AT&T (3G/S) customers Are you waiting to see if 4S uses HSPA+ or are you preordering?

[bigjobby]

If there is a HSPA device what does it take for the device to become HSPA+?

Does the device need special chip or can HSPA+ be enabled outside of the device?

Dumping the phone and getting a new one is the only method I've heard of as (I believe) its the actual relevant chipset that has to change. 3rd-parties have to make their money I guess.

Signing off, peace out and good luck to those pulling the trigger tomorrow.

 

[bigjobby]

The issue with your theory is Release 5 doesn't support MIMO.
That didn't happen until Release 7.

The MDM6600 supports full Release 7 HSDPA at 14.4Mbps (HSPA+), so I fail to see why Apple would chose not to use it.

The other theory is maybe this is what Samsung is suing Apple over.
Samsung has some radio patents that are not part of the 3GPP standard that enhance throughput.

Who knows at this point.

I can't wait to see the iFixIt report and take a peek at the radio firmware.
The only way to know for sure is to look at the firmware.

As you stated... nobody will now until the device is properly inspected.

Just caught your post.

MIMO with Rel. 5?... strange but do-able (I guess). And the max on the most basic level of Rel. 7 is 17.64Mbps... not 14.4Mbps. Something definitely not right.

 

[Dmunjal]

Wonder why they didn't compare it to a 21Mbps HSPA+ device like the SGS2?

 

[rjohnstone]

Just caught your post.

MIMO with Rel. 5?... strange but do-able (I guess). And the max on the most basic level of Rel. 7 is 17.64Mbps... not 14.4Mbps. Something definitely not right.

I don't think you caught what I was responding too.

Even I questioned the suggestion that Apple was using MIMO on Release 5 as it simply not part of the standard, so they couldn't possibly be doing it.

I also didn't say Release 7 maxed out at 14.4Mbps, only that the MDM6600 does.

 

[GodWhomIsMike]

On a positive note... we're complaining about 14.4 Mbps vs 21 Mbps where Verizon and Sprint users are trapped with sloooooooow 3G service.

My brother has Verizon, and he is very torn about the iPhone 4S because it's supposedly just the standard fare 3G which will cap out around 2 Mbps.

 

[dhy8386]

For US users anyway, again it doesn't matter if its plus or not since ATTs maximum bandwidth they are putting through over HSPA+ is only 14.4. They will not increase this as this is their stopgap while they build out LTE. And they have also said that no one will really get real world 14.4 anyway.

 

[oplix]

It's irrelavent if it uses HSPA+. All that means in literal terms is that they upgraded the chipset to support higher speeds. In reality, ATT sucks balls in areas that matter such as new york and you will not see any improvement what so ever.

 

[Dmunjal]

AT&T lists the 4S as having HSDPA. They do list their other phones having HSPA+. So that means they will not market the 4S as having "4G."?

 

[antman2295]

Don't yell at me, but from what was explained to me, HSPA, is going to be used on Verizon & Sprint, and At&t people will be able to get HSPA+ speeds, once it is fully deployed. Now that is what was explained to me, I don't know if its right or wrong, just sharing what I found out. I personally think it should be able to handle HSPA+ speeds, but hey 14.4mbps sounds great to me!

 

[dave420]

AT&T lists the 4S as having HSDPA. They do list their other phones having HSPA+. So that means they will not market the 4S as having "4G."?

Actually there was a MacRumors article that AT&T is trying to get Apple to change the status bar indicator to indicate 4G instead of 3G. Not sure if it is accurate or just a rumor though.