AT&T: 3G Upload Speeds Issues are a Software Problem

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Following complaints that 3G wireless upload speeds on AT&T’s network are significantly slower than expected in several cities around the U.S., the company has issued a statement that there’s a software-related problem with equipment in certain cities.

Apparently the Alcatel-Lucent gear used to support AT&T’s wireless network has a software bug that’s dragging down 3G HSUPA upload speeds dramatically. That bug is impacting smartphone users, including iPhone owners, in several cities around the country.

AT&T’s official statement on the issue:

AT&T and Alcatel-Lucent jointly identified a software defect — triggered under certain conditions — that impacted uplink performance for Laptop Connect and smartphone customers using 3G HSUPA-capable wireless devices in markets with Alcatel-Lucent equipment. This impacts less than two percent of our wireless customer base. While Alcatel-Lucent develops the appropriate software fix, we are providing normal 3G uplink speeds and consistent performance for affected customers with HSUPA-capable devices.

Regions impacted by the wireless upload performance bug include New York City, Boston, Orlando, Philadelphia, Denver, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Seattle, and more.

AT&T isn’t offering a timeframe for the fix, although it’s reassuring to know that this isn’t an intentional speed cap like some iPhone users feared.

Jeff Gamet

Jeff Gamet

Jeff is the Mac Observer's Managing Editor, and co-host of the Apple Context Machine podcast. He is the author of "The Designer's Guide to Mac OS X" from Peachpit Press, and writes for several design-related publications. Jeff has presented at events such as Macworld Expo, the RSA Conference, and the Mac Computer Expo. In all his spare time, he also co-hosts the We Have Communicators podcast, and makes guest appearances on several other podcasts, too. Jeff dreams in HD.

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