7.2Mbps on AT&T's 3G network is like driving a Ferrari with someone yanking your parking brake every 90 seconds.
Until I can consistently stream a simple radio app on my iPhone 3GS during a leisurely 15-minute walk from the World Trade Center PATH Station down to Water Street, Seth the Blogger Guy can suck it, and suck it hard. #usbconnectlightning
Meh, T-Mobile's network is already moving to an impressive 21Mbps, Verizon is launching it's 4G network in 20-30 major markets next year, and Sprint already has 4G in several cities and expanding every month.
Considering that nobody gets even close to the 7.2Mbps limit on 3G, and even 3G isn't "fully" rolled-out for any carrier, it makes little sense to try to expand an entirely new infrastructure for higher theoretical speeds that will require new phones to use more power and adhere to new standards. I think T-Mo has the right idea here, and it'll give them an edge (no pun intended) on providing high speeds to a bigger market. T-Mo has already expanded 3G a lot in my area; I now have a solid 25 mile radius 3G connection at around 600k to 1Mbps, which for now is more than adequate for streaming video, music, or broadcasting video with Qik.
Eh, it's not a bad idea. And if the tech world has taught us anything it's that three years behind is roughly where you wanna be for cheap powerful hardware. T-Mo hunkers down for a bit, squeezes some actually pretty impressive speeds out of their current network, while the big dogs pour money into new networks, driving the cost of those networks down and dealing with all the hiccups in the tech along the way.
Meanwhile, T-Mo's current 3G customers enjoy some hefty speed boosts without buying any new hardware. Customers enjoy the new power, while T-Mo enjoys the good press. Because surely, uninformed customers will be wondering why they have to buy whole new phones for super-fast speeds, while their buddy with the myTouch keeps getting better speeds on the same phone.
I mean, there's about a hundred ways to spin this, and there's trade-offs sure, but this could actually be a really good move for T-Mobile. Provided they don't neglect all plans for a 4G network eventually.
@OCEntertainment: but in 4 years, when everyone has a new 4G phone T-Mobile subscribers will be saying "Why is my phone so much slower than my buddy who has ATT, Verizon, etc."
@lladnar: Maybe. As the chart (which admittedly, came from a different article: [gizmodo.com]) shows, there's a difference between theoretical and actual. Maybe they'll be pushing over 20Mbps, maybe not. Will the phones processors' themselves catch up to the speed of the network they're on? Again, 4G is not the be-all end-all on bandwidth and speed capabilities. Getting the most for their money, I still say, is a good move for T-Mo.
21Mbps seems like a lot for a phone. hopefully Comcast will die in favor of wireless data solutions, but unless you're downloading huge amounts of data(on your phone?) can you really tell the difference between 21Mbps and 7.2 by just browsing?
@JosephRaymond: That's a good point. And honestly, a bunch of mobile apps are developed specifically for low-bandwidth solutions. Not to mention that you're still limited by how much data your phone can process (500Kbps is faster on a lappy than it is on a phone).
That being said, if their bandwidth were that fat, it'd still open up opportunities. Maybe tethering would become a more acceptable option? Also, it might give way to more realistic mobile video options. I mean, yeah, I have a YouTube app on my G1....but do I really wanna wait forever to watch a video on it? No. Maybe if it was quicker, though.
And I definitely couldn't agree more about Comcast. DIEE!!!
Okay geeks of Gizmodo, help me understand: The problem with AT&T (as reported by AT&T) is that there are way too many iPhones using way too much bandwidth causing amazing slowdowns on their network. Will a faster 3G network actually help this problem in any way when the issue is the number of users? Sure, once half of the iPhone customers jump ship to Verizon next year things should improve (and test Verizon's "It's the network"), but until then, isn't the faster speed something that few people will truly notice except at 3 a.m. when all of those blasted iPhones are recharging?
