Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, plans to introduce the Next Generation Wireless Disclosure Act (pdf) today. It would require carriers to inform consumers of minimum data speeds, network reliability and coverage, and the technology used to provide “4G” service.
“Consumers deserve to know exactly what they’re getting for their money when they sign up for a 4G data plan,” Eshoo said in a statement. “My legislation is simple – it will establish guidelines for understanding what 4G speed really is, and ensure that consumers have all the information they need to make an informed decision.”
Wireless carriers have branded their latest networks as “4G” even though they all fall short of the 100 megabit per-second standard that the telecom union had established as a benchmark for true “4G”.
The ITU actually changed the definition of “4G” to include LTE and WiMAX. But it did not include HSPA or Evolved HSPA (HSPA+).
T-Mobile made a (marketing) case that it was “4G” because it was combining two channels together to double the speed from a theoredical 21Mbps of HSPA+ to 42 Mbps. T-Mobile says HSPA+ can get 21Mbps by using higher order modulation (64QAM) – which only works right near the tower – and bonding two channels.
Last week T-Mobile announced that it has doubled its network’s theoretical data speeds in 47 new markets, so customers in 96 markets across the country now have access to T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 42 network, according to the company.
T-Mobile advertises the fastest 4G network, with a “theoretical peak download speed” of 21 Mbps, but a performance analysis by RootMetrics found that T-Mobile did not exceed 5.4 Mbps in seven U.S. cities (pdf).
After T-Mobile’s successfully “rebranded” their HSPA+ network as “4G”, AT&T declared a spontaneous “4G” transformation, even though they were using an older version of HSPA and HSPA+ that only goes to 21.
The fact remains that only LTE and WiMAX (and their 100 Mbps 4G follow-ons), incorporate the more advanced, rugged and sophisticated techniques that let uses get faster, more reliable connections. Those techniques, incorporated into LTE and WiMAX basestations and clients, generally deliver better performance and efficiency.
AT&T likes T-Mobile’s bonding approach. The company has talked up the “advantages” of combining T-Mobile’s AWS spectrum (1.7/2.1 GHz) with AT&T’s 700 Mhz spectrum — using bonded HSPA+. AT&T, in this approach, would reduce efficiency and performance of their network by sticking with HSPA+ on the 700 MHz band – but call it “4G” anyway.
Both Verizon and AT&T plan “4G” networks in the 700 MHz band, but they are density limited. Too many people accessing too few towers. Adding more HSPA coverage in the 2 GHz AWS band isn’t much of a fix. The range of AWS and 700 MHz bands is different and the speeds would be slower, but AT&T might save money and deliver more bandwidth to older HSPA devices.
If this is AT&T’s plan for providing “expanded 4G service”, it seems contemptible.
Related Dailywireless articles include;T-Mobile Goes to 42 Mbps, AT&T Declares Spontaneous “4G” Transformation, More U.S. LTE Cities July 21, T-Mobile Makes Its (4G) Move , Multicarrier HSPA, WiMAX – Release 2.0 T-Mobile: LTE in the Future?, Multicarrier HSPA, FCC: Spectrum for Sale, AT&T Data Caps Extend to Femtocells, AT&T’s New Data Plans, T-Mobile: Now HSPA+ Coverage for 75M, Public Safety: Show Us The Money, Clear: No Limits, FCC to Okay $2.3B AT&T Deal, Cellcos: One Thing – Bandwidth
