A study claims that AT&T has 60% faster cellular speed compared to Verizon

posted by Alex I. / Nov 23, 2010, 9:48 AM

A study claims that AT&T has 60% faster cellular speed compared to Verizon

A few days ago AT&T announced that of all its coverage, 80% is HSPA+, that automatically makes it the largest HSPA+ network – it covers 180 million people compared to T-Mobile's 140 million. Well, so much for T-Mobile's campaign that it has America's largest 4G (read HSPA+) network. Now a US-wide study conducted by Global Wireless Solutions claims that AT&T is the leader when it comes to cellular speed among all US carriers and that its dropped calls ratio is one in 1000 calls.

It's important to take into account that the neutrality of this study is dubious at best, since in the past GWS has been paid by AT&T to test the latter's network. Nevertheless, according to Global Wireless Solutions, the closest competitor (which is actually not named) when it comes to cellular speed is 20% behind AT&T, while Verizon, the largest US carrier, was 60% slower on average. Furthermore, this research claims that only 1 in 1000 calls is dropped when using AT&T's network and we're sure that a few people may disagree with these findings, as some key metro areas – like New York and the San Francisco Bay Area – are known to suffer from high rates of dropped calls.

To make the study one bit more unreliable, the research doesn't provide the exact speeds that different cities and regions achieved. All in all, we would be very diplomatic and say that we're not entirely convinced by this study. Actually, this may be a new kind of wireless network advertisement – scientifically backed claims that are extremely untrustworthy.

source: Electronista

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15 Comments

1. Gawain

Posts: 431; Member since: Apr 15, 2010

That's great for you AT&T. I'll take a reliable, omni-present slower EVDO Rev A over your nearly non-existent HSPA/HSPA+ and copious dirt-slow-EDGE. Speed is useless if you have nowhere to use it. What's funny is that by the time AT&T lights up its HSPA+, Verizon will have lit up LTE. By the time AT&T lights up their own LTE, Verizon will have at a minimum, doubled their LTE coverage. That 700MHz C-Block is no joke...

posted on Nov 23, 2010, 10:32 AM 3

2. grags unregistered

toolbag

posted on Nov 23, 2010, 10:44 AM 1

3. itshammertime unregistered

Gawain, 700 mhz c-block is no joke your right about that, but you obviously have never done any research to know who owns the largest portion of that spectrum. You obviously have never gone through a network conversion as well. See what you dont know is that when big red decides to light up LTE you will all be crying about how terrible it is because your little cell phones are having big issues rolling back to evdo-rev A. I will give verizon this, they have done a FANTASTIC job of marketing their out of date technology and pulling every bit of money out of it. We will see if they learned from the mistakes that ATT made with their 3g launch, but I am going to go out on a limb and think otherwise because unless you have gone through it like at&t did with the iphone which pushed the smartphone market into what it is today, their is really no way to prepare.

posted on Nov 23, 2010, 11:11 AM 0

5. Kevin unregistered

Thanks for stating the obvious on network conversion. You speak of it as if AT&T won't be converting to LTE in the future. What makes you think HSDPA phones won't have a problem? Sooner or later AT&T are going to try to make a deal with Verizon to use their LTE towers instead of deploying their own.

posted on Nov 23, 2010, 1:11 PM 0

11. Gawain

Posts: 431; Member since: Apr 15, 2010

Um, C-Block is the largest block of 700MHz spectrum that was auctioned off. So, yes, I have a little bit of an idea what I'm talking about. My market isn't even one of the first to get LTE, so I'm not all that concerned. VZW has reiterated its intent to maintain the current EVDO/CDMA network for at least the next 10 years beyond LTE implementation which will overlap the existing 800/1900MHz infrastructure. As for device compatibility, for the air-cards, et al, it won't be much of an issue since the data services are packet based, not closed circuit based. The only noticeable issue to the end-user will be speed and latency. For the all-in-one devices (as they roll out), again, I don't suspect you'll see much of an issue because voice services will remain on the incumbent network, and data will ride whatever signaling is available. I actually have been through network conversions. I was a GTE employee during the rollout/conversion from AMPS to D-AMPS to CDMA/1XRTT. Yes, there were issues, and I suspect there will be challenges to this upcoming rollout. I also know that by the time anyone at AT&T or T-Mobile are rolling out LTE, VZWs LTE coverage will surpass and outperform Sprint/Clearwire WiMAX coverage. VZW will have complete overlapping coverage before any of the other major players do. I also believe we will see new competitors on the stage with this marketed "4G" from the likes of MetroPCS and other large regional carriers like US Cellular 5 years down the road.

posted on Nov 23, 2010, 9:44 PM 0

4. Fanboykiller unregistered

That's not a secret, slow-rizon and sprIntcrap wont come any close in the speed deparment with that CDMA outdated, Redneck tech, no wonder big red is rushing LTE to be up par.....!!!!!

