May 24, 2005 10:38 AM PDT

Is Cingular 3G slowing down?

Cingular Wireless, the No. 1 cell phone operator in the U.S., may have scaled back its wireless broadband deployment plans, financial analysts are reporting.

A Cingular spokesman maintained on Tuesday that the operator is on pace to blanket 15 to 20 cities with what's known as 3G (third generation) cell phone technology, which creates wireless Internet connections rivaling the capacity of some wired ones, including digital subscriber lines.

But Deutsche Bank analysts Brian Modoff, Jonathan Goldberg and Vijay Doradla wrote on Tuesday that a recent check of Cingular suppliers and other sources leads them to believe Cingular is planning to add 3G to only 12 to 15 cities.

The major reason? Cingular is simply overworked right now, the analysts wrote in their assessment of the operator's apparently "more realistic" schedule. Aside from working on 3G, Cingular also is adding EDGE technology--a wireless data-transmission feature with speeds of 70kbps to 135kbps--throughout its network, and integrating all of that with AT&T Wireless' network, which Cingular has purchased.

To successfully multitask, Cingular may have to cut back on some of the more advanced 3G features it once planned, the analysts wrote.

"Opting for less advanced features in the rollout could work in favor of the carrier since it's easy to test the less complex features, giving Cingular more time to certify the basic foundations of the network," the DB analysts wrote.

If Cingular is indeed moderating its 3G rollout, it is losing ground to No. 2 operator Verizon Wireless, which is already selling advanced features such as television or videos on demand over a high-speed network covering 32 cities.

"We are past the learning curve on this," a Verizon Wireless spokesman said.

8 comments

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Maybe they ought to figure out how to not alienate users.
CingleATTer seems to operate like some kind of third or fourth rung operation. They are giving away phones in my area, where there isn't even any service, its pathetic.

NWLB
****
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.nwlb.net" target="_newWindow">http://www.nwlb.net</a>
Posted by NWLB (318 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Since I know Cingular types are reading....
....since I do track the hits to my website's link.....

You might want to tell the kids running the Cingular kiosk at Polaris mall in Columbus, Ohio, that the best way to attract clients and impressive prospective ones, isn't to blockade the stand with their backs turned for about three hours.

When I got a flyer at home, an hour north of Cowlumbus, I thought it was honestly a mistake or joke. I actually wanted to ask questions, but the circus act of avoiding eye contact and trying to look busy was almost offensive. I'll be down there again this weekend, it'll be interesting to see if I can catch some neat pictures to go along with my blog entry on the topic.

NWLB
****
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.nwlb.net" target="_newWindow">http://www.nwlb.net</a>
Posted by NWLB (318 comments )
Link Flag
Poor Service
I was an AT&#38;T wireless customer. As soon as the buyout was completed, I cancelled by contract. I live in a Verizon served area and got with them. You should have heard the FUD Cingulair was giving me!
Posted by vince7 (2 comments )
Link Flag
Maybe they ought to figure out how to not alienate users.
CingleATTer seems to operate like some kind of third or fourth rung operation. They are giving away phones in my area, where there isn't even any service, its pathetic.

NWLB
****
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.nwlb.net" target="_newWindow">http://www.nwlb.net</a>
Posted by NWLB (318 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Since I know Cingular types are reading....
....since I do track the hits to my website's link.....

You might want to tell the kids running the Cingular kiosk at Polaris mall in Columbus, Ohio, that the best way to attract clients and impressive prospective ones, isn't to blockade the stand with their backs turned for about three hours.

When I got a flyer at home, an hour north of Cowlumbus, I thought it was honestly a mistake or joke. I actually wanted to ask questions, but the circus act of avoiding eye contact and trying to look busy was almost offensive. I'll be down there again this weekend, it'll be interesting to see if I can catch some neat pictures to go along with my blog entry on the topic.

NWLB
****
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.nwlb.net" target="_newWindow">http://www.nwlb.net</a>
Posted by NWLB (318 comments )
Link Flag
Poor Service
I was an AT&#38;T wireless customer. As soon as the buyout was completed, I cancelled by contract. I live in a Verizon served area and got with them. You should have heard the FUD Cingulair was giving me!
Posted by vince7 (2 comments )
Link Flag
Fire Molly Wood
Fire Molly Wood.
Posted by montgomeryburns (109 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Fire Molly Wood
Fire Molly Wood.
Posted by montgomeryburns (109 comments )
Reply Link Flag
 

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