AT&T and GM team up for LTE, and six new cities get launches
Some AT&T LTE-related news has come through the wire today. For starters, AT&T and General Motors have announced a partnership that will bring AT&T connectivity to the latter’s cars. GM currently uses Verizon’s airwaves, but for whatever reason decided Ma Bell was the better route. Was it cost? Quality of network? Did GM just want a change of pace? We can’t say for sure, but it’s happening. Those with Verizon-equipped models need not worry: service will continue to operate following the switch.
The radios will be inside GM’s 2015 OnStar-equipped models, the first of which will arrive starting in the middle of 2014. AT&T says it is very happy with the deal, economically — this probably just means they’re happy to have yet another stream of cash coming in. Ma Bell is already in bed with the likes of Ford and Nissan, so another major partnership no doubt makes its executives smile.
Speaking of AT&T LTE, six new cities have been announced, including Tunica, MS; Athens, TN; Lafollette, TN; Tallahassee, FL; Salinas and Monterey, CA; and Lawrence, KS. By the time GM starts rolling its AT&T-equipped cars out the network should be fully complete, so by then you (should) be able to get 4G LTE on the road in any area that you currently get a 3G signal in.