AT&T Upgrades 3G Technology at Cell Sites Across Nation
Google's Epic Fail: It is just another Droid!
http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=4800&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=30358
Software Upgrade Sets Stage for Faster 3G Speeds, Enhanced Mobile Data
Performance to Come with Capacity Upgrades Planned for 2010-2011
San Francisco, California, January 5, 2010
newsrelease
AT&T* today announced completion of a software upgrade at 3G cell
sites nationwide that prepares the nation’s fastest 3G network for
even faster speeds.
The deployment of High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 technology
across 3G cell sites is the first of multiple initiatives in AT&T’s
network enhancement strategy designed to provide customers with the
best possible mobile broadband experience, both today and well into
the future. After full testing of HSPA 7.2 software, AT&T decided to
expedite deployment of this initial upgrade, which will result in a
better overall customer experience by generally improving consistency
in accessing data sessions. The software upgrade also prepares the
network for faster speeds and increases network efficiency.
Faster 3G speeds will come as AT&T combines the new technology with
enhanced cell site backhaul connections over the course of 2010 and
2011. AT&T is in the midst of this second initiative to dramatically
increase the number of high-speed backhaul connections to cell sites,
primarily with fiber-optic connections, adding capacity from cell
sites to the AT&T backbone network. The combination of HSPA 7.2
technology and enhanced backhaul will support theoretical peak maximum
speeds of 7.2 megabits per second, though as with any mobile broadband
network, actual speeds will be lower than the theoretical maximum and
will vary due to a number of factors.
In addition to the HSPA 7.2 software, initial deployment of backhaul
is already underway in the six U.S. cities announced in 2009 as
initial HSPA 7.2 markets – Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los
Angeles, and Miami, with capabilities being turned up on a site-by-
site basis beginning last month. Further backhaul deployment will
continue in these markets and begin in additional markets across the
nation. We anticipate that the majority of our mobile data traffic
will be carried over the expanded fiber-based, HSPA 7.2-capable
backhaul by the end of this year, with deployment continuing to expand
in 2011.
“We are focused on providing our customers with the industry’s best
combination of mobile broadband speed, performance, coverage and
available devices,” said John Stankey, president and CEO, AT&T
Operations, who announced the network updates at the Citigroup 20th
Annual Global Entertainment, Media & Telecommunications Conference
today. “As we light up new backhaul connections across the country,
we’re able to deliver a meaningful 3G speed boost for millions of
customers who are already using HSPA 7.2-compatible devices. At the
same time, we’re also looking to the future with these backhaul
enhancements, which will support our move to next-generation LTE
technology starting in 2011.”
As new backhaul connections are completed, AT&T 3G wireless customers
will benefit from enhanced mobile broadband capacity, and the millions
of AT&T customers who already have HSPA 7.2-compatible devices will
immediately see the faster speeds enabled by the new technology. AT&T
offers a total of 10 HSPA 7.2-compatible devices today, including the
iPhone 3G S. Additional HSPA 7.2-compatible devices will be introduced
in 2010.
The backhaul upgrades are also a key step in the evolution toward next-
generation LTE mobile broadband technology. AT&T is designing its new
backhaul deployments to accommodate both faster 3G and future LTE
deployments. AT&T currently plans to begin trials of LTE technology
this year, and to begin LTE deployment in 2011, matching industry time
lines for widespread availability of compelling devices and supporting
network equipment.
“Even as we look forward to LTE, 3G will be the predominant mobile
broadband network technology worldwide for smartphones for the next
few years,” said Stankey. “AT&T’s strategy will deliver faster 3G
speeds over the next two years, while also allowing us to build the
foundation for the LTE future.”
The 3G and LTE upgrade initiatives follow a series of major
enhancement projects in 2009 that have dramatically enhanced
performance of AT&T’s wireless network. AT&T last year deployed five
times the number of backhaul connections compared with 2008.
Additionally, AT&T in 2009 deployed high-quality 850 MHz spectrum in
hundreds of markets to support 3G services and added thousands of new
cell sites to expand and enhance 3G coverage. All told, in 2008 and
through Q3 of 2009 AT&T invested approximately $19 billion toward
wireless, with a focus on expanding and enhancing network
capabilities, including network infrastructure, spectrum purchases and
acquisitions.
These efforts have resulted in AT&T continuing to deliver the nation’s
fastest 3G network, and in delivering 3G national call retainability
of 98.92 percent, meaning that only 1.08 percent of calls are dropped
nationwide, based on 3G-specific, internal data.
For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit www.att.com/networknews.
Matt Simpson
<5bd44ab4-55bc-4e98...@a6g2000yqm.googlegroups.com>,
"Google's Epic Fail: It is just another Droid!" <vic.h...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> AT&T* today announced completion of a software upgrade at 3G cell
> sites
All 10 of them?
Larry
51731F.123...@news.toast.net:
Excellent point, Matt. They're upgrading EXISTING towers....not filling in
their system with new 3G they desparately need. Only about half of the
Charleston, SC, metro area is 3G on ATTWS. The whole bedroom community of
Summerville, SC, on the edge of the city where lots of the population
lives, is only 2G dragging its ass along like a snail.
SMS
Software upgrades cost very little, but it's something they can talk
about to try and deflect attention from Verizon's ad campaign involving
maps.
What's really needed is for AT&T to add MORE 3G sites in areas of the
country that have limited or no 3G at all on the AT&T network. But that
costs real money.