Cell service provider AT&T is planning on upgrading its wireless network to support the faster HSPA+ protocol, and plans to make the service available to some 250 million customers in 2010. HSPA+ is a a faster 3G wireless connection that supports 14.4Mbps speeds, as apposed to the 7.2Mbps 3G speeds currently available to subscribers.
News of the planned network upgrade came from AT&T Operations CEO John Stankey at a Reuters event, according to Engadget, and potentially means many iPhone 3GS owners will be able to access Internet-based content faster by the end of the year.
AT&T plans to continue working towards its 4G network rollout which is scheduled to begin some time in 2011.
The announcement that HSPA+ network upgrades are on the way is a reversal from earlier AT&T plans. The company previously planned to skip HSPA+ upgrades and work on transitioning straight from 3G to 4G.
At&T hasn’t yet said which markets will get HSPA+ support.
4 Comments
“plans to make the service available to some 250 million customers in 2010”
I don’t know the current US population, but as of 2009 there was some 309 million. I wonder if they are saying that they will be offering faster service to 250 million people.
I take that to mean that it won’t be made available in some of the less densely populated areas of the U.S., similar to AT&T’s current network.
I would think that they would roll it out first at places where they can get a quicker return on their investment.
How many people do they offer HSPA to now?
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