AT&T: Faster speed and better coverage than Sprint

[Donz0r]

http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/26/engadget-labs-the-best-mobile-broadband-carrier-in-america/

Engadget tested the data cards for laptops from Verizon, ATT, Sprint, and T-Mobile.

AT&T had by FAR the fastest data speeds and was second only to Verizon in terms of 3G data coverage.

Everyone needs to quit bashing AT&T service - maybe it sucks where you live, but I have full 3G wherever I go and never drop calls. It's all relative to where you live but if you want an accurate comparison you need to look at the country as a whole.

 

[kas23]

That graph shows data speeds in optimal user settings (it would have been nice to know where these "various locales" were and what time of the day it was). They also go on to say that mobile data is "completely unpredictable". Additionally, they also state AT&T is notorious for poor reliability.

None of these points are a knock against the article, it's pretty good. My only knock against this is that they should've used a Mac for testing, not a PC running XP.

 

[Michael CM1]

Ah, if only people realized that service varies from place to place. That looked like a pretty good test, although I wanted to puke on the artsy-fartsy photog who could do nothing but stack the 4 dongles 800 different ways for art at the bottom.

I guarantee you that if a Verizon iPhone were available today, people would be moaning and b%#@hing about how AT&T is faster. I just don't think some people realize that cell service is probably never going to be perfect and calls are going to get dropped, especially if you're on the move. If you or the other person lives in the boondocks and has a low signal, don't be shocked. Now if you're the people in NYC who have problems, yeah, I get that. There shouldn't be as much trouble in a city that populated.

 

[TwinCities Dan]

... although I wanted to puke on the artsy-fartsy photog who could do nothing but stack the 4 dongles 800 different ways for art at the bottom.

Hahaha, I was thinking the exact same thing as I was reading it!
@ photos

 

[QCassidy352]

I guarantee you that if a Verizon iPhone were available today, people would be moaning and b%#@hing about how AT&T is faster.

I agree that people just like to complain (see sig ), but in this case I think you're wrong. I pretty much don't ever see anyone badmouth verizon's service, either on this board or in real life. (And I say this as very satisfied AT&T customer who switched from Verizon.)

I actually think the iphone itself is part of the problem. Not the hardware, but just the fact of 15 million of the heaviest data users on one network. Put the iphone exclusively on verizon and their network might start to feel the strain too.

 

[goodcow]

Everyone needs to quit bashing AT&T service - maybe it sucks where you live, but I have full 3G wherever I go and never drop calls.

I live in Manhattan. 3G service is terrible. In Manhattan. I will bash AT&T since their network sucks ass here, in one of the most important locations in the country. Good for everyone else if 3G works great in the middle of nowhere, but that doesn't help me or 8+ million potential customers.

 

[bjquach]

These graphs are like those ads where companies draw new customers to them

 

[kdarling]

I guarantee you that if a Verizon iPhone were available today, people would be moaning and b%#@hing about how AT&T is faster.

I agree with the other response... people bash Verizon on phone forums for other things, but rarely for service availability or speed.

Especially now that Verizon is starting to use their new FiOS backbone for tower backhaul. ATT's 3G towers often have 2-10 Mbps available for all of a tower's users, whereas Verizon might have 100 Mbps or more bandwidth.

I just don't think some people realize that cell service is probably never going to be perfect and calls are going to get dropped, especially if you're on the move.

The fact is, CDMA phones don't drop nearly as often, because of their soft handoff between always connected towers... vs GSM's hard handoff (disconnect, then reconnect).

 

[TSX]

I still dont have 3g w/att

sprint and t-mobile both have 3g where i live

 

[sinsin07]

I live in Manhattan. 3G service is terrible. In Manhattan. I will bash AT&T since their network sucks ass here, in one of the most important locations in the country. Good for everyone else if 3G works great in the middle of nowhere, but that doesn't help me or 8+ million potential customers.

This is just a thought, however I think it may be the iphone with ATT. I say this because I work in Manhattan, my company has about 18,000 Blackberrys, most of them ATT. I don't get complaints about lost or dropped calls (I support them).

 

[zap2]

I live in Manhattan. 3G service is terrible. In Manhattan. I will bash AT&T since their network sucks ass here, in one of the most important locations in the country. Good for everyone else if 3G works great in the middle of nowhere, but that doesn't help me or 8+ million potential customers.

Well as long as you realize, you'll seem silly when other people go "but AT&T works super at XYZ location!"

Perhaps whenever you bash, you can clarify that you're talking in Manhattan based on personal experience?