T-Mobile 7.2Mbps HSPA rolling out now?
By Ross Miller 
posted Nov 4th 2009 11:27PM
posted Nov 4th 2009 11:27PM
Reports are coming in, by and large it seems via Android and Me, that T-Mobile's begun its rollout of its 7.2Mbps HSPA network for some extra speedy mobile browsing. We've done some testing in the listed cities, notably Chicago and New York, but so far are coming up with the usual, mundane speeds. It'd certainly make up for yesterday's snafu (almost), but at this point we're classifying as unconfirmed. Anyone else having better luck?
sorry for the newbness, would this mean faster speeds on the g1? or is this some other kind of network
It's the same network, but you need the hardware to support it, and I do believe the G1 does 7.2.
i just did it (went to mobile speed test.com) my results were 1066.667kbps are those 7.2mb speeds?
ok sorry for the double post but i just tether my g1 to my computer and i think the rumors are true!!!!
my download speed is 4mb/s
my upload is 1mb/s
1066.667kbps=1.06mb
So no, 1mb=!7.2mb
Those would be HSDPA 1.8 speeds
Yeah, sounds iffy.
it means your 1yr old g1 just got a whole lot faster than that other phone.
tmobile g1 rooted cm4.231
chicago, il
I tested my download speed at www.testmy.net. I got 4835 Kbps or 590 kB/s (I tested with a 6152 kB file). If you don't believe me you can go to testmy.net and validate the score. http://testmy.net/stats/id-EDF08GBAI !
This email was sent to you by your friend me, from a web based form on testmy.net. Go to testmy.net and see if your download speed can come close to 4835 Kbps. Hey, you may even be faster than me... then it will be your turn to brag ;)
my speed is 1159.42 kbps. on the speed link given it shows in between fast 3G and basic DSL
@kcin Now I have your phone number. Thanks for that link.
What bands is T-Mobile's HSPA running on? Is the Nokia 5800 XM compatible? Here are the band specs for that phone:
HSDPA 900 / 2100
HSDPA 850 / 1900 - American version
Thanks.
Just did it on the mobilespeedtest.com:
2963kbps
Los Angeles Area. If the upgrade was the cause of the tmo outage, I say can they up it more higher please!
well i guess at&t will have to change their slogan......the nations 2nd fastest 3G network
or maybe they can just sell the slogan to t-mobile.
oh and i must say, If project black turns out to be true, that + HSPA = Bitchin'
Well technically it's still legal for them to continue running the same commercial if it was true when they made it, even if it isn't true anymore. So as long as they don't come out with any new commercials, they don't really have to. Besides, I'm not sure how they decide who's the fastest. If you count it as the maximum speed in the spot with the best reception, then any of them could just make one tower with really fast speeds and claim they have the fastest. They should count speed times the area of coverage, because that's what really matters.
LOL!
theres a map for that!
Did I just go back in time?! I believed 3G networks were already capable of 7.2Mbps and that I was already using it?
Or Americans only just got this 'speed boost'?
Fail!
its a sad day wen tmobile beats att to the punch...
at&t is too busy fighting with verizon to upgrade their 3G to 7.2, you cant expect them to multitask.
@Manny
AT&T is quite like the fruit phone they carry. They can only handle one task at a time.
Yeah, AT&T can only run one app at a time :)
You beat me to the punch by mere seconds.
Manny's joke was funny before the two above thought they figured out a pun that no one else will
@JT
I was making a true-life comparison involving the carrier and the equipment they peddle. You must be a blast at your friends’ parties.
This would certainly be cool :)
Of course I live in a rural town in Minnesota so EDGE is all I get haha. But I'll celebrate for the people who can take advantage of it!
haha nice, i got 4301 Kbps. I now forgive t-mobile for that "snafu" from yesterday!
Now yesterday's snafu might make sense! perhaps it happened because of the rollout?
yea obviously someone flipped a switch, probably the wrong switch yesterday but now they got it right. :]
T-Mobile is definitely doing it for the lulz
If you're not seeing anything faster in one of the reported areas reboot your phone then try again and it should work
i gettin 4000KBPS in da house and i didnt get any downtime yesterday.
WOW! 4000Kbps is what Sprint Wimax users are getting on average. What's the point of 4G wimax when 3.5G can get you the same speeds for less money.
