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AT&T HSPA+ Quietly Pops Up In Several Cities
According To A New, Slightly More Honest Coverage Map
With the new murky ITU definitions, AT&T has taken to calling their wireless network "4G" like everybody else. However, AT&T LTE isn't showing up until later this year (in small volume), the company has yet to launch faster 14 Mbps HSPA+ upgrades, and even their recent Inspire smartphone doesn't offer full HSPA+ support. Paul Kapustka at Sidecut Reports directs our attention to the fact that AT&T's been doing a little work on their wireless network map, allowing you to hover over markets to see who gets "4G" coverage (HSPA+), "mobile broadband coverage," (HSPA, HSDPA) and just "mobile data" (aka EDGE). While AT&T's not yet issued a release, their new, more honest map suggests HSPA+ will first go live in San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Boston, Providence, Houston, Charlotte, Buffalo, Puerto Rico, and Baltimore.
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kaila
join:2000-10-11
Lincolnshire, IL

kaila

Member

4G Disclaimer

said by AT&T's website :
HSPA+ enables 4G speeds when combined with enhanced backhaul.
Are they going to provide an 'enhanced backhaul' map as well? Kind of worthless otherwise.

Gbcue
Premium Member
join:2001-09-30
Santa Rosa, CA

Gbcue

Premium Member

Re: 4G Disclaimer

said by kaila:

said by AT&T's website :
HSPA+ enables 4G speeds when combined with enhanced backhaul.
Are they going to provide an 'enhanced backhaul' map as well? Kind of worthless otherwise.

Of course not, it's AT&T, not T-Mobile.

djrobx
Premium Member
join:2000-05-31
Reno, NV

1 edit

djrobx to kaila

Premium Member

to kaila
said by kaila:

Are they going to provide an 'enhanced backhaul' map as well? Kind of worthless otherwise.

Very true, although I have noticed some pretty significant speed improvements in the LA area.

I'm hitting 4.5+mbps from my iPhone even in somewhat remote places like Big Bear. When AT&T introduced 3G speeds here, the best I was testing was around 768k. While I'm aware that the iPhone 4 is not HSPA+, it's clear backhaul improvements are happening, and it has a pretty dramatic effect on lesser devices.

4+mbps down and 1+mbps up from my cell phone with simultaneous voice+data is pretty acceptable to me, whatever they want to call it. What I really want now is to have it work more reliably in more places. There are still some embarrassing coverage gaps that ought to be addressed before they work on deploying yet another new fangled network.
expert007
join:2006-01-10
Buffalo, NY

expert007

Member

What kind of speeds are they advertising for this "4G"?

My apologies if I missed it, but what are they hyping for their version of 4G-ish/HSPA+ ?

del ftl
@slcgov.com

del ftl

Anon

Were they lies?

This is from November of last year when At&t was claiming that they had more hspa+ coverage:

"T-Mobile plans to expand its reach to 200 million by the end of the year, but AT&T said its own service would reach 250 million Americans in a similar timeframe."

Now we find out that At&t hasnt even come close to that. I'm not sure if they even cover 100 million with their current hspa+ 4G

thedragonmas
Premium Member
join:2007-12-28
Albany, GA
Netgear R6300 v2
ARRIS SB6180

thedragonmas

Premium Member

the map lies

granted im color blind, but that thing shows the "dark color" for "3G" at my house, i have a motorola and 2 samsung's both 3G and both show Edge. about a quarter mile away it shows the "lighter color" for edge.

so either that map is off by atleast quarter mile. or its just full of it.

note: any one who wants to reference can use "hayes pharamacy" its the closest retail address i can think of.

Gbcue
Premium Member
join:2001-09-30
Santa Rosa, CA

Gbcue

Premium Member

Re: the map lies

Coverage map is for signal received outdoors.

djrobx
Premium Member
join:2000-05-31
Reno, NV

djrobx

Premium Member

Re: the map lies

That map definitely lies. It used to be fairly accurate, but AT&T's marketing department seems to have gotten their fangs into it. Areas that used to be "moderate" are now called "good".

