Finally, AT&T, the exclusive carrier for iPhone, this week announced that that it would make good on its promise to offer MMS. It will be available by September 25 to owners of the iPhone 3G and 3G S.
Despite the promise, there are growing signs that the carrier’s data network may already be overstretched, suffering more than the usual network congestion. As the New York Times noted this week, AT&T is facing increasing ire from iPhone users, especially in certain cities, as networks slow as iPhone owners swell in numbers and employ a growing range of apps and functions.
Things are so tight that back in July, AT&T 3G data service went offline, leaving iPhone users stranded on the much slower 2G network. Apparently, the New York Times reports, the network slowdowns primarily affect users in large cities, where there is a higher concentration of iPhone users vying for the same resources.
There are rumors that iPhone may be coming to Verizon, a top-rated carrier that has a very strong and fast 3G network. But Verizon, too, may find iPhone too much of a data guzzler for its renowned 3G network. And it won’t be just iPhone. Other cell users have fallen hard for social networking apps like Facebook and Twitter, as well as other apps that reports stocks, weather, sports scores—which continuously draw on carrier data networks—can easily bring any carrier to its knees.
One ray of hope is the next-generation cell network called 4G, which provides a much fatter pipe for handling data, plus it’s many times faster to accommodate high-definition video streams, movie downloads, and other forms of network-choking entertainment. In theory, at least, it’s even fatter and faster than the broadband connections people have at home. But best estimates for practical 4G deployment is at least several years away.
—Mike Gikas, Consumer Reports
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