Uhh, 4G can theoretically scale to 170Mbps. 3G tops out at around 42Mbps. And even though we'll never hit those theoretical speeds, typical 4G speeds may be around 10-12Mbps per device, which should be plenty fast for 99% of people (though I am doubting they'll have the bandwidth in their backhaul for constant download speeds like that, burst transfers like loading a webpage should be snappy).
@ dagamer43
of course 4G has much higher theoretical speeds, but at the present time Sprints wimax average speeds are around 4-6Mbps and there's no wimax phone to use it on.
@Manny
Because Sprint uses EV-DO for their 3G network instead of HSPA like AT&T and T-Mobile. Right now, Sprint and Verizon are on EV-DO Revision A. I believe a revision B was developed, but by that time, WiMAX was well known and LTE was known to be coming soon.
So Sprint went with WiMAX instead seeing as it would be more future proof by being able to upgrade up to 4G speeds. Verizon has started building their LTE network now and should start to come out in a few cities in the next year or 2. Sprint has rolled out WiMAX in like 10+ cities I believe. And AT&T is having enough trouble building their 3G network to worry about 3.5G or 4G.
Also, Sprint and Verizon have been fully 3G for way longer than AT&T and T-Mobile, so I'd imagine their itching to move on to the next best thing already.
I don't know if I would go as far as to say sprint and verizon have been full 3g, EVDO can't even handle voice and data at the same time. Although I do love my Sprint service everything plans are the way to go.
@Manny
Actually 4-6Mbps is guaranteed not just the average. That and the 3G network that is 25x the size of Tmobile's...
Did you remember to turn wifi off before you ran that test in your house?
MN 3G running the 3 meg mobile speed test pulling in 1700-2847 kbps...
Nice going TMO. Up the speeds for some, but you still can't finish rolling out anything but edge for 3/4 of the country
I agree. I'm on AT&T now and I wish I could go back to T-Mobile, but without 3G in my area I won't even consider it.
Definately seeing Faster speeds in Michigan! This is Exciting definitely would explain yesterday. - D
Nice speeds, though WiMAX is better.
Wonder who'll get to my hometown first...Clear 4G or T-Mobile 7.2 HSPA. Clear would be the winner there on speed but if T-Mobile gets there first...
Wimax is only available on laptop connect cards, so it wouldn't be much use unless that is what you plan on using it for. I rather have 7.2 which we can take full advantage of right now with the current phones.
I believe I read that Sprint is intending to introduce Wimax phones next year.
I'm curious to see what kind of battery life a WiMAX phone would get.
If next year, WiMAX successor to the Pre? Fingers crossed!
Hey my iPhone supports more than 1mbit I am getting right now. I don't need 7.2 at least give me the 3mbit my iPhone 3G can support CMON
Aw come ON.. First I want to move from my iPhone 3G to the Droid on Verizon... Now this? Well, I guess I can just move my iPhone to T-Mo and save a few hundred bucks.
All in all its nice to see stuff like this because *hopefully* it should cause everyone to step up their game.
You do realize that an unlocked iphone on Tmobiles network does not have the ability to use 3G so you would be losing speed.
@deinfinityx Really? Can you provide a URL to prove this? I'd like to read it.
xtole, I don't have a link for you... it's just one of those common knowledge (in the tech world) things. T-Mobile's 3G operates on 1700 MHz. That's a band that no other GSM operator uses for 3G, so most GSM phones, including the iPhone, don't operate at 1700 MHz. Currently, only phones designed for T-Mobile 3G will work.
I just got 6926 Kbps in Provo, UT (Salt Lake City area)
http://www.mobilespeedtest.com/results/021809tmobile6926.jpg
Kicking the shit out of my Comcast connection in Salt lake. I hate you...
@xiyl, I'm giving you a +1 for saying shit to someone from Provo, haha
Kind of confirmed for Baltimore... using mobilespeedtest.com I get great results: 4000-5000 kbps, one test even ran 6972. If I use the Xtreme labs speedtest app however I top out at around 500 kbps... no clue why. When I ran the tests over my wifi I got correct results for both the app and the browser test.
I got 6956Kbps in the Metro DC area. Thanks T-Mob!
How do you measure speeds on your phone?
