AT&T has openly admitted that they have selected Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson as their LTE equipment suppliers and even better is the fact they are on track for a 2011 LTE rollout. 2011 is dead on with the information we gave you almost one year ago stating that LTE would in fact be here on AT&T in 2011 with the slight chance it would be delayed until 2012.
Now don't fret when it comes to the existing 3G network that many of you have issues with. AT&T promises to keep working to improve that for you as well. They are not abandoning you... yet.
It is important to remember that sometimes plans do change, so don't shoot the messenger if things don't pan out next year.
Reader comments
AT&T Admits LTE Rollout Will Begin in 2011
I think "admitted" is the wrong word here. "Revealed" is probably more suitable. It's not like they fessed up to something they have been denying.
Easily CONVERTIBLE? How so? This is bad reporting, at least do some investigative journalism and report the method!!!
@Liberty, thanks for you pointing out the mistake so kindly... Error has been removed.
I'm sure like everything else, for some &*$#@^% reason it will show up first in Charlotte then the rest of North and South Carolina. I think the CEO of AT&T must have a mistress down there.
This is all ringing a familiar tune... "MMS will be available at the end of summer"...
...or "tethering will be available in 2009"
@Colin and Hah, I'm hoping they have learned from their mistakes and they make good on this one. We can all dream right?
Can I humbly request that when you 3G users get LTE, that AT&T can send the old 3G gear out to my E neighborhood? :)
AT&T is rolling out LTE "just because" people think that you need to have LTE to have 4G. When infact HSPA and it's successors support upto 128Mbit down. Who seriously needs 128? Or would actually pay for what they would charge to have mobile speed that fast? LTE for AT&T is useless at this point until you have devices that require that kind of speed. In which there are corporations that have entire networks that don't require that kind of speed. I have a 15mbit wifi connection. And with the limiting hardware on my iPhone. It's all that much faster than my 3-4mbit 3G. The hardware is only so fast.
@Gregg: 4G is not just about bandwidth but also latency. HSPA latency tends to be around 500ms and up, which really slows down web browsing (where you are fetching multiple image files, etc) and other data applications that are time sensitive such as VOIP.
3G has gotten better for me though I still have a persistent deadzone on my way to classes.
Speed is up though.
I can't imagine AT&T beginning to heavily rely on LTE right away.
Guess what all, LTE is NOT 4G, you have to wait for LTE Advanced for 4G:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LTE_Advanced
GQ had an interesting article about how they rolled out LTE in Amsterdam or something and everyone around got headaches. There's alotta red tape and regulations to prance around in order to get this stuff up and running. No one seems to be looking into the health risks, and those who are are being pushed aside
Loved reading this post.