AT&T Commits to 4G Network with HSPA+ and LTE

On Wednesday, mobile phone carrier AT&T announced officially plans to start upgrading its network to 4G, with the deployment of HSPA+ and LTE during the ongoing year, so as to offer its customers the possibility to enjoy faster services than before.

According to the wireless carrier, it aims at accelerating the build of its LTE (Long Term Evolution) network, in an attempt to have it completed by the end of 2013. According to AT&T, the LTE network is set to launch in mid-2011.

At the same time, the wireless carrier announced that it would offer faster services on its HSPA+ network, as it managed to upgrade almost its entire network to the new technology.


“The company is rapidly expanding Ethernet and fiber to cell sites nationwide -- adding new cell sites weekly -- and by yearend, expects that nearly two-thirds of its mobile broadband traffic will be on expanded backhaul,” AT&T announced.

The wireless carrier also noted that it is already offering 4G speeds on existing HSPA+ network in key areas of the country. The speeds it can offer in these markets reach up to 6 Mbps, and they should increase as the company moves to LTE.

Additionally, the operator announced that it aims at having a number of no less than 20 4G devices available on its network before the end of the ongoing year, some of which would be exclusive deals.

Moreover, it announced that it aims at making available a number of 12 new Android devices in 2011.

Two 4G smartphones should become available for purchase on its airwaves in the first quarter of the ongoing year, in addition to 4G-compatible laptop cards, which were launched last fall.

“AT&T plans to offer five to seven 4G devices in its lineup in the first half of 2011,” the wireless carrier announced.

4G tablets should become available for purchase at AT&T in the first half of the ongoing year. At least two such devices are on their way to the market, the carrier notes, one of which should be LTE-capable.

As for the 4G smartphones, three of them were already unveiled, the Motorola ATRIX 4G and HTC Inspire 4G, set to arrive in the first quarter of the year, and Samsung Infuse 4G, which should be released in Q2 2011.

“AT&T provides its customers access to more mobile applications than any other carrier. In 2011, the company plans to expand its leadership in apps with new initiatives to speed collaboration with apps developers and further open AT&T’s network capabilities to the development community,” the company added.