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AT&T says slow iPhone 4 upload speeds due to software defect

AT&T on Wednesday made an official statement on an issue causing slow upload speeds for some iPhone 4 users, blaming the problem on a software defect that will soon be fixed.

"AT&T and Alcatel-Lucent jointly identified a software defect — triggered under certain conditions - that impacted uplink performance for Laptop Connect and smartphone customers using 3G HSUPA-capable wireless devices in markets with Alcatel-Lucent equipment," the company said in a statement.

"This impacts less than two percent of our wireless customer base. While Alcatel-Lucent develops the appropriate software fix, we are providing normal 3G uplink speeds and consistent performance for affected customers with HSUPA-capable devices."

On Tuesday, AppleInsider exclusively reported that, contrary to various Internet speculation, AT&T was not intentionally throttling upload speeds for iPhone 4 users. Some in major U.S. markets such as Los Angeles and New York reported upload speeds of around 100Kbps, well below the capabilities of the HSPA-equipped iPhone 4.

Instead, it was revealed Tuesday that the issues were a result of an unintentional software glitch related to High-Speed Uplink Packet Access in some sections of the country. When working properly, HSUPA can allow uplink speeds of 5.76Mbit/s.