iPhone Fever Dampered by AT&T Service Shortcomings

At least once a year, tech fans have a holiday when Apple announces its latest crop of toys. Wednesday was all about the iPhone 5.

The newest Apple phone is actually the sixth iteration of the device, despite its name. With the latest version comes a hefty redesign that has a lot of people buzzing. 

Included in the upgrades are:

• A 4-inch screen with highly sensitive touch sensors
• Longer battery life: 8 hours of 3G talk time and 8 hours of 3G and LTE web browsing
• Three microphones in the mix: one on the front, one on the back, and another on the bottom
• New mini Dock Connector “Lightning”: it’s digital and has eight pins
• Camera: 40 percent faster image capturing, will support panoramic photos and shared photo streams
• More networks: Runs with Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T’s LTE networks

It's that last bullet point, the 4G LTE network with its unprecedented processing speed, that has so many people ready to line up for the phone on Sept. 21. While Android phones have been running on 4G for two years, the iPhone has lagged behind, staying with AT&T's 3G since the second version of the phone came out in 2008. 

Over the last year, AT&T has systematically upgraded to 4G across the country, putting it on par with competitors like Verizon. But its claim to superiority, LTE (longterm evolution), which is 10 times faster than 3G, is only available in select areas. 

The addition of 4G has made service better in town. The missing LTE in some areas, however, will leave iPhone 5 buyers with a muted jump in processing speed compared to areas where LTE is available.

"Specifically I can’t get into timelines, but AT&T is constantly expanding our LTE footprint," AT&T Corporate Communications Director Jon Britton said in an email to Patch.