That map is horribly outdated. I just finished a 2,400 mile trek, non-roaming on T-Mo. That map is probably best suited to represent last June. I live in Cincinnati. I get 3G coverage within a 25 mile radius of downtown.
7.2Mbps+
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AT&T Announces Completion of 7.2 Mbps Software Updates, But Backhaul Upgrades Still Needed
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That map is horribly outdated. I just finished a 2,400 mile trek, non-roaming on T-Mo. That map is probably best suited to represent last June. I live in Cincinnati. I get 3G coverage within a 25 mile radius of downtown.
7.2Mbps+
Ironic that this announcement comes on the morning in which I bounce from 5 bars to 0 bars every few minutes making it almost imopssible to even send text messages -- a new low for AT&T.
That may be in Arizona, but here in the Midwest and on the East Coast, T-Mo has had the infrastructure in place for awhile with the ability to upgrade easily in the future. They had to wait for Uncle Sam to get off their purchased frequencies to switch it on. You know how slow and unresponsive bureaucracy can be.
The bonus for T-Mobile is that even though the US Gov has slowed their infrastructure and hurt customers, they are a successful global brand. They are still waiting to cash in on their American adventure how they should be.
I fully agree... I live in West Hollywood (which is completely surrounded by Los Angeles!) and is supposedly fully covered by 3G according to AT&T's own maps, yet there are huge several-block patches of EDGE-only coverage in the area and spots where I'm standing out on the street where I have no service at all. I know when I leave my apartment that I won't get 3G until I travel at least four blocks in any direction, and whether or not I can hold a call is unsure at best, which is a little ridiculous considering I live in the heart of the country's second-largest metro area.
I've been abusing the crap out of AT&T's Mark the Spot app, I've posted about these issues to AT&T's customer service on Facebook and Twitter, and I provided specific cross-streets to their CSRs on request, so I know they've gotten the information. I've been telling them about it for months, so if they've spent time building out their network here as they're claiming, there should have been some kind of adjustment to fix this problem.
And I'm not the only one who's been experiencing problems here -- almost everyone I know who has AT&T says that coverage is a huge issue for them, yet New York and San Francisco are getting all the attention. That's awesome that AT&T is making higher data speeds available to some people... but if we don't have 3G coverage or don't have a signal at all, what's the point?
I heard that some anatomical feature on Dolly Parton is responsible for absorbing most of the wireless signals in Nashville.
Well,
1)I don't need faster speeds (although faster is always appreciated and better) since I rarely use my iPhone's data features on the ATT network (meaning, I use wireless at home or restaurants). I NEED BETTER COVERAGE. The coverage in New England is terrible...to put it nicely. I'd rather have 95% coverage with somewhat slow data rather than fast data and 40% coverage. Right now I'm getting slow data and 40% coverage (live in CT) so thankfully I don't use my iPhone on the road (for calls) more than once a week...and thankfully I have coverage at my house!!
2)So up to 2 years we have to wait for a rollout? Well, easily by then I and others will have the ability to move to Verizon or other carriers.
Not much good of an announcement if we have to wait 2 years (aiming for the worst timeframe since they won't disclose who gets it when).
LOL, Redondo Beach?!?! That's a prime example of what a half-a@# network AT&T is... when I saw your post I was expecting Ketchum, Idaho (100 miles from Boise, ID), but you're in the LA Metroplex, WTF ATT!??!?!!?
Thank You for adding that. You saved me time of writing the same exact post!
...AT&T is just a "kid" making the usual excuse to save their own a**!
They're not going anywhere.... here's a timeline of ATT (and companies that became them)....
Pre 1990 - The rich had their service because cellular was $$$
1990-2000 - AT&T had to market to minorities because they were willing to tolerate sub-par customer service in exchange for lower deposit.
2000-2009 - iPhone, so people dealt with it.
2010---- Competition is getting hot with smartphones, so finally other carriers are getting it, so now AT&T will lose customers to superior networks and have to lower their credit standards to get their 1990-2000 clientele back to compensate...
Bottom line, they'll find a customer even if it means taking the customers no other carriers want... its all just a shift of customer base... but they're losing the golden opportunity (iPhone) because an iPhone customer is worth almost 2 voice-only customers on average.
If you truly want to grok Apple Telephone and Telegraph, rent the movie "The Presidents Analyst". Starring James Coburn, Godfrey Cambridge and Pat Harrington.
On a sad note, I must announce the termination, with extreme predjuice, of Bubba Satori's much beloved Fanboi of the Day Award. I was banned for 23 minutes because the last winner complained to the management that it is was insulting. I don't know if it was insulting in and of itself or because the winner received no compensation for their effort.
Fare thee well Fanboi. We hardly knew thee.
