AT&T Nervous About Upcoming iPhone MMS Launch?

[Rescuer]

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-Nervous-About-Smooth-iPhone-MMS-Launch-104606

AT&T Nervous About Smooth iPhone MMS Launch
Source says that 10AM Eastern on Friday is the magic hour...
12:05PM Wednesday Sep 23 2009 by Karl Bode
tags: business · bandwidth · wireless

Insiders involved with AT&T's belated launch of iPhone MMS support tell us that everybody's highly anxious about the launch, as the carrier rushes to beef up infrastructure in order to handle the added strain the functionality will impose on the carrier's systems. Earlier this month AT&T announced that the functionality would be dropping September 25 (aka this Friday). Some users started seeing MMS functionality working last week as AT&T and its partners finalized testing, and most users are being sent an SMS on the coming change.

"Starting at 10AM Eastern (on the 25), AT&T will send out a mass text to a group of iPhone users telling them that MMS now works on their phone," says one source familiar with AT&T's MMS plans. "They will keep doing groups of phones on the hour throughout the day" assuming all goes well, says the source.

According to the source, AT&T is "very" nervous about the launch and is requesting their MMS aggregator partners provide hourly updates on any message delays or problems. AT&T and its MMS partners are already seeing "record traffic during peak hours of the night" with just the users selected for testing.

That early testing has been a little rocky, with AT&T seeing a fairly significant test outage yesterday that has them rushing to beef up their MMSC messaging servers. Estimates among those working on the project are that traffic on AT&T's wireless network will be about 40% higher all day on Friday as iPhone users fire pictures and video at one another.

Given the amount of grief AT&T's been given concerning their network lately, the company needs a smooth MMS launch to stay on the good graces of annoyed iPhone users. AT&T's taken a beating in recent months for belated MMS and tethering functionality, rocky 3G connectivity and coverage, and crippled applications.

AT&T subsequently launched somewhat of a PR offensive aimed at convincing the press and public the company was doing everything in its power to beef up network infrastructure, including additional backhaul links and towers, as well as a migration to 850 MHz spectrum in heavily congested markets.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

The network is already pretty crippled it seems.

 

[Gav2k]

It'll add strain to the network for a few days then it'll settle as the novelty wears off. Can't see the fuss about mms to be honest.

 

[AbSoluTc]

Like most have said, it's a novelty that will strain the network for a couple of days and then all will be normal again. MMS for me anyways, is nothing but old tech. I'd rather upload my video/pic to flickr and have everyone see it than to send a low quality video/pic to one person. I might use it once in a blue moon but I am not drooling over it.

 

[rjsmith18]

I can't imagine how long it would take to send an MMS. It already takes about ten seconds to send a regular text.

 

[Blueline29]

I can't imagine how long it would take to send an MMS. It already takes about ten seconds to send a regular text.

It takes maybe 5 seconds, tops, for me to send an MMS.

 

[rjsmith18]

It takes maybe 5 seconds, tops, for me to send an MMS.

Wow, could be a connection issue in my area.

 

[richxps]

Wait so does this mean we will be getting the carrier update over the air ?
If no need for Itunes than that would be great since I will not be at my PC until the end of the day.

 

[rjsmith18]

Wait so does this mean we will be getting the carrier update over the air ?
If no need for Itunes than that would be great since I will not be at my PC until the end of the day.

I've been wondering the same thing, but I think we would need one because the option to add an image is not in the text app. It would be nice if they did do the update through wireless.

 

[-aggie-]

Wait so does this mean we will be getting the carrier update over the air ?
If no need for Itunes than that would be great since I will not be at my PC until the end of the day.

Where did you get that impression? You'll go to iTunes and get a carrier update, as before.

 

[Gav2k]

I've been wondering the same thing, but I think we would need one because the option to add an image is not in the text app. It would be nice if they did do the update through wireless.

The software your running be it 3.0 3.01 or 3.1 has the ability to send mms you require the carrier file to tell the phone that the service is there then the icon and features will show.

 

[jav6454]

Wait so does this mean we will be getting the carrier update over the air ?
If no need for Itunes than that would be great since I will not be at my PC until the end of the day.

Where did you get this notion? It requires a Carrier Update from iTunes.

