7.2 HSPA Upgrade Question - Effects on Signal Strength?

[hsk]

I tried an iPhone back in March and took it back after 2 weeks because the signal strength in my area was not good enough. They upgraded the network here in Austin in May to 850mHz and when the 3GS came out I tried again. It was good - as good or better than my Sprint service.

Neophyte networking question - will the 7.2 HSPA upgrade (Houston is one of the first cities targeted so I assume Austin will follow in a short time) help further improve signal strength. I understand the pipe is bigger for faster data, but does this also provide better tower connection? Or was the 850mHz upgrade the best we can hope for short of more towers?

 

[jav6454]

I tried an iPhone back in March and took it back after 2 weeks because the signal strength in my area was not good enough. They upgraded the network here in Austin in May to 850mHz and when the 3GS came out I tried again. It was good - as good or better than my Sprint service.

Neophyte networking question - will the 7.2 HSPA upgrade (Houston is one of the first cities targeted so I assume Austin will follow in a short time) help further improve signal strength. I understand the pipe is bigger for faster data, but does this also provide better tower connection? Or was the 850mHz upgrade the best we can hope for short of more towers?

The upgrade in its essentials is simply putting more pipelines and more backhaul strength to the network. Make the data speeds faster. However, AT&T may decide as a side effect to move some signal to 850MHz to make it stronger while at the same time add some Cell Towers. This may not happen since the addition of extra towers incurs in hardware solutions that cost $ while the mere speed bump involves a software upgrade and 3 or 4 extra lines. The 850MHz is also a software thing, you might more likely see that before more towers.

 

[hsk]

The upgrade in its essentials is simply putting more pipelines and more backhaul strength to the network. Make the data speeds faster. However, AT&T may decide as a side effect to move some signal to 850MHz to make it stronger while at the same time add some Cell Towers. This may not happen since the addition of extra towers incurs in hardware solutions that cost $ while the mere speed bump involves a software upgrade and 3 or 4 extra lines. The 850MHz is also a software thing, you might more likely see that before more towers.

Agree - speed does not seem to be important if you can't connect to begin with. Right?

 

[jav6454]

Agree - speed does not seem to be important if you can't connect to begin with. Right?

You might think that, but other users demand I honestly don't care as long as I get 2.0 Mb/s+.

However, people are so demanding that they ask for 7.2Mb/s even though they are reminded 7.2Mb/s is theoretical speeds or under perfect conditions.