Simply put, you can't change a company without changing its management - Andy Grove - Only the Paranoid Survive
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US Iphone 4 users suffer low data rates
ITHINGS MAKER Apple has suffered yet another embarrassment, as it appears that a software glitch has left Iphone 4 owners suffering terrible data speeds.
The fault lies with AT&T, the US mobile operator Apple jumped into bed with years ago, and telecoms equipment manufacturer Alcatel Lucent. The problem affects Iphone 4 handsets, which support the 3G high-speed uplink packet access (HSUPA) protocol. It makes accessing websites, emails and other Internet content arduous affairs.
AT&T was quick to calm fanbois fears that they would find it harder than usual to post spurious comments on articles critical of Apple by saying that only those who connect to AT&T's network and are routed through Alcatel Lucent equipment are affected. Apparently that is around two percent of its subscribers, but that includes all Iphone 4 users in the US.
A spokesman for AT&T told Reuters that bandwidth is "cut to a maximum of 384 kilobits per second from a potential maximum of 5.67 gigabits per second." That's a pretty impressive cut, especially given that the HSUPA standard has a theoretical maximum of 5.67 megabits - not gigabits - per second.
While the Iphone 4 is one of only a few devices that support HSUPA, a protocol invented by Nokia, it is yet another problem for fanbois who have spent a great deal to get an Iphone 4 that now cannot receive voice or data all that well.
As is standard practice for all Iphone 4 related faults, AT&T is saying that the problem can be solved through applying a software update, without any need for serious network changes. Apparently AT&T is the only operator to be affected by the dodgy software in Alcatel Lucent's 3G cellular wireless telecoms gear.
AT&T has not provided a date when it will patch its equipment, so Iphone 4 users will simply have to chalk up another hit from Jobs' Mob. µ
Tags: Apple
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I might be able to stand the incredible anti-apple bias of the author (after all I have mixed views on Apple myself) but he could at least provide all the relavent information.
As Mithras61 mentioned, this problem applies to all HSUPA devices on ATTs network and therefore is not an Iphone 4 problem. Sure Apple is an early adopter or HSUPA but the author fails to mention that ATT has reprogrammed their network to provide standard 3G data to these devices in the effected areas. In addition, not all ATT equipment is made by Alcatel/Lucent so in much of the country HSUPA works just fine. Therefor, the Iphone data connection is at least as fast and often much faster than any competing smart phone on the ATT network. In addition the iPhone 4 promisses to be much faster than most other phones when Alcatel/Lucent fixes the problem.
So what this issue really highlights is that at least when it comes to connection speeds, the Iphone is a better buy than other smart phones.
Now we just need to get Steve to allow us to put any software we want on our own property.
dear craple Fanatics,
Why don't you read this site's offerings and charge ahead to the next one.
Duh when the "Alcan'ttell" problem is fixed don't rou realize you may get great service over and above what you may be getting now. Instead of BEatching
about it.
are you guys that dense
I can't believe that with a launch this massive that there was no testing like this..
All they guys in Cupertino had to do is drive around town a bit and do some basic system testing - as AT&T is the only provider in the US.
Maybe the guy who lost the Iphone 4 prototype in a bar was supposed to do the HSUPA and network testing...
I guess Gizmodo didn't get a chance either - before the lawyers and cops got the prototype back..
Yeah Frank, you can't just call idiots all iPhone users.
There are those users who got it as a gift from their wealth father, for example. So they didn't choose to spend a huge amount of cash in some childish entertainment toy that may sometimes work as a communication device - if you manage to dodge all its flaws - and becomes obsolete in 3 months.
Also there shouldn't exist that many idiots in the world to amount that number of sells, right?
According to AT&T and Lucent in an InformationWeek article, there is a bug in the way the Lucent software handles HSUPA traffic. This isn't an iPhone 4 problem, but rather a Lucent problem. It shows up on iPhones because they are one of the few smartphones that support the HSUPA protocol.
So explain to me again how this is Apple's fault?
5.76, not 5.67 .... ironic, when you are criticising someone else for getting it wrong!
@Ano - It took Toyota ages to cop to cars that would randomly accelerate you into solid objects. Do you honestly expect Apple to submit to a 2 million device recall over something that won't kill you if they can avoid doing so?
They already know people will buy their stuff regardless, and based on the vast number of limitations they build into their products it's fairly obvious they aren't largely concerned with the ability for their customers to use the gadgets to their maximum potential.
Sounds like Frank Black should disclose what fantastic device he owns and where he gets his paychecks from. Sketchy.
@Frank Black, dont just say all the iPhone users are idiots, thats very disrespectful, the comment makes you a full blown idiot, just read your comments, and u ll see u sound like an complete idiot, I m being disrespectful, but u started it.
anyway, what my point is that, there is only one official public statement from apple in their site and that's it. You really cannot believe this bullshits from blogs like this (gizmodo or whatever). There is no official statement from apple and nobody is returning their iPhone 4 either. This makes this kind of all stupid reports laughable.
lol, why so angry? and why do you care?
Where are the fanbois who enthusiastically defend their toy maker and their dodgy iPhone 4? No excuses for this one? First you're holding the phone the wrong way, then we need to apply a software update because your display isn't showing the signal bars properly, then the sun is shining through your ears (past the empty spot in your head) to mess with the display sensor, and now, your data speed is slower than mine. Make excuses for one? Sure, but all of them? I don't think so. And yes, more than two million have been sold, proving that 2 million idiots will buy anything with an Apple logo.