4S downloads speeds are not faster than Iphone4 speeds

MustangLife

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I'm upset this phone is HSPA+ and advertised as a 4G phone. I'm in a city with good 3G coverage. Always 4-5 cars. My Iphone4 was able to get 2.75 Mbps to 3.5 Mbps and earlier this morning tested the Iphone4 at my location with Speedtest app. I got a 3.01 Mbps. I just now tested the Iphone4S on the same app sitting in the same position and received a 3.55 Mbps download speed. Grrrrr

I'm not happy about having a 4S with download speeds almost the same as my Iphone4 but a nats ass faster. I have a strong 3G coverage area in this city so I'm not happy about it. Other than that the phone is amazing. Browser speed is definately faster than the Iphone4.
 

liquidzoo

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Just because you have good 3G AT&T coverage does not mean that you also have HSPA+ coverage. Their network is not 100% HSPA+ yet.
 

Jeremy

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I'm upset this phone is HSPA+ and advertised as a 4G phone. I'm in a city with good 3G coverage. Always 4-5 cars. My Iphone4 was able to get 2.75 Mbps to 3.5 Mbps and earlier this morning tested the Iphone4 at my location with Speedtest app. I got a 3.01 Mbps. I just now tested the Iphone4S on the same app sitting in the same position and received a 3.55 Mbps download speed. Grrrrr

I'm not happy about having a 4S with download speeds almost the same as my Iphone4 but a nats ass faster. I have a strong 3G coverage area in this city so I'm not happy about it. Other than that the phone is amazing. Browser speed is definately faster than the Iphone4.

Have to blame AT&T here and not Apple. (And I'm not saying you are blaming either) They clearly state the phone is capable of certain speeds but never promise results.
 

MustangLife

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They specifically did not advertise it as 4g. Also, what carrier?

Having the Iphone4S with a 4G icon on the picture of the phone looks like advertising as 4G to me in link below

Apple iPhone & iPad - iPhone 4S, 4, & iPads - from AT&T

And this being in the product listing looks like advertising as 4G to me....

"4G* HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul"

And inside the at&t store with a giant Iphone4S sign that says 4G on it, is advertising as 4G.

All over the place at&t has the Iphone4S advertised as a 4G phone.
 

Jeremy

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Having the Iphone4S with a 4G icon on the picture of the phone looks like advertising as 4G to me in link below

Apple iPhone & iPad - iPhone 4S, 4, & iPads - from AT&T

And this being in the product listing looks like advertising as 4G to me....

"4G* HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul"

And inside the at&t store with a giant Iphone4S sign that says 4G on it, is advertising as 4G.

All over the place at&t has the Iphone4S advertised as a 4G phone.

Like the above poster stated, HSPA+ is not up to par in every area and again they never promise a particular speed. Just something people have to accept even if we don't agree with it.
 

MustangLife

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Just because you have good 3G AT&T coverage does not mean that you also have HSPA+ coverage. Their network is not 100% HSPA+ yet.

How do you find a HSPA+ coverage map. Maybe I'm in the wrong, guys tell me if I am. But when I walk into a local at&t store with a giant 4G and Iphone4S logo on the same sign. I expect something of those speeds at least 20 feet away from that Iphone4S 4G sign. I just take this has a fake advertising not false advertising. Take the sign down if its not possible or don't put it up. Even had a local rep tell me the phone will see double the download speeds as my Iphone4 that I was exchanging. With me and my girlfriends plan. Being a customer thats paying over $100 a month, I deserve honesty. No sir this phone in this city will not see those speeds. Your phone will download just as fast as the 15 month old iphone4 will. I'm happy with honesty and can take anything.
 

Jeremy

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How do you find a HSPA+ coverage map. Maybe I'm in the wrong, guys tell me if I am. But when I walk into a local at&t store with a giant 4G and Iphone4S logo on the same sign. I expect something of those speeds at least 20 feet away from that Iphone4S 4G sign. I just take this has a fake advertising not false advertising. Take the sign down if its not possible or don't put it up. Even had a local rep tell me the phone will see double the download speeds as my Iphone4 that I was exchanging. With me and my girlfriends plan. Being a customer thats paying over $100 a month, I deserve honesty. No sir this phone in this city will not see those speeds. Your phone will download just as fast as the 15 month old iphone4 will. I'm happy with honesty and can take anything.

