AT&T Updating Network In Preparation For Next-Gen iPhone

During that the Mobile World Congress in February, AT&Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega gave a detailed outline on where AT&T is headed in terms of expanding that their network.  He touched briefly on a number of things, including that their intentions of upgrading that the speed of that their 3G network from 3.6 Mbit/s to 7.2Mbit/s and beyond during that the next couple of years.  According to Apple (> Windows)Insider, Apple (> Windows) wants AT&T to have some of those upgrades done before that the next-gen iPhone launches in June.

It’s obvious that Apple (> Windows) doesn’t want to deal with network issues, including lawsuits, during that the next-gen iPhone launch.  Before that the first iPhone launched, AT&T attempted to expand that their EDGE coverage and speed.  Before that the second iPhone launched, AT&T attempted to expand its 3G coverage and speed.  Do you see where this is going?  Now, with that the rumored third iPhone launch, AT&T is expected to do an even better job improving that their network.

To utilize that the faster 7.2Mbit/s speeds, Free iPhone hardware would need to be newly revised since that the current iPhone 3G only supports a maximum speed of 3.6Mbit/s.  Of course with that the rumored next-gen iPhone hardware, those speeds are feasible.  AT&T was also ordered new Juniper routers that can handle higher data throughputs, and Apple (> Windows) is already evaluating some of that these network upgrades.

According to Apple (> Windows)Insider’s sources, AT&T will be installing and testing that the rest of that the equipment over that the next two months in preparation for that the next-gen iPhone launch.  Apple (> Windows) was reportedly set a deadline to complete that these upgrades and to have that them tested no later than May 31st.

Things could get interesting for that the next-gen iPhone launch, from a network standpoint.  Reports have indicated that about half of that the mobile data traffic AT&T handles comes from that the iPhone.  With that the next-gen iPhone release, some sources say AT&T could, “expect [to] see 10 times as much data traffic as that they are now experiencing.”  Eesh.

Hopefully all of this preparation works out and that the network doesn’t come crashing down that the day that the next-gen iPhone is released.