AT&T Blames Slowdown on Software

**Paul Daniel Ash** · 07-07-2010, 10:31 AM

[UPDATE: AT&T claims, on their Facebook page, to have "implemented an alternative" somehow that "provides normal 3G uplink speeds and consistent performance for affected customers." Is it true? Post your results in comments.]

According to a statement just released by AT&T, the cause of the widely-reported slowdowns in iPhone upload speeds has been traced to a software defect in particular cell-site gear. The problem with Alcatel-Lucent UMTS base stations that they say "impacts less than two percent" of all AT&T customers "under certain conditions." There is a fix coming, the company says, but won't say when, other than that there is a "definite timeline" for it. Somehow, however, they claim to be providing "normal upload speeds" anyway.

The upload speed crunch was noticed starting late last week in some larger cities, with reports pouring in from less-populated areas as the holiday weekend wore on. iPhone 4 users that had been enjoying uploads in the mid-1.5 Mb/s range were suddenly seeing performance throttled to 100 kb/s. Other users in the same geographic areas were seeing no effect, leading to the conjecture that the problem was relegated to particular cells. Today's statement, apparently sent to everyone who inquired with AT&T corporate communications about the issue, confirmed that, saying that firmware on Alcatel-Lucent equipment was to blame for problems.

AT&T and Alcatel-Lucent jointly identified a software defect -- triggered under certain conditions – that impacted uplink performance for Laptop Connect and smartphone customers using 3G HSUPA-capable wireless devices in markets with Alcatel-Lucent equipment. This impacts less than two percent of our wireless customer base. While Alcatel-Lucent develops the appropriate software fix, we are providing normal 3G uplink speeds and consistent performance for affected customers with HSUPA-capable devices.

In a further statement to Matt Buchanan at Gizmodo, an AT&T rep said that the carrier does not "have a definite time for the Alcatel-Lucent software fix to be complete at this point; we expect to know that soon."

thanks to yoTelefono "Quatro" for the tip.

**punjabi212** · 07-07-2010, 10:41 AM

Hopefully they fix it soon!

**buttrr76** · 07-07-2010, 10:45 AM

Why is modmyi hours behind gizmodo? You guys take turns copying each others news

Speeds are good in Modesto, ca area

**z3r01** · 07-07-2010, 10:47 AM

Hater alert

Oh just got some 4G on NYC yay

**CaptainChaos** · 07-07-2010, 10:49 AM

2percent is huge when you are talking about millions of customers.

**bzpilot** · 07-07-2010, 10:55 AM

Just hope that these Alcatel radios don't have to be firmware upgraded on site! If they can't do it OTA (over the air) it'll take them a year to upgrade them all!!!

**eg6motion** · 07-07-2010, 10:57 AM

I doubt millions are effected. Even then, it's only uploads... which is not likely to effect millions either

**tudtran** · 07-07-2010, 10:58 AM

I believe it. Eventhough I love my iPhone 4 but there r lots of bugs

**mj0528** · 07-07-2010, 10:59 AM

Let me guess, we should back the jb until they supposedly fix this issue too

Lol

**RICO_** · 07-07-2010, 11:03 AM

And by "soon" they mean sometime between now and 3 yrs from now.

**frail1** · 07-07-2010, 11:08 AM

just be glad you aren't dealing with these "speeds"...

**PWNsyst3m** · 07-07-2010, 11:14 AM

Atleast you have 3g.

**frail1** · 07-07-2010, 11:17 AM

well, i have a 3G logo anyway

**adp** · 07-07-2010, 11:28 AM

Less than 2%?? I love how Apple and AT&T come up with these figures. They all know it's a lot more than that.

There's been surveys that prove that 30% of US iPhone4 users have signal issues. Apple says that's 2% as well...

**JerichoEvanMartin** · 07-07-2010, 11:35 AM

That's a bunch of crap. Software doesn't effect hardware that way.

**PWNsyst3m** · 07-07-2010, 11:59 AM

Yea those upload speeds are terrible for 3g. I get about the same on edge where im at. But i only get 70kps of download. : (

**TheOrioles33** · 07-07-2010, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by JerichoEvanMartin

That's a bunch of crap. Software doesn't effect hardware that way.

Huh? Software controls hardware.

**tealstarr** · 07-07-2010, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by mj0528

Let me guess, we should back the jb until they supposedly fix this issue too

Lol

Are you retarded? Jailbreak is being delayed because if it is released BEFORE the Apple update, Apple can simply analyze the jailbreak and patch whatever exploit it uses in the update. I'm pretty sure if you worked hard on a jailbreak, you'd want that work to last longer than two weeks.

**awesomeSlayer** · 07-07-2010, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by JerichoEvanMartin

That's a bunch of crap. Software doesn't effect hardware that way.

Are you an idiot? Software is written to use the hardware. Example: There were overheating problems with Mac Pro due to a bug in Mac OS X.

And then the other company will start denying AT&T's statement...goes on and on and on and on and on.

**CaptainChaos** · 07-07-2010, 12:20 PM

If software doesn't control hardware then why do computers need drivers?

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