iPhone gulps AT&T network capacity

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
NEW YORK ? AT&T's wireless network is having a hard time keeping up with the Apple iPhone, a top wireless analyst says.

That's the reason AT&T (T) isn't offering multimedia messaging and "tethering" options for the new $199 iPhone 3G S ? lack of network juice, says Roger Entner, head of telecom research for Nielsen.



When the iPhone 3G S was unveiled last week, Apple (AAPL) said it would offer both those features. "Tethering" allows a wireless device to serve as a broadband modem to provide over-the-air support for laptops, PCs and the like. Multimedia messaging, or MMS, enables users to attach video clips, audio files, pictures, etc. to text messages.



...



Once the [HSPA] upgrade is complete ? by 2011, AT&T says ? "3G S owners will have a significantly better experience" on the mobile Web, Entner says. (HSPA isn't compatible with the 3G iPhone; you'll need to upgrade your device to take advantage of it.)



Speed will be the most obvious change, Entner says. "It will be a lot faster ? four to five times."



AT&T agrees the move to HSPA will have a lot of benefits for consumers. "We engineer the wireless network to stay ahead of demand," Siegel says. "That's why we'll start deploying HSPA later this year."



Leslie Cauley,"iPhone gulps AT&T network capacity," USA Today, B1 (June 17, 2009)

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. Me View Post


    NEW YORK ? AT&T's wireless network is having a hard time keeping up with the Apple iPhone, a top wireless analyst says.

    That's the reason AT&T (T) isn't offering multimedia messaging and "tethering" options for the new $199 iPhone 3G S ? lack of network juice, says Roger Entner, head of telecom research for Nielsen.



    When the iPhone 3G S was unveiled last week, Apple (AAPL) said it would offer both those features. "Tethering" allows a wireless device to serve as a broadband modem to provide over-the-air support for laptops, PCs and the like. Multimedia messaging, or MMS, enables users to attach video clips, audio files, pictures, etc. to text messages.



    ...



    Once the [HSPA] upgrade is complete ? by 2011, AT&T says ? "3G S owners will have a significantly better experience" on the mobile Web, Entner says. (HSPA isn't compatible with the 3G iPhone; you'll need to upgrade your device to take advantage of it.)



    Speed will be the most obvious change, Entner says. "It will be a lot faster ? four to five times."



    AT&T agrees the move to HSPA will have a lot of benefits for consumers. "We engineer the wireless network to stay ahead of demand," Siegel says. "That's why we'll start deploying HSPA later this year."



    Leslie Cauley,"iPhone gulps AT&T network capacity," USA Today, B1 (June 17, 2009)



    Too bad they're already behind the 8 ball. MMS should have launched opening day with iPhone 3GS. Its like introducing a solar powered car in Alaska during the time that the sun doesn't show for a few months. Ridiculous.
  • Reply 2 of 7
    nofeernofeer Posts: 2,427member
    I'm not sure what this means but since 3.0 in Ashland KY

    (microtwn) my speedtest has been from 900- 1200 to now 2100

    this morning I'll try different times and let you know
  • Reply 3 of 7
    I am starting to think its an iphone thing. I just got an iphone 3gs , I also have an att fuze.



    On the same tower my fuze connects as hsdpa and has double the speed of the iphone 3gs since my iphone only connects at 3g even though it has the capability to conenct at the faster speed.



    So apple or att has the speed slowed down on the 3gs right now.



    So i think its apple blaming att when they really shouldnt be.
  • Reply 4 of 7
    macaloymacaloy Posts: 104member
    Ah, well as long as it will be much better in 2 years
  • Reply 5 of 7
    jkozjkoz Posts: 48member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by majortom1981 View Post


    I am starting to think its an iphone thing. I just got an iphone 3gs , I also have an att fuze.



    On the same tower my fuze connects as hsdpa and has double the speed of the iphone 3gs since my iphone only connects at 3g even though it has the capability to conenct at the faster speed.



    So apple or att has the speed slowed down on the 3gs right now.



    So i think its apple blaming att when they really shouldnt be.



    No... I'm pretty sure it's AT&T holding everyone back.
  • Reply 6 of 7
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jkoz View Post


    No... I'm pretty sure it's AT&T holding everyone back.



    Are att holding iphones back? Its not a network capacity thing because i got double the speeds on my fuze then i am getting on my iphone 3gs. Makes no sense to me.
  • Reply 7 of 7
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Footloose301 View Post


    Too bad they're already behind the 8 ball. MMS should have launched opening day with iPhone 3GS. Its like introducing a solar powered car in Alaska during the time that the sun doesn't show for a few months. Ridiculous.



    Well, it's not much like that. In that a solar powered car in the dark is useless, whereas an iPhone without MMS for a few months is, uh, a fully capable phone with a delayed feature.



    So maybe a solar powered car in Arizona with digital radio service that hasn't launched yet.
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