatically faster. The one exception to this out of of the four locations tested today was the University Campus, and I am unsure why this would be the case. On campus, XT speeds were much slower than in the other three Dunedin locations visited today, and this was the only location in which a download was faster on Vodafone 3G (albiet marginally, and only one a single test – I would in fact call it a dead heat).

Finally, the ping results of the SpeedTest.net app have always been a bone of contention, so my thanks to Sean for supplying the simple but useful information on how to measure ping times using OSX Terminal. Once again it would appear that XT has a clear edge over Vodafone 3G, a difference which the SpeedTest.net app does not seem to be able to discern reliably.

Final Thoughts

As emphasised in opening, these results should not be extrapolated beyond what the scope of the test is able to demonstrate. These results simply suggest that in Dunedin, as at March 2010, iPhone users would appear to enjoy speed advantages in using the XT network rather than the Vodafone 3G network. Reasons for this are beyond the scope of this article, but include factors such as network congestion. Vodafone might argue that well documented XT problems are pushing more users onto their network, but ultimately it is the responsibility of a mobile company to ensure adequate capacity for their users. Most importantly though, users looking for speed may well prefer to be using a network that others are rushing to get away from, if only to enjoy the benefits of less congestion.

Finally a quick note about iPhone operating frequencies. Vodafone operates on the 2100Mhz band for urban centres such as Dunedin, but even if they were to roll out their 900Mhz band to Dunedin city, iPhone users would still not be able to take advantage of this because the iPhone operates only on 2100Mhz and 850Mhz frequencies (850Mhz being the freqency that XT operates on). Therefore, until/unless Apple releases an iPhone which also operates on the 900Mhz band, and Vodafone chooses to roll out 900Mhz into cities, users will still enjoy benefits such as better in-building signal coverage on XT (850/900Mhz frequencies are less prone to degradation when entering buildings). This was not so important in today’s test because all tests were performed either outdoors or near doors and windows, if in-building. I did not retest in the basement foodcourt of the Meridian Mall where I expect Vodafone 3G (2100Mhz) coverage to be non-existent like last year.

In summary, as of the current time, iPhone users in Dunedin interested in the fastest possible speeds would be hard pressed to look past Telecom XT. When it works, it would appear that XT is still faster in more Dunedin places for the iPhone 3G.

Telecom XT has made bold claims about their new mobile network being “faster in more places”, which has apparently been independently verified. I was interested to know how good performance in Dunedin was, as this is where I live, and I had heard of a lot of problems with Vodafone 3G coverage in Dunedin. As an example, a friend once told me that he could make a video call from one corner of his house, but loses 3G coverage anywhere else in his house. Coverage has probably improved since then, but having acquired an iPhone 3G after a long time using an original iPhone, I decided to test speeds around various locations in Dunedin City for comparison.

XT vs. Vodafone 3G Test Methodology

I took one iPhone 3G, running 3.0 jailbroken but without any jailbroken apps installed except for SBSettings. The iPhone had the XT carrier bundle installed, made by my good friends at iphonewzealand.co.nz. I used my Vodafone SIM card, and ran this against an XT SIM card, both on prepaid. I ran the speedtest.net iPhone app on one SIM, then switched SIMs and ran the test again, from the exact same location. Sometimes the Vodafone SIM was run first; other times it was the XT SIM. Before running the Vodafone SIM, I ensured that the 3G on the phone was reset in order to eliminate any problems the device may have switching from 2G back up to 3G after dropping back.

Click after the break for the results:

Results

I started the test at the location that most interested me – deep down in the depths of the Meridian Mall food court. This basement bunker is known for it’s bad mobile signal, but in real world testing we can’t always find an open location with direct line of sight to the sky. Hundreds of people eat here every day, and how good their mobile coverage is while they eat is of some importance.

To give you an idea of how bad the signal can be down here, my 2G Vodafone mobile usually drops out completely when walking through the foodcourt to where it joins Arthur Barnetts. This is where I chose to conduct the first test.

