Well, to be fair to Tekstud's point of view, neither Cingular nor AT&T were ever stated as having the greatest networks or service. That goes long before the iPhone made its appearance.
To be fair, TenoBell correctly stated that they have upgraded their network extensively. The info about Cingular and GSM’s shortcoming were well known.. Teckstud still claims that AT&T has done nothing to upgrade their network despite plenty of evidence to the contrary.
Why on earth aren't there cell networks in America that only cover one state? If trying to cover the entire US is the problem, let each state have their own networks.
I hope you aren’t suggested a state run and owned cellular network. I’ll still with my free coast to coast person to person calls and unlimited data regardless of where I am in the US. My US coverage also includes DC, Puerto Rico, Alaska and Hawaii.
To be fair, TenoBell correctly stated that they have upgraded their network extensively. The info about Cingular and GSM’s shortcoming were well known.. Teckstud still claims that AT&T has done nothing to upgrade their network despite plenty of evidence to the contrary.
It's a bit of this, and a bit of that.
Yes, I know how much they've upgraded. I've stated that myself. But if service doesn't get better, then no matter how much money they put into the network, people will still have complaints.
The thing that's needed, is upgrades coming in place faster than the services that need them. If they just manage to keep treading water, service will never get better, and people will still complain.
Would I like faster 3G? Yup! Sometimes it's just too slow. It also varies too much. I've gotten speeds, as measured by Speed Test, from a low of 146 Kb/s to a high of 1265 Kb/s downloads, to a low of 3 Kb/s to a high of 343 Kb/s uploads.
That's too much variation.
It does show that AT&T is capable of very good upload speeds, and even has good download speed capabilities. But the average is at most half the max.
I'm hoping that when they move all the 3G to the 850 MHz transmitters, things will change.
I hope you aren?t suggested a state run and owned cellular network. I?ll still with my free coast to coast person to person calls and unlimited data regardless of where I am in the US. My US coverage also includes DC, Puerto Rico, Alaska and Hawaii.
I believe it also covers the US run islands such as the Marshalls, etc.
Yes, I know how much they've upgraded. I've stated that myself. But if service doesn't get better, then no matter how much money they put into the network, people will still have complaints.
That is a separate situation and shouldn?t be thrown in with statements stating that no upgrades have been made. That is just a lie or blatant ignorance, depending on the person stating it.
Quote:
The thing that's needed, is upgrades coming in place faster than the services that need them. If they just manage to keep treading water, service will never get better, and people will still complain.
Would I like faster 3G? Yup! Sometimes it's just too slow. It also varies too much. I've gotten speeds, as measured by Speed Test, from a low of 146 Kb/s to a high of 1265 Kb/s downloads, to a low of 3 Kb/s to a high of 343 uploads.
I haven?t seen any 3GS network issues like I did with the 3G going on sale. For selling over a 1M units in a weekend it went quite smoothly. I would like for Apple and AT&T to stop selling units if the network gets saturated in an area, but of course they won?t do that and the logistics of doing that aren?t pretty. What the original failed to really point out is that the iPhone is a blessing and curse for AT&T who is getting great business all with paid data plans but at the cost of spending billions to upgrade their network. They really just can?t keep up with the demand. I saw a lot of improvement in the first part of this year in network speeds, as I?ve written about on these forums. Once the iPhone sales subside we?ll probably notice that same increase again, though that probably won?t be until January as the device will likely be a hot seller until after Christmas.
Quote:
That's too much variation.
It does show that AT&T is capable of very good upload speeds, and even has good download speed capabilities. But the average is at most half the max.
I'm hoping that when the move all the 3G to the 850 MHz transmitters, things will change.
Besides the plethora of tower to tower issues based on frequency, distance, number of users, types of users, interference, etc. most of that is just part of using a cell phone. It will get better, albeit slowly, but I also expect we?ll see a noticeable jump in quality when the switch to the 850MHz spectrum happens.
Yes I feel this is essentially the same as what I'm saying.
Some of these upgrades AT&T should have made before the iPhone. Now with the iPhone they are forced to make them. If they could have made them without the pressure of the iPhone, the network would have likely been in much better shape. AT&T wouldn't have such a bad reputation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by melgross
It's a bit of this, and a bit of that.
Yes, I know how much they've upgraded. I've stated that myself. But if service doesn't get better, then no matter how much money they put into the network, people will still have complaints.
