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AT&T Fast-tracking HSPA in Preparation for iPhone Video Calling?

Back on Wednesday we told you about AT&T’s plans to drastically improve its HSPA coverage by the end of June. Needless to say, the move is related to the impending release of the 3G iPhone that we all hate hearing about. If you recall, EDGE speeds more than doubled just prior to the release of the first iPhone so the timing of these HSPA upgrades only make sense. But wait, why is AT&T so keen on stressing the addition of HSUPA with speeds up to 800 Kbps? Clearly it has something to do with the upcoming 3G iPhone, but what could eat up so much bandwidth in that direction? Ahhh, how about video calling? Rumors surfaced a while back that the new iPhone will sport a front-facing camera and 1 + 1 = 2 last we checked. This people, will be the true test of Apple fanboyism - if it’s true of course. Video calling has been around forever and it has hardly been the rage that many thought it would be years ago. If Apple can manage to get people not only excited about video calling, but also actually using video calling, then Stevie really can do anything…

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25 comment(s) for this post.

  1. On May 23, 2008 @ 9:59 am, O.com Said:

    video calling my ass… i could just see it now

    “what do you mean SHOW you where im at. I SAID IM AT WHERE IM AT!! you dont believe me!!!?!?!?”

    video calling will be the triffling mans enemy. We will have come up with all kind of new tricks! everybody will have to deal with that call from their girl “SHOW ME WHERE YOU AT!!!” and then the homie calls like… “YOU AINT FIVE MIN AWAY!!! SHOW ME!!!”
    lol im not sure if imma be able to fade video calling lol.

    i know celebs would hate this shit too lmao. Ive seen alot of people just flat out LIE about what city they in. i have a homeboy who swear up and down he wasnt at jay wedding. if he had video calling, im sure he would have been busted out eventually lmao.

    booooooooo video calling. takes the “told truth” out of cell phone calls lol.

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  2. On May 23, 2008 @ 10:00 am, Dusty Said:

    Good, drunk dialing was just starting to become a boring activity. This should make things interesting

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  3. On May 23, 2008 @ 10:02 am, WickedRabbit Said:

    Apple addicts will get all excited about this Zach don’t worry because most of them are blind sheep and you could walk them straight off the edge of a cliff. Apple did a press note on Google Maps of all things and everyone had their jaw dropped as if it was the first time they’ve ever seen the app.

    The sad truth is that ultimately Apple could do anything and because of the greatness of their Marketing department, people will think it’s the first time it’s been done and that it’s automatically the best because it’s Apple.

    Can’t wait to see people walking down the street making stupid faces to their friends as the video is choppy (note: I really doubt AT&T will be able to get a smooth video).

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  4. On May 23, 2008 @ 10:05 am, Nando Said:

    Oh, O.com, you’re such a card! LOL

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  5. On May 23, 2008 @ 10:18 am, Brandon Said:

    Lol why is the guy in the pic on a phone call while on what’s supposed to be a video phone call.

    I’m getting a bit tired of iPhone news now.

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  6. On May 23, 2008 @ 10:23 am, AndyM Said:

    They had better dramatically beef up the speakerphone on the next device if they plan on making this remotely possible.

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  7. On May 23, 2008 @ 10:26 am, trinybwoy Said:

    beacuse he’s probably using a cisco video phone.
    cisco or avaya

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  8. On May 23, 2008 @ 10:40 am, TareX Said:

    It is gonna be the ultimate touch-only device. If only Apple weren’t closed-system-nazis. The limitations on the 1st iPhone were hillarious. Bluetooth was rendered useless, and Safari without downloading capabilities was hardly a “true internet experience”.

    Still, I’d get it for its unrivaled speed and fluidity alone. Just look at the “hi-tech” HTC Diamond and compare.

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  9. On May 23, 2008 @ 10:41 am, Brian G. Said:

    Ditto! How many us want to look at who we’re talking to? That’s part of the beauty of talking on the phone. Unless your away from home and your kids want to see you or something like that, what’s the point?

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  10. On May 23, 2008 @ 10:49 am, davum Said:

    Hey gross, Man. Is that your ear I’m looking into?

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  11. On May 23, 2008 @ 11:04 am, girlgenius Said:

    att will probably do whats called “rich voice calls” ie. one way video calls.

    its been known for some time that most carriers worldwide don’t like video calls because they bring in marginal revenue. and with a technologically backward country like usa (from a social perspective), i really doubt video calling will take off.

