{"id":301657,"date":"2010-02-10T09:36:46","date_gmt":"2010-02-10T14:36:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gigaom.com\/?p=98036"},"modified":"2010-02-10T09:36:46","modified_gmt":"2010-02-10T14:36:46","slug":"att-taps-alcatel-lucent-confirms-lte-in-2011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/301657","title":{"rendered":"AT&T Taps Alcatel-Lucent, Confirms LTE in 2011"},"content":{"rendered":"

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AT&T has picked Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson to deploy its LTE network<\/a>, marking another big win for the two vendors that were tapped last year<\/a> to build Verizon Wireless’s 4G network. AT&T said it will begin to commercially deploy LTE technology in 2011, confirming plans announced during an earnings call last month<\/a>, after field trials set to begin later this year.<\/p>\n

AT&T is taking a two-step approach to upgrading its network, which Om has called “the Achilles heel of the iPhone experience<\/a>.” The carrier is deploying<\/a> High Speed Packet Access 7.2 across its 3G footprint, enabling downloads of up to 7.2 Mbps, before advancing to the LTE technology that promises average download speeds of 5-12 Mbps<\/a>. AT&T is playing catch-up with Verizon, which plans to offer LTE to areas comprising a total of some 100 million people before the end of this year<\/a> and everywhere it has 3G by the end of 2013. But the twofold strategy may allow AT&T provide enough of an improved experience to hold on to iPhone users after its oh-so-important exclusive grip on Apple’s iconic device expires<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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