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I don't think this would be as big of a problem if it was on more carriers, AT&T can't handle the iPhone all by itself. If it was on more carriers there would be more iPhone users than there are now but things would be more balanced. I think Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, & T-Mobile can handle the iPhone together.
In the US, the iPhone has something like 13% market share but accounts for over 50% of data usage - its a huge disparity brought on by two big things. One, its easy to use the data networks on an iPhone, and two, AT&T has made it easy/"cheap" to connect. Apple sells as many iPhones through AT&T alone as RIM does selling Blackberries on all carriers - its impact on the cell market is huge.
If you look at high capacity markets like New York, AT&T data service is horrible because the system is so overloaded. If other carriers carried the iPhone and made data access as easy, you'd see the same issues with their networks. More free or open wi-fi is part of the answer - it will help keep smartphone users off data networks as they use the faster local connections.
The big cell carriers will most likely soon implement data limits on smart phones. You reach your limit and BAM! Your phone just shuts off at the point until your billing cycle ends.
Why are they doing this- simply- the phones have become so popular that they are eating up the capability of the cell networks Phone calls and SMS use very little of the capacity of the network which is why they are getting cheaper at the same time the companies will limit bandwidth to smart phones.
Another problem for the companies is that they are finding adding G4 to the network is often prohibitively expensive or even impossible. One problem they have had is that many towns and cities are balking at giving them permits to install fiber to the tower sites. Most of them now run off T-1 copper lines and the tera bit of G4 would require fiber or over 100 copper T-1 lines- both of which are impractical in many situations.
So enjoy the free unlimited while it last. Won't be here a year from now!
I don't know if you've heard, but T-mobile is offering a unlimited voice, text, and data plan (yes for smartphones to) for 79.99.
We aren't limiting anything. We are actually going to pass AT&T when it comes to data speeds within the first quater of next year. We will be running a network with 21Mbps download rates possible. We'll be at 42 in select markets by the end of next year.
Verizon isn't anywhere close to AT&T or T-mobile when it comes to speed. They have more 3G coverage, but its slow.
4G is useless, no phones out there for it. There won't be any for the next 2 years either.
I don't know if you've heard, but T-mobile is offering a unlimited voice, text, and data plan (yes for smartphones to) for 79.99.
We aren't limiting anything. We are actually going to pass AT&T when it comes to data speeds within the first quater of next year. We will be running a network with 21Mbps download rates possible. We'll be at 42 in select markets by the end of next year.
Verizon isn't anywhere close to AT&T or T-mobile when it comes to speed. They have more 3G coverage, but its slow.
4G is useless, no phones out there for it. There won't be any for the next 2 years either.
I don't know where you are testing the voice,text,and data usage but unless you are in a major market T-Mobile is the WORST coverage,and since AT&T brought in the IPhone,they are quite slow.Verizon is much faster then both.As for the T-Mobile unlimited everything plan: the price is very good but if you are someone who travels or drives more then 15 minutes away from your area you "WILL" have coverage issues and dropped calls.
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
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Quote:
Originally Posted by southgeorgia
verizon is going 4G in 2010 in roughly 30 markets, with rapid nationwide deployment to follow. all cell carriers will be making massive upgrades at the cell sites in 2010. this is firsthand information. the following is not; apple will most likely build the first 4g iphone for verizon.
Not so fast... I work in the business and 4G will require fiber to the cell towers. Very few of them have fiber feeds now- less than 5% here in the Atlanta metro. And putting fiber to every cell site will be very expensive and take time- and that is if AT&T can get the permits from the cities where they want to install the fiber. Right now 95% of the cell towers work off copper T-1 lines which are each 1.5MPS. Even if you have 12 to 15 of those which some sites do, it is not enough.
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,699,166 times
Reputation: 3587
Quote:
Originally Posted by Memphis1979
I don't know if you've heard, but T-mobile is offering a unlimited voice, text, and data plan (yes for smartphones to) for 79.99.
We aren't limiting anything. We are actually going to pass AT&T when it comes to data speeds within the first quater of next year. We will be running a network with 21Mbps download rates possible. We'll be at 42 in select markets by the end of next year.
Verizon isn't anywhere close to AT&T or T-mobile when it comes to speed. They have more 3G coverage, but its slow.
4G is useless, no phones out there for it. There won't be any for the next 2 years either.
I think they thought they would pass the others by next year because T Mobile is building out a tower network of its own (they used to lease from Crown Castle and American) in addition to adding capacity BUT they wanted fiber to their sites (they have a new fiber interface) and they are finding out that it just is not going to happen that fast. AT&T which carries T Mobile and all the other cellular providers from the tower to the switch just cannot get the fiber installed that fast. They do not have the crews to do it that quick and some cities- like Kennesaw Georgia- are balking about issuing permits to lay the fiber to the sites. I turned up a T Mobile site last week on buried service wire because they could not get the fiber to the site.
Not so fast... I work in the business and 4G will require fiber to the cell towers. Very few of them have fiber feeds now- less than 5% here in the Atlanta metro. And putting fiber to every cell site will be very expensive and take time- and that is if AT&T can get the permits from the cities where they want to install the fiber. Right now 95% of the cell towers work off copper T-1 lines which are each 1.5MPS. Even if you have 12 to 15 of those which some sites do, it is not enough.
did you see the underlined text that said this is firsthand information? i don't know what segment you're in, but i'm telling you, the upgrades start in just a couple of months. that doesn't mean its going to be turned on in a couple of months, but the infrastructure construction is starting.
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,699,166 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by southgeorgia
did you see the underlined text that said this is firsthand information? i don't know what segment you're in, but i'm telling you, the upgrades start in just a couple of months. that doesn't mean its going to be turned on in a couple of months, but the infrastructure construction is starting.
I provision, maintain and install all the feeder circuits to all the cell sites. Everything from their POTS lines all the way to T-1, FTTCS and OC48 and OC192. I do all the installs and maintenance for all the carriers including T Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Nextel, Verizon and Metro PCS.
I am trained and certified to work in cell sites and I also inspect the work of others making sure that the bonding and grounding are correct and that the ice shields over the interface cabinets is installed properly and meets specifications if they are needed at a site.
A smaller part of my work is electrical substations where I do essentially the same thing.
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,699,166 times
Reputation: 3587
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lancet71
I don't know where you are testing the voice,text,and data usage but unless you are in a major market T-Mobile is the WORST coverage,and since AT&T brought in the IPhone,they are quite slow.Verizon is much faster then both.As for the T-Mobile unlimited everything plan: the price is very good but if you are someone who travels or drives more then 15 minutes away from your area you "WILL" have coverage issues and dropped calls.
I am on TMobile and I am really quite happy with their coverage and service. My kids are on Metro PCS and they drop more calls than I drop.
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