AT&T announces 7.2Mbps HSPA rollout plans

We knew AT&T had an HSPA upgrade in the works, and now the company has announced its plans, with initial rollout beginning later this year and reaching completion in 2011. That will overlap only slightly with LTE, which AT&T plans to put into trials in 2010 and start melting our faces in 2011. The HSPA upgrade takes the network from 3.6Mbps to 7.2Mbps in theoretical speed, and AT&T also plans to nearly double the amount of wireless spectrum it dedicates to 3G in metropolitan areas -- which should come as a relief to city dwellers who haven't managed more than a couple minutes of sustained conversation since mid-2008. To support the increased bandwidth of HSPA, AT&T also plans on adding thousands of new cell site backhaul connections, while also rolling out 3G service to 20 new metro areas and deploying 2,100 new cell sites in total. HSPA-sporting mobile data cards and smartphones will be available "later this year."

[joey @ May 27th 2009 10:59AM]

Not bad... over a year later than Rogers doing this in Canada

[Henrik @ May 27th 2009 12:41PM]

Over nearly two years after 3 did it in Denmark

[Patriks7 @ May 27th 2009 3:28PM]

I really don't see the breaking news here. Welcome to the 21st century, US and A. You can finally be a step closer to Europe and Asia.

[DR House @ May 27th 2009 10:59AM]

There current 3.6 network hardly reach the 1mb.... will have to wait and see how this works

[zephxiii @ May 27th 2009 12:02PM]

You do realize that completely depends on what site you are connected to....among thousands..

[Joseph @ May 27th 2009 11:59AM]

Radial Blur ≠ Speed
Motion Blur or Wind = Speed

[zephxiii @ May 27th 2009 12:25PM]

The key thing here is increasing backhaul to the sites, that will help EVERYONE (that has 3g device) no matter if their device is 7.2 capable or not.

[ash @ May 27th 2009 12:54PM]

@Joseph

I know, right? I thought the article was going to about AT&T causing mass confusion based on the picture.

[rock99rock @ May 27th 2009 1:08PM]

zephxiii could not have put this any better. This is merely a software update to the existing infrastructure implemented during the EDGE --> 3G hardware overhaul. Until the backbone is expanded, this is fluff.

[farkfuel13 @ May 27th 2009 1:19PM]

@Rock99

Did you read the article or what zephxiii wrote? This is a software and infrastructure upgrade, so this will help everyone.

[rock99rock @ May 27th 2009 2:00PM]

@farkfuel13:

D'oh!

""D'oh!" is a catch phrase used by the fictional character Homer Simpson, from the long-running animated sitcom The Simpsons (1989–present). Originally written in a script as an "annoyed grunt", Dan Castellaneta rendered it as a drawn out "d'ooooooh". This was inspired by a minced oath used by Jimmy Finlayson in several Laurel and Hardy films. Matt Groening felt that it would better suit the timing of animation if it were spoken faster, so Castellaneta then shortened it to a quickly uttered "D'oh!"

Homer's ubiquitous catch phrase was famously added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2001, without the apostrophe. The spoken word "D'oh" is a trademark of 20th Century Fox. It is typically used when Homer injures himself,

[BOLD-DOH\]realizes that he has done something stupid, (

[rock99rock @ May 27th 2009 2:02PM]

(Applies to rock99rock)[ENDBOLD-DOH\]

or when something bad has happened or is about to happen to him."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%27oh!

[loosely_coupled @ May 27th 2009 3:54PM]

I know, right? it looks like the AT&T logo is oscillating at 500hz...

[statucfish @ May 27th 2009 11:00AM]

Just as a heads-up. The iPhone of course is already HSPA+ ready as seen in other countries.

[Jacob @ May 27th 2009 11:15AM]

source?

[brotato @ May 27th 2009 11:31AM]

I'm pretty sure it doesnt

[b @ May 27th 2009 11:33AM]

the current iPhone 3G doesn't support speed upto 7.2MBps, only upto 3.6MBps in the latest iteration. but it's almost certain that the upcoming new model will support 7.2MBps

souce:
http://www.gearlog.com/2008/07/apples_joswiak_iphone_3g_runs.php

[Phoenix @ May 27th 2009 11:53AM]

and my (older) Kaiser has 7.2Mbps and it works flawlessly...

[ShirkPower @ May 27th 2009 7:31PM]

Phoenix

Yup.. cuz we asked..

[Iceman @ May 27th 2009 11:00AM]

That photo kinda gives me nausea.

[Michgar @ May 27th 2009 11:03AM]

Praise Allah. The 3G connection in Chicago are so pathetic that I run exclusively on edge these days. They say you have full bars, but try and make a call within a mile of Wrigley field and your Iphone will tell you otherwise.

[crawdad689 @ May 27th 2009 11:22AM]

AMEN. Same exact same ish in NYC.

Nothing more frusterating than seeing all 5 bars, and the "3G" logo next to it.... and then not being able to friggen Google something.

I talk to my friends in smaller cities like Albany, and they say their 3G is flawless. It's definitely a congestion/bandwidth issue, and not an issue with simply not having cell phone towers close enough. Meanwhile I'll just keep paying $100/month, hoping they make it better....

[molen22 @ May 27th 2009 11:33AM]

Well you could be living anywhere in Virginia and get no 3G at all. Glad I'm paying an extra 20 bucks a month for an iPhone "3G" plan.

[cocoviper @ May 27th 2009 11:42AM]

The 7.2 upgrade isn't going to fix the capacity issues you guys are describing. The limiting factor there is spectrum availability and backhaul from the tower.

