AT&T 4G LTE - Latest markets launching and speculation

[stoobie-doo]

The only way anyone knows in advance is to catch a cell site installer in the act or for someone to pick up a blip of LTE in a new area. I reported above that I did pick up a blip of LTE on my new iPad in the Dixon / Vacaville area a couple weeks ago. I'm pretty confident that had to be a sign of AT&T testing and preparing for rollout. The indication was brief before signal dropped entirely so I couldn't test it. But I was far from the known boundary of LTE service in Vallejo so it couldn't have been a case of my iPad reaching some distant tower.

Hopefully in the next 1-2 months more of NorCal will go live. I think the chances are decent. But I am getting 3-5 mbps pretty consistently now so I'm not complaining too much.

Over on the GS3 forums on xda there have been a large number of LTE sightings in Philly and MSP; presumably testing before an official launch. Given that AT&T will promote any market it deems ready, no matter how small with a press release, I assume that has to mean they are gearing up for more launches, and I would guess they will want to tout as many LTE markets as possible before Apple's iPhone launch expected in Sept.

[ssavoy]

More LTE panel additions in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA market, specifically along I-81, bringing the total to 5 towers that I have personally seen along that route with new panels. A crane was installing them at another tower today.

[ilvla2]

You still happy with AT&T?

Yeah, no big complaints here. I wish they'd fill in some dead spots, like Leggett, areas south and north of Fort Bragg on the coast and on CA 20 between Clearlake Oaks and Williams (a big dead spot with all the carriers). T-Mobile is actually putting up a new tower in Leggett soon, so that will fill in a major GSM Dead spot (USCC and VZ both have service there).

I am happy with the speeds on HSPA+ w/EB, and along with WiFi I do good. I will certainly like having LTE, but other than bragging rights I don't see that it will make a major difference in my mobile world.

[johnhere]

I'm on the east coast and lately att has been very reliable. I'm not dropping any calls and the dead spots I do encounter are no worse than what I encounter with vz.

The times I've been in ca, att seemed to do very well, except for maybe sf but that sounds like its better than it used to be

[formercanuck]

Word has it AT&T will have LTE here by Oct/Nov in Santa Clarita.
Interesting piece to note, this is one of Verizon's left out cities in California so far (doesn't bother me)

[WeatherPilot]

I'm wondering if Apple would have only allowed the next iPhone on at&t if first at&t had increased their LTE footprint. Hence, why a lot of people have been told an oct/nov time frame for LTE in their area when the country is going to be bombarded with iPhone 5's.

[formercanuck]

Doubt it. Apple cares about Apple. They just need to.get a lot of areas.upgraded beforehand and before holiday shopping

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[ggore]

I'm wondering if Apple would have only allowed the next iPhone on at&t if first at&t had increased their LTE footprint. Hence, why a lot of people have been told an oct/nov time frame for LTE in their area when the country is going to be bombarded with iPhone 5's.

The days of exclusivity for the iPhone are long gone. With it available on every major carrier except T-Mo, available on the pay as you go carriers, and available on many regional carriers now, when a new model comes out it will probably be available everywhere at the same time. No guarantees, but even several regional carriers have built LTE systems now and carry the iPhone, and for Apple to deny them an LTE-capable iPhone when it's available on all the other carriers would bring about a great hue & cry!

[formercanuck]

Looks like Bakersfield, CA is unofficially LTE (according to coverageviewer at least).

[sprke81]

Omaha, NE is live with LTE as of this morning. Speeds are great on the S3

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[Chaldo]

im pretty much confirmed from a source that at&t will launch LTE in Detroit/ Metro Detroit MI on Sept 19. 2 days before the iPhone launch. kind of makes sense.

[zephxiii]

I know there has been LTE install work going on in the Detroit metro area so sounds about right....and that info comes from way back in the spring.

[RCtennis3811]

A lot of new cities are now marked as "coming soon" on this map.

http://www.att.com/network/?

[ilvla2]

No LTE "coming soon" north of San Francisco or Sacramento. It looks like Verizon and U.S. Cellular will dominate for LTE in NorCal for the near future.

Edit-No LTE "coming soon" shown for Southeastern Idaho either.

[ggore]

A lot of new cities are now marked as "coming soon" on this map.

http://www.att.com/network/?

About the same number of cities Verizon lights up in a typical month. 30+/-. LTE is an urban, Top 100 market technology for AT&T and will be for years to come.