3G Available from AT&T in Roanoke

iPhone users who have become almost chronic complainers in the past year or so because coverage has been so spotty in this region may have received some relief with the new installation of a 3G network in Roanoke by AT&T announced today.

The 3G network is the third generation system from international Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) and features wireless voice phone and video, wireless data in mobile telephones. It allows use of speech and data services simultaneously and has much higher data rates. The network enables the use of more advanced services and achieves better network capacity via improved efficiencies, according to several sources. AT&T is the third company in the region to offer 3G.

Verizon and Sprint have offered it for a while.

Much of the Roanoke Valley has been covered with the latest AT&T offering. It plans to expand coverage along I-81 from Salem to Radford later this year. Blacksburg and Virginia Tech have already been covered.

Customers have consistently complained that the expensive iPhone’s exotic offerings are of little use without a signal.