AT&T Confirms Increasing Network 3G Speeds

AT&T Mobility VP of Technology Realization Scott McElroy told Telephony Online the company is increasing the "downlink capacity on its high-speed packet access (HSPA) from 3.6 megabits per second to 7.2Mbps through software upgrades at the base station." This jives with prior reports that the upgrades would take place via software mods.

McElroy added that while HSPA can theoretically support up 14.4 megabits per second, the company will probably leapfrog that and go straight to HSPA+, because HSPA+, which will allow 21Mbps.

Although not explicitly indicated, its likely the new iPhone has something to do with the timing of these changes.

Also, when discussing LTE (4G), McElroy said that initial trial market rollouts will occur in 2010, with commercial availability in 2011. Verizon recently stated that Apple might lean more toward a version of the iPhone that runs on Verizon's network after LTE becomes available, as both Verizon's and AT&T's 4G networks will be based on LTE.

McElroy also seemed to feel AT&T understands what the demand on its network will be going forward. Let's hope so, as the iPhone 3G rollout was anything but smooth.

"We feel very good about our spectrum position. And we say that with full understanding of what the data demands will be."