Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: iPhone, MMS, AT&T, Network, Delay | Themes: The Internet, Software, Smartphones, Networking, Digital Entertainment, 3GSM
Is the iPhone overloading AT&T's network?
Macworld points out that AT&T has two weeks left to deliver on its promise to support the iPhone's new Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) capabilities. Apple originally announced the feature back in June with the release of OS 3.0, however the company didn't say anything in regards to AT&T's support. However AT&T eventually came forth and admitted that it was finalizing system upgrades, and that MMS support would eventually come late summer. AT&T also said that the missing MMS support--a feature most carriers already support--had nothing to do with its 3G network.
The New York Times is reporting otherwise, claiming that the iPhone is actually overloading AT&T's network. In fact, the NYT calls it a "data guzzler," allowing consumers to download applications, stream video and music, and browse the Internet at higher rates than the "average" smartphone user, 10 times more in fact. As a result, AT&T subscribers apparently suffer "glacial" download speeds, dropped calls, and spotty service, and are thus outraged by the data-guzzling iPhone owners. Out of the 20 million smartphone users currently subscribing to AT&T, 9 million of those are iPhone owners.
As AT&T reported earlier, the $18 billion it plans to spend this year will be dumped into upgrades and expansions to better handle the high demand. The company is addressing spotty service by erecting 2,100 additional cell towers, and revamping existing towers with fiber optic cable to deliver the data faster. Unfortunately, AT&T is hitting a slight snag, as many cities require time-consuming paper work in order to install new towers. With that said, AT&T expects to complete the upgrades by next year.
Chetan Sharma, an independent wireless analyst, said that owners of the new iPhone 3GS have probably increased their usage by 100-percent which will probably only make things worse for the mobile carrier. "It's faster, so they are using it more on a daily basis," he said.
UPDATE: AT&T now says that MMS will arrive on September 25, however the service is only available for the 3G and 3GS model.
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'bout time.
Um. MMS was promised "later this summer." September 25th is several days past the last day of summer. False advertising anyone? Maybe those lawsuits weren't so frivolous after all.
Mms is so yesterday this is not a issue for me as I've been emailing from my phone for years now even before the first gen iPhone I was emailing from my 8125 Cingular smartphone. Where is tethering by the way they also promised? I went from $90 a month with my 2g iPhone to $130 a month now with the 3gs I expect more for my money than just a faster phone for the monthly bill I pay.
"The New York Times is reporting otherwise, claiming that the iPhone is actually overloading AT&T's network."
hmm... why I have never heard the same problem coming from iphone carrier in other countries (even w/ MMS function available)?
Is that because we (US customers) download more stuffs and talk way more,.. or is because our AT&T is just way below other countries' standard?
I am afraid taht the answer is pretty clear.
AT&T fails. Even Rogers of Canada supports MMS and we have a much smaller userbase from which they can draw the funds from.
Isn't MMS locked int o sending images < 30k? I thought there would be more data load sending e-mails with pictures?
AT&T simply SUCKS.
Mms is so yesterday this is not a issue for me as I've been emailing from my phone for years now even before the first gen iPhone I was emailing from my 8125 Cingular smartphone. Where is tethering by the way they also promised? I went from $90 a month with my 2g iPhone to $130 a month now with the 3gs I expect more for my money than just a faster phone for the monthly bill I pay.
Emailing is such a pain in the ass. Even if every single one of my friends, family, and co-workers had a phone capable of receiving email with photos I would still prefer to use MMS. Much easier to just receive the picture than it is to launch the email app.
Isn't MMS locked int o sending images < 30k? I thought there would be more data load sending e-mails with pictures?
So far as I know, regular mms is 30k/640x480.
I am happy that AT&T feels the squeeze of making those promises they made. For those jeering the U.S. for being slow on expansion: 1. The United States is a fairly massive country and early on the main carriers' concern was spreading coverage, and then later adding more capacity when more subscribers signed up in their respective service areas. 2. Like the article states, local government has the say on who can build what in their city. The permits must be approved for the tower. Any lines going to the tower must also be approved. Compensations must also be addressed if the ideal property is on a citizens property (some of those DSLAMS ATT installed for their U-verse service had to be installed in people's backyards, one is in the corner of my backyard right now). Other countries' central government have almost absolute power. The carriers pay and get approval from the central government, they hand the necessary papers to the carriers and then the carriers build their tower where they need it. If the locals don't like it, too bad.
/FAIL -begin
[citation]The New York Times is reporting otherwise, claiming that... ..[/citation]
/FAIL -end
Why do I find it hard to believe anything that follows the above words. Well, maybe it has to do with the fact that probably 2 out of 3 New York Times' reports are full of shit!?
andedfhdfdh@
I agree it is true in many conturies that teh gov have a lot ofcontrol on the system. Bu that still does not give AT&T enough excuse for its poor performance in the States, since there are other network providers in the States have already provide a lot of services that AT&T can't (like MMS and many others)...
by the way... even in the US "If the locals don't like it"... it is still... too bad...
AT&T fails. Even Rogers of Canada supports MMS and we have a much smaller userbase from which they can draw the funds from.
They also have a MUCH smaller user base to support. Im sure the 35 people using MMS on their iPhone in Canada are having no problems at all.
I was all excited for the MMS feature when the 3.0 OS came out... Once i got the feature (Canada) I realized i rarely use it. I would say since 3.0 OS came out I have sent about 10 MMS...
Good to hear you AT&T people are finally getting something which should have been available 5 years ago
does anybody know if this will include the ability to send video mms to 3g models(not 3gs) as well?