The thing that's needed, is upgrades coming in place faster than the services that need them. If they just manage to keep treading water, service will never get better, and people will still complain.
Would I like faster 3G? Yup! Sometimes it's just too slow. It also varies too much. I've gotten speeds, as measured by Speed Test, from a low of 146 Kb/s to a high of 1265 Kb/s downloads, to a low of 3 Kb/s to a high of 343 Kb/s uploads.
That's too much variation.
It does show that AT&T is capable of very good upload speeds, and even has good download speed capabilities. But the average is at most half the max.
I'm hoping that when they move all the 3G to the 850 MHz transmitters, things will change.
I haven't gotten any dropped calls, and I live in NYC. I did have a lot of problems for the first three months with the phone going from 3G to EDGE and back, but never a dropped call. Things have been pretty good since then, though the data speeds could be better.
It would be nice if GSM call quality was better though. No phone I've ever used on any GSM network as ever had call quality as good as what I had on Sprint either with my old Samsung i300, i330 or Treo 700p.
I've has 2 times where I could not make a call. One was immediately after the fireworks ended on July 4th. Maybe there was a mad rush of calls - people meeting others, who knows? 3G data is where most of the problems have been - where Safari just circles and circles. But most of the time it is fine. But why should there be this inconsistency? Where I work by Boomingdales the 3G is bad. But in the East viilage it's great. Who knows?
Yes I feel this is essentially the same as what I'm saying.
Some of these upgrades AT&T should have made before the iPhone. Now with the iPhone they are forced to make them. If they could have made them without the pressure of the iPhone, the network would have likely been in much better shape. AT&T wouldn't have such a bad reputation.
Their reputation is bad because they put out a glut of other 3G phones and advertise them relentlessly before fixing the network.
Great idea. Can you imagine the screaming when you went across the border to another State and got charged roaming? Absurd!
That's when the government should step in to cap roaming charges, like they've just done in Europe.
Quote:
Originally Posted by solipsism
I hope you aren’t suggested a state run and owned cellular network. I’ll still with my free coast to coast person to person calls and unlimited data regardless of where I am in the US. My US coverage also includes DC, Puerto Rico, Alaska and Hawaii.
That isn't what I meant... I meant a commercial network that only existed in a single state.
That is a separate situation and shouldn’t be thrown in with statements stating that no upgrades have been made. That is just a lie or blatant ignorance, depending on the person stating it.
What cellphone provider doesn't patch a pole every once in a while - which by your definition is an upgrade? People aren't liars or blatantly ignorant - your interpretation of an upgrade is however simpleminded.
That is a separate situation and shouldn?t be thrown in with statements stating that no upgrades have been made. That is just a lie or blatant ignorance, depending on the person stating it.
It may seem true to some people. But thats beside the point. AT&T spent $11 billion to upgrade their network over the past 12 months or so, and it doesn't FEEL as though they have. That's the problem.
Quote:
I haven?t seen any 3GS network issues like I did with the 3G going on sale. For selling over a 1M units in a weekend it went quite smoothly. I would like for Apple and AT&T to stop selling units if the network gets saturated in an area, but of course they won?t do that and the logistics of doing that aren?t pretty. What the original failed to really point out is that the iPhone is a blessing and curse for AT&T who is getting great business all with paid data plans but at the cost of spending billions to upgrade their network. They really just can?t keep up with the demand. I saw a lot of improvement in the first part of this year in network speeds, as I?ve written about on these forums. Once the iPhone sales subside we?ll probably notice that same increase again, though that probably won?t be until January as the device will likely be a hot seller until after Christmas.
I haven't either. That's the minimum we should expect, isn't it?
Quote:
Besides the plethora of tower to tower issues based on frequency, distance, number of users, types of users, interference, etc. most of that is just part of using a cell phone. It will get better, albeit slowly, but I also expect we?ll see a noticeable jump in quality when the switch to the 850MHz spectrum happens.
While the cellphone market is about saturated, the smartphone market isn't. Demands on AT&T's network are just going to increase.
I've has 2 times where I could not make a call. One was immediately after the fireworks ended on July 4th. Maybe there was a mad rush of calls - people meeting others, who knows? 3G data is where most of the problems have been - where Safari just circles and circles. But most of the time it is fine. But why should there be this inconsistency? Where I work by Boomingdales the 3G is bad. But in the East viilage it's great. Who knows?
A lot of it has to do with tower placement.
I've told this story before, but it pertains to this.
