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AT&T tests speedier 3G network

AT&T is testing out upgrades for its 3G network and will roll out faster speeds soon.

Marguerite Reardon Former senior reporter
Marguerite Reardon started as a CNET News reporter in 2004, covering cellphone services, broadband, citywide Wi-Fi, the Net neutrality debate and the consolidation of the phone companies.
Marguerite Reardon

AT&T's 3G wireless network will soon be twice as fast.

An executive at the company told Telephony Online this week that the company is running trials of its upgraded 3G network in two markets. And the company plans to expand the upgrades across its nationwide network once the trials are completed.

The upgrade to the company's HSPA network will provide peak download speeds of about 3.6Mbps. The company's current generation of technology offers peak download links speeds of 1.7 Mbps. Of course, real world data speeds are much lower. Most wireless subscribers get download speeds of around 700 Kbps.

A year ago, Ralph de la Vega, AT&T's mobility chief, said AT&T would be offering 20Mbps downloads over its wireless network as soon as 2009.

While the company plans to continue to upgrade its 3G network to squeeze out more capacity, the company has also said that it plans to deploy a 4G wireless network using Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology. Verizon Wireless also plans to deploy LTE for its 4G network. The company is is building a 4G nationwide network using a technology called WiMax.