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  12. On May 23, 2008 @ 11:06 am, Suav Said:

    Don’t you all kid yourself. This would revolutionize video phones. Yes it will take Apple to make what exists reality, but isn’t that its own genius? Make something everyone wants? This is genius and people will be pouring out of everywhere to get this thing. hell, I am going to buy a new one and I betcha a TON of iphone owners will put down their old one to get the new one. This thing will be huge. RIMM better start crying now.

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  13. On May 23, 2008 @ 11:27 am, Paco Loco Said:

    You guys can’t be serious thinking this is something that may happen. 1st of all, at&t doesn’t support “video calling” they support “video share” which does not require an additional camera on the phone to work. Simply video share capabilities, 3g SIM, plan, phone. It’s already available on a few phones (shine, trax, q9, etc) & at&t is looking to market it this year so if anything video share is definitely a great posibility.

    For those who don’t know what Video Share is, basically you can record live video while the other party views.

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  14. On May 23, 2008 @ 11:29 am, maikel Said:

    Hopefully it won’t be that stupid lame VideoShare service they already offer.
    I could see myself already using this service with family members that I have on the west coast.
    Also, hope we’ll be able to use with AIM too.

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  15. On May 23, 2008 @ 11:49 am, Galvatron Said:

    totall agree with wicked rabbits comment

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  16. On May 23, 2008 @ 12:01 pm, Reality Check Said:

    RAH RAH .. yay

    The $500 original iPhone will be a paperweight in a few weeks.

    As for video calling — good for the megalomaniac ass*#&! in Cupertino for pushing the market forward.

    How about we start guessing which obvious feature he leaves out of the iPhone2 to get everyone to buy iPhone3 next year???

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  17. On May 23, 2008 @ 12:14 pm, Joshua M Said:

    Wow, a Galvatron post that I could actually understand completely.

    There is absolutely no way that this is coming out this summer, at the earliest I could see Fall but by that time they’ll probably just wait to get every Apple f/b (including me)gets their mouth watering then push it back till Christmas.

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  18. On May 23, 2008 @ 12:34 pm, Sonny Said:

    This is going to be all the rage with people who use sign language. This is the MAIN reason why I am anxious to buy the new iPhone! I have two video phones at home and I use my macbook for video calling while I’m on the road.

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  19. On May 23, 2008 @ 2:17 pm, LiSa Said:

    who cares if apple markets it or not…all i really care about is the possibility/hope that one day in the NEAR FUTURE i’d be able to make at least ONE DAMN VIDEO CALL on my lightyearaheadofcrapple Nokia N95!!!

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  20. On May 23, 2008 @ 4:43 pm, Dtest5477 Said:

    well they do have pretty good success with iChat on their notebooks and imacs. I would love to see video chatting on it through iChat or some third party app. Video calls are ok but video chat opens up more options i think.

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  21. On May 24, 2008 @ 2:27 am, Jeff B. Said:

    Sure but att and all that work for it will burn in hell because they should be doing this anyways, not just because Jobs is dropping another iPhlegm on us.

    G-d damn att to hell. Damn them all to hell.

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  22. On May 24, 2008 @ 6:43 am, EwanD Said:

    Well, that photo is a mock up for a start - it was Photoshopped after being ripped off from my blog. The original picture was of Microsoft Office Communicator doing video conferencing, so nothing whatsoever to do with the iPhone.

    3G video conferencing is nothing new - me & Brett (the other guy in the photo) were doing that using HTC Tytn Windows Mobile devices, 2 years ago.

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  23. On May 24, 2008 @ 10:40 am, dave Said:

    I’m not Apple fanboy, I dont even have an iPhone, but here’s the way I see it.

    A lot of the great features of the iPhone have been around in other devices for years. The key is execution. The iPhone is cutting edge because it takes simple things like texting and turns them into threaded conversations. Or the video share thing, it will make it significantly easier to use. Yes, these features have been around but the key is how they are implemented. That’s why I believe the iPhone is groundbreaking.

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  24. On May 26, 2008 @ 11:13 am, Samba Said:

    The EDGE speed never doubled, it’s just EDGE. Depending on they configured, some devices just happen to be faster than others.
    Same with the 3G networks, you actually can get speeds close to 14 Mbit/s but there is device ready to fly that fast yet.
    We all rather have the iphone2 sooner than later, but please give accurate infos; anything less is just deliberately misleading. Get back to your good work.

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  25. On May 27, 2008 @ 10:07 pm, jase Said:

    you could not be more right this will mess it up for men all over.

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