AT&T Upgrades to 7.2 Mbps... Sort Of

"AT&T today announced completion of a software upgrade at 3G cell sites nationwide that prepares the nation's fastest 3G network for even faster speeds. The deployment of High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 technology across 3G cell sites is the first of multiple initiatives in AT&T's network enhancement strategy designed to provide customers with the best possible mobile broadband experience, both today and well into the future. After full testing of HSPA 7.2 software, AT&T decided to expedite deployment of this initial upgrade, which will result in a better overall customer experience by generally improving consistency in accessing data sessions. The software upgrade also prepares the network for faster speeds and increases network efficiency."

Considering many of the world's networks already support speeds of 7.2 Mbps, 14 Mbps, and 21 Mbps, with 42 Mbps in the works, AT&T's upgrade to 7.2 Mbps doesn't seem all that exciting. But it gets worse. Not all sites actually support 7.2 Mbps yet. Upgrades have commenced in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami, but a nationwide roll-out isn't expected until 2011. It's a bit like popping a kid's balloon on carnival day.