I'm in Brooklyn and I just got 8889kbps on my MyTouch. Niiiiiiice.
thats impossible, the phone modem has a max speed of 7.2
Just saying what I'm seeing.
http://img687.yfrog.com/i/5ptl.jpg/
http://www.mobilespeedtest.com][IMG]http://www.mobilespeedtest.com/results/021809tmobile5000.jpg[/img][/URL]
thats in orlando, fl
Weak sauce!
lol never mind it said 5000 kbps in orlando
Holy shit!
4633.205Kbps
3MB file
Mytouch
NYC area
THANKS TMOBILE!!!
it would be nice if they had 3G coverage at the lower speed in every area first, before they upgrade a few cities to 7.2M. in my part of CA, we only get EDGE.
I totally see your point from a "what's fair" viewpoint... I'm guessing that population density makes it more profitable and worthwhile for T-Mo to roll out these 7.2mpbs capabilities in larger metros before worrying about whether or not areas of low population density have proper 3G. I get it... makes sense. Of course, I also live in New York City... so, I guess one would expect me to say that.
fully confirmed on my G1 in Chicago, 6977kbps, and no outage yesterday. T-Mobile isn't the flashiest or standout in 1 category, but across the board the have to be considered the best carrier in america, and definately the best in europe. they sure do clean up well, and fast might I add!
Hahaha whoa! Let's not go crazy here.
I wouldn't say they're the best carrier in America. Especially considering 80% of their coverage is still EDGE, the whole outage thing, then the whole Danger/Sidekick fiasco. Loooong way to go.
wow. hah, so let's hear who still wants to complain about a little outage last night. I'm actually upset that I didn't have one now!
I'm getting 400-700-ish kbps in Gainesville, but then again we just got 3g here last month.
I miss Orlando.
T-Mobile in Orlando is pretty crappy. My friend has a G1 and couldn't get 3G east of 417... sadly that's where I live and work (near the UCF area), so I can't justify switching. I don't know if the recent upgrades help any, but the general consensus is that best provider in Orlando is Verizon.
Unfortunately, I'm stuck on AT&T, which isn't very great down here either.
My are = no tmobile service because they dont cover 850mhz areas FAIL
*sigh*
I am employed by AT&T Mobility and absolutely love my job. I read Engadget on a daily basis and believe that the vast majority of the anti-AT&T garbage that is spewed around here is unwarranted.
With that said, every day the future of this company seems to get more grim. I absolutely love my company issued iPhone but the fact that I have to leave 3G turned off while I'm at work so that I don't get constant 'call failed' errors while I'm showing the device to a potential iPhone buyer is a bit ridiculous. Sometimes I wonder where exactly all the cash we make from features, accessories, and the general phone plans actually go too. 81.6 Million wireless customers should bring in way more then enough cash to stay a head of the game, at least ahead of competitors like T-Mobile.
I also don't understand how AT&T does so horrible in ratings as far as customer satisfaction goes compared to companies like t-mobile. Sometimes while I'm out and about I'll run into competitor stores and the service is just horrible, in my opinion, compared to what we offer at mine. It sometimes takes their employees 20+ minutes to even ask if I need assistance and when they do ask they aren't very knowledgeable about the things I'm interested in, such as my coverage area at my actual home. I can't speak for the vast majority of the AT&T store's nationwide as I haven't been in more then half a dozen or so but I know with out a doubt that mine out preforms these competitors in customer service. As far as our phone service ( 1-800-help numbers ) go, that's a completely different story however.
Honestly before I started working with AT&T I knew very little about phones. I worked in the IT industry but only dealt directly with computers and owned some cheap Altell phone. I loved Altell's service but once i was forced to deal with Verizon there really was no comparison between AT&T and the other companies as far as customer service goes.
Now that I've had my mini rant about this issue with T-Mobile, honestly I couldn't care less if the connection speed is 50Mbps as long as I get service where I need it. My current speed on AT&T is plenty fast enough, as long as it works.
So you complain about people ripping on AT&T, then you continue to confirm EVERYTHING that everyone bitches about AT&T.
