Worth switching to AT&T?

[Jonneh]

The deal on AT&T

It's "cool" to hate on AT&T right now, and has been for a year or more. Technically, it actually all started when the first iPhone became a phenomenon and grew so popular; AT&T didn't have enough network bandwidth to withstand all the new users - as we all know, iPhone was exclusive to AT&T, so if you wanted one, you needed that network. Since the release of the first iPhone, AT&T has worked hard on increasing their network capacity to accommodate the flush of iPhone users, and these days the problem is practically nonexistent, though people will still argue about that.

Recently, it has become cool, particularly here at Android Central, to kick and scream and shed tears of irate anger that AT&T began labeling its HSPA+ network as "4G", something T-Mobile has been doing for several years now, and no one has been b*tching at them for it. As intelligent, well-informed members of Android Central, we all should know that AT&T is in fact working on their LTE 4G, and they're still on their schedule of Summer 2011 (if I remember right). However, apparently we are not all well-informed members of Android Central, because recently it has also become cool to shout nonsense such as "AT&T isn't even working on 4G LAWLZ!".

As I stated in a comment in some lost main-page-article, AT&T has two big projects going on right now. Before they deploy LTE 4G, they first have to switch their entire infrastructure from layer-1 to layer-2. It, of course, is incredibly more complicated than how I just made it sound, but the fact remains that AT&T will have 4G just as the other carriers, and it's ridiculous to think they won't. This is their main project at the moment and the deadline for it is sometime in April if I remember right. If someone wants confirmation on that, I can ask my father, as he's the project manager of it. Only after this first project is completed can they deploy their LTE 4G.
In the meantime, AT&T is going to call their HSPA+ network 4G just like T-Mobile does, until they get their LTE 4G out later on, and it shouldn't be a big deal to anyone.


With all that out of the way, how any carrier is in your area of residence is completely situational. Maybe AT&T is great where I live, in GA, but sucks out in CA, on the complete opposite side of the U.S. Who knows - I don't.

However, I will say this: If you are not currently an AT&T customer, it is somewhat difficult to recommend you making the switch over to their network, simply because of the new-ish data caps. If you're like me, and have been grandfathered over to where you can keep your unlimited data for $30, and AT&T is good in your area, then you're set...get yourself an Atrix! It's what I plan to do. Goodbye RIM and Mike Lazardiggity-whatever.

 

[mc511]

I honestly dont have a problem with the network. It could be the phone itself that has the problems. I mean the only real problems i ahd with the network was at the mall this holiday season on a saturday afternoon the network in the cherry hill area was probably being hammered with soo many people at the mall and the shopping center located about a mile down the road. I would say servers in cherry hill were getting hammered with traffic. At night when everyone went home everything was fine and this past saturday everything was fine. I get fine reception at my house. I go between 1 bar and 4 bars but mostly hang around 3. I think thats fine. I never had a dropped call. Now my friend has verizon and he gets alot of dropped calls when i talk to him. He has verizon and they dont have the best reception in this area.

I really think the network is fine. I do believe that verizon has better internet and such but there really isnt anything wrong with att. I think it just depends on where you live. Some areas have great att reception and some dont. I just hate how everyone goes along with what iphone users say who are probably not very well informed people.

 

[mdunn1066]

Ah its good to hear theyre making progress on LTE. I have the unlimited plan still (At one point i got a new phone and the ATT rep removed it most likely unknowingly and i had to go through several channels to get it back, but i fought hard for it ) And i fully intend to buy an Atrix with the laptop dock. I'll probably sell my current laptop if this works out for me because all i use my laptop for right now is internet e-mail and watching youtube. Add to the fact that it will be extremely mobile and the laptop itself is super thin because its not actually a computer, well we have ourselves a hell of a deal here.

I fully believe the atrix is the first step toward the future of cell phones and mobile devices in general, where it takes several different devices to to perform several roles, we will move forward to devices that do more and more. As with computers 20 years ago, in my opinion, we're at the beginning of the powerful mobile computing age, and this is a huge step. Remember, 8 years ago it was amazing to get an e-mail on a mobile device, now we have full access to the entire internet. We may not have flying cars quite yet but this is huge!

