AT&T launched a new hot-zone pilot Monday in downtown Charlotte, N.C., to provide supplemental Wi-Fi coverage for smartphone subscribers in an area that consistently experiences high 3G traffic and mobile data use. The wireless carrier also told media outlets that it will be introducing a software patch over the next three weeks to improve the performance of an Alcatel-Lucent app that has been slowing mobile-device data speeds for less than two percent of its wireless customers.
To cope with rising mobile data demand, AT&T has been implementing a variety of network upgrades over the past several months that are finally kicking into high gear. In the coverage areas where AT&T has completed higher-speed HSPA 7.2 service, AT&T CFO Rick Lindner said internal data is showing speed improvements in the 32 to 47 percent range.
“AT&T also continues to add more cell towers to its network,” Linder told financial analysts last week. “We’re upgrading high-capacity antenna systems, and we’re building out fiber backhaul throughout our footprint.”
Network Improvements
Continued network improvements will be required to keep pace with the new mobile devices landing on AT&T’s nationwide network. The wireless carrier said it has seen an organic net gain in total mobile subscribers of 1.6 million, for a total of 90.1 million.
Both integrated devices and connected devices continue to be strengths for AT&T, Linder told analysts. For example, iPhone activations during the second quarter reached a record 3.2 million, and AT&T expects to see some acceleration “as the iPhone 4 availability continues to improve from a supply standpoint,” Lindner said.
AT&T also saw 400,000 to 500,000 iPad tablets activated on the network during the latest quarter. “The majority of those — probably in the 75 to 80 percent range — came on at the higher data package,” Lindner said. “We also added…