First of all, my thanks to Whitcoulls Meridian for supplying me with a paperclip *ahem* SIM removal tool, which I had forgotten to bring with me. I sat in those comfortable couches outside Whitcoulls and proceeded to perform my first test:

These results speak for themselves. Regardless of the speed of the network, this just shows how good the coverage of the 850Mhz XT network is deep down in the basement of this building.

Next, I had some commitments at the Edgar Centre, the largest indoor sports centre in the Southern Hemisphere and home of the Lion Foundation Arena where the local basketball and netball teams play their big games. This is where the next test was run:

Next I decided to do a “Speed Test XTreme”. Instead of just a usual boring speed test, I wanted to do the next test while be thrusted forward extreme speeds! Well, 60km/hour to be exact, and within the legal speed limit of Portsmouth Drive. And no, I didn’t speed-test-and-drive. Thanks to the co-operation of my chauffeur, I was able to do the speed test completely legally.

Unfortunately the dizzying speeds confused me and I did not capture a screenshot for the XT mobile test. Apologies for the difference in formatting for this result:

Next I headed for the Dunedin Chinese Garden. This authentic Chinese Garden is the first of its kind to be built in the Southern Hemisphere and proving to be a popular attraction for visitors to the city. I sat in the central pagoda under a small roof but in an otherwise open area surrounded by the pond. Here I also ran my first GPRS test for those that are interested to know what these speeds are so that you can compare them to 2 Degrees EDGE performance.

My penultimate stop-off was the University campus, where I sat on the union lawn:

At this stage I was running out of data on my $1/day with Vodafone, so did no further GPRS testing. The final stop was the Octagon, where I sat on the benches outside the Information Centre:

Conclusion and Discussion

It is clear from these tests that as of 7 August 2009, an iPhone runs “faster in more Dunedin places”. It is beyond the scope of this blog to discuss the methodology of the Speedtest.net app, but a friend has questioned the accuracy of the app. I noticed that the XT tests consumed a far greater amount of data compared to Vodafone, meaning that the tests are not based on the speed of downloading a file of a specified size. However I do not really understand how this works so will leave it to others to discuss. All I know is that the Speedtest.net app is used widely for comparison of iPhone speeds.

While the download speeds for XT appear to be clearly faster than Vodafone 3G, I am confused as to why the upload speeds and pings for XT are just as universally slower. I am not a telecommunications expert so will await the discussion from others about this to learn the reason behind it.

Finally, it has been brought to my attention that there is a known problem when using an iPhone 3G on Vodafone 3G, and that this is under investigation. I have been lead to believe that the responsibility for this lies in Apple’s domain rather than Vodafone, but I do not have the details. Therefore I have been advised that my testing are not valid.

In my defence, I would not have performed these tests had I been given valid reasons why it should not be done at this time. However there has been lack of clear information, as well lack of response when I have asked for clarification from Vodafone employees on this issue. The lay person and lay customer can only work with the information that he or she is provided with, and these results are a snapshot in time that I have compiled with that information.

Today I popped in the ABBA disc and pondered whether it would be possible for the game to be patched to include this feature. As the PS3 downloaded a 50Mb update for SingStar that added Polish language of all things, I thought that surely voice control could be patched into the game if there was the will. An internet search soon revealed that such an update was in fact made available all the way back in April 2009. So how come I wasn’t voice controlling?

After the Polish update started, I sang a few songs and realised that I still wasn’t able to use voice control. So I had a play around in the SingStore, and found that hidden away in a less than obvious place, there was a “free” patch that I could “add to my cart” that would give me voice control. This defies all logic – an actually useful 4Mb update is put in some obscure location in the SingStore where I was unaware of it for months, while a 50Mb Polish language update is enforced upon me. I hate pointless updates.

Disclaimer: I have nothing against Polish people. I’m sure they are very nice.