When in our first building on Broadway, between 21st and 22nd streets, I could never get or receive a cell call in the basement or on the first floor of my company, using Sprint. The second floor was pretty good except in the center of the floor. But others with Verizon could, and often, AT&T customers could as well.
But in the last two years (this was several years back), when we moved to 28th st and third, the situation was reversed. Then, I could make calls and receive them from anywhere in my company no matter which floor, or from wherever on the floor, while those from Verizon and AT&T couldn't.
The Verizon guy installing our phone systems wiring told me that Verizon and AT&T did not have transmitters near enough in the proper direction, but that Sprint did.
That's when the government should step in to cap roaming charges, like they've just done in Europe.
Nope. It's better with national networks the way they are now. Why should there be roaming at all?
I'm not so sure I like the idea of the government making pricing decisions. I don't see things as being so much better there. In fact, from what I saw when I was there, some things are worse. The way they distribute phones, iPhones, at least, is just plain dumb!
What cellphone provider doesn't patch a pole every once in a while - which by your definition is an upgrade? People aren't liars or blatantly ignorant - your interpretation of an upgrade is however simpleminded.
AT&T added something like 20,000 towers in the past 12 months or so, as well as putting new transmitters on current towers. They are improving their network. The problem is that the demands on that network are increasing by the same amount.
I doubt that Sprint and Verizon are seeing the same percentage of demand increase.
You mean that Apple is giving customers what they want.... such as forcing customers to take data plans which cost $30+ per month which kicks back to Apple, along with the other subsidy that AT&T is extorted to give Apple?
What do you want them to do? Give you wireless data for free? Wireless infrastructure is expensive. The iPhone introduces unprecedented data usage in a widely deployed device. Sure there are aircards and wireless modems, but there are far fewer of them and their plans are more then $30 a month.
If Verizon does get a CDMA iPhone, their network will probably get crushed as well. CDMA goes farther then GSM, so Verzion has fewer towers. That also means that have that much less capacity - who knows, they may be in far worse shape then AT&T!
The core issue is American wireless carriers, in general, are woefully under prepared for widespread data use, and I think the iPhone has been a real eye opener.
AT&T added something like 20,000 towers in the past 12 months or so, as well as putting new transmitters on current towers. They are improving their network. The problem is that the demands on that network are increasing by the same amount.
I doubt that Sprint and Verizon are seeing the same percentage of demand increase.
I agree that AT&T must be receiving the greatest demand due to iPhones success and the plethora of low end3G phones AT&t adds monthly. What you are stating as far as the upgrade- has it been finished? If not now, when so? And more importantly where is it being done? A tower added out in Boise Idaho isn't gonna help me here. I would doubt it's been completed if this is the best they were able to accomplish- at least here in NY.
AS long as the calls aren't dropped and the network is consistent- who cares?
I used to have Verizon before I got an iPhone and I thought the network was very solid, fantastic voice quality and great coverage. The voice quality was so good that people would assume I was at the office on the land line. The only calls that ever dropped were the ones where a Cingular phone was on the other end.
Once I switched to AT&T the calls did start dropping quite frequently in all kinds of situations. Coverage inside of buildings is significantly reduced, and the voice quality is really marginal.
However, I'm willing to put up with it just to have an iPhone. The phone itself is so fantastic, it makes up for the shortcomings of the network. Lately I have noticed that I get full signal in places where I used to experiecnce a weak signal so I believe that they are upgrading their capacity at least in my area of the country.
The new 3Gs is really fast and I couldn't be happier. Price of the phone or the service was not a factor for me.
I agree that AT&T must be receiving the greatest demand due to iPhones success and the plethora of low end3G phones AT&t adds monthly. What you are stating as far as the upgrade- has it been finished? If not now, when so? And more importantly where is it being done? A tower added out in Boise Idaho isn't gonna help me here. I would doubt it's been completed if this is the best they were able to accomplish- at least here in NY.
Your logic that a continuing upgrade path could ever be completed on a thriving carrier speaks volume for your lack of understanding on this matter.
Your definition that more towers, more 3G in ruraler areas, higher classes (read bandwidth via more antenees) of HSDPA and HSUPA, and a wider spectrum equates to a simple patch, not major upgrades, is also quite telling.
Tell us, what would be an upgrade if all those billions are just simple patches?
Comments
Well, to be fair to Tekstud's point of view, neither Cingular nor AT&T were ever stated as having the greatest networks or service. That goes long before the iPhone made its appearance.