From what I can tell you now need to be in a "best" area to get acceptable coverage, indoors or outdoors. In a "good" area you are on the fringe. "moderate" might as well be no service.

thedragonmas
Premium Member
join:2007-12-28
Albany, GA
Netgear R6300 v2
ARRIS SB6180

thedragonmas to Gbcue

Premium Member

to Gbcue
said by Gbcue:

Coverage map is for signal received outdoors.

ok, i walked outside, guess what? still E.. oh and by the way i have 5 "bars" on all 3 phones indoors or out.

thats from a "cold start" of the phones outdoors btw. and if your being sarcastic, a helps.. but im not, indoors or outdoors from cold start (battery removed and inserted after about 10 minutes) its still EDGE.

they where supposed to have 3G here at the end of december according to »www.albanyherald.com/new ··· 924.html

del ftl
@slcgov.com

del ftl to thedragonmas

Anon

to thedragonmas
You are not unique. I know several areas where At&t shows full 3G coverage that have nothing but edge. And have for years.

WutanG5
Premium Member
join:2001-12-12
Seaford, DE

1 edit

WutanG5

Premium Member

Re: the map lies

I'm in one of them also. I've had my blackberry for almost 2 years now. I bought the phone to use with 3G because they said they'd be rolling it out in my area. 2 years later.... still EDGE and a crappy EDGE signal at that barely gets 60 kbps.... in town. You better bet I'm canceling after that. Verizon has had 3G in my town, for a while.

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102

Member

you forgot L.A., Karl

said by karl :
While AT&T's not yet issued a release, their new, more honest map suggests HSPA+ will first go live in San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Boston, Providence, Houston, Charlotte, Buffalo, Puerto Rico, and Baltimore.
Los Angeles is also listed on that map as well as 'NorCal' (north of SanFran).

MovieLover76
join:2009-09-11
Cherry Hill, NJ
(Software) pfSense
Asus RT-AC68
Asus RT-AC66

MovieLover76

Member

Definitely missing backhaul

in central NJ my samsung captivate always insists that i'm connect to the 7.2 mbps HSPA network, however unlike people in larger cities I never get more than 3mbps and most of the time it's between 1 -2 mbps, even with full signal. Either our towers are overcrowded (which i wouldn't think would be a problem in the suburbs) or they didn't properly upgrade the backhaul

compuguybna
join:2009-06-17
Nashville, TN

compuguybna

Member

Re: Definitely missing backhaul

Yeah, mine ALWAYS shows H+ and there IS NONE HERE...

SouthLA
@cox.net

SouthLA

Anon

Map is a farce

The map is still a farce in my part of the world. Moreover, even when there are 5 bars of 3G, more than half the time I can't get an internet connection. I suppose there is insufficient backhaul. My patience is running low. Going to pickup a tester from VZ this weekend.

compuguybna
join:2009-06-17
Nashville, TN

compuguybna

Member

Phone always shows H+ although there is none!

i'm so annoyed though, how my Inspire ALWAYS has ( H+ )
in the network indicator.

We just got upgraded to a 3G network here, and DEFINATELY not on the HSPSA+ network.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

P>S> That "4G" map from AT&T has been the same for over a month . . . .

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102 to SouthLA

Member

to SouthLA

Re: Map is a farce

Yeah - I only get 4Mbps here in the L.A. area on my iPhone 3GS.
Of course, VZW iPhone won't get more that 3 unless on WiFi.

dib22
join:2002-01-27
Kansas City, MO

dib22

Member

Sigh

Still just 2g coverage here on att... when are the planning on upgrading all their 2g/edge services to something... 3g or fake-4g.

compuguybna
join:2009-06-17
Nashville, TN

compuguybna

Member

Re: Sigh

You got that right, FAKE 4G (and even making the phone SAY its on 4G, when it doesn't exist on this area).
said by dib22:

Still just 2g coverage here on att... when are the planning on upgrading all their 2g/edge services to something... 3g or fake-4g.

bonorum
join:2004-04-03
Winston Salem, NC

bonorum

Member

EDGE data barely functions, not expecting to live until 4g

I think they have a large part of NC to cover with basic coverage that can retrieve email. The larger cities are fine, but hit the road and you are back to the stone age.