O2’s network in London buckles under the pressure of the iPhone, other devices
AT&T is apparently not alone in struggling to cope with the demand that data hungry devices like the iPhone have placed on its network. Ronan Dunne, CEO of O2 UK, has publicly apologized to Londoners for the poor performance of its network over the past 6 months, blaming the explosion of demand for data by smartphones such an Apple’s iPhone for its woes. Londoners on O2 have struggled with intermittent data outages and occasional periods where they could not make or receive phone calls, a scenario all too familiar for AT&T customers in the US. To cope with this surge in usage, O2 UK has dumped 30 million pounds ($48 million USD) into its network and has added 200 mobile base stations. O2 is also working closely with Nokia Siemens to help better equip its network infrastructure and is in talks with both RIM and Apple to help identify data-intensive applications, a strategy which sounds a bit troubling. With a bit of good news, Mr. Dunne claims O2’s London network has shown improvement in the month of December and that any “short-term blip” in their network reputation will be ameliorated by these efforts.Read
You know who is really suffering from this? Starbucks.
There are now millions of iphone users wandering the streets without the ability to use their “find starbucks” app.
If apple users can’t rely on their iphones for the latest information on what is “cool”, “hip”, “trendy” or other things that will make them unique and creative…who are they going to rely on?
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You’re the moron. You don’t understand that coverage in square miles doesn’t equal coverage of people. I know he’s talking about 2G, but I can also read what is true about 3G. Maybe Luke Wilson will make a commerical to explain that to you, since you can’t comprehend the difference between covering empty space and covering where people actually reside.
In order to cover 75% of the population, you have to have coverage in a majority of areas people travel to. Is that not logical? Are you visiting cows in Wisconsin? If so, you can still use 2G. It’ll probably be as fast as 3G in a populous area since you’ll be the only one on it.
Hey, Verizon drops calls too. Oops…I said it. They do actually drop calls, and its hard to have network problems when when no one has a device that can tax the network. DROID is so new that no one really has it. If they ever get a device as good and as popular as iPhone they will choke just like AT&T.
If you look at the actual statistics, the networks aren’t very different. Its just Verizon Fanboys who have a perception that they are.
You’re right. CDMA does penetrate walls better. I have no dispute with that.
You’re just a bunch of Verizon Fanboys. I wouldn’t be suprised if you work there and get on these boards just to lift your self esteem since you’re getting killed right now.
Where have Verizon’s subscribers going? Theres a map for that…and it points directly at AT&T.
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BGR could lose alot of dollars if they advertise any negativity towards VZ. Lets keep up this AT&T bash fest BGR staff!
This proves my point. iPhone is so easy to use that. It still runs 65% of all HTML smartphone data in USA alone. Insane !!!! Way more than all verizon smartphones put together!!!!!!
Sick or what dude.
this is just the beginning and the time will tell that os x is not made for phone. those carriers will suffer in the longer term who will carry the iphone. when cloud copmuting will become more common, this problem is going to become worse with iphone and carriers.
the most important is iphone will become more and more eco UN-friendly.
this is not at all the hate but as most newpaper (for e.g. NYtimes) and blogs only talk about hype and positive side. then someone should come up with negative side.
Some of you obviously have no idea what you’re talking about. Unlike ATT VZW dumbs billions back into its network, ATT should try this instead of running pointless Luke Wilson commercials. For the past two decades VZW cared more about its network then it did its phones. This is or has changed probably due infact customers want highend phones. However it’s obvious VZW spending so much time and money building its network is starting to payoff, and it was the correct way.
“Some of you obviously have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Yes and you would be that person. att has spent about 18 billion dollars for it’s network last year and typically spends about 4-5 billion most years as does verizon.
Verizon doesn’t have issues because a majority of users on verizon doesn’t use data. att sells more smart phones than any US carrier and it’s users use data.
It ain’t just in London and it ain’t just the Jesus phone.
The O2 network is very poor almost all across Soutern England. I have trouble getting EDGE on my BlackBerry. Mostly I am stuck with GPRS. I am prepared to upgrade to a 9700 and have 3G but, will O2 give me 3G?
I think not.
its pointless to argue over which network is better. I’ve used them both and they have issues.
