Cingular shutting down AT&T¹s UMTS network until next year Posted Oct 18, 2005, 12:01 AM ET by Peter Rojas http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000183063806/
It doesn¹t get talked about much these days, but before getting snapped up by Cingular AT&T Wireless actually introduced high-speed UMTS wireless service in a handful of cities (Seattle, the SF Bay Area, Phoenix, and Detroit). The phones bit and the download speeds were disappointing (especially compared with Verizon¹s EV-DO service), so it wasn¹t exactly a shock that Cingular ended up putting the rest of AT&T Wireless¹ planned rollout on ice after the merger. Instead they decided to skip a generation and go straight to HSDPA (which is basically a faster version of UMTS), a move which left a number of subscribers grandfathered on a rapidly obsolescing 3G network. Anyway, it¹s no secret that they¹re in the midst of building out their new HSDPA network right now, and apparently they¹ve been contacting old school UMTS subscribers to let them know that they¹ll be shutting down UMTS data service until early 2006 while they upgrade the network. Subscribers will get a $50 service credit for their trouble and a free cellphone when the new network is ready. You are a subscribed member of the infowarrior list. Visit www.infowarrior.org for list information or to unsubscribe. This message may be redistributed freely in its entirety. Any and all copyrights appearing in list messages are maintained by their respective owners.
