AT&T juicing up service in Austin, TX as SXSW hoses networks
As anyone following at attendee or two of South by Southwest 2009 on Twitter can attest to, AT&T’s network down in Austin Texas is completely hosed. The tweets speak for themselves; Dropped call number 833, AT&T’s data network is down again, ^*%)*&%^)% AT&T!, and so on. Apparently the complaints aren’t isolated to Twitter as AT&T has responded publicly to the situation and stated that it intends to address its troubled network by upping capacity immediately. In fact, it expects the improvements to be felt already today:
To accommodate unprecedented demand for mobile data and voice applications at SXSW, we are actively working this afternoon to add capacity to our cell sites serving downtown Austin. These efforts are ongoing, but we anticipate that customers should see improved network performance this evening and for the remainder of the event. We will continue to monitor network performance throughout the event, and will do everything possible to maximize network performance throughout. We apologize to customers who were inconvenienced during this surge in local network demand.
Wow. If it’s that easy, AT&T, how about doing something about the disaster your 3G/3.5G network in the New York Metro area has become?
Saw this earlier on cNet. AT&T sucks!
Add metro-Atlanta markets to the ‘need fixin’ column. Maybe if enough of us complain something will be done(probably not)!
On my last call in to tech support, I was told point blank there is a problem-they know about it-and currently there is no plan in place to fix it. The tech support specialist told me that during a call when you shift from 3g to edge…you may drop the call. But when you are on a call and you shift from edge to 3g…you will ALWAYS drop the call. I almost blew a gasket. So if I don’t happen to drop the call going from 3g to edge, I know I might as well go ahead and hang up ’cause I’m going to drop them anyways going from edge to 3g. How is that acceptable?
Zach: Greater Philadelphia Area as well. Manayunk, middle of the street, Saturday Afternoon, full bars 3G service, perfect voice reception and no dropped calls. Data? What data? You mean these iPhone contraptions need freakin’ data?!? Everything that requires data, just sits (or crashes). Reboot, same thing. Blackberry – same thing. Edge? Hooray! I have slow as crap data!
A couple months ago I quit US Cellular because their data service in my area is still dial-up and nobody could tell me when ev-do was going to be available. Iconsidered ATT and wound up with T-Mobile. Seems like I made the right decision. So far no complaints with T-Mo.
For some reason AT&T has it’s 3G service in Austin on the 1900 band. They have plenty of spectrum in Austin, yet they don’t use the 850 band for 3G in Austin.
For a company that used to be based in San Antonio, and now based in Dallas, you would think they would get the fact that Austin is a high tech town, and needs a solid data network.
Sending a few COWs to Austin for the big events is not the solution. Believe it or not, some high tech people actually live here. I would think Austin has a high % of cell users with 3G devices and that would justify using the 850 band for 3G.
@ The Jackal -
When ur on a call in EDGE.. Phone won’t go to 3g untill you end the call. It can’t go from 2g-3g while on a call.
@bb
I appreciate your input. However-I have been having lots of dropped calls, and this was the explanation that was given to me by tech support. They admitted that it was a problem that they knew of but sounded quite flippant about it. I have been in this home since 1999. Service was so good there that I cut off my home phone. Over the past 3 years the service(edge) has declined drastically, to the point of hardly being able to use my phone there. I went with the iPhone in December, and the bars on my phone are pegged most of the time on 3g…but it will drop from 3g to edge in a heartbeat. Calls go straight into my voicemail without even ringing, calls that I’m on get dropped, and about half of the time when someone tries to ring me-they get the ‘this is not a working number’ message. Very frustrating.
same here jackal,
I call my g/f and i get that alot, this is not a working number or drops. and yes, it drops from switching too.
i been with ATT for 3months now, and now i miss t-mobile. been with them for 6 years
@BLackuLa
I’m really at a loss and don’t know what to do. I love the iPhone…but am hating the AT&T service. I have been with AT&T for over 15 years(way back to the Bellsouth Mobility days) and it is just getting worse and worse. I would jailbreak my phone and move to T-mob, but there is no coverage here(only 60 miles away from downtown Atlanta)…what to do, what to do?!?!?!?!
What is their solgan again?
