T-Mobile to provide 42Mbps "HSPA+42" launch details at CES
updated 06:35 pm EST, Thu December 23, 2010
New tech said to be twice as fast as HSPA+
T-Mobile is reportedly set to formally announce launch details surrounding its faster HSPA+ network next month at CES in Las Vegas. Although the company already highlighted plans to deploy its "HSPA+42" network sometime in 2011, additional information, such as a time-frame and supported devices, has yet to surface.
The carrier claims its refined technology will support theoretical maximum speeds of up to 42 megabits per second, however the realistic speeds in typical situations remain unclear. If the claims are accurate, the new system will be twice as fast as the company's current HSPA+ network.
"“T-Mobile is big on Android, big on faster 4G speeds and big on 4G devices including tablets,” the carrier's Senior Director of Engineering, Mark McDiarmid, told The Wall Street Journal.
T-Mobile has been criticized by some carriers for its use of the label "4G" for HSPA+, which is generally categorized as an adaptation of existing 3G technology rather than LTE or WiMAX. AT&T also slammed the company for claiming to have the largest network, as T-Mobile's HSPA+ network allegedly reaches 40 million fewer users.
T-Mobile is expected to introduce a variety of HSPA+ devices in 2011, including several tablets. It is unclear, however, if any of the tablets will be built for the 42Mbps network.
