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Update: Looks like AT&T is rolling out this solution now.

The problem: lack of bandwidth causes dropped calls

My brother loves his iPhone, but if I want to talk to him when he’s at home, I don’t bother calling him on it. As the NY Times pointed out, AT&T’s service is terrible in densely-populated neighborhoods, like my brother’s. So AT&T customers have to deal with bad connections, dropped calls or no service.

AT&T says the problem is that people are using their phones in new, bandwidth-hogging ways — to download apps, browse the web, etc. “Overnight we’re seeing a radical shift in how people are using their phones,” says John Donovan, the chief technology officer of AT&T.

AT&T’s response: more towers

So AT&T is dealing with this “radical shift” by throwing the same old solutions at it. They keep trying to erect new towers. As the Times piece points out, you can’t erect new towers overnight. “Many cities require lengthy filing processes to erect new cell towers. Even after towers are installed, it can take several months for software upgrades to begin operating at faster speeds.”

My solution: encourage VOIP calls!

Why should anyone deal with dropped calls or bad connections in their homes and offices? Most of us have high-speed internet connections with fast wireless access through Wi-Fi.

Instead of putting up petty fights against internet telephony, why doesn’t AT&T just encourage it. Whenever we’re at home or work, automatically rout our calls over our internet connections. That would give most people a clear, dependable connection in the places they need their phones to work the most.

Also, because it would take many of us off AT&T’s current infrastructure, it would increase capacity for everyone.

And AT&T won’t lose money on this because the same smart phones that are capable of making internet-based calls will also be capable of running apps, streaming video, and other data-dependent activities — revenue from increased data will more than make up for the decreased voice minutes.

What do you think?

I don’t usually rant about issues like this here, but isn’t our basic phone service important to businesses?

What do you think of my suggestion?

Do you have another suggestion for how to make our phones work?

Read more about this issue on Mashable, Daring Fireball, Mobile Crunch, Sillicon Alley Insider, MobileCrunch, Between the Lines, Bits, Macworld, BetaNews, Daring Fireball, Hardware 2.0, Electronista, Etan on Tech, Softpedia News, TUAW, The iPhone Blog, Kelsey Group Blogs, iPhone Buzz, Mashable!, Gearlog, Local Mobile Search, MacDailyNews, Sidecut Reports,MobileContentToday, Tech Trader Daily, Silicon Alley Insider and DSLreports

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