Damn... I live in San Diego and did the 2mb test and I got 7619 kbps. Sadly that's more than 3 times faster than doing it with my computer! Haha. Way to go T-Mobile!!
holy crap
my my touch is on fire, waist down.
literally the faster speed is producing much more heat
Wow. I'm getting around 4000 with the 3mb test and I am just out side of the 3g reach. in souderton PA.
I believe this is not 7.2 mb. Why? See my blog post here http://bit.ly/4tm8Ao for details, but the gist is it looks like they turned on Compression. Using several test sites I still get 500-750kb/sec on 3g. However on some, I get 4-5mbit on 3g. The crazy is that on EDGE I was getting 2mbit on mobilespeedtest.com! And browsing does seem faster. But EDGE - that cannot be 7.2mbit rollout. What it CAN be is that compression has been enabled or increased at the server level. Speed tests that use highly compressible data will show the highest theoretical speeds, whereas tests which use compressed data will show the real speed. Thus, browsing will be snappier, but actual audio/video streaming and VOIP wouldn't benefit.
my speed was 7018 kbps
WOW!
Sigh, I wish Verizon and Sprint would roll out their LTE/WiMax networks faster. EV-DO Rev A is like dial-up compared to HSPA.
It's not enough to roll out a 4G network; there has to be handsets to take advantage of it, and there currently are NONE.
I'm pretty sure that site is broken. I just tried the 3mb test on EDGE and got 5530 Kbps, which clearly isn't right.
I just hit 33000Kbps.
Deff broken :(
dslreports is showing 1600Kbps
some how i doubt the speed test's accuracy. it says im getting 3791kbps on my g1 with edge service, seriously???
only the iphone 3gs fast processor will eb able to utilize this super fast connection thats what droid doesnt, all android phone are toooo slowww
I don't even want to point out that the processor in the droid is exactly the same one that is in the Apple phone, and that you are an "i"diot.
@deinfinityx
Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the iPhone 3gs use a cpu clocked at 600 mhz while the Droid high end is around 530 ( or 550 ) ? Sure it may be a trivial difference but you shouldn't be a douche, especially when you are wrong.
You are right, but is there really any reason to bring the iphone into a topic that deals with Tmobile, NO. 50mhz is not that big of a difference and i just wanted to call a troll and "i"diot.
to be fair to kakashi6992, the droid has its processor clocked to 550mhz compared to the iphone 3GS 600mhz. however, the droid won't ever have any faster 3G than what Verizon has now because EVDO rev.a is the highest they are going, not because the processor is slower.
http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/11/03/motorola-droid-review/
http://gizmodo.com/5293388/iphone-3gs-review
I read his post as his point being that T-Mobile doesn't have anything currently that can actually utilize this technology. He pointed out that only the iPhone, with its faster processor, would be able to use it.
His statement, as incorrect as it may be, is a very viable concern.
But its still incorrect, the processor has absolutely nothing to do with 3G speeds, its all about the radio chip, and even the G1 can handle the 7.2mbps and it has a 528mhz Arm 11 clocked down to 350ish. And when Tmo rolls out its 21mbps 3G the G1 should still be able to access it. So his argument has absolutely no point and is only to troll.
Shows you just how illiterate I am when it comes to how cell phones actually work. Can you possibly link me an article on phone radio's, and maybe a website that shows the differences between some of the popular phones out there?
2319 kbps in Bothell WA. north of Seattle
6250kbps with 2MB in Houston, TX!!
810 kbps in downtown Seattle. Make sure you're doing a test that's >= 1MB otherwise it's completely worthless.
Again, would like to point out the results I am seeing (and others) are consistent with COMPRESSION having been enabled, not a full 7.2 upgrade. Compression would only affect some speed tests and not others since it depends on the type of test data being transmitted.
Wouldn't all that mattered be whether or not people are finding faster browsing speeds though regardless of how?
Sharon no because not all data is compressible.
Phone: G1, Steel browser
Local: Baltimore County, MD
Speed: 2mb file = 4301.075Kbps with 1.881 latency
@ mobilespeedtest.com
Speed: 4mb file =3784 Kbps
@ performance.toast.net
Speed: 3mb file 2755Kbps
@testmy.net (although, readings from this site are handled wierd, my results vary)
Lastly, nytimes.com took 31 secs to load completely
~800kbps in the East Village, no hspa reception only regular 3g. I'll try uptown where there is hspa.