 

[MacRumors]

AT&T Nervous About Upcoming iPhone MMS Launch?



DSLReports claims to have received word from a source noting that AT&T is extremely nervous about the impending launch of MMS for the iPhone scheduled for this Friday. Early testing of the service has apparently already placed a strain on the company's MMS servers, resulting in a test outage yesterday and a last-minute rush to beef up capacity beyond the measures already taken.

AT&T and its MMS partners are already seeing "record traffic during peak hours of the night" with just the users selected for testing.

That early testing has been a little rocky, with AT&T seeing a fairly significant test outage yesterday that has them rushing to beef up their MMSC messaging servers. Estimates among those working on the project are that traffic on AT&T's wireless network will be about 40% higher all day on Friday as iPhone users fire pictures and video at one another.

The source also revealed AT&T's plans for rolling out the service on Friday, with deployments scheduled in groups to begin at 10:00 AM Eastern time, with new groups being activated on an hourly basis after that in order to slowly ramp demand and gauge service performance.

Starting at 10AM Eastern (on the 25), AT&T will send out a mass text to a group of iPhone users telling them that MMS now works on their phone," says one source familiar with AT&T's MMS plans. "They will keep doing groups of phones on the hour throughout the day" assuming all goes well, says the source.

Article Link: AT&T Nervous About Upcoming iPhone MMS Launch?

 

[cantthinkofone]

Absolutely ridiculous their network can't handle a few pictures and videos from iphones.

 

[jav6454]

I already have MMS, so for me it'd over already.

Absolutely ridiculous their network can't handel a few pictures and videos from iphones.

Per phone, so imagine 22 million pixeled images at the same time. Analogy time: This is like complaining a Rain Gutter overflows with a rain drop. Obvious it won't, but add a few more rain drops, see what happens.

 

[LucasLand]

Apple is setting them up to fail. Apple is going to need to have multiple carriers offer service. It is becoming to popular for one company to handle all the data

 

[IronCross]

Absolutely ridiculous their network can't handle a few pictures and videos from iphones.

I think it's more the fact that of the millions of iPhone users, you have to think at least a few hundred thousand, or a million, are gonna slam the servers all at once.

I don't care what carrier it is, adding that much additional load all at the same time is gonna hurt.

 

[cocky jeremy]

*sigh* I really hope Verizon gets the iPhone. I’ll switch in two seconds. I hate AT&T, really, i do.

 

[cantthinkofone]

Per phone, so imagine 22 million pixeled images at the same time. Analogy time: This is like complaining a Rain Gutter overflows with a rain drop. Obvious it won't, but add a few more rain drops, see what happens.

Thats why it's a good idea to clean your gutters out and make sure they aren't clogged with leafs, sticks, walnuts, acorns, etc etc

 

[macaco74]

I suspect this will be a failed launch - already making excuses.

 

[EgbertAttrick]

Yay! More AT&T bullspit!

 

[..........?]

I already have MMS, so for me it'd over already.



Per phone, so imagine 22 million pixeled images at the same time. Analogy time: This is like complaining a Rain Gutter overflows with a rain drop. Obvious it won't, but add a few more rain drops, see what happens.

yes that true if there are many raindrop then it will over flow. I am not expecting the network to be able to take everyone sending mms at the same time but at least the network should be able to take at least 1/4 to 1/2 the people on the network sending mms at the same time.

 

[theheadguy]

Where are all the people who say "nobody uses MMS" and "just e-mail it"?? Again, it's PATHETIC that att can't handle this... With the iphone having 4.x% marketshare, you'd think the worlds 'most advanced cell phone network' could handle some pics, ESPECIALLY with the many opinions here that nobody will really use the feature that much. Also goes to show that apple couldn't give a sh*t about quality, but instead the bottom dollar, at least when it comes to USING the product.

 

[str1f3]

This company has proven to be inept. I'm so sick of hearing about what they can't handle. They have been doing a lousy job and continue to do so. Apple has to end this exclusivity deal next year.

 

[cubedweller]

I'd never actually use the MMS feature on a regular basis but come Friday I'm going to send tons of them. It really is AT&T's fault for not enabling MMS all along and slowly beefing up the network as more and more iPhones signed up.