AT&T's 4G LTE network to launch in first 5 markets on Sunday
This coming Sunday, Sept. 18, AT&T will launch its high-speed fourth-generation LTE network in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.
The first five markets will be closely followed by another 10, totaling 15, scheduled to have access to the long-term evolution data network by the end of 2011, AT&T Chief Financial Officer John Stephens said in a media appearance this week, according to Fierce Wireless. In all, a U.S. population of 70 million people will have access to the LTE network by year's end.
That means AT&T is on schedule with its plans announced in May of this year. The remaining 10 markets that will gain LTE access this year have not yet been announced.
AT&T began selling its first two LTE devices in August in the form of a 4G USB modem and a mobile hotspot both made by Sierra Wireless. The company also recently launched an LTE tablet, the HTC Jetstream, for $700 with a two-year contract, and plans to launch its first LTE smartphone by the end of 2011.
AT&T has said that it will charge $50 for 5 gigabytes of data on a data-only LTE device, with real-world download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps, much faster than the company's current HSPA network. Smartphone data pricing for 4G has not yet been announced.
Rival carrier Verizon, currently the only other company to offer the iPhone in the U.S., already launched its own 4G LTE network in late 2010. Verizon also has a handful of Android-powered handsets that are 4G-capable, but Apple has suggested that it will not be quick to build an LTE device.
Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said this April that his company is still concerned with poor battery life associated with the first 4G devices. He indicated Apple is in no rush to adopt 4G, though there has been ample, unofficial evidence that Apple is exploring the technology for adoption in a future iPhone.
The first five markets will be closely followed by another 10, totaling 15, scheduled to have access to the long-term evolution data network by the end of 2011, AT&T Chief Financial Officer John Stephens said in a media appearance this week, according to Fierce Wireless. In all, a U.S. population of 70 million people will have access to the LTE network by year's end.
That means AT&T is on schedule with its plans announced in May of this year. The remaining 10 markets that will gain LTE access this year have not yet been announced.
AT&T began selling its first two LTE devices in August in the form of a 4G USB modem and a mobile hotspot both made by Sierra Wireless. The company also recently launched an LTE tablet, the HTC Jetstream, for $700 with a two-year contract, and plans to launch its first LTE smartphone by the end of 2011.
AT&T has said that it will charge $50 for 5 gigabytes of data on a data-only LTE device, with real-world download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps, much faster than the company's current HSPA network. Smartphone data pricing for 4G has not yet been announced.
Rival carrier Verizon, currently the only other company to offer the iPhone in the U.S., already launched its own 4G LTE network in late 2010. Verizon also has a handful of Android-powered handsets that are 4G-capable, but Apple has suggested that it will not be quick to build an LTE device.
Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said this April that his company is still concerned with poor battery life associated with the first 4G devices. He indicated Apple is in no rush to adopt 4G, though there has been ample, unofficial evidence that Apple is exploring the technology for adoption in a future iPhone.
Comments
Seriously, it has gotten worse in the North East.
Where is the damn iphone 5 so I can switch to verizon!?
That said, I hope that they've got SoCal completely covered with LTE by the time Apple ships an LTE iPhone. Until then, it matters not one whit to me.
Hopefully iPhone 6 has LTE.
Hopefully meaningful LTE networks and data plans that are either optional or fair exist by then.
Hopefully meaningful LTE networks and data plans that are either optional or fair exist by then.
Good luck with that. Remember, it's the carrier's job to make sure you get either screwed or squeezed for every last penny you're willing to put up with. Hence why the T-Mobile merger should be cock-blocked.
An internet hotspot device which allows access for your phone, tablet, ereader, and spouse/kids devices as well is looking like it's worth the monthly.
Apparently someone at AT&T really likes Texas.
Well they ARE a Texas company. :-)
Seeing the much-improved battery life on the Droid Bionic with the 'mystery' Motorla baseband, I am hoping that Apple has also been able to solve the LTE battery life issues in time to launch this next iPhone with LTE.
While I realize LTE is not available eberywere yet, it is expected that both AT&T and Verizon are goin to have an accelerated build out compared to 3G, which means there will be quite a lot of LTE markets comin online during the next iPhone's service life. I hope I hope.
Uh, AT&T is headquartered in Dallas.
And Apple is headquartered in Cupertino, but residents of Santa Clara county don't get iPhone 5s before other markets (unless they find one in a bar, zing!). Just because they're headquartered there doesn't necessarily mean it makes the best strategic, political, or even logistical sense to launch products/services there.
But, then again, I suppose I was just being snarky.
I am much more interested in a dedicated hotspot (esp. if it's 4G).
An internet hotspot device which allows access for your phone, tablet, ereader, and spouse/kids devices as well is looking like it's worth the monthly.
Verizon's hot spot works quite well
And Apple is headquartered in Cupertino, but residents of Santa Clara county don't get iPhone 5s before other markets (unless they find one in a bar, zing!). Just because they're headquartered there doesn't necessarily mean it makes the best strategic, political, or even logistical sense to launch products/services there.
But, then again, I suppose I was just being snarky.
Yeah... Actually ATT does have a history of launching services in Texas. It also makes a LOT of sense when you consider that TX has I believe 2 of the top 10 population centers in the country being Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth.
Another comment about all of the light blue on the coverage map indicating EDGE... ATT reports there coverage not based upon geographic area, but on population covered. This is the reason that they can claim such a high percentage but have loads of geography that has no coverage. Similarly this is the same reason it takes such a long time to roll out new technologies like LTE. The US is a BIG place compared to say the UK, or France, or Germany...
1) Battery draining issues still not resolved
2) LTE still not fully deployed enough to warrant it.
3) Most important reason is not including LTE now will give you a far greater reason to get an LTE enabled iPhone 6 next year if that is important to you.
Apple has consistently done that with other features on previous iPhone models, the iPad and their Mac line. They always seem to leave one thing off we think they should add. The first iPad could have easily included a front and rear facing camera for example. The first iPhone could have included 3G. They always add just enough new stuff to get you to buy, but leave one thing out to get you to upgrade next year. Classic Apple strategy.
mobile hot spot---
Works fine for me
relatively fast, not as fast as a good cable modem but much faster than EDGE or 3G---
It is a adjunct to cable, not a substitute--it works great when traveling if it is available, but as I said
it is expensive relative to cable internet.