Rogers Completes 7Mbps 3G

Rogers today claimed the distinction of being the first North American carrier to have a completed 7.2Mbps HSPA network. The speed allows anyone in Rogers' 3G areas to theoretically download twice as quickly as both the Canadian provider's earlier 3G network and for most of AT&T, either of which has topped out at 3.6Mbps. The company also plans to expand the total 3G area to cover about 75 percent of Canada's total population by the end of this month.

Only a small number of devices for Rogers and most other carriers presently meet the 7.2Mbps spec and include the just-launched HTC Touch Diamond as well as the LG Vu among cellphones as well as the Novatel MC950D USB adapter and X950D ExpressCard for Macs and Windows PCs.

AT&T in the US is taking a different approach to HSPA for its still in-progress upgrade and is focusing on the upload component, which will more readily enable two-way video streaming and other services that depends on fast uploads. Broader adoption isn't expected until 2009, when chipsets from Infineon and others will bring both 7.2Mbps downloads as well as faster uploads on supporting networks; the iPhone is rumored to get such service in its next major revision.

By Electronista Staff