Smart LTE speed test on Sony Xperia V LTE

One of the first LTE smartphones to arrive and be available to subscribers is the Sony Xperia V LTE. It was launched in the Philippines around 2nd week of December and offered by Smart under UnliData Plan 2000.

The Xperia V is somewhat akin to Sony’s flagship Xperia TX that was launched a couple of months ago. The design was inspired by the signature arched posterior of the Sony-Ericsson Xperia Arc.

Hardware specs aside, the highlight of this device is the LTE capability (said to reach up to 100Mbps).

Sony Xperia V LTE specs:
4.3” HD display @ 342ppi w/ Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2
1.5GHz dual-core MSM8960 Snapdragon processor
Adreno 225
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
Expandable up to 32GB via Micro-SD
13MP autofocus camera w/ LED Flash
1080p video recording @30fps
VGA Front-facing camera
DC-HSDPA 42Mbps, LTE 100Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, dual-band
Bluetooth 4.0
NFC
GPS w/ aGPS support, GLONASS
1750mAh Li-Ion battery
Dustproof (IP5X) and Water resistant (IPX5/7)
Android 4.0 upgradable to Jelly bean
Weight: 120g
Dimension: 129 x 65 x 10.7mm

Smart’s LTE service promises a peak speed of up to 42Mbps so we tested out the LTE phone in a number of locations in Pasay, Makati, Mandaluyong and Quezon City. It also helped that my place in Makati has LTE signal (it’s a bit weak inside the house but pretty strong once I go out the door).

So here’s what we’re getting — the highest I’ve recorded in the last 24 hours is about 20Mbps for download and up to 14Mbps for upload. Not that bad considering that’s almost 47% of the promised speed. That basically gives us the idea that promised speeds are really subject to a lot of extraneous conditions (location, number of connections, obstructions) even on the LTE levels.

The Sony Xperia V LTE will be available some time in 2nd week of January 2013. The suggested retail price is Php26,990USD 460INR 38,990EUR 438CNY 3,349.