I don't think you are wrong at all. And I think that is the reason Apple is not advertising the phone themselves as a 4G phone.
 

Guacho

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I'm upset this phone is HSPA+ and advertised as a 4G phone. I'm in a city with good 3G coverage. Always 4-5 cars. My Iphone4 was able to get 2.75 Mbps to 3.5 Mbps and earlier this morning tested the Iphone4 at my location with Speedtest app. I got a 3.01 Mbps. I just now tested the Iphone4S on the same app sitting in the same position and received a 3.55 Mbps download speed. Grrrrr

I'm not happy about having a 4S with download speeds almost the same as my Iphone4 but a nats ass faster. I have a strong 3G coverage area in this city so I'm not happy about it. Other than that the phone is amazing. Browser speed is definately faster than the Iphone4.

I know what you're complaining about, but are you really that unhappy with 3.5 mbps ??? I mean, for most stuff we all do with an iphone that's more than enough speed.. I see you're falling for the 4G thing.
 

MustangLife

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I know what you're complaining about, but are you really that unhappy with 3.5 mbps ??? I mean, for most stuff we all do with an iphone that's more than enough speed.. I see you're falling for the 4G thing.

I just expect once a year to get a little increase in speeds. My 3GS in 2010 was able to get close to these speeds. So I'm guessing at&t hasn't improved our towers in almost 2 years here. These phones are pricy. And I choose a carrier based off of certain aspects. I know what phone I want. But I need to check in on Sprints speeds in my area I guess. I've seen videos where guys were getting 7Mbps on Iphone4's before but not sure on location. Its been 2 years listening to the 3g capable of this and that speed. Its time to have real world speeds instead of these commercials.

Thanks for the input guys and at least you guys understand where I'm coming from. If 4G wasn't all over this phone from at&t I wouldn't be aggravated at all. I'm in love with the 4S and by far Apple hit it on a nail with this thing. I wish I had extra money to invest in stock before launch day. When word gets out about Siri,Camera, etc. Alot of people who have never owned a Iphone are going to be coming to the Apple world
 

traylorc

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How do you find a HSPA+ coverage map. Maybe I'm in the wrong, guys tell me if I am. But when I walk into a local at&t store with a giant 4G and Iphone4S logo on the same sign. I expect something of those speeds at least 20 feet away from that Iphone4S 4G sign. I just take this has a fake advertising not false advertising. Take the sign down if its not possible or don't put it up. Even had a local rep tell me the phone will see double the download speeds as my Iphone4 that I was exchanging. With me and my girlfriends plan. Being a customer thats paying over $100 a month, I deserve honesty. No sir this phone in this city will not see those speeds. Your phone will download just as fast as the 15 month old iphone4 will. I'm happy with honesty and can take anything.

Don't take this the wrong way...but do you really expect 100% honesty from corporate america?

It's not about honesty, it's about aggressive marketing that walks a fine line between some element of truth and fiction.

ATT knows that HSPA+ coverage is limited at best, but they are hoping once you realize that you will still be happy with your purchase. As you mentioned in your original post "other than that the phone is amazing".

I am not blaming you, or saying that you should not be upset. Unfortunately what you have seen from AT&T is a common marketing practice.
 

Guacho

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I have a very good 3G coverage where I live in southwest florida but no HSPA+ so I guess at&t means 4G speeds " where available" and that part kind of sucks.
Question: is there really a 4G icon in the new iphone 4S?? I thought this was a rumor.
 

StaticFX

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i think its only a 14.4 hspa+ which really isnt great. Just be grateful you get a little extra boost over the cdma's....
 

MustangLife

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Joe McG

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This HSPA+ 4G debate has been going on for like a year now. Tmobile and AT&T are both doing it.

However, I wouldn't be so fast to dismiss it as being slower. The Speedtest.net app is wildly erratic and really doesn't give a good indication of how fast the network is going to be. It typically isn't repeatable from test to test.

With that said, I wish there was some way to know if you are on HSPA+ or not.
 

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