After Apple revealed its desire to work with AT&T to support the iPad, AT&T confirmed it will focus on network upgrades this year to support a possible influx of mobile users and network usage. The iPad will naturally allow users to consume a lot more data than the company’s  iPhone.

The carrier said it will invest $2 billion (see below for correction) to upgrade its 3G HSPA network in 2010, and it will build 2,000 cell sites to better deal with network traffic and expand its coverage. The company will also transition to HSPA 7.2 to cover as much as 90% of its 3G capacity by 2011.

This is AT&T’s way of holding it together before it transitions to the 4G, or LTE, network. Verizon is the first one to switch to LTE later this year, but it will be limited to data-only, as standards for voice and SMS haven’t been finalized.

Correction: AT&T has reached out to us to inform us that the $2 billion investment is in addition to the $16-$17 billion that it had already promised to spend in upgrading its network. Adding $2 billion brings that total to $18-$19 billion for 2010. We apologize for the misunderstanding above.