The Apple Core

Jason D. O'Grady & David Morgenstern

AT&T’s network can’t handle large crowds

By | March 16, 2009, 9:43am PDT

Summary: At this weekend’s South By Southwest conference (SXSW) iPhone users reported miserable AT&T reception (tweets, blogs). This is not unlike the horrible AT&T’s network performance I reported from Macworld Expo and during the recent Phish Reunion in Hampton. Seth Bloom, a spokesman at AT&T, told GigaOm that the carrier is adding capacity to the downtown Austin [...]

At this weekend’s South By Southwest conference (SXSW) iPhone users reported miserable AT&T reception (tweets, blogs). This is not unlike the horrible AT&T’s network performance I reported from Macworld Expo and during the recent Phish Reunion in Hampton.

Seth Bloom, a spokesman at AT&T, told GigaOm that the carrier is adding capacity to the downtown Austin network, and attendees should see their iPhone (or other AT&T device) experience improve by this evening.

To accommodate unprecedented demand for mobile data and voice applications at SXSW, we are actively working this afternoon to add capacity to our cell sites serving downtown Austin. These efforts are ongoing, but we anticipate that customers should see improved network performance this evening and for the remainder of the event. We will continue to monitor network performance throughout the event, and will do everything possible to maximize network performance throughout. We apologize to customers who were inconvenienced during this surge in local network demand.

Heads up to AT&T: There’s a big press event in Cupertino tomorrow and lots of iPhones will be there. I’m just sayin’…

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Topics

Jason O'Grady is a journalist and author specializing in mobile technology. He has published six books on Apple and mobile gadgets and his PowerPage blog has been publishing for over 15 years.

Disclosure

Jason D. O'Grady

Jason D. O'Grady is the creator and editor of O'Grady's PowerPage, which has been publishing mobile technology news since 1995. He maintains an advertising relationship with the following legacy advertisers on the PowerPage:

  • Amazon Associates
  • Google Adsense
  • Tekserve
  • Advertising on the PowerPage is brokered by a third-party agency (BackBeat Media) and he recuses himself from these negotiations.

Biography

Jason D. O'Grady

Jason D. O'Grady developed an affinity for Apple computers after using the original Lisa, and this affinity turned into a bona-fide obsession when he got the original 128 KB Macintosh in 1984.

He started writing one of the first Web sites about Apple (O'Grady's PowerPage) in 1995 and is considered to be one of the fathers of blogging. He has been a frequent speaker at the Macworld Expo conference and a member of the conference faculty. He also co-founded the first dedicated PowerBook User Group (PPUG) in the United States.

After winning a major legal battle with Apple in 2006, he set the precedent that independent journalists are entitled to the same protections under the First Amendment as members of the mainstream media.

O'Grady is the author of The Nexus One Pocket Guide, The Droid Pocket Guide, The Google Phone Pocket Guide, and The Garmin nuvi Pocket Guide (Peachpit Press), the author of Corporations That Changed the World: Apple Inc. (Greenwood Press), and a contributor to The Mac Bible (Peachpit Press). In addition, he has contributed to numerous Mac publications over the years, including MacWEEK, Macworld, and MacPower (Japan).

When he's not writing about Apple for ZDNet at The Apple Core, he enjoys spending time with his family in New Jersey.

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RE: AT
jackson1984-24316069205748857739440257893812 10th Oct
Wow! Genuinely amazing publish revealed it on Yahoo reebok jerseys . This aricle can be extremely engaging. You show up to become an exceptionally expert blogger I'm in truth new to running a blog
0 Votes
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Contributr
This is NOT an AT&T problem
jperlow 16th Mar 2009
I would like to hear similar reports of BlackBerry AT&T and regular cell phone users on AT&T at that conference before we start jumping to conclusions this is a network saturation issue rather than the transciever on the iPhone being the suspect.
0 Votes
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Exactly right
NonZealot 16th Mar 2009
It might not be 100% Apple's fault because AT&T probably should have done their own testing and then refused to allow the iPhone to be released on their network but considering only iPhone owners get subpar performance, the blame must be placed firmly on Apple's shoulders.

Seriously, consider the reaction if the reverse were true and only HTC Touch Diamonds got lousy reception on AT&T. I know for sure that all you Apple fanatics would be blaming Microsoft and HTC.
0 Votes
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HTC Bites on AT&T networks.
Bruizer 16th Mar 2009
AT&T is simply a sub-standard network and has issues regardless on
phones. I have a friend with an HTC model that is no source of issues in
busy areas.
0 Votes
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His iPhone exploded in his shirt pocket and blew a hole open in his chest.

Do you believe me?
0 Votes
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Never
use_what_works_4_U 17th Mar 2009
happy
0 Votes
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happy
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This IS an AT&T problem
surfasb@... 17th Mar 2009
For years and years, the SXSW has been at Austin. And every year you see the same people have problems connecting. AT&T customers. And every year, the same people having very little problems connecting. Sprint and Verizon customers.

Just open up the Austin Statesman newspapers from past years and you'll see the trend. The recent article in the NYTs also reinforces the blame on AT&T.
0 Votes
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Uhh, you have no clue
itguy08 16th Mar 2009
It's not the transceiver in the iPhone. Tests from some phone outfit in Sweeden (IIRC) show the iPhone's radio no better or worse than others.

There were issues in the beginning but with the latest firmwares and AT&T working on the 3G network, I've been 1000% satisfied with my iPhone.
0 Votes
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Then maybe it is region-specific.
Grayson Peddie 16th Mar 2009
Maybe there is a problem with the iPhone transceiver in one country; maybe there's not.

It depends.
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RE: AT
jetsethi 17th Mar 2009
I can't say that it's just large crowds. In my experience, and the experiences of others I know, with an IPhone, the phone works wonders...as long as you don't require the ability to use it as a phone...
I don't think it has anything to do with the device itself, but rather its network. Having been on AT&T, I can say that the reception can be sub-par at times when there's no reason for it.
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RE: AT
dch1969 9th Jan 2010
This is proof positive that many of the executives at AT&T are infected with the ID_10_T virus.

AT&T has to know that there's widespread dissatisfaction with their service. Who in their right mind would allow reporters from across the US to congregate in a single area with a large number of AT&T customers WITHOUT taking the steps necessary to ensure that their iPhone experience was not impacted in the least bit?

If Apple were to do a major event announcing new iPhone products & services, wouldn't you as AT&T do everything in your power to ensure that those attending the event didn't have any issues with your service?
0 Votes
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RE: AT
jackson1984-24316069205748857739440257893812 10th Oct
Wow! Genuinely amazing publish revealed it on Yahoo reebok jerseys . This aricle can be extremely engaging. You show up to become an exceptionally expert blogger I'm in truth new to running a blog

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