To be fair, TenoBell correctly stated that they have upgraded their network extensively. The info about Cingular and GSM’s shortcoming were well known.. Teckstud still claims that AT&T has done nothing to upgrade their network despite plenty of evidence to the contrary.
PS: Welcome back.
Why on earth aren't there cell networks in America that only cover one state? If trying to cover the entire US is the problem, let each state have their own networks.
I hope you aren’t suggested a state run and owned cellular network. I’ll still with my free coast to coast person to person calls and unlimited data regardless of where I am in the US. My US coverage also includes DC, Puerto Rico, Alaska and Hawaii.
To be fair, TenoBell correctly stated that they have upgraded their network extensively. The info about Cingular and GSM’s shortcoming were well known.. Teckstud still claims that AT&T has done nothing to upgrade their network despite plenty of evidence to the contrary.
It's a bit of this, and a bit of that.
Yes, I know how much they've upgraded. I've stated that myself. But if service doesn't get better, then no matter how much money they put into the network, people will still have complaints.
The thing that's needed, is upgrades coming in place faster than the services that need them. If they just manage to keep treading water, service will never get better, and people will still complain.
Would I like faster 3G? Yup! Sometimes it's just too slow. It also varies too much. I've gotten speeds, as measured by Speed Test, from a low of 146 Kb/s to a high of 1265 Kb/s downloads, to a low of 3 Kb/s to a high of 343 Kb/s uploads.
That's too much variation.
It does show that AT&T is capable of very good upload speeds, and even has good download speed capabilities. But the average is at most half the max.
I'm hoping that when they move all the 3G to the 850 MHz transmitters, things will change.
I hope you aren?t suggested a state run and owned cellular network. I?ll still with my free coast to coast person to person calls and unlimited data regardless of where I am in the US. My US coverage also includes DC, Puerto Rico, Alaska and Hawaii.
I believe it also covers the US run islands such as the Marshalls, etc.
Yes, I know how much they've upgraded. I've stated that myself. But if service doesn't get better, then no matter how much money they put into the network, people will still have complaints.
That is a separate situation and shouldn?t be thrown in with statements stating that no upgrades have been made. That is just a lie or blatant ignorance, depending on the person stating it.
The thing that's needed, is upgrades coming in place faster than the services that need them. If they just manage to keep treading water, service will never get better, and people will still complain.
Would I like faster 3G? Yup! Sometimes it's just too slow. It also varies too much. I've gotten speeds, as measured by Speed Test, from a low of 146 Kb/s to a high of 1265 Kb/s downloads, to a low of 3 Kb/s to a high of 343 uploads.
I haven?t seen any 3GS network issues like I did with the 3G going on sale. For selling over a 1M units in a weekend it went quite smoothly. I would like for Apple and AT&T to stop selling units if the network gets saturated in an area, but of course they won?t do that and the logistics of doing that aren?t pretty. What the original failed to really point out is that the iPhone is a blessing and curse for AT&T who is getting great business all with paid data plans but at the cost of spending billions to upgrade their network. They really just can?t keep up with the demand. I saw a lot of improvement in the first part of this year in network speeds, as I?ve written about on these forums. Once the iPhone sales subside we?ll probably notice that same increase again, though that probably won?t be until January as the device will likely be a hot seller until after Christmas.
That's too much variation.
It does show that AT&T is capable of very good upload speeds, and even has good download speed capabilities. But the average is at most half the max.
I'm hoping that when the move all the 3G to the 850 MHz transmitters, things will change.
Besides the plethora of tower to tower issues based on frequency, distance, number of users, types of users, interference, etc. most of that is just part of using a cell phone. It will get better, albeit slowly, but I also expect we?ll see a noticeable jump in quality when the switch to the 850MHz spectrum happens.
Some of these upgrades AT&T should have made before the iPhone. Now with the iPhone they are forced to make them. If they could have made them without the pressure of the iPhone, the network would have likely been in much better shape. AT&T wouldn't have such a bad reputation.
It's a bit of this, and a bit of that.
Yes, I know how much they've upgraded. I've stated that myself. But if service doesn't get better, then no matter how much money they put into the network, people will still have complaints.
The thing that's needed, is upgrades coming in place faster than the services that need them. If they just manage to keep treading water, service will never get better, and people will still complain.
