AT&T downgrades 2G service effectively telling you to upgrade
If this rumor proves to be true, we’re going to be a little disappointed in AT&T. Word is big blue has been quietly reallocating its EDGE service to its weaker 1900MHz band, which translates into much weaker coverage. According to AT&T, this move is supposed to reinforce 3G strengthen its HSPA services. While 2G isn’t going to be phased out, this is essentially doing the same for many customers, especially people who are having difficulty with AT&T service already. The kicker in all this is that AT&T’s 3G network performance is still abysmal in many areas. Urban markets will likely but unaffected by this move but many customers in fringe coverage areas will likely be forced to move to a 3G device in order to retain data coverage. This brings us to a question: Is anyone here still relying on EDGE service (including the hoards of first-gen iPhone owners)? Remember, even if you have a 3G phone, 3G isn’t available in all areas and all you Bold and iPhone owners have undoubtedly seen your devices switch back to EDGE constantly. The bottom line is AT&T should be taking measures to strengthen its 3G service before it starts cutting the legs out from under its EDGE network.
@Joel, Dude you waited to long, you don’t have to wait for your contract to expire, you just have to renew it back to 2 years and start fresh again and get a new one, it’s not like they’re going to add 2 extra years to your contract lol. I got $500 for my old 2G iphone 8GB model about 3 months ago on ebay and got the new 16GB model and still ended up with $200 extra which i used to pay up a few months of service in advance.
I live in a city of 100,000+, have 5 major universities and have no 3g or EDGE for that matter.
The nearest city with 3g is 3 hours south.
I love how everyone jumps into panic bashing mode. IT’S A RUMOR!!!!!! Why don’t you all wait until it’s substantiated before forming a lynch mob.
I love the there 3G services but overall it is a battery killer. Especially us iphone owners. I own a 3G iphone and i always switch it back to Edge to conserve battery life. I feel bad for those customers that are force to upgrade to 3G device.
More bars in more places*
*if you get a 3G device and even then…who knows.
AT&T = crap
AT&T already has degraded 2G services for users by implementing a technology that makes voice call cruddy to accommodate loads of users into just a few cell sites. Instead of using our money we pay them each month to expand, they are simply milking the existing infrastructure till its very last drop.
AT&T’s greed and lack of regard for their customers is nothing new. It’s only new to the horde of iPhone sheep who ran to them just to get a cool phone. Now you know. Don’t say we never told you so.
So true Jess! Even at&t corporate employees are in denial. They act like at&t can do no wrong.
I was in my local at&t corporate store and I heard a rep telling a customer (get this) that the FCC proved they had the best network and the fewest dropped calls. LOL.
Where do they get these clowns? And when did the FCC start proving this type of data? Haha.
The new at&t really needs to get on the ball. If it wasn’t for the iPhone, they would be with Sprint scraping for the bottom barrel of customers.
AT&T has made a lot of poor moves lately, I feel sorry for you Americans. Americans love to bash Canada for its poor data rates, but I can tell you that on Rogers, my 3G signal strength is impressive EVERYWHERE, and the HSPA network is only in its infancy. When I travel to the US, I primarily roam on AT&T, and I constantly get dropped calls and bumping back and forth between EDGE and 3G. There are a lot of ares that I wonder “Why am I NOT getting 3G here!”
And for the record, AT&T will not be picking up the Curve 8900. Their new direction for mid and high end phones/smartphones is 3G ONLY, and this decision would certainly confirm that.
This is a hypocritical post for BGR.com. This site constantly cries about phones that lack 3G and how much EDGE sucks and is just so unbearable. If you love 3G so much you should be applauding this.
@andy, I would like to know what city you live in that has 100,000 people and no AT&T EDGE service as far as i know… most of AT&T’s service area is EDGE.
