AT&T customers seeing sudden boost in EDGE speeds?
Shortly after beginning the shutdown process of AMPS and TDMA networks, and just hours before the launch the EDGE-capable iPhone, a number of users are reportedly seeing dramatic increases in EDGE throughput. After questioning whether the mobile was actually using WiFi, a New Yorker began to see if fellow AT&T customers across the nation were also noticing the substantial boost in speeds; sure enough, it looks like quite a few others are seeing speeds upwards of 200Kbps. Of course, the usual banter over the legitimacy of speed tests conducted on mobiles inevitably ensued, but we're leaving it up to you. So, dear readers, hop on AT&T's 2.5G highway and give it a go, but be sure to return and let us know whether the increases are for real.
[Thanks, Peter]
Update: We tried some speed tests on an EDGE handset ourselves, and though it's been a little inconsistent, we've been shocked to find a number of runs over 200kbps. True, these kinds of speeds are theoretically possible (actually, little known fact, the ITU technically defines EDGE as a 3G standard), but we'd never expect to see them in practice. Should make the iPhone's browsing experience a little more bearable if it holds up!
[Thanks, Peter]
Update: We tried some speed tests on an EDGE handset ourselves, and though it's been a little inconsistent, we've been shocked to find a number of runs over 200kbps. True, these kinds of speeds are theoretically possible (actually, little known fact, the ITU technically defines EDGE as a 3G standard), but we'd never expect to see them in practice. Should make the iPhone's browsing experience a little more bearable if it holds up!



















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
derek @ Jun 28th 2007 11:26PM
that's really interesting... could just be a spike, let's see if it lasts though...
dan @ Jun 28th 2007 11:30PM
I heard about this on Howard forums. I believe its true.
Brad @ Jun 29th 2007 5:03AM
I just got 884kbps on my Sprint connection, in Goleta, CA.
Seems a little slow today...
John Bartley @ Jun 29th 2007 4:53PM
Old news... I wrote about why, on 5 June:
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/tech-news/?p=565
John Bartley K7AAY @ Jun 29th 2007 5:20PM
Old news... I wrote about why this happened on 5 June:
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/tech-news/?p=565
David C Dunlap @ Jul 1st 2007 3:08AM
YOu guys seem to know wha tis happenting with this Edge system.. I had a Repeater for my ATT, runjning at 1900Khz pickin up the Edge signal. About 2 mo ago the repeater would not pick up Edge but reverted to the the other signal, but the phone would swithch to the weaker Edge. The repeter manufacturer suggested the ATT may have switched the EDGE to the 850MH to prep for iphone. My repeter is only 11900MH. ATT won't give me any info, you guys know if this is what they did??
Dave
mark adamcik @ Jun 28th 2007 11:33PM
Yes, I can watch slingplayer on my 8525 on Edge and was wondering why! lets hope is stays!
John Doe @ Jun 29th 2007 12:26AM
It won't. I'm going to be interested in seeing how well Crapular's network handles the load from the on slot of iPhones soon to hit its network. My guess is this "speed bump" is to counter the iPhone.
Mike Klein @ Jun 29th 2007 3:46AM
Let's also hope you don't get booted off of cingular for violation of your terms of service.
Cingulatt doesn't allow streaming of any kind on their network...unless it's their cnn/britneySpears/UsaToday kind of garbage and delivered from their WAP portal. They specifically disallow voip, sling, etc.
Sucks hard I know. What am I paying $45/mo for...pulling html only? Laptop tethering plan has same restrictions.
Cingular wants you to forget the fact you have a data plan and charge extra for services you should already have access to (gps location, videos, ...).
Sprint is ONLY carrier that doesn't have these restrictions...this is what JustinTV streams on...EV-DO and Sprint.
Seth @ Jun 29th 2007 10:39AM
8525? Are you sure you didnt have an HSPDA or wireless connection?
Mobilehavoc @ Jun 28th 2007 11:32PM
Make sure you read the entire thread, especially the part about how these tests are completely false. What AT&T probably did is add bandwidth from their proxy servers to the internet but in the end the EDGE speed is the same.
Geoffrey Sperl @ Jun 28th 2007 11:40PM
Ahhh... but what is true and what is perceived to be true can be two different things, and if the perception of the truth is prsent then most will think the perception itself is "true" (even though some of us understand differently).
LordFarkward @ Jun 29th 2007 12:05AM
ahh geoff, i see that you took the red pill
thanks to my blue pill, i'm still as awesome as i think i am
eas @ Jun 29th 2007 4:02PM
The removal of a major bottleneck would still seem to be a very good thing though, wouldn't it, especially if it leads to such a noticeable improvement?
Ryhan @ Jun 28th 2007 11:33PM
My cingular phone actually did speed up about two hours ago when I checked my email...but as of now it is going at the same old slow speed. (its 11:30 here)
For those who care, I'm in columbus, ohio (USA)...
Bjorn @ Jun 29th 2007 9:54AM
I don't care!
(I'm in Sweden, running 3G!)
Brad @ Jun 28th 2007 11:37PM
Yesterday and today I have noticed that when I manually send/receive on my Blackjack through POP outlook, it processes it in no more then 6 seconds. Normally it can take up to 30 seconds. I am in NYC where it is completely 3G.
Nick @ Jun 28th 2007 11:37PM
EDGE is still slow as hell on my Palm Treo 650. MySpace took over a minute to load, Engadget (the mobile version) took over 15 seconds, m.twitter.com took 18 seconds, and m.facebook.com took the shortest amount of time at 11 seconds. This is at full signal strength in Orlando, FL.
