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AT&T Prepares to Launch LTE 4G Network in 5 Cities This Summer

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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AT&T today announced that it will launch its next-generation LTE 4G wireless network in five U.S. cities "this summer": Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, and San Antonio. An additional ten unnamed markets are planned to see LTE roll out in the second half of the year with AT&T aiming to cover 70 million Americans by the end of the year.
AT&T has delivered five mobile broadband speed upgrades in recent years, including our HSPA+ deployment last year. And average nationwide speeds on the AT&T network have increased - more than 40 percent over the past two years alone.

The next network evolution will arrive this summer with the addition of LTE in five markets - Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta and San Antonio. We plan to add another 10 or more markets in the second half of the year, and cover 70 million Americans with LTE by year-end. We also have plans to add 20 4G devices to our robust device portfolio this year, with some of those being LTE capable.
Click to expand...
The announcement indicates that AT&T remains on schedule for its LTE rollout and offers the first word on launch markets for the service.

Many observers had been hoping that Apple might include LTE technology in the next iPhone, particularly given rumors that Apple won't be introducing the handset until several months after its usual annual update window, but increasing numbers of reports are indicating that LTE won't make it into the new iPhone, simply because the chips required by Apple won't be available until late this year. Apple has stated that the current generation of LTE chips requires handset design compromises that the company is not willing to make.

Article Link: AT&T Prepares to Launch LTE 4G Network in 5 Cities This Summer
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/05/25/att-prepares-to-launch-lte-4g-network-in-5-cities-this-summer/
machpost

machpost

macrumors 6502
Jan 28, 2010
420
497
Washington, DC
It would be awesome if they actually made sure their 3G didn't absolutely suck in almost every city before attempting this upgrade.
 
ToroidalZeus

ToroidalZeus

macrumors 68020
Dec 8, 2009
2,301
875
No major cities = fails.

New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco these are the cities that matter not Chicago, Atlanta and Houston.
 
B

BLACKFRIDAY

macrumors regular
May 23, 2011
224
0
Next year when the iPhone launches with LTE 4G, AT&T or Verizon, won't be advertising LTE network access with any phone.

To me, this tinkles me to believe that this year iPhone won't be LTE. :|
 
T

theOtherGeoff

macrumors regular
Jun 18, 2010
189
0
fun with numbers.

AT&T has delivered five mobile broadband speed upgrades in recent years, including our HSPA+ deployment last year. Average nationwide speeds on the AT&T network have increased - more than 40 percent over the past two years alone
Click to expand...

So with 5 major speed upgrades the last a verbal upgrade from 3G to '4G', they went from 250kbps average to 350kbps.

Whoopdie Freakin' do.

5 upgrades? 4G? You'd think you'd hear the words 'Doubled', or 'Tripled', or 'XX Times faster.' No... 40[.1]% is the speed increase. I'm spending I'm spending $200 a month with ATT, for the last 4 years, and I get '40%'? my stock portfolio did 40% COMPOUNDED annually.
 
metzy25

metzy25

macrumors 65816
May 7, 2011
1,063
99
after everyone switches to a 4g phone a 3g iphone will be just as fast because there isnt going too be a lot of people left on 3g meaning the less people on 3g the faster 3g will be
 
A

alexbasson

macrumors newbie
Nov 30, 2005
18
0
Ryeno said:
No major cities = fails.

New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco these are the cities that matter not Chicago, Atlanta and Houston.
Click to expand...

Chicago and Houston rank third and fourth, respectively, in the list of U.S. cities by population. San Francisco, with fewer than 1 million people, ranks 13th. Atlanta, admittedly, ranks 40th.

if you prefer metro areas to population within city limits, then Chicago/Joliet/Naperville and Houston/Sugar Land/Baytown rank third and sixth, respectively. Atlanta/Sandy Springs/Marietta ranks 9th, while San Francisco/Oakland/Fremont ranks 11th.

Not knowing basic U.S. geography nor knowing how to use Google to look up facts about basic U.S. geography = fails.
 
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D

deppisch

macrumors member
Mar 14, 2011
30
0
Ryeno said:
No major cities = fails.

New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco these are the cities that matter not Chicago, Atlanta and Houston.
Click to expand...

Wow, elitist much?

You do realize that Chicago and Houston are both larger than San Francisco, right? Also, I'm sure those living in the aforementioned cities don't echo your sentiments.
 
J

justgeig

macrumors member
May 17, 2010
34
13
4G??? How about 3G first?

Yippee...another "G" that I won't have. AT&T: How about you cover your service area with 3G before you work on 4G? I'm stuck paying for a data plan that is practically useless because of how slow EDGE is.
 
MacLawyer

MacLawyer

macrumors 6502a
Aug 1, 2009
849
2,188
U.S.A.
Battery Life

If Apple is to be believed, 4G is a battery killer. Even at 3G speeds, my son-in-law's HTC Thunderbolt can barely make it 8 hours in light use. And that's WITH a battery pack.

I suppose in a couple of years the technology will be such that these issues will be gone, whether it's an Apple or Android machine.
 
S

starzplacez

macrumors member
Jun 25, 2008
32
1
Ryeno said:
No major cities = fails.

New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco these are the cities that matter not Chicago, Atlanta and Houston.
Click to expand...

not everyone and their mother live in those "major" cities.. those that enjoy lower gas prices and higher standard of living like it...:)
 
zhenya

zhenya

macrumors 604
Jan 6, 2005
6,929
3,677
Unfortunately just more marketing spin. The carriers don't have the bandwidth or the backbone capacity in place to saturate the current 3g chipsets. What's the point of a 20Mbps capable network that still operates at 1?

Honestly, 99% of users would be happy with a network that worked at a consistent 5x5 - which is within the capability of existing devices. No need for massive upgrades.
 
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