posted on Nov 23, 2010, 11:52 AM 0

6. sinfulta

Posts: 279; Member since: Dec 11, 2008

I am a network engineer building chipsets at Qualcomm. You guys have no idea about anything network related talk on here. I have tested the chipsets on all types of networks, The hand off for Verizon LTE to EVDO is seamless. It's actually extremely smooth. The nice thing about LTE Revision 8 (which is what's being used) is that it's completely backward compatible with all kinds of networks. CDMA is not low tech btw. What HSPA+ todays uses is a wideband version of the same technology. Verizon and Sprint could have went to Rev B and Rev C networks and got similar speeds to HSPA+. Why they didn't is beyond me. But LTE is a true 4G technology if they upgrade the network with updates. LTE can achieve over 100mb which is IMT standard for 4G. Will it take a few revisions? Probably. Recap: HSPA or EVDO will not have hand off problems. I have tested it personally with different chipsets. Retail people: If you guys are not in school for network infrastructure then you shouldn't probably comment on something you don't know about. LTE: is technically 4G once software and hardware has been upgraded. 700Mhz Spectrum: Verizon does hold the highest about of the C-Block, People keep mentioning AT&T Having it, but that's actually D Block spectrum and is not as sought after because of interference issues. Verizon bought 70% more total spectrum than any other carrier of that 700Mhz Spectrum. ATT purchased 20mhz and 10Mhz spectrum which translates to more spectrum. But it's needed because it was purchased from an inferior portion of the 700Mhz band.

posted on Nov 23, 2010, 2:46 PM 7

7. jd829

Posts: 155; Member since: Feb 24, 2010

Why can't more people like this guy who actually know what they're talking about post on here? I'll take an impartial expert to a fanboy spewing talking points any day... +5 sir

posted on Nov 23, 2010, 3:45 PM 4

8. tedkord

Posts: 17094; Member since: Jun 17, 2009

Why would you want actual facts and science when you can have fanboy rants about who's cellular carrier is better.

posted on Nov 23, 2010, 5:02 PM 2

10. Kevin unregistered

Multi-mode =/= backwards compatibility. Whether or not you're really a network engineer is questionable. It can just be your way of marketing to the mass. Phones will still be using EVDO primarily for voice while LTE will be more focused on data even when it supports voice, likely until LTE Advanced. Backwards compatibility applies when the newer technology shares an ancestral relationship with the older. ie. EVDO Rev 0., Rev A, Rev B.

posted on Nov 23, 2010, 8:55 PM 1

14. Fanboykiller unregistered

Wheter you a chipset engineer or not you're completly wrong about CDMA and HSPA both are totally different types of network HSPA shares the same core with CDMA on the early stages like CDMA2000 but the following of both is different, if not show me a full compatibility with HSPA and CDMA.....( NON EXISTENCE ). I don't give any doubt of LTE full compatibility with both networks but as an engineer you should know that HSPA got the best hand for being the previous generation and of course you back CDMA more than HSPA cuz is the American brand and Qualcomm is the biggest provider.....simple as that.....!!!!

posted on Nov 24, 2010, 12:52 AM 0

9. Yucatan Dan unregistered

Thanks to the chipset guy from Qualcomm. On another note, AT&T is a joke. So are their assbag trollers on this site and the twelve people they paid-off to do that survey. I was stuck on EDGE and dropping every other call for two years with a bunch of lies spewed at me weekly by their clown employees. No more. Y'all fanboys can keep your carrier. It's where you all belong.

posted on Nov 23, 2010, 6:53 PM 1

12. obamabinladin

Posts: 13; Member since: Nov 23, 2010

who cares it's all the same shit, just a matter of where you live and what you like.

posted on Nov 23, 2010, 11:36 PM 1

13. aricept

Posts: 4; Member since: Jul 17, 2010

I can understand questioning the veracity of the study if it were given in a vacuum. But when everyone else comes to the same conclusion... Gizmodo:http://gizmodo.com/5428343/our-2009-12+city-3g-data-mega-test-att-won Engadget:http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/26/engadget-labs-the-best-mobile-broadband-carrier-in-america/ PCWorld:http://www.pcworld.com/article/189592/atandt_roars_back_in_pcworlds_second_3g_wireless_performance_t est.html PC Magazine:http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2364263,00.asp

posted on Nov 24, 2010, 12:02 AM 0

15. BReND0

Posts: 74; Member since: Dec 07, 2010

Please Im ssooooooo tired of the 4G crap...... its all crap, garbage, lies..... Think about it WHY THE HELL ARGUE OVER WHO HAS THE BETTER< FASTER 4G SPPED OR NETWORK , when none of these carriers can provide decent edge/cdma 2G or 3G coverage ????????????????? C'MON MAN!!!!!! its like the old saying trying to run before u can walk......... provide a bullet proof service before u upgrade and jump on the dick of sumthin new T-mobile- i wanna service where i can go off a main county road or highway and have service, i wanna not lose service walking into a building Sprint - for a network who backs the fastet sport in america , its about time u catch up on times and stop blowing money away on retarded manufactuers , and dumb schemes about ur not so 4g coverage and speeds Verizon- u may be the best service but u asct like the snobs u are pathetic at customer service horrendous on pricing act like the big red of the cold war more and more just as for ATT idk where to start but really ppl beofre u get along on a 4g "oh i get my videos and web pages so fast" how about a cell service that identifes to idk say GPS coverage???????? who cares how fast ur shit is if u cant even get service for it on a fucking daily commute for work or on vaca?????????????? idk maybe my rant but really whats next for christmas 2011 .... omg we have early test of a 3ghz quad-core , 13 megapixel triple flash 4.9 inch touch dual screen with video chat and smell o vision ...it it shows 5g speeds ALLLL for the price of 849$....but by the way u can only hold a call for 3 mins before the battery dies or u lose servie :) baaaaa hahahahahahaahahahahahahahahaha