The issue is that smartphones (both iPhone, Berry and Android) are all data intensive devices. We’ve known that the smartphone “explosion” is coming and its going to bog networks. Hopefully this situation will improve with LTE networks. What we need are big, fat, dumb pipes to carry all this traffic. We also need smart wi-fi use, to help carry the load. I use my iPhone 3GS mostly at work and home, and a majority of the data traffic is on Wifi. It would help spread the bandwidth around.
BTW, I used to be a VZW customer (happily so) until I decided I needed a phone that was easy to use – hence the iPhone. AT&T is bad, but they are working hard to improve. $18 billion isn’t cheap for improvements.
Cant we all get along and just agree on the fact that I am the best?
Compare page 9 (AT&T) and Page 15 (O2) Dark Blue. iPhone, see the comparison. The 2 carriers with the problem, look at the iPhone % they take up on the network 70% requests.
http://metrics.admob.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/AdMob-Mobile-Metrics-Oct-09.pdf
Hello to All of You Carrier Warriors !
Here are two articles from today’s Wall Street Journal that should put things into perspective :
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703278604574624481258303334.html – Broadband Blockage – Why Wireless Carriers are Running Out of Capacity.
Two paragraphs from the article:
“The reality is that the demand for mobile broadband is exploding, thanks to the popularity of the iPhone and rivals like the Palm Pre, the Blackberry and Verizon’s Droid. According to the Federal Communications Commission, the use of smart phones has grown by nearly 700% the past four years, and mobile data are increasing at a projected rate of 130% annually as more people use their phones to send photos and watch videos.”
” Spectrum is finite, but it doesn’t need to be as scarce as it is. The problem is how the frequencies are being managed. Less than 10% of the spectrum coveted by wireless carriers has been allocated for commercial use. Much of the rest is controlled by the government. Television broadcasters and satellite companies also possess excess spectrum that could be made available to wireless carriers. Competitive bidding is the best way to allocate spectrum, but the government auctions are much too infrequent—only two in the past four years—and the licenses often come with cumbersome restrictions. The result is congested networks, frustrated customers and slower innovation.”
Another Wall Street Journal Article: Mobile Problems Force Apology by Apple’s U.K. Partner
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/12/29/mobile-problems-force-apology-by-apples-uk-partner/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wsj%2Fbiztech%2Ffeed+(WSJ.com%3A+Business+Technology)&loomia_si=t0%3Aa16%3Ag12%3Ar3%3Ac0.137357%3Ab29573052
thanks that good
Bilgi|Maxi|td
My experience over the years with the O2 network in the UK is one of angst. They have been generally unreliable, even before the proliferation of smart phones. I think customers just tolerated it for a variety of reasons. Now that smart phones are more common, the problem’s become acute on an already bad network. The smart phone is pointing at the O2 emperor and declaring he has no clothes. And folks are noticing…
I love how all the people defending Apple or AT&T spew things out and have no actual facts. How can any of you say that “verizon’s network doesn’t bog down because it doesn’t have the popularity ATT does”. You may be right, of course you may be wrong. For all you know (unless you’re a mid level on up verizon employee) Verizon may have a network that can handle this kind of data usage. You guys/girls don’t even know (and can’t know…) if its even ATT or the Iphone’s actual problem (I’m going to make the obvious …..it’s both companies issue). I have ZERO problem with my Iphone here in north east ohio…. However Im very lucky to be NO WHERE NEAR a major city with a network strain that ATT refuses to fix.
Hallo,
das gleiche Problem hat in Deutschland auch T-Mobile. Ob das am iPhone oder anderen Smatphones liegt bezweifle ich. Ich habe für diese Probleme die diversen USB-Sticks und Netbooks im Verdacht. Die sind in deutlichen Stückzahlen verkauft worden. Im Gegensatz zu den Smartphones werden über Netbooks Standardwebseiten aufgerufen. Zusätzlich noch diverse Videoportale.
Die Schuld für die Netzproblem trägt alleine der Betreiber. Er verkauft anscheinend mehr AirTime (PS & CS) als er bereitstellen kann. Das ist entweder Absicht oder Unvermögen bei der Marktanalyse, aber nicht die Schuld der Kunden und deren Geräte.
Gruß aus Berlin
Thomas
O2, nice name with genius thoughts