AT&T and all their marketing is the biggest bunch of BS. The only reason they are so big is because most cell phone users in the world just go with what they hear on commercials. They have no idea about the technology behind the phones, and really dont care. The people like us on these websites are the minority, although that may be changing, it is the truth right now. I hope everyone finally sees AT&T for they really are and they have some sort of action brought against them for falsely advertising that they have the best network, or whatever it is they say.
They don’t claim to have the “Best.” ATT claims to have the largest and I believe some commericials the “Fastest.” Their support for this claim is their service is available in more countrys than tmo and verizon also that tests can show in areas that theirs is faster. There are the nice little disclaimers stating this may not be infact everywhere.
When AT&T’s network is working like it should, it is indeed, quite a bit faster than VZW, T-Mo & Sprint.
However, you can have all the bandwidth you want, the caveat is the latency. AT&T’s 3G & “3.5G” network has less than ideal latency. VZW also, has less than stellar latency – but in some areas it is on par or better than AT&T’s.
I think the exact words they use are “more bars in more places”…what does that mean to you?
the way they do this is to add temporary mobile base stations near the event. your sensationalist “nyc” comment only shows your ignorance of network technology. please limit your cheap shots.
I’ve never had a dropped call in Northern NJ or NYC. The data speeds may be slightly lacking at times, but I get excellent 3G reception and have no complaints about service.
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Mendham United States
Everyone ran to AT&T for the iphone. And my guess is AT&T hadn’t anticipated the huge impact that data would be on their network. Hence why they made WiFi available to AT&T customers so the wouldn’t be so dependent on the network. Its simply a bucket that has over filled and is leaking at the sides. A lot of my friends state that since the iphone 3G their calls are more often dropped. Perhaps this is why Verizon turned down the iphone? Who knows I’m just starting to see more and more posts on AT&T unreliability. “Than they have the greatest coverage”
Put me in the “AT&T blows” camp as well. Additionally, I kind of hate how 75% of the tech press have an iPhone and think it’s the most important thing since sliced bread.
Another thing that pisses me off is that SXSW just looks like some nerd party fest that has brought no real news, or anything. I guess it’s fine, but we have a real economic crisis going on, and I hate having to read about these skinny-jean-wearing hipsters not having SMS access to tweet about some party.
Based on the above comments, should I consider my lucky or what? I’ve been with AT&T for a long time now, and haven’t had a dropped call or any other issue for a long time now.To BGR remark, I also live in NYC and everything seems fine to me.My phone always works when I need it to.
I am thinking of making the jump to AT&T. Hopefully them making the switch to the 850mhz spectrum helps.
I guess I’ve been bitten by the iPhone bug. I’m currently with Sprint and haven’t really had any problems, but who knows what the future holds for them.
It’ll be tough to switch to a carrier with a reputation for spotty service, but I guess that’s just the chance you take.
I’m in Wisconsin, and in-laws seem to have fine coverage.
@John: this “real economic crisis” you speak of, at this point is nothing more than media-spun consumer fear. All you read, hear and see is this major crisis.
If people would go out and spend money, then things will turn around. Businesses will make more money and need more help and then HIRE more people who will have money to spend. And so on, and so forth.
SXSW, while I haven’t even heard of it until today, sounds like the perfect thing we need.
The DC area may just be the king of all ATT hotspots – my service is only shoddy near the Pentagon. Our ATT service is almost flawless here. I have to agree about ATL – I about blew a gasket when I was down there recently. I have someone from my staff in Austin at SXSW today and they report that ATT is much better today than yesterday…she’s running on a Curve, so no 3G, but still better than it was.
@MadMike
Word!
AT&T can easily add capacity to cell sites in areas that it is the ILEC (Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier; basically the owner of the landline infrastructure in the area). In the New York metro area Verizon is the ILEC so if AT&T wanted to add capacity to cell sites they would have to purchase additional T1’s to the sites from Verizon. Where as in areas where AT&T is the ILEC they would be adding their own T1’s to the sites so basically the costs are much lower for obvious reasons.
at&t won’t do anything about it because they ar to cheap to do anything. they are third rate when it comes to their network. notice these things do not come out about verizon… or sprint or tmobile.