Azure Mobile Service push notifications lag

Question

I created an application to receive push notifications from Azure Mobile Service. I used Xamarin to realize the app on different platforms.

I tested the app on Windows (Windows Store App) and on Android. I have the problem (on both platforms) that the performance getting notifications is not stable.

Sometimes I got the notification after less than a second, sometimes in takes minutes. That internet connection is over stable WLAN network.

My problem is that the user triggers the push from a desktop app and expect a fluid reaction on his mobile device.

Are there any tweaks on client or on server to speed-up the receiving of push notifications?

best regards

Answer 1

Azure Mobile Services utilizes Azure Notification Hubs which relies on Platform Notification Systems (GCM, WNS, APNS, etc). Depending on the load at the time, it may take a few extra seconds for NH to request out to PNS and also for PNS to distribute the pushes, though I would not expect a delay of several minutes.

Answer 2

I often see a couple seconds delay on the first time I run the application and a notifications is sent. However, after the first notification is received, it typically comes consistently pretty quick after that.