AT&T Will Be First in U.S. to Fully Deploy HSPA Technology in Its Wireless Network, Giving Customers Unsurpassed Speeds of up to 1.4 Mbps (Down), 800 Kbps (Up)
SAN ANTONIO, May 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — By the end of June, connecting to AT&T’s 3G mobile broadband service will be as speedy as logging onto the high speed Internet service that many consumers enjoy at home.
AT&T Inc. NYSE: T today announced that, in the next month, the company will deploy High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) technology in the six remaining markets across AT&T’s entire 3G (third-generation) wireless broadband network. When done, AT&T will have completed its deployment of HSUPA technology, which complements existing HSDPA technology (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), making AT&T the only U.S. carrier to have fully deployed HSPA technology in its 3G network.
Today the superfast AT&T 3G network is available in more than 275 markets. By year-end, the AT&T 3G network will be available in nearly 350 markets.
With the new addition of HSUPA technology, AT&T 3G users can enjoy uplink speeds between 500 and 800 Kbps. The technology is available in all but the few remaining AT&T 3G markets and will be included in all future deployments. The new upload speeds complement AT&T’s 3G download capabilities, which currently offer up to 1.4 Mbps across all markets for customers who have capable devices, such as AT&T’s LaptopConnect wireless modems.
“The ability to quickly upload large files from a laptop is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity,” said Kris Rinne, senior vice president of Architecture and Planning for AT&T’s wireless operations. “By fully deploying HSUPA across our 3G footprint, we not only meet the current needs of our customers but also lay the path for our continued evolution to even faster wireless broadband capabilities.”
Between 2005 and 2008, AT&T will have invested more than $20 billion in network improvements and upgrades — an average of $5 billion a year. AT&T recently turned down its older TDMA network, and that will allow the company to reuse valuable 850 MHz spectrum to expand and enhance 3G markets.
The company’s HSPA network is the best-positioned among American carriers to grow in line with customer demand, evolving to HSPA+ and providing next-generation speeds without costly investments. AT&T plans to adopt LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology to reach even higher speeds in the long term.
AT&T has the largest digital voice and data network in the U.S. In addition, only AT&T can offer 3G roaming in 60 countries, including Japan and South Korea, and voice calling in more than 200 countries.
Equally as important as the network is the device through which a customer experiences it. AT&T’s handset portfolio in company-owned stores is more than 75 percent 3G-capable — and will be even more enticing with the addition of more 3G-enabled smartphones in the summer and fall of 2008. Additionally, AT&T also has the most compelling set of 3G services, such as AT&T Video Share(SM), which allows users to share live video over wireless phones while on a voice call.
This entry was posted on Thursday, May 22nd, 2008 at 11:27 am and is filed under Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
T-Mobile and I have a love affair but good for AT&T subscribers. Maybe they can watch the videos on TMA from their phone b/c i sure as hell cant…lol
Sprint stay jerkin em. Traveling to Toronto… I think I spent a cool 1500 on that phone in just 3 months. A mess.
This is dope though. Me having a handheld phone that is as fast a a home PC is dangerous being the geek that I am. Good post. My only question is, will these phones have the memory and add-on capability necessary for the speed of the connection to even be beneficial?? I can just see my phone freezing on day 2.
Also its about time the US got live video calling… they’ve had it in the UK for like 4 years already.
Im eager to see what improvements the new iphone is gonna have.. im a texter and the iphone is not really texter friendly… Im with tmo but im not completely happy with them.. i’ll have to see what at&t is looking like after these network improvements.
@THH - Video phoning may not be the best thing for some though.. I can see me now.
“Where are you?”
“Im on the freeway”
“Then why do I see the microwave behind you”
lol.. oopsie!
T-Mobile really needs to step their phone game up, I really want one!
sorry justruth…………AT&T has like an exclusive iPhone contract for like 3-5 yrs or something like that. and will probably negotiate fiercely to keep it that way. gotta switch to AT&T to get one:(
I thought the iPhone could be unlocked to work with whatever.
Me personally, like Bean, I’m a texter, AIMer, Emailer…. Im not doing that on a sensitive touch screen. Thats why I cant get a iPhone. I cant give up my kick to text on that.
LMFAO!!!! Bean… you be lying. hahahahaha!!! I want video conferencing… what if its like a NexTel chirp (which it’s not b/c Ive seen the phones (UK) that conference… they record too…dope). That be ill… call you man like HELLO! WHERE YOUUUUU AT??
Im late for everything.. its genetics i cant help it.. & you know you tell people your on your way when your actually just getting dressed!!
Video conferencing sounds like the business though.. we needed that was back in the acronym days with all the 3waying we did.
But image all the pseudo-detective girlfriends looking all in the bckground when they phone their dude.. && the detective girlfriend’s friend … no need for camera phones jus straight call and let homie peep the background! lol Not to mention back when ppl would 3way you with someone else on the phone and try to get you to talk about em or something.. NOT going down with the video conferencing..
imagine* (xcuze the typos im not supposed to be on here at work LOL)
Moreover..
I just remember that Verison, was in talks of opening up its network (unlocking it) so that consumers could use the phones that they already have with the verison network… that was a while ago though and I havent heard anything since..
Also Tmo is supposed to be sending out OTA’s for video capability. I dunno if its gonna enable video play for the net or actually allow us to record vids (supposedly newer sidekicks & other smart phones are already harware ready)
I don’t think the networks will adequately support teh video conferencing for some reason. I mean the phones that can do it have been in the UK for years… therefore it has to be our networks. Yes… I remember the 3-ways. LOL. but with the networks here… can u imagine being on a video call and then losing the vision? Or it being delayed? UGHHH THE WORST.
Cell phone companies are losing money on talk time. Hence all of them going with unlimited plans. They need to unlock phones and try to bring back the profit of voice calls being that today… people are so into email and texting. Maybe that will increase the competition for the best service and packages… versus phone design.
True, the fckn visuals would freeze!
& im with u 100% on that last part.