Low image quality when browsing via Globe 3G / Globe Visibility / Globe HSDPA

When using Globe 3G to view websites, I was disturbed to find that so many web pages had very low image quality.  Upon closer inspection, I was alarmed to see that the images were being loaded in from a numeric IP address (usually 62.0.5.135 62.0.5.133 or 62.0.5.134 ) rather than the website itself, and I thought that my computer had been infiltrated by spyware or or a trojan!! After further investigation, I realized that this was actually the ISP’s handiwork >:-( .

Apparently, Globe 3G passes all images (e.g. jpg, png or gif) through a compressing proxy first before serving it back to the visitor.  This is apparently done to greatly minimize bandwidth consumption by visitors.

On the surface, one might be able to understand Globe’s justifications for such a scheme.  The lower quality of images will not be that noticeable when browsing via tiny mobile phone screens and secondly, I have to say that Globe 3G is fairly consistently speedy whenever I use it so their bandwidth miserliness has at least some redeeming factors.

On the other hand, you should be aware that if you use Globe 3G as your primary internet connection on a notebook or desktop (as opposed to just using it for quick browsing on a mobile device) then this kind of proxying is non-transparent and will result in breakage of many sites.  For instance, I have discovered that it breaks image handling via AJAX.  An example would be when trying to upload images for your ad in Classifieds PH, which will not work for those who visit the site via Globe 3G.

If it were true that internet access quality via Globe 3G would be greatly slowed down if they did not use this image compression scheme, then this is a somewhat reasonable tradeoff for those who use Globe 3G as a backup form of internet access.

On the other hand, if Globe really intended for people to adopt their 3G service en masse, then this method of conserving bandwidth is terribly flawed both from a technical and end-user point of view.  I think Globe is shooting themselves in the foot with this one.


3 thoughts on “Low image quality when browsing via Globe 3G / Globe Visibility / Globe HSDPA

  • October 20, 2009 at 3:58 pm
    Permalink

    Hi! I’m a Globe Tattoo subscriber and their poor image quality/image compression really annoys me. In the past, there are workarounds but it seems they’ve managed to update this technique and every ways to solve this in the past doesn’t seem to work anymore. I have also learned that several networks abroad also use such same technique like T-mobile. But the big difference is that their subscribers are aware of it and they can even download a piece of software from T-mobile’s site to disable the image compression.

    So clearly, this is a hidden agenda! We are paying customers! We have our right!

    Reply
  • April 2, 2010 at 2:40 pm
    Permalink

    Unfortunately, hiding stuff and trying to get away with things is what the Philippines is notorious for. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is some wise idea from some very knowledgeable IT guru inside Globe trying to spread the bandwidth around to more users.

    Don’t get me wrong, the idea is great. The only thing is one of two things:
    1. The people behind this bright “compression/proxying” idea has no balls to come clean with it.
    2. Or they just don’t care about the consumers that pay for their salaries and think we won’t notice it.

    C’mon guys! I keep calling tech support and they either don’t know, or were informed not to divulge this information. It would really help to come out with even some fineprint of this somewhere. Not all your consumers are noobs you know.

    Reply
  • April 2, 2010 at 2:41 pm
    Permalink

    Unfortunately, hiding stuff and trying to get away with things is what the Philippines is notorious for. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is some wise idea from some very knowledgeable IT guru inside Globe trying to spread the bandwidth around to more users.

    Don’t get me wrong, the idea is great. This is a symptom of either of these two things:
    1. The people behind this bright “compression/proxying” idea has no balls to come clean with it.
    2. Or they just don’t care about the consumers that pay for their salaries and think we won’t notice it.

    C’mon guys! I keep calling tech support and they either don’t know, or were informed not to divulge this information. It would really help to come out with even some fineprint of this somewhere. Not all your consumers are noobs you know.

    Reply

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