Getting the truth about HSPA+ (4G)

[Incognitum]

Watch out people!

So I bought my girlfriend an i4g yesterday ($19 with new contract at Costco!!) and we spent about 45 min with the in-store rep, then on a call to the regional manager to retain our unlimited data plan on my secondary line (always be polite, but DON'T give up, you WILL be able to keep it if you are persistent). During this ordeal, the in-store rep mentioned that to activate the unlimited data plan on the new phone he would have to put one of the 'new sim cards' in it. I asked if he didn't usually do that for all the 4g phones. He said he has most customers save their contacts on their old phone to their sim cards, then just put the old card into the new phone. When I mentioned that I thought the new sim was required for 4g speeds, he shrugged it off stating that how he'd been doing it seemed to work fine, and mentioned that it's a pain in the but to activate the new sim, so why do it when the old one works fine.

So make sure you get the new sim with your new phone. Even in desolate Anchorage Alaska, we get the 'H+' icon on the phone no problem

 

[pazzo02]

Even in desolate Anchorage Alaska, we get the 'H+' icon on the phone no problem

The only indicators the phone has is H+ or E. E is for Edge and H+ shows up if you're on anything 3G and above. Sorry to burst your bubble.

 

[boufa]

... and most rooted phones will only show "H". It is only a icon, and is in no way at all indicative of what actual speed you are going to get.

Also, it has been widely reported (by AT&T also) that the upgrade to 4g is a 3 step process. Each one of them having some speed benefits.

1) A software upgrade to the towers to HSPDA+.. according to AT&T's published documentation this is complete.

2) A hardware upgrade to enhance the backhaul to handle additional speed and capacity... this is physical wires that must be installed between each individual tower and its nearest land line backbone... this is a long slow expensive process that is ongoing.

3) Upgrading to LTE I think this is a software upgrade, but I don't really know. This process is not even close to being deployed except in secret test markets. This is scheduled for late 2011 - late 2012 deployment. Our Inspire (and the Atrix) are not capable of running this... however it will be at least 18 months before it is usable and most of us will upgrade then.

I hope this clears it up a little... 90% of us fall into step 1, they have said that most if not all of step 2 will be completed by the end of the year. It will be over lay coverage. If you have access to 3g, you should eventually end up on the upgraded network. If you have only Edge, you likely will continue to only have Edge for the near future.

 

[emscapt47]

Has anyone seen HSPA+ on their Inspire? Go to Settings, About phone, Network, and check mobile network type. I've never had anything but HSDPA, even though I'm smack in the middle of a 4G coverage area defined by AT&T. Could it be the 3G sims most people have been given? I'm trying to get a hold of one of the new 4G sims, but have had no luck yet.

I got UMTS no HSDPA nothing....Hmmmmm....

 

[pazzo02]

Good news, maybe. I just read a thread in HTC's own Inspire forum that the moderator said a ROM update to enable HSUPA is coming soon. Hopefully this is an indication that AT&T is paying attention to the grumblings of their fast growing Andriod customer base!