Demand for better mobile internet connections is only to get greater, so most of the big wireless telecoms are spending a lot of time lately furrowing their brow over the next iteration of their 3G bands.

As far as what the next generation of mobile broadband is going to be, there are two big contenders. First, there’s LTE, commonly called 4G, which is the standard Verizon Wireless is embracing and planning to start rolling out by the end of the year, with LTE handsets following in summer of 2011. On the other hand, T-Mobile is embracing HSPA+, which triples existing HSPA 3G throughput: they’ve just released their first HSPA+ modem in Philadelphia, with other major cities to quickly follow.

But what of AT&T? They have the most popular and data hungry handset on earth, and their 3G network is in shambles. What path will they take? According to AT&T Wireless boss Ralph de la Vega, LTE is the eventual goal, but the stopgap solution is indeed HSPA+, with de la Vega saying “We will also deploy HSPA+ in certain locations.”

That’s good news in that HSPA+ affords an excellent method for existing 3G infrastructure to be upgraded, but it does indicate that AT&T is taking a wait and see approach to LTE, which is effectively giving Verizon a year’s head start. It’s risky, and if Apple decides to come out with an iPhone LTE, that would give Verizon a serious leg up against old Ma Bell. Then again, when have you known AT&T to promptly upgrade its 3G network?

Read more at Fierce Broadband Wireless