update 03 DEC 2009
after using the service for 4 months now, the connection seems to be unstable, lots of lag, slow & connection drop-downs
*update
batelco released their new packages @ batelco’s website
Package details:
Speed: 2Mbps
Cap limit: 12 GB
No voice – optional
Internal CPE wi-fi enabled: BD 3 monthly rental
setup charges: BD 20
Contract Duration: 18 months ( you are getting married to the ISP )
Cancelation fee: BD 65 which is the device’s price.
Below is a comparison table between Mena & Batelco :
| Speed | Latency | Download speed | Upload speed | Price in BD |
Mena | 2 Mbps | 90 ms | 2.42 Mbps | .25 Mbps | BD 30 |
Batelco | 2 Mbps | 32 ms | 1.79 Mbps | .43 Mbps | BD 60 |
i have also done a video review below, the first part is about the device, the second part is the speedtest, enjoy:
WiMAX from zainal on Vimeo.
Hey Khalid, we have waited too long buddy.
I have switched to WiMAX to get rid of the wires, i got the phone ports from batelco downstairs and its stretched here and there > not tidy.
i know you would be saying oh repeater oh holy access points but it wouldn’t really help my case.
To be honest, i was satisfied with Batelco’s DSL connection, but i had to do something about the wires and i thought of giving Mena a shot, not really a huge investment.
True about the 18 months thats why i bold the number out, thats how they make money 😉
The figures you’ve looked at above is from http://www.speedtest.net, latency would be noticeable in games for example ( lag ) were you require low pings and continues steady connection, probably Video & Audio conferencing too, think UDP based appz probably ?
what’s the difference with the latency ping? is it noticeable? besides, 2MB for 30BD will be a lot for broadband after 1 month, supposedly new packages will come out from wired operators.. should’ve waited 😉 and 12GB.. seriously.. you will reach it in no time especially when handling video. whats up with 18 month contracts?! 1 year and it’s looonggg.. just today I heard offering blackberry packages with nice offers but you gotta sign a 3 (!!) year contract..
How about when you reach the cap limit, how much the speed will go down?
Hi Guys ,
I would vote for Mena before a month but know I returned my ADSL because I bought a 4M from Mena where I used to get an amazing speeds until people from the same area start to subscribe & I am hardly getting a 1M.
In addition to the that their supports sucks, they don’t know what they are talking about.
Dudes,
I have a good insider from Batelco & he confirmed that new speeds at a much lower prices is comming over next week !!!!
I can bet on it………
I heard that too buddy…
it might be true this time, the only thing is we have always expected Batelco to release new offers but they don’t and they keep on blaming TRA.
Funny though no body is talking about ZAIN 🙂
I really wish that is true, because I’m happy with batelco’s stability
Hamood
Since I work for Batelco I got the 4 Mbps for 30 BD, why did you have to go for Mena? A good wifi router can cover the entire house. Unless you think Batelco sucks.. 🙂
@Deepika http://zainalsc.juliet.cloudns.io/blog/bahrain/zain-bahrain-customer-care/
the competition is good but lately there is not comparison and no doubt that Batelco are getting their customer back from Zain as they keep on screwing up.
Hi,
Can anybody explain why is no body talking about Zain wimax services…they seem to have given good competition to batelco in mobile services, but they seem to have lost wimax race to mena telecom….
Hi!
I’m using O-Net but planning to switch over to fixed line as it cost a lot in long run.
When I was going through Mena telcom site they claimed about some Comms MEA 2009 award when I searched about it I found apart from best ISP provider for 2009 which Mena got Zain also bagged Telecoms Technology Investment of the Year award -Middle East’s first LTE (Long Term Evolution) network.
I’m wondering how this will help them as there is no change in their hardware only they upgraded software.
Please any one suggest me some better ISP provider which is economical and provides good speed.
Can any one give me a clue what is the upload and download speed for Zain and Mena packages which are around 10BD.
welcome buddy, glad to know that this one is gonna be a part of your thesis! 3o2bali 😉
good luck!
hey man ,, how are u ??
i was searching for my thesis in MBA and i kept your page as a sample of my thesis because am doing some comperson about some companies in bahrain …
Thanks alot 😀
well i tried all connections in bahrain and sorry to say, all SUCKS. not a single proper Ping (Batelco is 140ms, Mena is 165Ms)
being in the gaming industry this typ of connection doesn?t even worth paying a single USD for. unless ur ping is 20 or less better stay away from online gaming.
The only solution I think since no fiber is available will be a point to point wimax solution. Similier to the one that ITC in Saudi is providing?. If anyone know of such provider
In bahrain please link me to them.
cheers
Worst , Most Unstable Connection I ever Used EVER ! … really 5000 ms to google ? while it should be 150/130ms , i was more Happy with Zain (150ms to germany and about 60 to Kuwait) but they take 1GB each day even without downloading a single thing after that my bandwidth is gone i get like 10kb/per sec and even 1kb but the ping didnt change at all 🙂 .
Connection works at good speed but latency and their phone line entirely sucks. Have lodged a complaint since last 10 days. Let’s see what happens. My advice, stay away from mena if latency has the slightest bit of business with ur work :/
VoIP, gaming all dead……. and with a measely 6GB limit for BD17 (Rental for net 13BD + Wi-Fi CPE rental 4BD) @1MBps downloading also dead, this is the worse the things can get.
Guys,
Don’t be so excited with Menatelecom. They are incompetents or thieves.
I asked them to open port 5060 and they done it one time. But after 1 month they close again port 5060.
I asked them so many times to open this port but they failed. I spend many days but nothing happens.
I believe they don’t want to open this port because is used for VoIP. Menatelecom have their own VoIP service, so… I believe they force the clients to use Menatelecom VoIp blocking port 5060.
i.e. Batelco, Viva don’t block port 5060.
So, tell me, they are incompetents or thieves? Or both?