@Monty: If you really belief that the iPhone is making a dent into AT&T network let me ask you this, When has AT&T service been great, when? AT&T has been dropping calls since i can remember and their data network has always suck, matter fact when the iPhone was release was the only time they decided to do something about it. The iPhone makes little to no affect to the AT&T network, their network is screw up by nature, but it's getting better quick.
@appletoad: Compared to AT&T, Verizon is heaven. I could give you the dozen experiences I have had with AT&T that prove my point (one where they tried to rip us off by tens of thousands of dollars), but in my opinion they have to be one of the worst corporate entities out there.
That said, if we assume AT&T's claims that it is the number of iPhone users crippling their network (I am not arguing that is correct), then does speeding up their network actually help that claimed problem in any way? I gather we do not know the answer to this, but I suppose we will find out.
@snitch: I really needed to bold the "as reported by AT&T". Trust me, I don't believe anything AT&T says, but my question is - if what they are claiming is true, does speeding up their network help at all? I think the answer to that question is "no", but was hoping a geek smarter than me would have a better answer than my guess.
@Adam Frucci: Then what's with all the nonsense I've been reading on lots of different tech sites that say it's mainly software updates that would require little or no hardware modifications? I could swear Gizmodo is one of them.
That's SO AT&T, release something on their network AFTER the fact that the iPhone claims to do now while most other networks around the world match the iPhone's abilities as it comes out, if not surpasses them.
They are still overlaying 850mhz 3G on networks that are practically worthless without them, and that is over a year after many have already paid for 3G service 12+ times in an area that 'has 3G' on AT&T's maps, but in reality doesn't.
11/09/09
Until I can consistently stream a simple radio app on my iPhone 3GS during a leisurely 15-minute walk from the World Trade Center PATH Station down to Water Street, Seth the Blogger Guy can suck it, and suck it hard. #usbconnectlightning
11/09/09
11/09/09
I live closer to 21mbps HSPA+ across the border than a 'native' AT&T 3G signal. Hell, I even pick up their HSPA network from where I'm sitting.
Their name... is 302-880, otherwise known as the Bell/Telus HSPA+ network.
11/09/09
It just seems like AT&T is behind the times. #usbconnectlightning
09/11/09
09/12/09
09/11/09
09/11/09
I really love my MT3G, but as soon as I leave the city, I'm back to EDGE.
09/11/09
Meanwhile, T-Mo's current 3G customers enjoy some hefty speed boosts without buying any new hardware. Customers enjoy the new power, while T-Mo enjoys the good press. Because surely, uninformed customers will be wondering why they have to buy whole new phones for super-fast speeds, while their buddy with the myTouch keeps getting better speeds on the same phone.
I mean, there's about a hundred ways to spin this, and there's trade-offs sure, but this could actually be a really good move for T-Mobile. Provided they don't neglect all plans for a 4G network eventually.
09/11/09
09/11/09
09/11/09
09/11/09
That being said, if their bandwidth were that fat, it'd still open up opportunities. Maybe tethering would become a more acceptable option? Also, it might give way to more realistic mobile video options. I mean, yeah, I have a YouTube app on my G1....but do I really wanna wait forever to watch a video on it? No. Maybe if it was quicker, though.
And I definitely couldn't agree more about Comcast. DIEE!!!
09/09/09
09/09/09
09/09/09
09/09/09
09/09/09
09/09/09
09/09/09
09/09/09
That said, if we assume AT&T's claims that it is the number of iPhone users crippling their network (I am not arguing that is correct), then does speeding up their network actually help that claimed problem in any way? I gather we do not know the answer to this, but I suppose we will find out.
09/09/09
09/09/09
09/09/09
09/09/09
07/09/09
They are still overlaying 850mhz 3G on networks that are practically worthless without them, and that is over a year after many have already paid for 3G service 12+ times in an area that 'has 3G' on AT&T's maps, but in reality doesn't.
For shame, AT&T...
07/09/09