So be it. Even if there is --which I believe AT&T and T-Mobile are causing--the truth will come out in the real-life data speeds that consumers see in their neighborhoods and on the routes they regularly travel. As the new, expand and mature, it will become clear that they can pump out faster broadband speeds with better reliability and lower latency in more places than 3G networks can. That will make a huge difference in the way connected devices perform, and consumers will notice.

At any rate, T-Mobile announced here that it will double the speed of its HSPA+ 3G network during 2011. T-Mobile claims that its network can now deliver a theoretical top speed of 21 megabits per second for downloads, and says that it will upgrade its network to produce (theoretical) in most markets this year.

Accordingly, the carrier says that it will release a set of new smartphones capable of the 21-mbps (theoretical) speeds in the first half of 2011, and that it will release phones in the second half of the year that support the 42-mbps (theoretical) top speeds.

In all, T-Mobile plans to roll out 25 new "4G" devices by the end of 2011. It announced a few of them here at CES, the most notable of which are the and the from Motorola. T-Mobile demonstrated a ZTE USB modem that it says can hit the new 42-mbps top speed; that device will become available around midyear.