Would I like faster 3G? Yup! Sometimes it's just too slow. It also varies too much. I've gotten speeds, as measured by Speed Test, from a low of 146 Kb/s to a high of 1265 Kb/s downloads, to a low of 3 Kb/s to a high of 343 Kb/s uploads.
That's too much variation.
It does show that AT&T is capable of very good upload speeds, and even has good download speed capabilities. But the average is at most half the max.
I'm hoping that when they move all the 3G to the 850 MHz transmitters, things will change.
I haven't gotten any dropped calls, and I live in NYC. I did have a lot of problems for the first three months with the phone going from 3G to EDGE and back, but never a dropped call. Things have been pretty good since then, though the data speeds could be better.
It would be nice if GSM call quality was better though. No phone I've ever used on any GSM network as ever had call quality as good as what I had on Sprint either with my old Samsung i300, i330 or Treo 700p.
I've has 2 times where I could not make a call. One was immediately after the fireworks ended on July 4th. Maybe there was a mad rush of calls - people meeting others, who knows? 3G data is where most of the problems have been - where Safari just circles and circles. But most of the time it is fine. But why should there be this inconsistency? Where I work by Boomingdales the 3G is bad. But in the East viilage it's great. Who knows?
Yes I feel this is essentially the same as what I'm saying.
Some of these upgrades AT&T should have made before the iPhone. Now with the iPhone they are forced to make them. If they could have made them without the pressure of the iPhone, the network would have likely been in much better shape. AT&T wouldn't have such a bad reputation.
Their reputation is bad because they put out a glut of other 3G phones and advertise them relentlessly before fixing the network.
Great idea. Can you imagine the screaming when you went across the border to another State and got charged roaming? Absurd!
That's when the government should step in to cap roaming charges, like they've just done in Europe.
I hope you aren’t suggested a state run and owned cellular network. I’ll still with my free coast to coast person to person calls and unlimited data regardless of where I am in the US. My US coverage also includes DC, Puerto Rico, Alaska and Hawaii.
That isn't what I meant... I meant a commercial network that only existed in a single state.
That is a separate situation and shouldn’t be thrown in with statements stating that no upgrades have been made. That is just a lie or blatant ignorance, depending on the person stating it.
What cellphone provider doesn't patch a pole every once in a while - which by your definition is an upgrade? People aren't liars or blatantly ignorant - your interpretation of an upgrade is however simpleminded.
Teckstud still claims that AT&T has done nothing to upgrade their network despite plenty of evidence to the contrary.
PS: Welcome back.
But why does solopism still insist that a patch to a pole is a network upgrade?
That is a separate situation and shouldn?t be thrown in with statements stating that no upgrades have been made. That is just a lie or blatant ignorance, depending on the person stating it.
It may seem true to some people. But thats beside the point. AT&T spent $11 billion to upgrade their network over the past 12 months or so, and it doesn't FEEL as though they have. That's the problem.
I haven?t seen any 3GS network issues like I did with the 3G going on sale. For selling over a 1M units in a weekend it went quite smoothly. I would like for Apple and AT&T to stop selling units if the network gets saturated in an area, but of course they won?t do that and the logistics of doing that aren?t pretty. What the original failed to really point out is that the iPhone is a blessing and curse for AT&T who is getting great business all with paid data plans but at the cost of spending billions to upgrade their network. They really just can?t keep up with the demand. I saw a lot of improvement in the first part of this year in network speeds, as I?ve written about on these forums. Once the iPhone sales subside we?ll probably notice that same increase again, though that probably won?t be until January as the device will likely be a hot seller until after Christmas.
I haven't either. That's the minimum we should expect, isn't it?
Besides the plethora of tower to tower issues based on frequency, distance, number of users, types of users, interference, etc. most of that is just part of using a cell phone. It will get better, albeit slowly, but I also expect we?ll see a noticeable jump in quality when the switch to the 850MHz spectrum happens.
While the cellphone market is about saturated, the smartphone market isn't. Demands on AT&T's network are just going to increase.
I've has 2 times where I could not make a call. One was immediately after the fireworks ended on July 4th. Maybe there was a mad rush of calls - people meeting others, who knows? 3G data is where most of the problems have been - where Safari just circles and circles. But most of the time it is fine. But why should there be this inconsistency? Where I work by Boomingdales the 3G is bad. But in the East viilage it's great. Who knows?
A lot of it has to do with tower placement.
I've told this story before, but it pertains to this.
When in our first building on Broadway, between 21st and 22nd streets, I could never get or receive a cell call in the basement or on the first floor of my company, using Sprint. The second floor was pretty good except in the center of the floor. But others with Verizon could, and often, AT&T customers could as well.