TMO? Don’t make me laugh. They have the worst coverage of any of the big 4.
probably ATT wants to use 3G exclusively on 850, and move 2G onto 1900
this action is very dangerous
3G on 850 is not as powerful as 2G 850
their ace card is extremely powerful 850 2G, and the 2G reception will be no better than T-Mobile if they move 2G onto 1900
AT&T doesn’t charge more for 3G so maybe you should switch from whatever carrier you are using
Let’s face it – AT&T is never about the hordes of us who buy their phones as individuals.
As someone else pointed out – they are all about their biggest corporate and governmental customers, and we’re just along for the “separate but equal” ride. We pay more, we get less.
More bars in more places doesn’t mean “at least some bars everywhere.”
Marc, you are an idiot. You need to take business 101 to realize that every company has to phase out old technology in order to bring in newer and better technology.
I doubt this a bad rumor, this rumor is actually good news to us AT&T customers. I mean what carrier wouldn’t strengthen their 3G network to make it fast, efficient, and reliable. AT&T is strengthening its 3G network thats all…I would like to also say that its strengthening and expanding it as well… Good AT&T…
Wake up and smell the coffee GSM users. EV-DO is the way to go until LTE comes.
“3g is not that big of a deal”
you must live in the sticks, because for me, EVDO RevA is very nice, and helps me stay connected via phone and data. saying you cna always rely on Wifi is flat out ignorant. that is not a step forward in technology, it’s a step back, or in the case of ATT, lateral.
smartphones not getting 3g is just dumb
regular phones not getting 3g is fine if they are free bottom of the barrel devices.
ATT and apple created the buzz over the term “3g” breaking it out across the country in bulk finally….3 or more years after sprint/verizon have already done so…and to a better result.
‘“Is anyone here still relying on EDGE service (including the hoards of first-gen iPhone owners)? ”
Try any AT&T Blackberry owner who doesn’t have a Bold. That is a TON of people. You’re also looking at everyone who got the “free” basic phones over the last 3-4 years. AT&T is going to piss off a TON of people if this turns out to be true.’
I don’t think AT&T gives a shit considering they’re pretty much unofficially backed by the US govt (which is probably why it took so long for the govt to free up Tmo’s 3G band).
I live in the middle of B.F.E. (75 miles S.W. of Chicago) and there is zero 3G anywhere I go. And in those areas near Chicago where there *IS* 3G, I often force my phone to EDGE because of all the dropped calls (with full signal strength) I suffer.
I also spoke to an AT&T tech in the area and they don’t have plans to provide 3G within YEARS to where I live. It’s not on *ANY* future plans.
Thanks AT&T for screwing me again…
-Mc
This is BS. All they are doing is rebalancing the precious and scarce spectrum to technologies where there is demand. Taking half of 850 spectrum and replacing it with 1900 channels is not going to hurt anybody. GSM network is smart enough to know where to put a customer based on signal. Do you think they are stupid to hurt 70% of their customer base? Wern’t you the same guys complaining that AT&T’s 3G network don’t have enough capacity?
Yeah, it is all AT&T’s fault. When iPhone was crapping out, it was AT&T’s network to blame. Then how the fcuk did the problem vanish with the 2.2 software upgrade?
You guys are good in reviewing phones and stuff, but the don’t even pretend that you know how the network functions. Leave that to AT&T, OK? And please continue the good job on leaking upcoming phones and reviewing them.
Am I the only one who never has any issues with my 3G coverage?? Its always available to me.
Man this is gunna be a bummer for me I live in a “3G” heavy city but it’s as slow as edge and very spotty. I just got an Unlocked Blackberry 8900 cause I use Wifi in my city more than network,I don’t want to be forced to get the Bold.
>>You’re also looking at everyone who got the “free” basic phones over the last 3-4 years. AT&T is going to piss off a TON of people if this turns out to be true.<<
And you actually believe these same people are relying on data coverage? They probably don’t even know what MediaNet is.
i live in champaign il i doubt there will ever be 3G out here. bloomington has it but its still a bit of a drive.