AT&T's network rocks, it's iPhone's problem • Hacker News Board

Re: AT&T's network rocks, it's iPhone's problem

#21

Post by travisp » Sat, Dec 12, 2009, 10:26 PM UTC

rufo wrote: post #4

This seems like a poorly reasoned article to me. I don't think anybody argues the point that AT&T has the fastest 3G network. You can have the fastest network. It can have slightly more signal bars. It can also be the one that drops calls the most. These things are not mutually exclusive.

There is also more than signal bars. AT&T works fine at and near my home, but it works awfully at one city I travel to. I get full 3g signal bars there, but websites time out, except at night time, and many incoming calls don't get through to me (going straight to voicemail).

So yes, technically I get great 3g signal there, but their network there simply can't handle it.

Re: AT&T's network rocks, it's iPhone's problem

#22

Post by rbranson » Sat, Dec 12, 2009, 10:58 PM UTC

rufo wrote: post #4

This seems like a poorly reasoned article to me. I don't think anybody argues the point that AT&T has the fastest 3G network. You can have the fastest network. It can have slightly more signal bars. It can also be the one that drops calls the most. These things are not mutually exclusive.

Exactly. The article is using speed measurements to declare AT&T's network as superior. AT&T's UMTS/HSPA technology IS faster than Verizon's EVDO, but what's the use if it's unreliable and most of their network is stuck on ISDN-speed-at-best EDGE?

Re: AT&T's network rocks, it's iPhone's problem

#23

Post by wooster » Sat, Dec 12, 2009, 11:19 PM UTC

blhack wrote: post #11

I don't know how much AT&T's network "rocks". I have a blackberry bold and most calls get dropped at least once during my conversation (obviously this isn't true for calls that are The 3G coverage is also dreadful. The phone will say "3g", but will time out when opening webpages with the blackberry's browser, using google maps, or trying to run the blackberry twitter app. I get absolutely no service at my house. AT&T…

From the review martey linked (http://paulstamatiou.com/review-att-3g-microcell), it looks like the price is currently either a one time $150 payment or $50 + $20/month for unlimited calls while connected to the femtocell. That seems really reasonable to me, and I'd love to get one of them (in my apartment in SF, where I have extremely spotty reception from AT&T).

Re: AT&T's network rocks, it's iPhone's problem

#24

Post by poutine » Sat, Dec 12, 2009, 11:19 PM UTC

gamble wrote: post #2

Is there even a single other country where the iPhone has the problems it does on AT&T? I've been using my 3G on Rogers here in Canada since it was released. I've never seen a dropped call and Rogers' network is consistently faster than the phone.

On Rogers in downtown Vancouver on an iPhone 3GS and I've never had a dropped call. Data is fast, no issues. It's AT&T, not the iPhone.

Re: AT&T's network rocks, it's iPhone's problem

#25

Post by liscio » Sat, Dec 12, 2009, 11:21 PM UTC

ajg1977 wrote: post #16

mmastrac wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here's my anecdote. I'm an iPhone user in Canada o the Rogers network. My signal is very strong everywhere. I rarely see any less than a perfect signal, except when far away from metropolitan areas. Usually five bars, indoors and out. I may have had a dropped call over the last year, but I couldn't tell you when. Last week I visited mountain view for Campfire One. In the three days I was there, I had two calls droppe…

But who was your roaming provider while in California? Was it AT&T? T-Mobile?

I can't speak for mmastrac, but in general Rogers devices roam onto AT&T as their first choice. I've noticed similar lameness in AT&T's network while traveling...

Re: AT&T's network rocks, it's iPhone's problem

#26

Post by diego » Sat, Dec 12, 2009, 11:50 PM UTC

mmastrac wrote: post #14

sachinag wrote: post #6

Surely, someone has asked people in other countries what their experiences are with their iPhones on their carriers. Given that the rest of the world is on GSM (Korea excluded), we should pretty well know whose fault it is.

Here's my anecdote. I'm an iPhone user in Canada o the Rogers network. My signal is very strong everywhere. I rarely see any less than a perfect signal, except when far away from metropolitan areas. Usually five bars, indoors and out. I may have had a dropped call over the last year, but I couldn't tell you when. Last week I visited mountain view for Campfire One. In the three days I was there, I had two calls droppe…

I've used my iPhone in San Francisco, Houston, Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Santiago. AT&T in the US, other carriers in South America (my phone is unlocked and I have different sim cards). I can say that AT&T worked much better in Houston than in SF. Claro in some parts of South America is better than AT&T in SF too (it varies from city to city).

Re: AT&T's network rocks, it's iPhone's problem

#27

Post by blhack » Sat, Dec 12, 2009, 11:57 PM UTC

wooster wrote: post #23

blhack wrote: post #11

I don't know how much AT&T's network "rocks". I have a blackberry bold and most calls get dropped at least once during my conversation (obviously this isn't true for calls that are The 3G coverage is also dreadful. The phone will say "3g", but will time out when opening webpages with the blackberry's browser, using google maps, or trying to run the blackberry twitter app. I get absolutely no service at my house. AT&T…

From the review martey linked ( http://paulstamatiou.com/review-att-3g-microcell ), it looks like the price is currently either a one time $150 payment or $50 + $20/month for unlimited calls while connected to the femtocell. That seems really reasonable to me, and I'd love to get one of them (in my apartment in SF, where I have extremely spotty reception from AT&T).

If it were $150 one-time I would buy one today. Sadly, they are not available in my area (from what the link you supplied says).

Re: AT&T's network rocks, it's iPhone's problem

#28

Post by gte910h » Sun, Dec 13, 2009, 12:44 AM UTC

gamble wrote: post #2

Is there even a single other country where the iPhone has the problems it does on AT&T? I've been using my 3G on Rogers here in Canada since it was released. I've never seen a dropped call and Rogers' network is consistently faster than the phone.

Everyone I know on T-Mobile with their iPhones loves it (They've never seen 3g, but TMo's edge is quite a bit better than AT&Ts)

Re: AT&T's network rocks, it's iPhone's problem

#29

Post by gte910h » Sun, Dec 13, 2009, 12:46 AM UTC

Janteh wrote: post #10

spazmaster wrote: post #8

I'm an iPhone user in the Netherlands, locked into T-Mobile. I frequently experience dropped calls. I give T-Mobile the fault... hmmmm

I get not signal in the house of my parents, my girlfriend and the most part of the village I'm from (which is in the middle of the 'Randstad'). T-Mobile's network sucks.

That's ironic, it's great here (for iPhones) in the states.

Re: AT&T's network rocks, it's iPhone's problem

#30

Post by gte910h » Sun, Dec 13, 2009, 12:49 AM UTC

>He explained that his company’s tests of AT&T’s data network were done with handsets other than the iPhone, which does not allow non-Apple programs like his to run in the background.

Wow, that's a huge error.

The iPhone doesn't allow non-Apple programs to run in the background either. This is a big issue for app development actually and we've been clamoring for a background task API forever.

We get interrupted, and rerun fresh when a call comes in or a person leaves an app for any reason (such as "executing" a URL such as a tel: or twitteriffic:)