AT&T responds to allegations of capped data speeds, confirms ATRIX 4G will get HSUPA

By on Mar 11, 2011 at 12:51 PM
mobile March 11, 2011

AT&T on Thursday responded to a Better Business Bureau complaint alleging that the carrier is capping data speeds on new “4G” devices like the Motorola ATRIX 4G. The BBB grievance was part of a series of complaints, both public and private, pertaining to slower than expected upload speeds on devices like the ATRIX 4G and HTC’s Inspire 4G. AT&T responded to BGR’s request for comment earlier this week, but the carrier’s statement left some room for interpretation. Now, any vagueness has been eliminated, at least in the case of the ATRIX. “Be assured that AT&T has not ‘capped’ the upload speeds on the ATRIX,” an AT&T appeals manager stated in a letter to a customer. “The ATRIX is a HSUPA-capable device, and we currently are performing the testing and preparations necessary to ensure that, when we turn this feature on, you will continue to have a world class experience.” This confirmation that the ATRIX 4G will have HSUPA enabled in the future should help ease the tension among users who are currently experiencing slow upload speeds, though AT&T has not commented on why HSUPA was disabled to begin with. Hit the break for AT&T’s full response.

AT&T Mobility (AT&T) received the above-referenced customer complaint and appreciates the opportunity to respond. Specifically, Keith Geissler complains that the recently released Motorola Atrix does not offer speeds anywhere near what advertised speeds claim. He is requesting activation of 4G services and removal of the cap on the Motorola Atrix services.

Account research regarding this complaint shows that AT&T is focused on delivering a wide choice of solutions and the best possible Smartphone experience to our customers. Be assured that AT&T has not “capped” the upload speeds on the ATRIX. The ATRIX is a HSUPA-capable device, and we currently are performing the testing and preparations necessary to ensure that, when we turn this feature on, you will continue to have a world class experience.

We ask that you please keep in mind; software is only one of many factors that can affect speeds experienced. Factors such as location, time of day, network capacity and facilities, can have an impact as well. Again, in order to ensure the best possible customer experience services will become available once testing has been completed.

AT&T sincerely regrets any inconvenience this issue may have caused. Please feel free to contact me directly at [redacted] if you have any additional questions or concerns in this matter.

Name: Sheila Utech, Customer Appeals Manager, Executive Response

Thanks, Zack!

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38 Comments

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  • George

    How about you have this stuff ready b4 you release the devices and advertise it.

    • Anonymous

      DROID is about being first. Look at the huge success of the Xoom. It doesn’t even do half of the things as advertised like 4G or flash, but it is still the best tablet of all time.

      • Anonymous

        Obvious troll is obvious!

      • ANormalheis

        This would make sense, if 1) you were talking about Verizon, where the Droid brand resides, 2) the iPhone 4 on AT&T could actually make calls without dropping them (yet, it is still the GREATEST PHONE EVAH) – pertains to your can’t do half of the stuff advertised 3) iFanboys weren’t crowing about how the iPad 2 was the 1st and GREATEST ever tablet with a dual core processor and a CAMERA, even though other tablets have already done that. But yeah, other than that, keep trolling.

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_4FCM5OSC7NDKLOWF5D4KAAJBLI Ted

        If it drops calls and is the “GREATEST PHONE EVAH”, doesn’t that set a rather low bar for the “GREATEST PHONE EVAH”?

        Had you said “GREATEST DEVICE EVAH”, that would be a different discussion, but you said PHONE

  • Anonymous

    Lemme see…it isn’t capped, it just isn’t turned on. Distinction without a difference.

  • JBUEN

    ATT is working on the fix for the atrix but what about the inspire…leaving is out in the cold? WTH!

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1450233070 Sam Sullivan

      You guys with the Inspires got to start fighting back AT&T. I know about half a dozen Atrix owners, including myself, making multiple calls the office of the president of AT&T, filing complaints to BBB, FCC, and FTC, and emailing all major media blogs/news sources. The word came out with mainly the Atrix in mind..although the same case is with Inspire, I feel like Inspire will get enabled…just they weren’t forced to make a statement.

  • Guest

    boo!

    • Guest

      thats not what i wanted to type……

      • Guest

        write*

  • Anonymous

    What a waste of good hardware!
    I’m surprised CinguCrap doesn’t blame MotoBlur??!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IDQB3E455VB6GLOBXM6LQMGKUA Vic

    That could still mean end of life before HSUPA! Why don’t they have to disclose this befor you buy and sign the contract.

    • Anonymous

      I agree. Without a timeline, this statement is basically meaningless.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1450233070 Sam Sullivan

      And the phone was released with HSUPA under Network in the specifications. Where the hell did that HSUPA go?! Oh, AT&T forgot they disabled it..so they just removed it from the specs and left ’4G’ branded to the end of this slow (data wise, not processor obviously) phone.

