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Mjrtom7's profile

Explorer

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25 Messages

Wednesday, September 19th, 2012 6:57 PM

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Will Northeast MI ever receive 3G?

I've heard talk about how ATT is "working on their network coverage" and plans to provide 3G service in Northeast MI "in the coming months".  Well, now that another 2 year contract has expired, I'm seriously wondering if I would be better off jumping to Verizon.  The EDGE data network up here if virtually useless.  5 full bars, yet extremely poor data transfer.  

 

Can anyone provide an HONEST answer as to when this coverage is planned to be upgraded???  Verizon has had 3G for quite a long while up here...

Scholar

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391 Messages

11 years ago

I agree 100% and I feel your pain. The slow data up there is absolutely terrible. In my opinion, AT&T made a major mistake by investing in upgrading their 3G network to HSPA+ in areas where they have enough 700 MHz spectrum for LTE. They should have followed Verizon's lead by upgrading from 3G right to LTE in those areas while at the same time upgrade areas like Northern MI from EDGE to HSPA+. Tpeltz is correct by saying that AT&T does not have the spectrum to deploy LTE in northern MI....yet... but they do for H+ . Another problem is they have to start replacing those old Bogner(whip style) antennas on their towers with the Powerwave MIMO active array antennas and they are not doing that from what I have seen. There was talk a few years ago of Verizon releasing EV-DO Rev.B which would have increased their current 3G speeds up to a max of 14.7 Mb/s, but they wisely chose to move on to LTE. I think AT&T is being  forced into upgrading their entire network now and they are....slowly!!

Scholar

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391 Messages

11 years ago

@JREwing53

 

 Ishpeming currently has AT&T 3G/HSPA+ coverage as part of the Marquette market. That area has been upgraded for quite some time.

Explorer

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25 Messages

11 years ago

I'm thinking I might get service faster if I were to just pack up and move!

Scholar

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391 Messages

11 years ago

@Mjrtom7

 

What area are you in? I am guessing we will see a large rollout of 3G/HSPA+ by next year. They are behind the eight ball but they are forced into it now. I can't believe Verizon hasn't rolled out LTE in the northeast especially Alpena, Tawas, and Oscoda areas.  

Scholar

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136 Messages

11 years ago

@Lewyman & Mjrtom7 - Verizon will be rolling out LTE in late winter 2013 for the Alpena, Cheboygan, and Mackinaw markets. Rogers City, Tawas, Oscoda sized markets will go live in the spring/early summer of 2013.

Scholar

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391 Messages

11 years ago

Alright Tpeltz......we are going to hold you to that:)  I checked the Verizon tower in Lewiston last weekend and got a real good close up pic of it and it doesn't appear to have been upgraded yet. Now the AT&T tower that was behind Glen's market is gone. The structure has been dismantled and I can't figure out where the heck they moved it to.  With last week's big list of new Verizon LTE markets and expansions, I wonder if they are going to be done for the year because they have never listed cities as " before the end of 201* " before. Hope they keep adding them!

Explorer

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25 Messages

11 years ago

Lewyman - I live in Alpena.

"3G/HSPA+ by next year"??? You mean in two and a half months, or by December 2013? I feel like I've been stuck with basic cable, while all of my neighbors are watching satellite...

Scholar

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391 Messages

11 years ago

Mjrtom7.....It's really hard to say when for sure and AT&T has been playing a smoke and mirror game for a couple of years now. One thing is for sure you can't believe what they tell you in the store or by calling C.S. They are a bunch of flip dix for the most part. Like Tpeltz said in another thread, he was told that N.E. MI won't get it until Q4 2013. That could change and being you are in Alpena, your city will be one of the first to get it. If you look at all the new coverage areas on their map they seem to be rolling out coverage along major highways and since Gaylord is now live, they may start covering M-32 across to Alpena.

Scholar

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391 Messages

11 years ago

AT&T has updated it's coverage map this morning and suprisingly it still does not show the 3G/HSPA+ coverage in Gaylord which went live unofficially on September 7. Interesting because they showed the upgraded coverage in the Soo and south along I-75 after going live on their next updated map. Maybe they will be expanding a HUGE area before they show it on the map:)

Explorer

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25 Messages

11 years ago

Expanding a HUGE area?  We are talking about ATT here, right Lewyman?

I was traveling around near Flint last weekend and I had a chance to realize some of the nice features that my new iPhone has to offer.  It was amazing to be able to use the much maligned new IOS maps, and actually observe the maps drawing on the screen before my eyes!  I was able to search for a song on SoundHound...and pull up a radio staion on TuneIn without losing the signal every 30 seconds.  Now that I can see how the phone is SUPPOSED to work with a legitimate data connection, I'm that much more dissappointed with the s#itty Edge "network" we are having to endure up here.

 

Maybe some day....

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