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PC World study: AT&T network has undergone "drastic makeover"

by Sang Tang Feb 24th 2010 at 11:00AM

According to AT&T's commercials, they provide both "a better 3G experience" as well as "the nation's fastest 3G network." And, based on PC World's latest 3G wireless performance study, they've got more meat and potatoes (as if Luke Wilson wasn't enough) to back up their claims.

The study, a collaboration between PC World and wireless analysis firm Novarum, took place from December 2009 to January 2010, and compares the four major U.S. wireless carriers (AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile) in 13 "broadly representative" cities in the U.S. During the study, 51,000 separate tests were run, in which 850 square miles, and 7 million wireless subscribers, were covered.

AT&T showed marked improvements over their figures from a similar study conducted during March and April 2009. Highlights of the most recent study include:

  • Using notebook computers (e.g., with a built-in or external 3G card), AT&T had the fastest download speed in 11 of the 13 cities, and the fastest upload speed in all 13 cities.
  • For smartphones, AT&T had the fastest download speeds in nine of the 13 cities, and the fastest upload speed in all 13 cities.
  • Of the smartphone-carrier-based combinations, the AT&T-iPhone pairing had the fastest download and upload speeds, although its reliability slightly trailed the T-Mobile-G1 combination, which posted the highest figures.

Given the nasty back-and-forth between AT&T and Verizon Wireless, which resulted in AT&T taking legal action (which they dropped in December 2009) against Verizon Wireless, the study could serve as a feather in AT&T's cap.

Readers, what do you think? Does the study mesh well with your experiences with AT&T Wireless? Let us know in the comments!

[Via PC World].



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According to AT&T's commercials, they provide both "a better 3G experience" as well as "the nation's fastest 3G network." And, based...
 

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Ian

I have no problems with their coverage in Reading, PA and where I work in King of Prussia/Philadelphia, PA. Theres 1 3 mile spot where I have no data coverage at all on my commute, and unfortunately its also the place where traffic is likely to be terrible, meaning I'd like to be able to send an email saying I'll be late if its worse than usual, etc. My iPhone also has a habit of dropping the data connection in this spot and not picking it back up unless I turn on airplane mode and turn it back off. Anyone else have that issue?

February 26 2010 at 10:21 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
bhavesh patel


I'm in Chicago, and to me, the service has actually gotten worse. Lots of dropped calls, not being able to make a call, etc.

It is sad if the state of all the carriers is this poor. I don't remember having so many dropped calls on T-mobile.

Bhavesh

February 25 2010 at 12:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Michael Bushnell

They apparently aren't doing much in North Carolina. All the senior execs at my work just got iphones and one of them was telling me that he was about an hour outside of Raleigh the other day and couldn't even get Edge signal.

February 25 2010 at 9:17 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dale

A friend of mine has noted dramatic improvement in his neighbourhood here in Chicago. My apartment is still woefully underserved.

February 24 2010 at 5:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Nikax

It's definitely improving here. Six months ago my iPhone wouldn't ring in my house, now I've got 3-5 bars.

February 24 2010 at 5:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
James

Speed isn't my main concern as I get hardly any signal at all (and plenty of dropped calls) at my house in a major metropolitan area....

February 24 2010 at 5:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to James's comment
Ian

But is that the area, or is it your house? I know I used to live in an old farm house and I'd have ZERO reception inside. I'd take 1 step outside and have full coverage. It was the same with T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint. Verizon I could get 1-2 bars in one corner of the house, but I didn't have Verizon at the time.

February 26 2010 at 10:22 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jason

Oh yeah I live in Los Angeles, so I should have great coverage!!

February 24 2010 at 5:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jason

I GET THE WORST RECEPTION WITH AT&T. I DROP AT LEAST 20 CALLS A DAY FROM MY HOUSE, WHICH IS LISTED AS HAVING FULL 3G COVERAGE. WHEN I CALL AT&T THEY TELL ME I HAVE THE BEST COVERAGE AVAILABLE. LAST TIME I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH CUSTOMER SUPPORT I DROPPED THE CALL 3 TIMES. THE REP TOLD ME THAT BEING INDOORS CAN CAUSE THAT TO HAPPEN, WHEN I TOLD HIM I WAS OUTSIDE ALREADY TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING, HIS RESPONSE WAS "HMMM." THEY ARE THE WORST CARRIER IN MY OPINION. THERE IS NO REASON I SHOULD DROP THAT MANY CALLS A DAY AND HAVE BAD RECEPTION WHEN I ACTUALLY GET A CALL TO GO THROUGH! THEY ARE THE WORST!!!! I HOPE THAT IT GOES TO VERIZON, I DONT CARE ABOUT CRUISING THE NET WHILE I AM TALKING OR IF IT IS SLOWER BECAUSE HONESTLY I HARDLY EVER GET 3G RECEPTION TO ENJOY ANY OF THOSE BENEFITS ANYWAY SO WHY DOES IT MATTER?

February 24 2010 at 5:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Jason's comment
Ian

WHY ARE YOU YELLING!? LOUD NOISES!!!!!

February 26 2010 at 10:23 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
howie

They must have left out Dallas in their study! What in the hell happened to tethering? I'm going to have to get service from Clear JUST for my laptop when I'm way from being able to use a WiFi network. This is getting ridiculous!

February 24 2010 at 4:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
stickybit

100% agree. I have seen the AT&T continue to get better and better over time in northern Virginia, it never sucked, but it is fantastic now. Even voice call reliability has gotten better, but the real gains have been in data in my experience. I move around a fair bit in the DC Metro area and travel the 95 corridor up to NYC often and find that the entire region has gotten better... You go AT&T! and Thank YOU! I'm still not buying an iPad ;-)

February 24 2010 at 2:40 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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