AT&T 3G Comes to Columbus,GA

[Eric47]

AT&T launches high-speed 3G service in Columbus
By Tony Adams - tadams@ledger-enquirer.com --
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AT&T Inc. has launched its high-speed wireless broadband service, known as 3G, in Columbus.

The company unveiled the technology upgrade Monday before a gathering of local community and business leaders at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center on Front Avenue.

"The city of Columbus is experiencing impressive growth, and we are growing our local network to meet this increased demand for high-quality wireless service," said Steve Sitton, president of AT&T's wireless operations in the Southeast.

The telecom said it has upgraded 40 existing cell sites throughout the Columbus market in recent months and plans to add 12 new sites in Columbus and Fort Benning before the end of the year.

The 3G technology, which has been in the Atlanta market about 18 months, allows consumers and businesses to surf the wireless Internet via phone or laptop computer at much higher speeds than the company's typical Edge Internet service.

Features of 3G include sharing live video during a wireless call and access to national audio and video content such as sportscasts and weather radar.

The company's video offerings include clips and broadcasts from CNN, Fox News, ABC Mobile, CBS Mobile, NBC, ESPN, The Weather Channel, MTV, VH1, Comedy Central and HBO Mobile.

AT&T says it has invested nearly $125 million into its Georgia network this year and nearly $1.5 billion total over the last three years.

The high-speed 3G service is now available in 280 U.S. metropolitan areas, with plans to add 70 more cities by the end of this year.

Columbus is the third city to receive 3G aside from Atlanta and Athens. Next on the launch list is Savannah, Ga., although no date was given for that city's rollout.

"At AT&T, our mission is to connect people where they live and work and do it better than anyone else," said Sylvia Anderson, president of the firm's Georgia operation.

There are also plans to open a fourth store in the Columbus market, Sitton said. The company is negotiating for property to open a large store that will allow customers to demonstrate products and services, he said. Details on the location of the store should be available within two weeks.

AT&T's prime competitor, Verizon Wireless, began offering its own high-speed wireless broadband service in the fall of 2006.

Ledger-Enquirer.com | 06/23/2008 | AT&T launches high-speed 3G service in Columbus

ill try to figure out what other cities recently launched...

[Eric47]

FYI. As i understand it, it was a full HSUPA launch. the article left something to be desired. let me see if i can find other articles, there was another launch recently i think. does anyone knoww?

[Quint101]

I didn't know that up to now that AT&T had only 2 3G areas... At least they are launching more areas... Even AllTel beat AT&T in launching 3G there!

Is it that hard to deploy 3G over 1900 only areas?

AT&T will really be a contender in the sticks when they start to expand their coverage in southwest GA. I bet that Albany is probably the last Georgia city to get 3G.... Hopefully all 3G will be HSUPA or whatever the fastest available standard is

[Eric47]

with as strong as valdosta/albany/waycross all being strong areas for att as well as macon and augusta i would suspect much of South GA being done by next year IMO.

btw HSUPA is the fastest available of any carrier

[RadioFoneGuy]

Originally Posted by Quint101

I didn't know that up to now that AT&T had only 2 3G areas... At least they are launching more areas... Even AllTel beat AT&T in launching 3G there!

Is it that hard to deploy 3G over 1900 only areas?

AT&T will really be a contender in the sticks when they start to expand their coverage in southwest GA. I bet that Albany is probably the last Georgia city to get 3G.... Hopefully all 3G will be HSUPA or whatever the fastest available standard is

3G for AT&T is alot harder than that of Verizon or Alltel to get running. ON the CDMA carriers its adding modules to existing equipment, software upgrades and additional backhaul.

UMTS/WCDMA is all new network, all new equipment, all new backhaul and all new switches.

1900 only could be easier or harder depending how much spectrum they have down there.

[Quint101]

Thanks for the clarification... I didn't know that their 3G is an entirely new network... Down the line, when Verizon and AllTel goes to LTE, they will probably have some growing pains, right?

[spleck]

AT&T may wait to see how much 850 coverage in South/West GA they can acquire from the VZW-Alltel merger. There's no reason for them to wait on the Macon area since they already have 850.

[spleck]

Originally Posted by Quint101

Thanks for the clarification... I didn't know that their 3G is an entirely new network... Down the line, when Verizon and AllTel goes to LTE, they will probably have some growing pains, right?