It's "cool" to hate on AT&T right now, and has been for a year or more. Technically, it actually all started when the first iPhone became a phenomenon and grew so popular; AT&T didn't have enough network bandwidth to withstand all the new users - as we all know, iPhone was exclusive to AT&T, so if you wanted one, you needed that network. Since the release of the first iPhone, AT&T has worked hard on increasing their network capacity to accommodate the flush of iPhone users, and these days the problem is practically nonexistent, though people will still argue about that.

Recently, it has become cool, particularly here at Android Central, to kick and scream and shed tears of irate anger that AT&T began labeling its HSPA+ network as "4G", something T-Mobile has been doing for several years now, and no one has been b*tching at them for it. As intelligent, well-informed members of Android Central, we all should know that AT&T is in fact working on their LTE 4G, and they're still on their schedule of Summer 2011 (if I remember right). However, apparently we are not all well-informed members of Android Central, because recently it has also become cool to shout nonsense such as "AT&T isn't even working on 4G LAWLZ!".

As I stated in a comment in some lost main-page-article, AT&T has two big projects going on right now. Before they deploy LTE 4G, they first have to switch their entire infrastructure from layer-1 to layer-2. It, of course, is incredibly more complicated than how I just made it sound, but the fact remains that AT&T will have 4G just as the other carriers, and it's ridiculous to think they won't. This is their main project at the moment and the deadline for it is sometime in April if I remember right. If someone wants confirmation on that, I can ask my father, as he's the project manager of it. Only after this first project is completed can they deploy their LTE 4G.
In the meantime, AT&T is going to call their HSPA+ network 4G just like T-Mobile does, until they get their LTE 4G out later on, and it shouldn't be a big deal to anyone.


With all that out of the way, how any carrier is in your area of residence is completely situational. Maybe AT&T is great where I live, in GA, but sucks out in CA, on the complete opposite side of the U.S. Who knows - I don't.

However, I will say this: If you are not currently an AT&T customer, it is somewhat difficult to recommend you making the switch over to their network, simply because of the new-ish data caps. If you're like me, and have been grandfathered over to where you can keep your unlimited data for $30, and AT&T is good in your area, then you're set...get yourself an Atrix! It's what I plan to do. Goodbye RIM and Mike Lazardiggity-whatever.

 

[Baconator]

Its all on location. I live in an AT&T dead zone. They are putting up 3G towers so thats a plus. Compared to Tmobile they are expensive.

 

[RippThaJacker]

It's "cool" to hate on AT&T right now, and has been for a year or more. Technically, it actually all started when the first iPhone became a phenomenon and grew so popular; AT&T didn't have enough network bandwidth to withstand all the new users - as we all know, iPhone was exclusive to AT&T, so if you wanted one, you needed that network. Since the release of the first iPhone, AT&T has worked hard on increasing their network capacity to accommodate the flush of iPhone users, and these days the problem is practically nonexistent, though people will still argue about that.

Recently, it has become cool, particularly here at Android Central, to kick and scream and shed tears of irate anger that AT&T began labeling its HSPA+ network as "4G", something T-Mobile has been doing for several years now, and no one has been b*tching at them for it. As intelligent, well-informed members of Android Central, we all should know that AT&T is in fact working on their LTE 4G, and they're still on their schedule of Summer 2011 (if I remember right). However, apparently we are not all well-informed members of Android Central, because recently it has also become cool to shout nonsense such as "AT&T isn't even working on 4G LAWLZ!".

As I stated in a comment in some lost main-page-article, AT&T has two big projects going on right now. Before they deploy LTE 4G, they first have to switch their entire infrastructure from layer-1 to layer-2. It, of course, is incredibly more complicated than how I just made it sound, but the fact remains that AT&T will have 4G just as the other carriers, and it's ridiculous to think they won't. This is their main project at the moment and the deadline for it is sometime in April if I remember right. If someone wants confirmation on that, I can ask my father, as he's the project manager of it. Only after this first project is completed can they deploy their LTE 4G.
In the meantime, AT&T is going to call their HSPA+ network 4G just like T-Mobile does, until they get their LTE 4G out later on, and it shouldn't be a big deal to anyone.


With all that out of the way, how any carrier is in your area of residence is completely situational. Maybe AT&T is great where I live, in GA, but sucks out in CA, on the complete opposite side of the U.S. Who knows - I don't.

