AT&T 3G wireless network: are you covered?
One not-so-minor detail was left out of today's otherwise laudable iPhone 3G introduction: in the United States, you won't be able to get 3G speeds -- touted as 2.8X faster than 2G speeds -- in many of the areas that are covered by the slower EDGE network.
AT&T says 3G coverage is available in "most major metropolitan areas and is expanding rapidly," but the company refuses to offer a nationwide look at 3G coverage relative to EDGE coverage. Instead, you can view 3G coverage only by selecting specific metro areas.
A poster to HowardForums, zephxii, cobbled together a nationwide map based on AT&T's disparate data, and the picture isn't pretty. While 3G coverage does indeed cover most major metropolitan areas, large swaths of the country and many states are completely excluded from coverage where EDGE access is plentiful. In the image below, blue represents 3G coverage, while bright orange represents EDGE coverage, and lighter orange represents partner coverage.
Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.
But there is a problem there too because AT&T does not provide outgoing (SMTP) email service when connected through a WiFi system for whatever reason. I have found that I can use my gmail SMTP client for that purpose which, of course, confuses my correspondants.
For information my system consists of a Macbook Pro running OS X 10.5 and the AT&T Option GT Max 3.5 Express card.
Don
One step at a time AT&T!
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by ohiocelluser
May 12, 2009 8:51 PM PDT
- AT&T's 3G service is bad throughout the Cincinnati, Ohio area. I am not impressed with 3G whatsoever-the speed, the voice quality, etc. I have a new Nokia 6555 3G phone and have had nothing but problems with it. I frequently get dropped calls at all times of the day or night, the voice quality is poor-where it cuts out or echoes, there is a lot of static/crackling in the line when you attempt to make a call, many voice mails are lost or delayed, and text messages sometimes don't come through. The in-building reception is a lot worse than the regular 2G GSM network too. I've called customer service at least three times and the problems are never fixed. I just get the run around. Their answer is to reset the phone. This is my second phone, and it's doing the same thing as the first one did. Plus, a couple of my friends have iphones, and they are having the same issues. I would recommend going with Verizon, you will be much happier. Their network is more reliable. Plus, Verizon has better coverage in the Cincinnati area.
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