On a sad note, I must announce the termination, with extreme predjuice, of Bubba Satori's much beloved Fanboi of the Day Award. I was banned for 23 minutes because the last winner complained to the management that it is was insulting. I don't know if it was insulting in and of itself or because the winner received no compensation for their effort.
Fare thee well Fanboi. We hardly knew thee.
What are the facts?
I know that AT&T doesn't have coverage as many places as Verizon, but I'm kinda pre-disposed to cutting them a bit of a break.
I would bet that ATT has seen a 1000% increase in data usage over their wildest predictions since the iphone introduction.
Have you noticed, they've never advertised the iphone? Verizon is probably freaking thankful they don't have it. I wouldn't be surprised if ATT isn't sorta sorry they do.
I seriously would like to know what would happen if Verizon did, though. Would the iphone users bring it to its knees? Does Verizon have even a fraction of the data traffic that ATT carries?
Obviously, ATT can advertise this type of conversation, but the fact that we can have simultaneous data/voice traffic, which (Verizon doesn't allow.. if you tether on Verizon you lose your voice connection)
ATT, can't allow tethering unless the upgrades are in place. It would kill an already taxed network. I understand that. I hate it, but I understand.
As far as infrastructure, I wish they would improve it, as well, but I really have no idea how long that takes, and since I have no idea if Verizon's "Superior" network could handle the existing data traffic of iPhone users, I'm a little slow to point fingers.
I absolutely agree that the higher cost brings wrath on ATT. I'm still on a 2G iphone, and those I know who have 3Gs or 3GS's have to switch to edge to avoid dropped calls in the Detroit area. ( I know several who are willing to throw their 3Gs in a drawer and take the disconnect penalty to switch to another network so they can have a dependable phone)
Sounds like the T-Mobile network is faster, but I doubt they have anywhere near the iPhone traffic that ATT has.
Anyone know the whole story on these woes?
I have as much fun jabbing at ATT as the next guy, but I'm thinking there is no greener grass out there. I think its just something we all have to wait for.
I know that AT&T doesn't have coverage as many places as Verizon, but I'm kinda pre-disposed to cutting them a bit of a break.
I would bet that ATT has seen a 1000% increase in data usage over their wildest predictions since the iphone introduction.
Have you noticed, they've never advertised the iphone? Verizon is probably freaking thankful they don't have it. I wouldn't be surprised if ATT isn't sorta sorry they do.
I seriously would like to know what would happen if Verizon did, though. Would the iphone users bring it to its knees? Does Verizon have even a fraction of the data traffic that ATT carries?
Obviously, ATT can advertise this type of conversation, but the fact that we can have simultaneous data/voice traffic, which (Verizon doesn't allow.. if you tether on Verizon you lose your voice connection)
ATT, can't allow tethering unless the upgrades are in place. It would kill an already taxed network. I understand that. I hate it, but I understand.
As far as infrastructure, I wish they would improve it, as well, but I really have no idea how long that takes, and since I have no idea if Verizon's "Superior" network could handle the existing data traffic of iPhone users, I'm a little slow to point fingers.
I absolutely agree that the higher cost brings wrath on ATT. I'm still on a 2G iphone, and those I know who have 3Gs or 3GS's have to switch to edge to avoid dropped calls in the Detroit area. ( I know several who are willing to throw their 3Gs in a drawer and take the disconnect penalty to switch to another network so they can have a dependable phone)
Sounds like the T-Mobile network is faster, but I doubt they have anywhere near the iPhone traffic that ATT has.
Anyone know the whole story on these woes?
I have as much fun jabbing at ATT as the next guy, but I'm thinking there is no greener grass out there. I think its just something we all have to wait for.
Thank the cybergods I decided to wait to take the plunge.
6 more months till Verizon (hopefully) and perchance a next gen iphone.
Fingers crossed. In the meantime I'm going to use my outdated non-smartphone workhorse that's been through every level of hell you can imagine and still works.
Once I have the iphone i'm putting my Envy 2 in a trophy case.
6 more months till Verizon (hopefully) and perchance a next gen iphone.
Fingers crossed. In the meantime I'm going to use my outdated non-smartphone workhorse that's been through every level of hell you can imagine and still works.
Once I have the iphone i'm putting my Envy 2 in a trophy case.
Actually, try 5 mbps. In the T-Mobile areas that have been lit up with 7.2 they are getting anywhere from 5 - 5.5 Mbps. Here is a T-Mobile sample http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r23594457-Seems-to-be-Up-and-Running-here
Expect to see the same from AT&T.
Setting up for failure
Wow, does AT&T not get it? They need to improve their speed and system fast. Other companies are just waiting to have a better and faster system.
