No HSPA+42 speeds anymore?

[TheCellPhonGuy]

Here is a question that I have. For those of us that live in HSPA+42 mbps markets, will we see lower speeds on the HSPA+ network on our phones once LTE is deployed?

I'm asking, because I know that T-Mobile will be using 20x20 channels for their LTE and the only way that they can provide it in many markets is by cutting down on the the already existing HSPA+ 1700MHz
spectrum.

So what will they do, downgrade us to HSPA+ 21, which uses less spectrum?

I know that they want to eliminate EDGE completely on the 1900MHz band and replace it with HSPA+,but that will take time and some markets that previously had HSPA+ 42 on the 1700MHz band might not have enough spectrum on the 1900MHz band to deploy it.

Just curious what you guys think.

 

[mogelijk]

My understanding is that the 1900 MHz band will support HSPA+ 42 speeds, or at least that appears to be what T-Mobile is planning. I suppose we will see how it works in practice. Even if it is stressed initially, it will speed up as people switch to LTE -- and may encourage people to move to LTE phones.

 

[Joshb101]

HSPA+42 speeds aren't going away. The LTE is going to be deployed, initially at least, on the spectrum obtained from AT&T and Verizon. The goal is to eventually be 20x20, but I wouldn't expect that, at least in most markets till after Metro's CDMA network is shutdown and that spectrum is refarmed.