7.2 -- Engadget Mobile

AT&T slinging HSPA 7.2 to six cities this year, adding backhaul capacity too

by Darren Murph posted Sep 9th 2009 @ 8:44AM

If there's one thing AT&T's network could use, it's more network. Particularly in major cities (we're looking at you and your dastardly street parking situation, San Francisco), AT&T's 3G network is perpetually overwhelmed, oftentimes forcing users to switch to EDGE just to tweet about how awful the coverage is. Thankfully, the operator is making good on its earlier promise to roll out HSPA 7.2Mbps to select cities, with Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Miami now destined to get lit this year. Potentially more interesting, however, is the deployment of "additional backhaul capacity to cell sites," which will also support LTE when the time comes. All told, around 2,000 new cell sites should be added before the year's end, and at least a half dozen 7.2Mbps-capable smartphones should be in AT&T's portfolio by the same deadline. Feel free to express your joy in comments below -- that is, if you can get comments to load on your existing 3G connection.

O2 Germany boosts HSPA speeds to 7.2 Mbps

by Sean Cooper posted Jul 4th 2009 @ 5:40AM

Seems like only yesterday we were sitting about the campfire, chit chatting about the wonders of O2's EDGE update. Now, just a couple years later, the baby's all grown up, and rocking speeds in the 7.2 / 2.0 down and up range for some rather fortunate parts of Germany. Apparently all Huawei-based sites in the south and most other sites are technically able to offer the giddy up, though, there's a far stretch between being able and actually seeing this in the real world, right Rogers? Happy times Germany, no go forth and max your bandwidth caps!

AT&T revs up with 7.2Mbps HSPA tests in Chicago

by Sean Cooper posted Dec 18th 2008 @ 5:44PM

While we're still all dreaming of the joy that will be LTE, the Long Term part of Long Term Evolution is still weighing pretty heavily on us. AT&T's Mark Siegel went on record saying that AT&T is currently testing -- unlike Rogers completed rollout in Canada -- some 7.2 Mbps speeds in Chicago that may eventually speed up to 14.4 Mbps. Sadly, there's no mention if this is a closed-door affair, or if anybody in Chicagoland can get in on the fun, so do us a favor and holler if you're suddenly getting blazingly fast speeds where they were previously lacking. Here's hoping for a 7.2 rollout nationwide on the soonish side, huh AT&T?

Rogers toots its own horn and 7.2 Mbps network update

by Sean Cooper posted Dec 11th 2008 @ 6:15PM

Canada's Rogers Wireless made official today what some of us had already noticed: its coast-to-coast 3.5G HSPA network (read: 7.2Mbps of fast) lives. Of course, while we may never see "real world" speeds that even get close to this -- nor will the Europeans be particularly impressed -- we're sure Rogers is loving the fact that it's the first wireless network in North America that can brag about it at wireless operator conventions, or something. Rogers currently lists the HTC Touch Diamond, the LG Vu T915, the Novatel MC950D Rocket Stick, and the Novatel X950D Express card as 7.2 Mbps-ready. So start hitting Speedtest already, and let us know how the bits are flowing.

Rogers Wireless brings 7.2 Mbps HSPA trials to Canada

by Sean Cooper posted Oct 30th 2007 @ 12:32PM

Today is shaping up to be Rogers Wireless day in these parts, as the announcement of a 7.2 Mbps HSPA trial has fired up in Montreal and Brampton -- Brampton? We've seen 7.2 networks lighting up here and there and are pretty stoked to see this in this neck of the woods -- and certainly hope to see this catch on quickly. While no details are mentioned in the press materials -- like, can this be accessed by the public or is it closed -- we're gonna do some digging and -- if possible -- armed with a data card, some testing.

Samsung busts out 7.2Mbps SCH-W300

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 21st 2007 @ 5:49AM

Ooh, how do you like them apples, LG? Just days after word of its SH150 for Korea's 7.2Mbps HSDPA trials spread across the lands, Samsung fires this little gem in return. The so-called "UFO" (don't ask us) SCH-W300 features a 2 megapixel camera (plus the obligatory front-facing piece for video calls), QVGA display, Bluetooth, and microSD expansion in a 12.9mm thich shell -- not particularly impressive by 2007 standards, until you hear about that magical 7.2Mbps downstream radio packed somewhere in there. Look for it alongside its crosstown rival's SH150 for just a little more dinero, 600,000 won (about $632).

Option GlobeTrotter Express 7.2 gets FCC love

by Chris Ziegler posted Jan 26th 2007 @ 11:17AM

If AT&T plans to roll deep with 7.2Mbps HSDPA this year, we reckon they need some equipment on store shelves, so FCC approval of Option's GlobeTrotter Express 7.2 certainly bodes well. Besides tri-band UMTS / HSDPA and quadband GPRS / EDGE, the card features a nifty zero-CD installation feature that copies drivers directly from the card itself. No word on release -- or whether AT&T will even carry it, for that matter -- but we're guessing we can find a few MacBook Pro users out there who are about ready to raid the FCC's offices and swipe this thing today.