But in the last two years (this was several years back), when we moved to 28th st and third, the situation was reversed. Then, I could make calls and receive them from anywhere in my company no matter which floor, or from wherever on the floor, while those from Verizon and AT&T couldn't.
The Verizon guy installing our phone systems wiring told me that Verizon and AT&T did not have transmitters near enough in the proper direction, but that Sprint did.
Go figure!
That's when the government should step in to cap roaming charges, like they've just done in Europe.
Nope. It's better with national networks the way they are now. Why should there be roaming at all?
I'm not so sure I like the idea of the government making pricing decisions. I don't see things as being so much better there. In fact, from what I saw when I was there, some things are worse. The way they distribute phones, iPhones, at least, is just plain dumb!
What cellphone provider doesn't patch a pole every once in a while - which by your definition is an upgrade? People aren't liars or blatantly ignorant - your interpretation of an upgrade is however simpleminded.
AT&T added something like 20,000 towers in the past 12 months or so, as well as putting new transmitters on current towers. They are improving their network. The problem is that the demands on that network are increasing by the same amount.
I doubt that Sprint and Verizon are seeing the same percentage of demand increase.
You mean that Apple is giving customers what they want.... such as forcing customers to take data plans which cost $30+ per month which kicks back to Apple, along with the other subsidy that AT&T is extorted to give Apple?
What do you want them to do? Give you wireless data for free? Wireless infrastructure is expensive. The iPhone introduces unprecedented data usage in a widely deployed device. Sure there are aircards and wireless modems, but there are far fewer of them and their plans are more then $30 a month.
If Verizon does get a CDMA iPhone, their network will probably get crushed as well. CDMA goes farther then GSM, so Verzion has fewer towers. That also means that have that much less capacity - who knows, they may be in far worse shape then AT&T!
The core issue is American wireless carriers, in general, are woefully under prepared for widespread data use, and I think the iPhone has been a real eye opener.
AT&T added something like 20,000 towers in the past 12 months or so, as well as putting new transmitters on current towers. They are improving their network. The problem is that the demands on that network are increasing by the same amount.
I doubt that Sprint and Verizon are seeing the same percentage of demand increase.
I agree that AT&T must be receiving the greatest demand due to iPhones success and the plethora of low end3G phones AT&t adds monthly. What you are stating as far as the upgrade- has it been finished? If not now, when so? And more importantly where is it being done? A tower added out in Boise Idaho isn't gonna help me here. I would doubt it's been completed if this is the best they were able to accomplish- at least here in NY.
Apple isn't wrecking anything. Consumers are wrecking the RIAA, MS, and AT&T. Apple is merely the tool (by virtue of providing what consumers want).
Bingo!
Also, wrecking = ending the free ride of obnoxious fee's for little value
AS long as the calls aren't dropped and the network is consistent- who cares?
I used to have Verizon before I got an iPhone and I thought the network was very solid, fantastic voice quality and great coverage. The voice quality was so good that people would assume I was at the office on the land line. The only calls that ever dropped were the ones where a Cingular phone was on the other end.
Once I switched to AT&T the calls did start dropping quite frequently in all kinds of situations. Coverage inside of buildings is significantly reduced, and the voice quality is really marginal.
However, I'm willing to put up with it just to have an iPhone. The phone itself is so fantastic, it makes up for the shortcomings of the network. Lately I have noticed that I get full signal in places where I used to experiecnce a weak signal so I believe that they are upgrading their capacity at least in my area of the country.
The new 3Gs is really fast and I couldn't be happier. Price of the phone or the service was not a factor for me.
I agree that AT&T must be receiving the greatest demand due to iPhones success and the plethora of low end3G phones AT&t adds monthly. What you are stating as far as the upgrade- has it been finished? If not now, when so? And more importantly where is it being done? A tower added out in Boise Idaho isn't gonna help me here. I would doubt it's been completed if this is the best they were able to accomplish- at least here in NY.
Your logic that a continuing upgrade path could ever be completed on a thriving carrier speaks volume for your lack of understanding on this matter.
Your definition that more towers, more 3G in ruraler areas, higher classes (read bandwidth via more antenees) of HSDPA and HSUPA, and a wider spectrum equates to a simple patch, not major upgrades, is also quite telling.
Tell us, what would be an upgrade if all those billions are just simple patches?