  • Roger A

    This means and says nothing.. AT&T IS capping data, either via accounts, phones, or network. Something isnt right. Look at the iPhone data issues, no other country experienced the same issue. The foreign networks are also MUCH smaller with MUCH LESS backhaul as well…. so AT&T is doing something to prevent people using phones.

  • Joel

    But I thought AT&T was “getting faster with 4G” ?? What a joke.

    • http://twitter.com/mbcls ask me

      it gets faster only in your head! they just renamed their 3G network as 4G!

  • Anonymous

    Returning my Atrix… for this much and BOTH cameras are crappy = no thanks.
    I will wait…

    I am not bashing.

  • Sean76

    That’s straight BS…

  • http://twitter.com/ATT_FAIL ATT FAIL

    It’s not capped but hey we will turn it on…. haha unless you own an iPhone then you are good to go!

  • Anonymous

    I think at&t is worried about network congestion that is why they haven’t “turned it on”, yet. The reason its not capped on the iPhone is because there is no MMS cap on the iPhone. Every other phone has a cap on the size of pics and vids it can send. Not the iPhone. At&t thought they could get away with slower hsupa speeds and nobody would really notice. I think its an MMS thing.

    • KCRic

      Network congestion from uploads? Downloads use far more data at faster speeds than uploads do so that wouldn’t make any sense. It’s the same situation they had with the iPhone. They were falling behing and unprepared except this time instead of letting the network crash they thought they could cheat people and pull a fast one.

  • http://www.facebook.com/mmarzett Michael Eric Marzett

    whatever. the whole “4G” moniker should be removed. I have an HTC Inspire and both the up and down speeds are awful.

    • IFail

      Well duh!

      That’s the subject of this post, AT&T capping the speeds on Android phones to make the iFail look better on 3G, no less.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1450233070 Sam Sullivan

      4G really lost the meaning. Boards wanted it to be reserved for true LTE (I think speeds no lower than 21Mbps…ya that freakin fast). But people ignored it and branded their companies as 4G ready with their lame HSPA+. Also, Bell (Canada) just announced that they went ’4G’..and they support it by defining ’4G’ by anything faster than 4Mbps….ya okay, 4G is now a pointless title that really could’ve been reserved for the best of the best if companies weren’t out just for money (ha)

  • Anonymous

    att 3g sucks
    i don’t know where the heck they have the hspa+ they boast about
    but it sure isn’t in my neighborhood

  • http://twitter.com/ATT_FAIL ATT FAIL

    ATT+MOTO+ Atrix Launch= FAIL !!

  • Anonymous

    HSUPA “capable”? “did not cap” ? You just admitted it AT&T!!

    • http://twitter.com/ATT_FAIL ATT FAIL

      I am also not happy about Moto not making any kind effort to address this issue…

  • Sean76

    I have the Atrix, I must say after a few days with it I really like it….However I just keep saying how good it would be on Verizon…waaaa laaaaa, the Bionic will be the BIG motorola phone this year. Atrix is not a fail, the network is just a BIG Liar. They can’t even get 3G straight, how on earth can they get 4G outted. All smoke and mirrors.

  • Scott

    I’ve had my Atrix since day 1. Love the phone, but now hate the network. Been with att for 6 years. Just updated from an iPhone 3G… I figured my speeds would see an increase… NOPE! Buy a new “4G” phone and I’m still getting 1.5Mbps down and 150kbps up. Now, I know the backhaul isn’t finished in Phoenix, but those speeds are pathetic. During peek times, I get only 800kbps down. Att has HSPA+ in only 9 cities, yet VZW was able to build a new network in 36 cities. I’m returning my Atrix for a Tbolt!

  • Wsabri80

    What about the DOWNLOAD speeds as well? I mean nobody is talking about that

    • mirak

      Agreed. I live in Baltimore and the 4G Coverage map (you have to click the city on their 3G map to get 4G data) shows the city is completely ready. I know that upload speeds are capped, or should I use the euphemism that HSUPA is “turned off”. This still doesn’t explain download speeds. I went all over the city today and the maximum download speed I got was 0.8mbps, lowest was 0.03mbps!. On average, I was getting .18 mbps. THIS IS NOT 4G, THIS IS NOT 3G! Time for a download speed petition?

  • http://twitter.com/Ether813_IX Ian Ximinies

    Whose mind is that easing…? Did i miss what quarter they said they were doing that in or something…but hey, Sheila did say to contact her directly if we have any questions…

  • KCRic

    “Be assured AT&T has not ‘capped’ the upload speeds…” Then they say “..when we turn this feature on…”
    Umm, really? So what would you like us to refer to it as AT&T?

  • Funky Monk

    AT&T stores display the Atrix as a 4G phone. Nowhere does it say 4G isn’t ready yet.

  • Duke

    I like AT&T but I don’t know why they keep embarrassing themselves when it comes to network upgrades. Whoever is managing their deployment operations must be related to the boss.

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