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I’m on O2 in the UK, reception for me is brilliant, it aint broke as far as I’m concerned, no need to fix (break) it.

Same, I've been with O2 for a couple of years now, iPhone for most of it. But there are places such as my house where I only get 2/4 bar on Edge and nearly no 3G. I know my house has something to do with it but that isn't what I'm getting at.

LTE wont arrive in the UK until 2013 at the earliest. Behind everyone else
 
ATT *hopes* we think HSPA+, etc will fix the problem. It won't. The problem isn't a carrier signal. It's spectrum, backhaul, and plain oversubscription.

ATT sold massive amounts of unlimited data plans, data handsets, and didn't have the spectrum from the handset to the tower to do it, regardless of what 3G technology or 3G+ technology they try to schelp.

Then, they simply didn't do the investment (or couldn't get approval) for the right physical presence sites to operate the various spectrum they bought at auction/from the Cingular acquisition. They had their old TDMA stations they migrated to GSM and later to 3G, but the physical design of a voice-centric TDMA network (e.g. the spacing/needs/density of physical sites) is MARKEDLY different from a GSM network, let alone a network evolving into being very data (packet) centric.

Then, from what under-built physical network they did deploy, they didn't build in a very good backhaul infrastructure.

ATT isn't stupid, neither is it poor. But, they do have some massive leadership issues, some difficult legacy/technology/real estate/heritage/acquisition issues, etc that are all exacerbated more on the focus more on marketing & sounding good than walking the walk.

This HSPA+ thing is a great example. de Vega and team are putting Fancy Feast on a plate and calling it fine Foie Gras. They want to win this "4G" war in words & labels when they really should be focused on winning the "customer experience" war. They're *lying* (and they know it, how can de Vega go up there and call HSPA+ 4G? He's got no ethics). HSPA+ is NOT 4G. It's sexed up 3G.

It's not a question of whether they can do it, the technology exists, or even if the capital exists - it's a question of willingness, culture, and priorities. ATT shows what theirs are everyday, and it's not the build out of a network with the best customer service. That company is called Verizon :) (they have their own bevy of issues, but being focused on network build-out and coverage is NOT one of them!).

I definately agree with the backhaul comment. The one thing that really stood out for me watching the ATT announcement was his comment "AT&T plans to have the nationwide LTE rollout complete by the end of 2013 and says that two-thirds of its mobile traffic will have access to fiber or Ethernet backhaul by the end of this year." I'm not even going to ask what he means by complete ... matching the current 3G footprint? Matching the 3G and edge combined? What I noticed was by the end of the year, 2/3 of the backhaul will be Ethernet or fiber. What have they been doing? And what has (is) it running on now? It's great to put up towers to allow more users, but I'm a backhaul first, or at least the same time kinda person.
 
Apple is going to be just one year late with LTE phone. It's not that bad compared to other Apple shortcomings (like BlueRay, USB 3.0 etc.)
 
Wow...I guess the ITU has no backbone anymore. Thanks.

Sad really.

Companies now appear able to market themselves as providing 4G when they have HSPA+. I agree .. 3.5G doesn't sound evolutionary like 4G.

The real point has been explained here previously - insufficient network capability - and mostly backhaul.

I've come from Australia where the backhaul network is truly fast due to $1billion+ investment (I worked for Telstra) - Here in central London I struggled with O2 signal and also found many blackspots while travelling around the UK (been living here 7 months).

Most networks here appear overloaded and would require massive investment (backhaul and new site acquisitions) to cope with the surge in data packet access demand by customers.

Until networks worldwide are improved to deliver good customer experience with LTE I don't expect Apple to move any time soon (we had great video calling capability in Aust but Apple waited for the rest of the world to step up network performance before adding a front-facing camera).

What a difference it would make if network companies would spend some of their 4G marketing budget on network improvement instead!!!
 
Wow...I guess the ITU has no backbone anymore. Thanks.

I don't think it's a lack of backbone, I think they flat out blew it. Didn't I read that they said what 4G is ... last month? I firmly believe they should have told us last month what 5G is. Everyone has been talking 4G for years. They should have said what defines it years ago, especially if it's only a speed rating.
 
Sad really.

Companies now appear able to market themselves as providing 4G when they have HSPA+. I agree .. 3.5G doesn't sound evolutionary like 4G.

The real point has been explained here previously - insufficient network capability - and mostly backhaul.

I've come from Australia where the backhaul network is truly fast due to $1billion+ investment (I worked for Telstra) - Here in central London I struggled with O2 signal and also found many blackspots while travelling around the UK (been living here 7 months).

Most networks here appear overloaded and would require massive investment (backhaul and new site acquisitions) to cope with the surge in data packet access demand by customers.

Until networks worldwide are improved to deliver good customer experience with LTE I don't expect Apple to move any time soon (we had great video calling capability in Aust but Apple waited for the rest of the world to step up network performance before adding a front-facing camera).

What a difference it would make if network companies would spend some of their 4G marketing budget on network improvement instead!!!

ATT made me take notice the other day with their '2/3 of their backhaul will be ethernet or fiber by the end of the year'. I thought their backhaul was farther along than that. I'd like to see where verizon stands right now. I did catch where verizon said they are connecting LTE's backhaul with fiber only. At least they are not just slapping it up. Hope it continues.
 
Just as I suspected, 2011 will only bring a minor update to the iPhone. That's good news for everyone, especially for all those people holding out for the white one.
 
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