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Verizon iPhone 5 Will Not Offer Simultaneous Voice and Data [Update: It Was A Hardware Decision]

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The Verge has confirmed that the Verizon version of the iPhone 5 will not support simultaneous voice and data.

The AT&T iPhone has supported simultaneous talk and data since the iPhone 3G was released because of the GSM network it uses.

Verizon gave this statement to MacRumors:
iPhone 5 was designed to allow simultaneous voice calling on the Verizon Wireless network while browsing the Internet over WiFi. This is no different from the current iPhone 4S.
Click to expand...
Sprint has not yet confirmed whether its iPhone 5 will support simultaneous voice and data, but it uses the same physical hardware as the Verizon iPhone. The Verge assumes that it will be behave the same way.

Update: According to The New York Times, it was Apple's choice to prevent Sprint and Verizon phones from using both LTE data and voice on simultaneously. Because the LTE network only supports data and not voice, Apple would have to add a third antenna to the iPhone 5 to allow both LTE data and CDMA voice together.

An Apple spokeswoman told The Times, "It is not yet possible to do simultaneous voice and data on networks that use CDMA for voice and LTE for data in a single radio design."

From the Times:
So why does Verizon's Samsung Galaxy S III, a 4G LTE phone, juggle calls and data? Samsung added an extra antenna so that it pulls data from the 4G LTE network at the same time that it's using another antenna to do voice, said Anand Shimpi, editor in chief of AnandTech.

Then why didn't Apple add another antenna? It actually already has two antennas in an effort to improve reception, and it would have had to add a third antenna just for Verizon and Sprint phones to give them simultaneous data and calls, Mr. Shimpi explained. Leaving that third antenna out allows Apple to simplify its manufacturing process of the iPhone for multiple carriers. Plus, in the next two years the 4G LTE network is supposed to evolve to support voice calls, which would render another antenna unnecessary later.
Click to expand...

Article Link: Verizon iPhone 5 Will Not Offer Simultaneous Voice and Data [Update: It Was A Hardware Decision]
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/09/13/verizon-iphone-5-will-not-offer-simultaneous-voice-and-data/
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GfPQqmcRKUvP

macrumors 68040
Sep 29, 2005
3,272
514
Terminus
That statement by their PR department is laughable. Just answer the question in a straight-forward manner. No need to twist it around.
 
Caliber26

Caliber26

macrumors 68020
Sep 25, 2009
2,325
3,637
Orlando, FL
That really sucks. It would definitely be a deal-breaker for me if I were considering them as a carrier. People can bash AT&T all they want but I have never had bad customer service, billing problems, or issues with my voice or data failing me. I guess I'm one of the lucky few.
 
M

mathcolo

macrumors 6502a
Sep 14, 2008
860
16
Boston
Why is this? On my Verizon Galaxy Nexus, when I have a 4G LTE connection, I can access the internet and be in a call with the CDMA radio at the same time. How does the iPhone 5 not work like that as well?
 
B

bidwalj

macrumors 65816
Feb 16, 2007
1,056
136
The fact this only the iphone 5 has this limitation on verizon means its something to do with the single chip apple is using. No other LTE phone has this issue.

It seems like when on a call, only the CDMA and or GSM bands are working. Even on att, it drops you off of LTE and onto the 3g network.
 
W

walkejos

macrumors newbie
Jan 11, 2011
5
0
Ha!

Seriously??? I was all ready to switch to Verizon, but this is a dealbreaker for me. No voice and data together means no switch for me. I guess I'll have to endure AT&T's **** voice service for another 2 years.
 
S

sportsfrk214

macrumors 6502a
Sep 18, 2007
566
32
I'm confused as to why something that's been possible on AT&T 3G forever is not available on Verizon 4G?
 
