AT&T announces completed 3G network upgrade

Exclusive U.S. iPhone carrier AT&T has announced completion of a software upgrade across its 3G cell sites nationwide in preparation for faster speeds. The software upgrade included deployment of High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) technology, the same used by the iPhone 3GS, to offer download speeds of up to 7.2 megabits per second, provided the cell site has the required backhaul connection. AT&T claims that the deployment of enhanced backhaul connections for the cell sites will occur over the course of 2010 and 2011, adding capacity and boosting speeds.