Late last month we saw several speed tests done in the Chicago area on AT&T’s as yet to be officially launched 4G LTE network. The results of those speed tests were disappointing to say the least, but we gave AT&T the benefit of the doubt since we know it’s not fair to judge something that isn’t complete. Today a video has emerged on the internets showing AT&T’s recently launched Jetstream tablet, which supports 4G LTE, sadly at a ridiculous price of $700 with a 2 year contract, pulling some numbers that are in line with what Verizon’s 4G LTE network has been delivering since it launched in December 2010. The Jetstream managed to deliver 22 Mbps down and 6 Mbps up, something that we’ve no got no problems calling impressive.
That being said, there is still a disappointing lack of AT&T 4G LTE devices that consumers can actually buy. You’ve got a few modems, which are OK if you want to connect your existing WiFi enabled devices to 4G LTE, and then there’s this tablet, which because it runs Android Honeycomb we can’t really recommend, but what about smartphones? Some photos of the HTC Holiday, which is supposed to be AT&T’s first 4G LTE smartphone, have recently been leaked, and the source of the leak says that they’re able to get nearly 30 Mbps down in the Dallas/Forth Worth area of Texas. The Holiday is said to be sporting a 4.5 inch screen and a dual core 1.5 GHz processor, which makes it an unwieldily beast that will no doubt be priced in the $200+ range.
When exactly will AT&T launch the Holiday, and what other 4G LTE devices will they have up their sleeve, are things we don’t know, but will need to soon since the 2011 holiday shopping season is quickly approaching. It’s going to be an awesome battle of devices and networks; something we can’t wait to watch.