Anonymous Freak

Anonymous Freak

macrumors 603
Dec 12, 2002
5,561
1,251
Cascadia
The first iPhone did not support voice and data at the same time, that required the iPhone 3G. (On a GSM 3G network, as well. My wife has an iPhone 3G on T-Mobile, and cannot talk and surf at the same time, since it only supports EDGE on T-Mobile.)
 
jrswizzle

jrswizzle

macrumors 603
Aug 23, 2012
6,107
129
McKinney, TX
Ahh I knew there was a reason I was stuck to AT&T besides the unlimited data plan.....

I use this quite often. Hopefully in another 2 years when all the contracts on my family plan are up, Verizon will support this feature.
 
N

NeoMayhem

macrumors 6502a
Aug 22, 2003
916
1
The iPhone 2g could NOT do voice and data at the same time. That feature only works on 3g GSM networks.
 
Roessnakhan

Roessnakhan

macrumors 68040
Sep 16, 2007
3,518
510
ABQ
I have been wanting to switch to Verizon for a while, but this definitely gives me pause. The reason I wanted to go to Verizon now that there was an LTE iPhone was because it allowed simultaneous voice and data. For a lot of people that might not be important, but it is something I use often.
 
W

WhoDaKat

macrumors 6502
May 20, 2006
379
665
Thats hilarious. No Verizon for me. I'm on speaker and messing with the net all the time! Weaksauce.
 
ghostface147

ghostface147

macrumors 601
May 28, 2008
4,163
5,133
walkejos said:
Seriously??? I was all ready to switch to Verizon, but this is a dealbreaker for me. No voice and data together means no switch for me. I guess I'll have to endure AT&T's **** voice service for another 2 years.
Click to expand...

Same for me, except I am not unhappy with their network. I was going to jump, but no simultaneous voice and data kills that chance.
 
M

Mapex

macrumors member
Jun 12, 2012
49
4
New York City
bidwalj said:
The fact this only the iphone 5 has this limitation on verizon means its something to do with the single chip apple is using. No other LTE phone has this issue.

It seems like when on a call, only the CDMA and or GSM bands are working. Even on att, it drops you off of LTE and onto the 3g network.
Click to expand...

If true that's ridiculous. I hope they didn't do this just to sell an iPhone 5S to VZW/Sprint guys.
 
B

bidwalj

macrumors 65816
Feb 16, 2007
1,056
136
jrswizzle said:
Ahh I knew there was a reason I was stuck to AT&T besides the unlimited data plan.....

I use this quite often. Hopefully in another 2 years when all the contracts on my family plan are up, Verizon will support this feature.
Click to expand...

Not a verizon issue anymore, this time its an apple issue. Only the iphone 5 doesnt support this. Every other LTE phone allows you to do this.
 
DeaconGraves

DeaconGraves

macrumors 65816
Apr 25, 2007
1,289
2
Dallas, TX
Full disclosure: current AT&T customer and wasn't planning on switching. But I honestly wonder how many people actually use this feature?

I conciously remember using this feature maybe three times in the past several years.
 
D

davidbrummy

macrumors regular
Feb 7, 2008
189
0
Well at least in the Bay Area on Verizon you can make and receive calls which is more than you can do on AT&T.
 
bacaramac

bacaramac

macrumors 65816
Dec 29, 2007
1,424
100
So disappointing. I was on Sprint with iPhone for 6 months and I switched back to AT&T because of this (and horribly slow data on Sprint).

I didn't realize how much I missed this feature until I didn't have it. I don't need it all the time, but when you do need it, it's a beautiful thing. Like navigating and getting a call, you have to say "I'll call you back when I get there since I'm using maps and I'm lost".
 
W

WakeUpDrunk

macrumors member
Jan 28, 2012
31
0
what a ****in dealbreaker... im torn because ATT has ****** signal where I just bought a house (been with them for 5 years) so I was switching to verizon... but im so used to voice and data IDK how much I'll miss it.. I assumed i can talk and surf while on LTE.. this sucks..
 
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