AT&T Bringing Stronger Signals, Turbo 3G to DFW

Dallas-based AT&T has invested $50 million into the North Texas infrastructure to improve signal strength inside homes and businesses -- and it isn't done there. Turbo 3G is next.

AT&T announced this week that it upgraded its network to include the 850MHz spectrum throughout Dallas-Fort Worth. While the additional spectrum does not expand the geographic coverage of their 3G network, it will allow for greater data transfer, as well as improved traditional mobile phone service, by allowing the signal to penetrate deeper into homes and businesses.

Stronger signals equal better data/voice transfer.

"More than ever before, customers look to wireless communications to stay in touch with family, friends and business colleagues," said Adam Vital, AT&T vice president and general manager for North Texas. "The additional spectrum helps to enhance the 3G network so that our customers have the best experience when they make a call, check an e-mail, download a video or song or surf the Internet on their AT&T device."

AT&T said customers should see improved quality throughout most DFW communities, though the improvements were specifically targeted toward Allen, Arlington, Carrollton, Colleyville, Dallas, Denton, Fort Worth, Frisco, Garland, Grapevine, Grand Prairie, Irving, Keller, Mesquite, McKinney, Lewisville, Plano, Richardson, Rockwall, Southlake and more.

The company said the most recent upgrades are not part of the ones recently completed at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, and aren't the last of their upgrade plans for the year.

Before the end of the year, AT&T also plans to begin upgrading its 3G network using HSPA 7.2 technology to deliver considerably faster mobile broadband speeds. Those upgrades should begin this fall and be completed by 2011.

HSPA 7.2 stands for High-Speed Packet Access, which is a fancy way of saying turbo 3G -- which means you will be able to download email, music and applications much faster on mobile devices.

Dallas is among the first six major U.S. cities where AT&T plans to roll out HSPA 7.2, and initial service availability is expected in Dallas by the end of the year.

This, of course, is but a precursor to 4G, which is expected to arrive in 2011.

In other AT&T news, The Wall Street Journal reports that Dell Inc. is working on a "smart" phone for AT&T that runs Google Inc.'s Android phone operating system.

The touch-screen phone could be ready early next year, the newspaper reports. Representatives for Dell, AT&T and Google all declined to comment.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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