AT&T Upgrading 3G Network

[jarofclay73]

Here's a press release on AT&T's plan to upgrade its 3G network:

AT&T today announced plans to upgrade the nation’s fastest 3G network to deliver considerably faster mobile broadband speeds. The network upgrades are slated to begin later this year, with completion expected in 2011.
The upgrade to High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 technology is part of AT&T’s plan for continued investments to deliver the nation’s best mobile broadband experience – the ideal combination of speed, coverage and best device line-up. AT&T today has the nation’s fastest 3G network and has attracted more than twice the number of smartphone users than any other competitor.
With its network built on the 3G UMTS technology that is commonly deployed throughout the world, AT&T can boost the speed of its mobile broadband network and offer a wide variety of devices to take advantage of it well in advance of 2011-2012, when most industry observers expect 4G LTE networks and device availability to scale. AT&T plans to begin LTE trials in 2010, with deployment beginning in 2011.
In addition to the planned speed upgrade, AT&T is enhancing its mobile broadband coverage by nearly doubling the wireless spectrum dedicated to 3G in most metropolitan areas to deliver stronger in-building reception and more overall network capacity. Also, AT&T is adding thousands of new cell site backhaul connections to support the higher mobile broadband speeds enabled by HSPA 7.2 and LTE.

Does anyone know how much faster HSPA will be?
It's also nice knowing when AT&T will be starting 4G.

[psylichon]

Well the current gen of 3G is technically limited to 3.8mbps, right? And that translates to 1-1.5mbps in actual usage, right? (Basing this on what I remember others saying... I'm still V1)

So I'd be willing to bet the upgrade will give you 2-3mbps in actual usage. Not bad at all for mobile...

[styfle]

I remember reading on gizmodo that the rumor was basically uncapping 3G to get its full potential, and not actually using a different technology (aka LTE or whatever). They said something along the lines of maxing it out at 7.2Mbps from the current 3 whatever.

EDIT: heres the link http://gizmodo.com/5271329/atts-netw...-if-not-better

[Ron Mexico]

this is good news, 3g sucks in my area

[robinhooddaffy]

4G??? i haven't even got 3G! I dislike Edge. wi-fi is faster than Edge.