In the only difference that att is throttling unlimited 4G users at the moment?
Yes AT&T throttles you at .50 Mbps down and up when you reach 5GB with no overages.
VZW has the right to implement network optimization on 4G devices like they do 3G devices. 4G devices aren't affected AT THIS TIME. And it's not because of any FCC ruling. The FCC ruling pertains to 3rd party tethering apps and pertains to accounts with metered plans won't be charged for tethering for obvious reasons. Yes VZW doesn't implement their network optimization like they do 3G devices but it's inevitable that they will. Why? Because they can. Especially with the rise in data consumption.
For VZW users with a single it's not necessarily an issue per se with purchasing an iPhone at full retail and/or bringing in your own used iPhone.
I recently upgraded 3 of our 4 lines to iPhone 5's. The cost was $650'ish to upgrade 3 devices to iPhone 5's and kept unlimited data/throttled at .50 Mbps with no overages.
If I was to do the same with VZW the cost would have been $2100'ish with unlimited data/no throttling AT THIS TIME.
If I was a single user only VZW would be a better grandfathered option.
But if I have a family plan with 4 devices AT&T might be a better option in this case because in 2 years the 3 devices will probably need to be upgraded to new devices and I still have 1 other device that has seen it's day that will be upgraded in February. So the total cost upgrading 4 devices within a 6 month period(3 iPhones in Sept 2012/1 Feb 2013) is $850'ish compared to VZW $2900'ish. Least case if we waited to get 3 new iPhone 5's and bought used with VZW then the cost would be $1600'ish.
Whatever the case the devices on the 3 lines needed to be replaced anyway. In this case I'm glad I have AT&T and being able to take advantage of getting 3 spanking new shiney iPhone 5's for $200'ish each. If I was a single user VZW would be a better grandfathered option because most likely my finances would allow me to shell out $700'ish for a new iPhone or $525'ish for a used iPhone 5. Even if you calculate the cost of selling our 3 iPhone 4's to subsidize the cost with VZW would be around $1500'ish with VZW. I just sold our 3 iPhone 4's for $600 so the cost of getting 3 iPhone 5's with AT&T was $almost 0 TOTAL.
So with selling the used devices the comparison is to keep UL....NET(supposing I had 3 VZW iPhone 4)
VZW, $1500'ish
$2100(3 new devices)-$600(selling 3 iPhone 4)
AT&T, $50
$650(upgrade 3 iPhones)- $600(selling 3 iPhone 4)
Which is better $1500 or $50 for getting 3 spanking new shiney iPhone 5's?
I don't anyone who would or could shell out $2100'ish for 3 new iPhone 5's or $1600'ish for 3 used iPhone 5's.