AT&T touts 20% boost in 3G data speeds
It looks like AT&T is getting a bit more generous these days, with the company now following up its supposed plans to offer free WiFi to LaptopConnect and smartphone users with a promised 20% boost in 3G data speeds. That translates to "typical" downlink speeds of between 700 Kbps and 1.7 Mbps (up from 600 Kbps to 1.4 Mbps), and uplink speeds of between 500 Kbps and 1.2 Mbps (formerly 500 to 800 Kbps). To get those slightly improved speeds, however, you'll have to use one of the company's aforementioned LaptopConnect cards, and no doubt situate yourself in some prime signal real estate. What's more, AT&T says those speeds are only a taste of things to come, with it promising that peak data speeds will eventually reach 20 Mbps as it switches over to HSPA+ between 2009 and 2010.[Via Gear Diary]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
greenlight @ Jun 4th 2008 1:31PM
1.4 Mbit to 1.7 Mbit? That doesn't sound very impressive, especially as this comes a week after a local network (3 Sweden) went from 7.2 Mbit to 14.4 Mbit. (with plans for HSPA Evolved with 21 Mbit by year-end, and 42 Mbit promised some time after that). Prompting another local operator (Telia SE) to claim they'll introduce LTE with 100+ Mbit in 2010.
deafclimber @ Jun 4th 2008 2:14PM
can you compare the sizes of usa and sweden? that is why sweden can get hspa quicker in small country and usa is trying to upgrade high speed network all over usa. needless to say, usa will get LTE eventually in ~2010.
greenlight @ Jun 4th 2008 2:43PM
If the U.S. is too big to be technologically agile, perhaps you should consider splitting it up into smaller administrative regions. Perhaps you could call them "states" or something like that.
youngcalihottie @ Jun 4th 2008 6:35PM
just cuz there are states has nothing to do with anything. all of that land still needs to be covered, regardless of how much you want to split it up. lets split up the states into counties. and split those counties into cities. and split those cities in neighborhoods. ...what does that have to do with anything? it all still needs to be covered.
btw, im just curious... if you roam from sweden to spain, will you still get that coverage by your carrier? will the data use still be included in your plan at no extra cost? ya, just wondering. cuz i can go from los angeles to new york and still get my at&t 3g with no extra cost. actually, i can go to any US owned territory and not have any extra charges.
so i'll take my 1.7 that works anywhere in the 3rd largest country in the world. and u can have your 21 that works in the 55th largest country. not that most websites even send data that fast anyway.
Bobbie Stump @ Jun 4th 2008 7:14PM
"promising that peak data speeds will eventually reach 20 Mbps as it switches over to HSPA+ between 2009 and 2010"
Interesting, I believe I just read that Telstra was going to support over 20 Mbps by Christmas. Funny how the US is so "technologically advanced" yet the phone companies are holding us back on this crap, that's so lame, 1.4 to 1.7 Mbps... Don't make me laugh, HAHA. Crap... Too late.
Matt @ Jun 5th 2008 1:17AM
if it makes any difference, Sweden also has one of the highest suicide rates in the world!!! People over there are too Relaxed and Very depressed.... so, who cares about the speed of their Wireless Speed, Really?!
tony @ Jun 4th 2008 2:09PM
Except then you would have to live in Sweden, which doesnt sound very impressive either. How much area does 3 Sweden cover vs. ATT?
Pete @ Jun 4th 2008 2:29PM
I just have to laugh at all the articles claiming that we will be seeing 20 Mbps speeds in the next 2-3 years through a wireless card or a mobile phone. Given that Cable can't even hardly give us 16 Mbps right now through a hard wire. If the backhaul is there in 2-3 years, we *might* get 5+ Mbps if the wind blows just right.
Kyle Carter @ Jun 4th 2008 3:56PM
umm Pete stop talking out of the side of your head dude. AT&T techs are already getting 10-12Mbps on their laptop testing in my neighborhood currently. yes, we will have 20Mbps by 2010 - that is not a debate - at least not on AT&T's network it isn't.
Pete @ Jun 4th 2008 5:28PM
"Testing" is all fine and dandy, and makes for great pissing contests, but hows that network going to perform when you have tons of pit faced teenagers video calling each other and a bunch of joe techies downloading 3 high def movies to their laptops. The real world is nothing like the lab buddy. I'll believe 20 Mbps when I see it.
zephxiii @ Jun 4th 2008 6:15PM
Pete, instead of bitching, you should celebrate the fact that the air interface will be increased to handle congestion better.
Pete @ Jun 4th 2008 6:44PM
lol... you guys are pretty good. i welcome faster speeds, i just also happen to be a realist. i'm not going to blindly believe some marketing bullshit that at&t or verizon puts out. furthermore, bandwidth hasn't exactly been following moore's law ... and even if it did: 1.7 Mbps x 2 = 3.4 Mbps in 2009, 3.4 Mbps x 2 = 6.8 Mbps in 2010. Still nowhere close to the 20 Mbps at&t promises (claims).
Kyle Carter @ Jun 4th 2008 5:33PM
uh the network will work and it will be available. why you ask? i believe that what Time Warner cable is doing w/ regards to caps and tiered pricing is what the providers (both wired and mobile) are headed towards. this will control the network, as well as pay for the network IF their are teens and joe techs sucking the bandwidth.
thebert99 @ Jun 4th 2008 5:55PM
Will today's phone be compatible with HSPA+, or will I have to buy a new one?
youngcalihottie @ Jun 4th 2008 6:36PM
new one
Nick Santella @ Jun 4th 2008 7:37PM
We actually in Canada already get a little faster than that with Bell, and right now we are having a wireless auction. Most company's like Rogers and Bell have promised with the new spectrum to improve speeds a lot more.
NuShrike @ Jun 5th 2008 4:42PM
I already see 1.7Mbps down from my Kaiser. Backhaul speeds are a tossup.
RF9 @ Jun 6th 2008 12:47AM
I guess the party is over. Yay for the boost.
But I was having fun having 3G nearly all to myself while the iPhone users fought over the splinters of available bandwidth on the EDGE network that they clogged up.
They're comin' to 3G folks. I guess I have to share the road for a change.
Or maybe I'll have to get me on of them thar hybrids... I mean 3G iPhones.