AT&T announced today a substantial strengthening of its 3G mobile broadband wireless network where it has deployed spectrum in the 850 MHz band across large portions of metro New York City, Long Island and New Jersey. That should mean that New York iPhone users like myself should be able to make calls without getting dropped every few minutes and shouldn’t have trouble getting data in the largest city in the US. They’ve also added additional bandwidth pipes to those 3G towers as promised in an announcement in June.
The 850MHz band is especially effective inside and around buildings, something New York has plenty of. Are any of you New Yorkers getting more love from your iPhones as of today?
More from Ma Bell:
“AT&T’s ongoing investment to build broadband networks helps to create jobs, fuel economic growth and enable our customers to quickly access the content that matters most to them,” said Jay Summerson, vice president New York, AT&T external affairs. “Our customers have embraced smartphones and upgrades like the additional 3G spectrum deployment allow them to enjoy the benefits of these devices and mobile broadband for years to come.
The 850 MHz spectrum was deployed for 3G use at more than 1,600 cell sites in metro New York, Long Island and New Jersey. It is considered a high-quality spectrum, which generally results in better in-building coverage. While specific benefits of the additional 3G spectrum will vary by location, AT&T 3G customers should see improved quality and coverage throughout New York City, Long Island and New Jersey where 850 MHz spectrum has been deployed. AT&T technicians nationwide responsible for monitoring network performance for service quality and coverage have seen significant increases in total 3G data traffic in areas where the 850MHz spectrum has been deployed.
“Where we deployed the additional 850 MHz spectrum, we saw an immediate increase in wireless data activity across the AT&T 3G network in those areas,” said Tom DeVito, vice president and general manager for AT&T in New York and New Jersey. “The additional spectrum helps to enhance the 3G network so that our customers have the best experience when they make a call, check an e-mail or surf the Internet on their AT&T device.”
This deployment is one part of AT&T’s ongoing initiatives to enhance the speed and performance of its network. Recently, AT&T announced plans to further upgrade its 3G network nationwide with HSPA 7.2 technology to deliver considerably faster mobile broadband speeds. The upgrades are planned to begin in the fourth quarter, with completion expected in 2011. Additionally, AT&T is continually optimizing and adding cell sites in New York, New Jersey and across the country to maximize performance for customers. AT&T is planning to add nearly 1,900 cell sites nationwide this year, and we’re adding new backhaul connections across the country to support the increasing volumes of mobile data traffic.
AT&T’s 3G mobile broadband network is based on the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) family of technologies that includes GSM and UMTS, the most open and widely used wireless network platforms in the world. AT&T offers 3G data roaming in more than 100 countries, as well as voice calling in more than 215 countries.
Across the U.S., AT&T’s 3G network is available in more than 350 major metropolitan areas. For more information about AT&T’s 3G coverage in metro NY or anywhere in the United States, consumers can go to http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/. The online tool can measure the quality of coverage based on a street address, intersection, ZIP code or even a landmark.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
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