14 DAY TRIAL // Mobile phone carrier AT&T announced new 3G network enhancements recently. According to the company, the improvements were mainly aimed to expanding the capacity of its network in New York City, including its airwaves in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. Following the upgrade, AT&T customers in the area should benefit from improved 3G voice and data connectivity and performance.
According to the wireless services provider, the enhancements included the addition of new layers of frequency, aimed at increasing 3G capacity and at better management of spectrum. Almost all AT&T cell cites in Manhattan were upgraded this way, along with areas in the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn. The improvements should offer AT&T the possibility to better meet the increasing demand for mobile broadband services. “Our goal is pretty simple: in the city that never sleeps, we’re working 24/7 to make sure our customers have a great experience every time they make a call, check e-mail, download a song or video, or surf the Internet on their AT&T device,” said Tom DeVito, vice president and general manger for AT&T in NY and NJ. “Adding more capacity to cell sites is just one way we are doing to that.”
The company also announced that it added a layer of high-performing 850 MHz spectrum in New York City, which should result in more radio capacity and enhance in-building coverage. The voice quality has been greatly improved in the area, according to the latest measurements, AT&T states. In Manhattan alone, the quality of voice services went up 47 percent on a quarterly basis. Not to mention that the 3G average data download speeds grew by 25 percent when compared to last year.
“Wireless data traffic on the AT&T network has grown more than 5,000 percent over the past three years, largely attributed to the increasing popularity of advanced smartphones and the performance of AT&T’s 3G network, the nation’s fastest. Our network teams are enhancing network capacity, capabilities and performance to keep up with unprecedented demand for mobile services,” the wireless carrier added.