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AT&T on Wednesday announced plans to significantly boost its 3G network performance and begin testing its new 4G network over the next two years.
The 3G upgrade involves boosting the network to High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2, which the company claims will double peak speeds of the current network, from 3.6 megabits per second to 7.2Mbps. AT&T said these improvements would begin later this year, and that it would also be releasing phones capable of handling the higher speeds.
AT&T's release did not mention Apple's next-generation iPhone or indicate whether the new iPhone, which is expected to be announced June 8, would include a 3G speed upgrade.
Farther down the road, AT&T will begin trials of its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in 2010 with plans to begin deployment in 2011. LTE is a new wireless technology that is expected to become a global standard. Many domestic and international carriers, including Verizon, have announced plans to adopt LTE for their next-generation networks as well.
This news appears to be a competitive move from AT&T in response to recent statements from Verizon. Verizon's chief executive Ivan Seidenberg recently said Apple would likely consider sharing the iPhone with Verizon once the telecom company began upgrading to LTE in 2010. Thus, this announcement may be AT&T's effort to retain its current iPhone customer base as well as its exclusive relationship with Apple.
Press Release [AT&T]
Photo: ktylerconk/Flickr