However, I will say this: If you are not currently an AT&T customer, it is somewhat difficult to recommend you making the switch over to their network, simply because of the new-ish data caps. If you're like me, and have been grandfathered over to where you can keep your unlimited data for $30, and AT&T is good in your area, then you're set...get yourself an Atrix! It's what I plan to do. Goodbye RIM and Mike Lazardiggity-whatever.

I also have a unlimited data plan ($15) . My concern is that they will make me upgrade to the new data plan since i had an unlocked phone so they don't know its a "smartphone".

 

[btgrave]

I also have a unlimited data plan ($15) . My concern is that they will make me upgrade to the new data plan since i had an unlocked phone so they don't know its a "smartphone".

hope not. I mean you did pay for a data plan and you should be grandfathered in. I say if they try to make you pay for it, fight tooth and nails until you get your way!

 

[john_v]

(snip)... If you're like me, and have been grandfathered over to where you can keep your unlimited data for $30, and AT&T is good in your area, then you're set...get yourself an Atrix! It's what I plan to do. Goodbye RIM and Mike Lazardiggity-whatever.

My plans exactly! Although personally I'd have to throw a "buhbye" to El Steveo and apple as well!

 

[crea78]

My plans exactly! Although personally I'd have to throw a "buhbye" to El Steveo and apple as well!

Dido on that!! I've had an iPhone for the past 3.5 years. While it was good at first, the past year I got really tired of it even after having it jailbroken.

 

[blopez24]

I also have a unlimited data plan ($15) . My concern is that they will make me upgrade to the new data plan since i had an unlocked phone so they don't know its a "smartphone".

I think your SOL on that part. I don think youll be able to keep your unlimited plan unless you buy it out of contract. How the hell you manage it for 15 bucks? is it a non-at&t phone?

 

[rbonnerjr]

i want this phone but will 2 gb be enough data ........

 

[RippThaJacker]

I think your SOL on that part. I don think youll be able to keep your unlimited plan unless you buy it out of contract. How the hell you manage it for 15 bucks? is it a non-at&t phone?

I signed a contract 2.5 years ago and they think i have some free crappy phone that they offer when you sign, but i use an unlocked Touch HD. From what I remember about their policies they had 2 plans for smartphones and non smartphones. So that's how I got the unlimited plan. That's why Im worried that they will tell me since im switching to a "smartphone" I cant keep my "non smartphone plan".

 

[Jonneh]

I signed a contract 2.5 years ago and they think i have some free crappy phone that they offer when you sign, but i use an unlocked Touch HD. From what I remember about their policies they had 2 plans for smartphones and non smartphones. So that's how I got the unlimited plan. That's why Im worried that they will tell me since im switching to a "smartphone" I cant keep my "non smartphone plan".

Hmm, that's an interesting situation. I'm not sure what they'll say to you. But, just out of curiosity, what will you do if they say you're not grandfathered in? Will you keep AT&T and get the Atrix still, or walk?

 

[anon(41845)]

Try this site, seems to be pretty accurate for my region:
Cell Phone Coverage Maps - CellReception.com

Great link. I knew that AT&T had bolstered their cell towers in San Antonio, TX - but I had no idea they had such a significant number more than Verizon. Very encouraging.

I strongly believe that much of the complaints concerning AT&T's networks has something to do with the iPhone...not just the network.

 

[TaeKwonDonkey]

I really want this phone but AT&T coverage in my area is ranked second to last after Nextel, which I don't even consider to be a carrier anymore.

 

[blopez24]

I really want this phone but AT&T coverage in my area is ranked second to last after Nextel, which I don't even consider to be a carrier anymore.

Yesterday i did a little test. At home i get about 1-2 cars on AT&T but i did a speed test the test gave me up to 3mb download with two bars lol. I did it at work where i had two bars and it was slower, maybe because i work in downtown los angeles but i got 1mb dwl speed on it.

 

[richierich721]

worked lovely for me.

 

[Eightiesdude]

Here in southeast florida I have issues with dropped calls and sometimes slow 3g. I am hoping that whenever I finally pull the trigger on an android based phone these issues will mostly go away.

 

[Major]

First you pick a network, based on your geography and your needs, and then you pick the device that suits you best.

 

[gitit20]

No att is not good buy it then unlock