AT&T Nears Completion of "Steven P. Jobs Memorial 3G Network"
AT&T (T) is on track to complete the upgrade of its 3G mobile broadband network by the end of June.
Good thing, too. Because we’re just weeks away from the eagerly anticipated launch of Apple’s 3G iPhone and AT&T–Apple’s exclusive wireless carrier in the states–certainly doesn’t want to foul up the debut of the second-generation iPhone, the way it did the first. Because if it does, AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega won’t be activating his own 3G iPhone until it’s been surgically removed by a doctor. Apple (AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs does have a bit of a temper.
Anyway … AT&T’s network upgrade is just six markets away from first-phase completion in 275 cities (second-phase roll-out will extend it to another 75). And when it launches, it will be the first and only network to run on a technology called HSUPA, or High Speed Uplink Packet Access. HSUPA should provide speeds of 1.4 Mbps down and 800Kbps up, which AT&T asserts “will be as speedy as logging onto the high-speed Internet service that many consumers enjoy at home.”
Hope so, because logging onto AT&T’s Edge network is about as speedy as logging onto the Internet with a 56.6 Kbps fax/modem.