Independent of 3.6/7.2, the article did say they were going to devote more spectrum to 3G so that should start to address the problem but only if we assume the number of devices is standing still. Since we all know Att's going to continue to add smartphones and that most of them will likely be smartphones I think the best you can probably hope for is things to stay neutral (not worse, not better).

[Joseph @ May 27th 2009 12:05PM]

cocoviper - theoretically people could be online 1/2 as long. so, it could.

[cocoviper @ May 27th 2009 12:55PM]

@Joseph

Nope- active devices take up capacity (spectrum and carrier channels) even when they aren't downloading or uploading. It's the number of active devices/cell and channel that causes capacity issues- not available bandwidth.

[sotec_productions @ May 27th 2009 1:19PM]

No, it's really just the iPhone. Everywhere that AT&T has 3G coverage, I get 3G coverage with my Blackjack2.

Get a decent phone so that you can actually use the service you (and I ) have been hacking off limbs to pay for.

[telesteve @ May 29th 2009 5:24PM]

AT&T has admitted to having capacity issues in the Wrigleyville/Lakeview neighborhoods of Chicago. Though they blame the problem on the Cubs game, but neighbors outside the game and blocks away aren't buying the claim. Now AT&T says they are bringing in portable towers. AT&T also claims being such a popular carrier they can't keep up with all the customers using phones in the area. Well then, shouldn't AT&T stop taking new customers until they have the capacity issue solved?

Read the story on MyFoxChicago.com.
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/att_add_tower_cubs_home_games

[Michgar @ May 29th 2009 5:27PM]

@telesteve

I live a mile from Wrigley in Lakeview, and I've had problems even when Wrigley is vacant. I often can't get a call through when my 3G is on, but edge seems to work decently well. Conclusion: I'm sure the large amount of Cubs fans at Cubs games wear down on the network, but there are severe problems regardless of that.

[Richard @ May 27th 2009 11:03AM]

Maybe I'll finally get a signal at home now. I had been looking forward to the Microcell but it seems like it fell off the face of the earth.

I hate at&t.

[b @ May 27th 2009 11:36AM]

unfortunately the answer is going to be no...

the reason is that hsdpa, hsdpa+ are all just software upgrade. but because of its cost mobile networks tend to do it gradually than shelling out billions in one quarter and corrupt their balance sheet.

[munir @ May 27th 2009 11:43AM]

you and i shouldnt have to wait TOO much longer

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/08/atandt-3g-microcell-trials-starting-this-week-retail-in-june-or-l/

@b
true, but with the additional cell sites, there's a chance the dead zone he lives in could get patched.

[leviathan3k @ May 27th 2009 11:07AM]

..and yet, we will still have a 5 GB data transfer limit.

[DR House @ May 27th 2009 11:19AM]

And for the same high price of 60$

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_fixing

[hexydes @ May 27th 2009 1:01PM]

Seriously. Call me when this is truly unlimited data, and I can get it for $30 a month. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to pay $140 + taxes per month for wireless service, especially when it is unnecessarily crippled.

[Suijin @ May 27th 2009 1:45PM]

So at 7.2 Mbps you could max out your 5 GB limit in about 1.5 hours for the month, nice! (the speed is nice, the limit is obviously crap)

[iNEEDaniPhone @ May 27th 2009 4:47PM]

I can't WAIT for the new iPhone, I am still using an online version like http://interactiveiphone.com because I drowned my real one and they want $200 to replace it but hopefully this means that the new iPhone will be out soon so I can just upgrade and get a new one.

[AndrewNoNumbers @ May 27th 2009 11:11AM]

..and the AT&T breaking news extravaganza continues!

[Larry Bloom @ May 27th 2009 11:14AM]

That logo is freaky

[iGO @ May 27th 2009 11:14AM]

I LOVE AT&T !!!

Everything just works!!

Here in Central Jersey and as far north as Scranton, PA/NYC latitude down to Cape May. 5 stiff bars and super fast all the time.

So this is excellent news to me.
Can't wait to get the New iPhone, too.

[maximus @ May 27th 2009 11:28AM]

Is this sarcasm or schadenfreude?

[bdav @ May 27th 2009 11:15AM]

Is this the same as HSDPA? If not, could they not have given it a completely different name? This is the kind of thing that confuses the s*t out of everyday consumers. (all assuming it is a idfferent standard)

[jdechko @ May 27th 2009 12:18PM]

HSDPA - High-Speed Downlink Packet Access
HSUPA - High-Speed Uplink Packet Access
HSPA - High-Speed Packet Access (Uplink and Downlink)

HSDPA and HSUPA are all part of the HSPA family

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Speed_Packet_Access

[bdav @ May 27th 2009 12:37PM]

Thanks - Makes sense!

[Jacob @ May 27th 2009 11:15AM]

AHHH!! IT'S TOO FAST!!! I'M DIZZY!!

[anexanhume @ May 27th 2009 11:16AM]

Who is going to pay for the keyboard I just chunked on?!

[D Tas @ May 27th 2009 11:18AM]

Whatever AT&T.. You talk the talk, but don't walk the walk.
It's like being hit by your spouse and being one foot out the door, and them saying "No no, I swear I'll be better next time!!"

[sweetdaddynyc @ May 27th 2009 11:18AM]

Yeah now if AT&T can figure out how to stop dropping my 3G calls it may actually warrant being a subscriber. EFF u att

[newendyke @ May 27th 2009 11:18AM]

Does this mean that they'll allow Slingplayer to work over 3g? Probably not.

[JPVann @ May 27th 2009 11:52AM]

It works now on a jailbroken phone just fine. 5 Minutes and more tools, utilities and programs than you could ever want, all syncing just fine with iTunes. Slingplayer is great on my iPhone 3G.