AT&T to expand 3G wireless network

AT&T said Wednesday that it's expanding its third-generation wireless broadband footprint and completing the upgrade of its network to the fastest 3G technology available.

The company is expanding its current 3G network to cover more than 80 additional cities in the U.S. this year. The new network, which will add 1,500 new cell sites, will put AT&T's 3G network in nearly 350 U.S. markets, including the top 100 markets, by the end of 2008.

AT&T also plans to upgrade its 3G network to a technology called HSUPA, or High Speed Uplink Packet Access, to provide Internet upload speeds that range from 500 kilobits per second to 800Kbps. The faster uplink speeds will be particularly useful for AT&T's wireless laptop customers. The speed increase will allow them to access large files from the Internet more quickly and upload bandwidth-intensive content such as videos.

AT&T said the deployment of HSUPA, which should be completed by the middle of the year, is the next step in the evolution of its 3G network. And the company believes that it will help pave the way for it to build a 4G network in the future.

"Fast wireless broadband is the foundation for a whole range of new and emerging applications that our customers are adopting, including everything from social networking to sending live video and large business files," Ralph de la Vega, CEO of AT&T's wireless unit, said in a statement. "With these aggressive initiatives, we're expanding the scope and the speed of our 3G capabilities. We're also planning for the future by establishing a clear path to a 4G network that will meet the needs of our customers for years to come."

[iphonesbiz]

No Google Wireless Network After All? Verizon May Win Spectrum Auction

We?ve been keeping an eye on the FCC?s 700MHz spectrum auction for the last couple of weeks. The bidding war commenced back on January 24, and, after seeing things get off to a slow start with several days of oddly small bites by various participates for the five ?blocks,? (A,B,C,D,E) big money has now taken the stage. The portion of spectrum known as ?C block? alone has already surpassed the $4.6B reserve mark. (That is the point at which the buyer agrees by default to abide by open networking rules.)

And as many of you know, Google has kept its sights strongly on C block, which many have considered essential to the company?s technological framework if it were to pursue the creation of its own US-based wireless network. (Some, including myself, believed that such an enterprise might have been planned.) Google negotiated forcibly with the FCC, against opposition brought by several established American telecommunications giants, to ensure that that particular aspect of the auction carry with it the requirement of remaining an open space by which any and all competitors could transmit data freely.

Well, for those of you who had hoped for the future arrival of ?Google Wireless,? we may have to disappoint. News arrived this morning that essentially signified Google?s all-but-certain defeat by telecom megalith Verizon for the prized C block spectrum.

Last week, speculation as to the status of the auction was quite intense. Some said that Google had put forth a $4.7B ($100m north of the reserve price), giving it a strong chance of coming away from the process with its hands full. Earlier today, however, Elizabeth Woyke of Forbes.com reported that Verizon?s interest in the C block was not shaken by Mountain View?s move, and is likely determined to claim the wireless space in order to, in the words of Stifel Nicolaus analyst Rebecca Arbogast, ?close the gap?(with) AT&T.?

Arbogast went on to say that she was ?reasonably confident that Google does not have the spectrum now.?

While this update comes as something of a personal surprise (I have been observing the 700MHz auction rather eagerly), I cannot say that I?ve been entirely thrown. It was certainly a bit of a stretch to think Google would go through to the very end to claim the prize. I figured the chance of a Google win to be just a bit greater to that of another party?s. Nonetheless, Google appears slated to leave the auction empty handed.

Except, well, not empty handed. Remember, Google has ensured the openness of the 700MHz. Though the vision of ?Google Wireless? is an idea now bound to reside only in the realm of fan fiction, we are guaranteed to encounter minimal technological barriers wherever the C block spectrum is ultimately employed. That?s something to look forward to, yes?
http://mashable.com/2008/02/06/google-700mhz-auction-update/

[frupp]

Hold off purchasing the iPhone updated version

It appears that with this 3G update to AT&T's network one should hold of upgrading to the currently being sold 16 GB iPhone to await the release of the 3G model hopefully by the end of 08. Apple will no longer have the excuse of 'AT&T doesn't support 3G in the US anyway.' Of course the iPhone's battery life will still be an issue due to 3G's power requirements. Good to see progress is being made. I'll stick with Verizon until all of this is ironed out.

[Lee in San Diego]

Is it already 3G

Not having torn one apart and not being to being able to ID the
necessary components if I did I need to ask, is the iPhone already
3G capable? Maybe all it needs is a software update to turn on this
feature.

[acabtp]

now that's just silly

The 'AT&T doesn't support 3G in the US anyway.' excuse hasn't ever been valid for Apple to use anyway... I was enjoying AT&T's 3G far before the iPhone dropped.