Cingular Launches 3G, Picks Up Pace
If you would have told me a year ago that Cingular would become the most notable, forward-thinking wireless carrier in the US, I wouldn’t have agreed. But Cingular’s announcement they will be launching 3G services has changed my mind.
On top of that, they’ve been launching newer, high-end handsets much more quickly than they used to… a changed welcomed by demanding mobile customers like myself. So much good change from Cingular since they purchased AT&T, and it’s just beginning.
The word is a trial of their new 3G data service will first be available to Cingular employees, limited to Atlanta, Georgia, Cingular’s home. While I’m sure that the nationwide launch of their service in 2006 will include a release of at least a couple UMTS handsets, I’m wondering if they will sell any in the meantime, to take advantage of their recently updated six city UMTS network acquired from AT&T.
UMTS will be a LOT better once they expand on AT&T’s 3G network now. But the thing about UMTS is that in the way that T-Mobile took forever to get GPRS out, I think Cingular will have a hard time expanding from outside the main metropolis’s, especially if they can’t find a market there for sale. (No one in the less civilized area of the country would be interested in high-speed data)
Hmm, are you thinking of making the switch to Cingular?
Hey Andy - I’m curious about your thoughts concerning the joint venture between EarthLink Internet services and South Korean Telecom. The hype from today’s press release states: SK-EarthLink will leverage advanced handsets and systems from SK Telecom, and harness emerging 3G and Wi-Fi networks, bringing a completely new kind of wireless service to the U.S. market.
As a cellular guru what are your thoughts?
Sorry, I didn’t see your comment until now. My thoughts on that joint venture are that while it might sound exciting, it’s too early to tell if this will actually happen the way we’re fantasizing it will. Don’t forget that when DoCoMo jumped in to invest in ATTWS, they ended up losing $3.5 BILLION dollars, and only having a crappy mMode site to show for it. I’d plan on them being like Virgin Mobile is with Sprint… selling Verizon’s EV-DO network with more content services… BUT, we might see some better handsets (unlike Virgin Mobile).
That’s my two cents.
- Andy
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