AT&T Confirms That ATRIX 4G Speeds Are Slow

It’s been reported that the hot new Motorola ATRIX 4G smartphone has been hit by slow data speeds. As some owners have discovered, the upload speeds on the ATRIX 4G when using the phone’s HSUPA radio is slower than one would expect. Now, AT&T is admitting to some of the data slowdowns, though it is doing so in a roundabout sort of way.

In response to many customer complaints as well as a Better Business Bureau inquiry, AT&T says it is not capping the ATRIX 4G’s data speeds. However, the wireless provider did say it is performing testing on the service in preparations for when the company actually turns on the higher speed service. In other words, it sounds like although the ATRIX 4G has the hardware capable of 4G speeds, AT&T has not enabled this functionality yet.

In a letter to a customer, an AT&T representative said, “Be assured that AT&T has not 'capped’ the upload speeds on the ATRIX. The ATRIX is a HSUPA-capable device, and we currently are performing the testing and preparations necessary to ensure that, when we turn this feature on, you will continue to have a world class experience.”

AT&T hasn’t given a date for when the higher speeds will be enabled, but it does continue to market its 4G devices as being superior to 3G devices in terms of speed.