How Exactly Will AT&T Remain Competitive?

[mpossoff]

The big reason there is a push for LTE is because it's designed from the ground up to be a much more efficient all IP based network. So while it may not "blow" HSPA+ out of the water it does provide a MUCH more stable user experience overall which is the whole point..


Sent from my iPhone 4S on Sprint using Tapatalk

Well I'm just comparing speeds whether it's between HSPA+ versus LTE.

Speed tests in my opinion don't tell the real story from user experience which counts. The only story they can tell is latency which is important.

But speeds is a bunch of hype. Even commercials that advertise being fastest network. What's more important is consistency.

[zephxiii]

I'm really anxious to see how VoLTE is going to work in the real world (high load like current CDMA/UMTS networks). LTE just hasn't seemed to be the complete package yet until the voice/SMS side is 100% in order.

[GSMinCT]

I'm really anxious to see how VoLTE is going to work in the real world (high load like current CDMA/UMTS networks). LTE just hasn't seemed to be the complete package yet until the voice/SMS side is 100% in order.

On AT&T, VoLTE is going to happen eventually, but who cares, as now you can use HSPA+, with it's speeds and voice quality. It's a much better deal for Verizon, since it will allow them to shut down the CDMA radio in the phone, and offer much higher voice quality.

I'm wondering when LTE on AT&T is going to be a big deal. Right now, I could care less. It's almost nowhere, and HSPA+ is super fast.

[zephxiii]

Well i'm just interested in seeing LTE become the successive full package.

[newyork4me]

Well i'm just interested in seeing LTE become the successive full package.

I'm hoping we'll get a lot more info about the full package at CTIA in about a month.

[GSMinCT]

I'm hoping we'll get a lot more info about the full package at CTIA in about a month.

Even though I could care less about LTE, for AT&T's competitive sake, I really hope we do hear some more detailed plans. Oh, and 3G nationwide anyone?

[jagermon]

Well verizon isn't what the hype is around the northern burbs of Chicago land. I had a couple fringe areas in my travels with at&t over the years though their service usually works.

Recently I tried vzw with an iphone 4s being out of contract. I had them one day... No service inside draining the battery swiftly. The little paperweight would get quite a bit warm actually draining so fast. Outside signal was abysmal also. Friggin crappy signal on the highway too. On top of that the bill for one day is all screwed up. Verizon CS acknowledged it but asked I call back later this week to confirm the corrections...

Seriously verizon??!? Really? So sprint is kicking your butt in a major metro area?


So I had to succumb with keeping at&t and getting a GSM iphone 4s just to get decent signal.

I suppose I can further burden faster data speed, unlimited data, unlimited M2anyM, rollover, etc. At least if I buy a sim tray adapter I have a backup 3GS.

Given big red isn't so big after all, I don't see at&t having too much issue remaining competitive.

I'm no fanboy of at&t. In fact I'm pissed at the two fanboys on vzw I know that talked it up until my own experience with their only retort "yeah, it does that sometimes". Fanboys will be fanboys...

[GSMinCT]

Chicago is a traditional AT&T stronghold. It depends a lot on the market. New York and Boston are both Verizon markets, but in Boston, AT&T is fantastic, in NYC, it's a hot mess.

[TWX]

Even though I could care less about LTE, for AT&T's competitive sake, I really hope we do hear some more detailed plans. Oh, and 3G nationwide anyone?

Nationwide 3G would be amazing. Still haven't seen any EDGE to 3G expansion here in Michigan

[jagermon]

Chicago is a traditional AT&T stronghold. It depends a lot on the market. New York and Boston are both Verizon markets, but in Boston, AT&T is fantastic, in NYC, it's a hot mess.

For much of the greater Chicago land area I can agree though I've heard at&t has holes on the south side of the city. Of course if you're stomping around the south side of Chicago then data speeds are the least of your concerns.

[go0gle]

I've very happy with AT&T service for about 5 years now. I've always had unlocked Nokia phones to go with it, so that probably helped.. but overall it has been very good. I used to live on south east Florida for about 3 years, and service there was pretty good for the most part.. I remember in 2004 their coverage of Interstate 75 (Alligator Alley) wasn't very good at all .. i dunno about now, it might be better. But Dade/Broward/Palm Beach was good. I was there a month ago, and it seem most places have HSPA+ coverage.

Then I drove across the country in 2010 (FL to CA) and if I had to put in a % perspective.. I would say I had 3G coverage for about 35% of the drive.. I drove trough Georgia, Tennessee, up to St.Louis and then cut across on Interstate 70 to Colorado - Utah.. (much prettier drive than the Texas one, i've done that one too) so all in all there was a lot of areas in the middle of the country where there was only EDGE, sometimes even GPRS.. and a lot of times no signal at all. I am sure since then things have improved..

Now I live in the Monterey Bay area, and for the most part its Verizon land here.. but from what I hear AT&T have improved a lot in the past couple of years, and most of my friends are on Verizon, but my ATT service is pretty much on par with theirs. I do loose out in the Santa Cruz mountains.. but there are very few spots where that happens. The SF Bay Area is well covered for the most part.. I haven't had any network issues in San Jose, SF, even Napa Valley was fine as well.. I think I had 3G coverage there for the most part.

As far as customer service, I've never had a problem.. my bill has always been accurate, no issues at all.

Phone selection.. pretty good as far as I can tell. Their iPhone deal was good, and now they have the Nokia Lumia line which seems to be working out. Their andro portfolio isn't as good as Verizon's, but they have the GS2 and the Note, which are best sellers.

So.. from my perspective AT&T is already very competitive in the US. I can't talk about international, but I have family members that have used their service within the E.U and in parts of South America.. i haven't heard any issues.

Their LTE roll out is on going.. they are fine

[johnhere]

Vz has a jump start on lte but overall I don't think att will have too much of a problem competing.

[GSMinCT]

Nationwide 3G would be amazing. Still haven't seen any EDGE to 3G expansion here in Michigan

They can either fix their *$(#ed up EDGE, or put up 3G, but one way or another, I want a functional network. Even single-T1 3G in the more rural areas would be fantastic.

[zephxiii]

For much of the greater Chicago land area I can agree though I've heard at&t has holes on the south side of the city. Of course if you're stomping around the south side of Chicago then data speeds are the least of your concerns.

lol yep...............

[Doolie]

lol yep...............

Please, let's not bring the "north side/south side" ethnocenticity wars to here. I don't really care if the cubs lose again this year.