Tony @ Jun 29th 2007 12:23AM
Often MySpace takes over a minute to load on my 3Mbps connection. Heh.
Cal @ Jun 29th 2007 12:30AM
if you're using the built in browser on your treo 650, everything is slow as hell no matter what. I have one too.
Alex Padilla @ Jun 29th 2007 12:43AM
@ Nick
You happen to go to UCF?
Nick @ Jun 29th 2007 1:46AM
@Alex
Nope, but I have several friends that do.
Graham Gunst @ Jun 28th 2007 11:40PM
San Francisco is only registering 38kbit/sec on my treo 650... blah
Greg @ Jun 28th 2007 11:40PM
I just tested on my 2125 and came back with 239!
tommy @ Jun 28th 2007 11:42PM
I am getting 186-212 kbit/s on the speed test for my Treo 680 on att. I did notice that when using my phone as a bluetooth modem for my laptop, the performance was surprisingly faster than I expected. I guess this explains it. Not too shabby!
jeremy @ Jun 28th 2007 11:54PM
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f165/goulav/n75EDGE.jpg
Nokia N75 on EDGE network.
LA650 @ Jun 29th 2007 12:16AM
My Treo 650 registers in at 78 kbps in Los Angeles.
Horace @ Jun 28th 2007 11:54PM
Actually, I was surprised to see that I now have 3G access at home, where previously, it was only EDGE access.
aaron @ Jun 29th 2007 12:01AM
My Blackberry is running at 1485 kbit/sec currently in NYC
Constable Odo @ Jun 29th 2007 1:49AM
iPhone Halo.
Tim @ Jun 28th 2007 11:55PM
I'm in NYC here - my Cingular 8125 is surfing the web the fastest it ever has - seems like the web is actually usable on the phone for the first time ever...
JJP @ Jun 29th 2007 12:01AM
Tested 3 times and here are the numbers..
kbit/sec:
267
275
259
Nice upgrade!!
JJP @ Jun 29th 2007 12:04AM
Numbers from Orlando.
jaysins @ Jun 29th 2007 12:44AM
I've been getting those numbers for a few weeks on my N95 and I really don't see an increase on DL speeds for the Orlando area, at least where I am. However, latency definitely has gotten a boost. I'm inside my apartment by UCF and I for the first time ever got less than a 1 second for it.
It is sad that they have been feeding us poor EDGE speeds and finally got around to updating after so long. If my girlfriend and family weren't so hell bent on at&t I would opt for tmobile in a second. Consumer reports constantly have verizon 1st and tmobile 2nd for best networks with at&t usually last or close to it.
LiQuiD_FuSioN @ Jun 29th 2007 12:01AM
What was the speed before?
Jordan McFurber @ Jun 29th 2007 12:05AM
linking to the enemy? tisk tisk tisk
Brad Fisher @ Jun 29th 2007 12:03AM
My Blackjack is getting 204Kbps in Springfield, MO
JJP @ Jun 29th 2007 12:05AM
Speeds from Orlando.
oki @ Jun 29th 2007 12:13AM
the treo 650 users wont notice much difference, the 650's were always slower than the 680 on the speed of internet even though almost the equalvant hardware. seems the 680 might be taking advantage of the boost. which is great!
doyouflip @ Jun 29th 2007 12:12AM
I've seen the other blogs about how AT&T beefed up EDGE speeds, so let's cast doubt aside for a minute and assume this is a true, lasting upgrade.
Why the hell did it take a new entrant into the mobile arena to get a US network provider to give its customers exactly what they should have been giving them anyway at a plan price equal to or less than what they were previously charging?
Great for customers now. Pathetic for how they've been treating customers and for what it took to get them to budge.
From a technical perspective, it's pretty cool to think that they kept the battery efficiency of EDGE while finding a way to improve speeds. It's not 3G speeds, but it's not 3G battery drain either.
Karan @ Jun 29th 2007 5:50AM
Exactly - you see this change, and you think "Why, in retrospect, was it hampered so severely previously?" It's worth complaining about, especially if it forces others to behave themselves too.
Steve Max @ Jun 29th 2007 10:35AM
Actually, if you get over 200 kbps, it's defined as "3G speeds". The fastest Edge networks are indeed (barely) 3G, and it seems like AT&T has just joined that group of 3G Edges.
Jason @ Jun 29th 2007 10:55AM
Businesses need to have valid, monetary business reasons to add or improve a service. They're not in the philanthropy business. Such reasons include customers leaving because of poor quality, contractual agreement with a partner company (such as at&t agreeing to improve service upon iphone release), or preventing mass disappointment when expected usage rises.
If the numbers say that customers were satisfied, no amount of whining on blogs is going to make them put money into improving their service. Money talks.
Scott @ Jun 29th 2007 12:14AM
Can anyone post Detroit and Cleveland numbers, please?
charliex @ Jun 29th 2007 12:23AM
forced my Blackjack into EDGE data... 257 kbit/sec!
CharlieX @ Jun 29th 2007 12:26AM
oh, this is in Los Angeles....
2nd test: 176
3rd test: 179
carlo @ Jun 29th 2007 12:25AM
No change in Arizona.
mckoder @ Jun 29th 2007 12:25AM
What does this speed increase mean? How long does it take for a page like nytimes.com home take to load?
Also, anyone got Seattle speed?
Joe stalin @ Jun 29th 2007 9:54AM
NYtimes loads whenever Chairman Hillary says so.
Tim Stytle @ Jun 29th 2007 12:32AM
I feel left out tmobile is clocking in at 1