I don't think their growing pains will be any worse than what AT&T is experiencing right now for UMTS. LTE is actually a UMTS standard (with a different air interface), so while AT&T is getting a head start on LTE capability, they're also building the market and knowledgebase, while driving down the cost of UMTS/LTE equipment.

[Quint101]

Originally Posted by spleck

AT&T may wait to see how much 850 coverage in South/West GA they can acquire from the VZW-Alltel merger. There's no reason for them to wait on the Macon area since they already have 850.

True... They will start building out their 1900 anyday now because the state of Georgia gave AT&T come money in the form of tax credits as well. So their 1900 coverage will probably be basic until the AllTel purchase is completed.

Also, Valdosta/Waycross is in the same boat as Macon as they're 850 as well.

[Eric47]

id expect by 2010 for ATT to be almost all UMTS/HSUPA and then LTE in big cities. from now on they will be leading the pack in speed by my guessing.

also i will say, a 1900 only system, if built right, is just as useful as any other. on 3G im told it works better than edge by far, the tolerances on calling are much loser also so even in areas of 1 bar of 3G, calls go out and come in just fine where edge will drop or crackle

[bobolito]

Originally Posted by Eric47

id expect by 2010 for ATT to be almost all UMTS/HSUPA and then LTE in big cities....

AT&T said you'll have to wait at least until 2013 for LTE. It is Verizon, however, who promised LTE on 2010. We'll see what happens.

[Quint101]

Originally Posted by Eric47

also i will say, a 1900 only system, if built right, is just as useful as any other. on 3G im told it works better than edge by far, the tolerances on calling are much loser also so even in areas of 1 bar of 3G, calls go out and come in just fine where edge will drop or crackle

I agree... 1900 is good when the company builds it out well. Verizon is PCS only here and they are solid here... I only had a handful of issues in the 3 years I've had them. Most of the 50+ million Sprint users aren't complaining either. More T-Mobile customers are arriving than leaving... Somebody's doing something right for the majority of the users.

[Eric47]

Originally Posted by bobolito

AT&T said you'll have to wait at least until 2013 for LTE. It is Verizon, however, who promised LTE on 2010. We'll see what happens.

yea we will see, it seems like a far stretch but your right, we will see. part of that is probably bc ATT can drag out the multiple HSDPA ugrades and wont need to goto LTE quiet as fast. if ATT goes to HSPA they will be getting quiet faster than verizzon within the next year. i have a feeling that neither companys are being truthful or realistic with their timelines either.

[spleck]

I think those timelines of 2010/2013 have been more in relation to the deployment of 700 MHz equipment. VZW probably wants to hurry so they have higher speeds, while AT&T figures they can wait 2-3 years while VZW is building out their network.

[RadioRaiders]

Originally Posted by spleck

I think those timelines of 2010/2013 have been more in relation to the deployment of 700 MHz equipment. VZW probably wants to hurry so they have higher speeds, while AT&T figures they can wait 2-3 years while VZW is building out their network.

Is LTE going to be launched on freqs other than 700Mhz in the US?

[spleck]

Originally Posted by RadioRaiders

Is LTE going to be launched on freqs other than 700Mhz in the US?

I'm sure it will, but VZW specifically targeted 700 MHz. AT&T didn't make an announcement about it, but said they'd be using 700 and 1700. I'm sure VZW will use 1700 for it also, but I think they were responding to a question about their plans for 700.

I haven't heard anything about plans for LTE on 850/1900. T-Mobile said they're implementing an upgrade path with their UMTS rollout, but as you know, that's on 1700 also.

[cheddar]

CDMA will stick around on its existing frequencies for a while. LTE won't take over those frequencies until most customers have migrated to LTE. The companies will also want to make sure there's no other technologies to consider.

[Eric47]

Originally Posted by cheddar

CDMA will stick around on its existing frequencies for a while. LTE won't take over those frequencies until most customers have migrated to LTE. The companies will also want to make sure there's no other technologies to consider.

i can see that, i can also see LTE being charged as a premium to users.

[spleck]

Originally Posted by Eric47

i can see that, i can also see LTE being charged as a premium to users.

I can't see a premium being charged over current 3G rates. Actual throughput isn't likely to be much higher. I think LTE will be more about bandwidth efficiency.