Up until a week ago, I did not realize how poor AT&T's service was in some areas of the country. Where I am at AT&T is better than Verizon, but not by much. I've travelled all over the country and had some spoty coverage, certainly a lot of 3G holes, in New York and some other large cities but had really good coverage in ones like Dallas. Generally speaking, my phone and texting coverage was just fine only hurt with Edge vs 3G.
Last week I visited Phoenix, AZ. The service for AT&T was so poor I wanted to go and get a Verizon phone right away. Not only did I have poor 3G coverage, I had very poor talk and text coverage! I could literally be OUTSIDE in an open area have decent if not really good bars, walk 2 feet away and totally drop the call then have no bars.
It was so frustrating, I thought perhaps my phone was going bad. I asked everyone I could who had a cell - who are you with and does AT&T coverage suck here in Phoenix? The resounding answer was Verizon and YES!
I can now totally understand if this coverage exists in such a large city like the greater Phoenix, AZ area how bad it must be in others. I am thankful to be back in a place where at least my cell phone works but AT&T - the map issue is BIG. You can't wait two years to upgrade speed OR your coverage!
Areas in Phoenix where I tried my phone: across the street from a relatively new Apple store in Scottsdale, in the Mill District, in the ASU campus, Glendale,at the University of Phoenix stadium (wow talk about bad here), Happy Valley, Tempe and Mesa.
Wow, does AT&T not get it? They need to improve their speed and system fast. Other companies are just waiting to have a better and faster system.
Up until a week ago, I did not realize how poor AT&T's service was in some areas of the country. Where I am at AT&T is better than Verizon, but not by much. I've travelled all over the country and had some spoty coverage, certainly a lot of 3G holes, in New York and some other large cities but had really good coverage in ones like Dallas. Generally speaking, my phone and texting coverage was just fine only hurt with Edge vs 3G.
Last week I visited Phoenix, AZ. The service for AT&T was so poor I wanted to go and get a Verizon phone right away. Not only did I have poor 3G coverage, I had very poor talk and text coverage! I could literally be OUTSIDE in an open area have decent if not really good bars, walk 2 feet away and totally drop the call then have no bars.
It was so frustrating, I thought perhaps my phone was going bad. I asked everyone I could who had a cell - who are you with and does AT&T coverage suck here in Phoenix? The resounding answer was Verizon and YES!
I can now totally understand if this coverage exists in such a large city like the greater Phoenix, AZ area how bad it must be in others. I am thankful to be back in a place where at least my cell phone works but AT&T - the map issue is BIG. You can't wait two years to upgrade speed OR your coverage!
Areas in Phoenix where I tried my phone: across the street from a relatively new Apple store in Scottsdale, in the Mill District, in the ASU campus, Glendale,at the University of Phoenix stadium (wow talk about bad here), Happy Valley, Tempe and Mesa.
AT&T: "We have completed the upgrade to 7.2Mbps!"
AT&T: "By the way, it won't be available until Dec.2010 or 2011."
nonevent.
AT&T: "By the way, it won't be available until Dec.2010 or 2011."
nonevent.
I'm not an AT&T fan but I believe they are handling themselves quite well. A software upgrade of their existing 3G cell equipment while rolling-out upgrades to their existing towers for 3G in more cities is an awesome feat and undertaking. Granted they need more towers in their high volume areas. I believe they'll come out on top when the dust settles as they have been put through the fire.
Verizon has yet to experience what AT&T is going through for bandwidth spikes in usage since they don't have the iPhone. Maybe the Droid series will change that for them. Then we'll see them crying.
I live in Boise and have been to Ketchum. From what it sounds like Ketchum DOES have better AT&T coverage than the LA Metroplex! Matter of fact, I have pretty decent coverage (cell service) in most of Idaho and Montana. Very comparable to Verizon. 3G is actually pretty decent too.
See my post about a recent trip to AZ though and I am completely shocked how poor the coverage is in the larger cities.
I heard that some anatomical feature on Dolly Parton is responsible for absorbing most of the wireless signals in Nashville.
Seems like a good spot to mount some antennas
You guys are serious? Here's my test...
Open google maps-
Start countling... 1,2- bing! Satellite map of my neighborhood with my house perfectly pinpointed by gps. What delay?
i am in Los Angeles, and honestly the fact that they upgraded the software of their towers. hasn't done crap for my terrible coverage from ATT
sorry ATT ... hasn't helped me at all. also.... still thinking of brighter coverage at T-mobile, where i could repurpose my phones, get an femtocell for my place and.... get lower prices!
Would be nice if apple did a deal so i could use visual voicemail
sorry ATT ... hasn't helped me at all. also.... still thinking of brighter coverage at T-mobile, where i could repurpose my phones, get an femtocell for my place and.... get lower prices!
Would be nice if apple did a deal so i could use visual voicemail