How is Verizon service with iP5?

I switched from AT&T to Verizon last year and I'm not disappointed at all. Their LTE coverage is almost ubiquitous and I didn't notice a huge difference in 3G areas. You won't notice for everyday things like email. You would likely see it if you use apps like YouTube a lot.

I'm happy with my iPhone 5 and VZW.

I have great coverage with them and LTE is fast. As far as using more data on LTE, that's really based on user habits and not any technical reasons of LTE

I used to be an AT&T customer as well, and got so sick of it that I switched to Verizon with my iPhone 5. In my opinion, the 3G with Verizon is just a tad slower than AT&T's, but the LTE is where you really see the improvement. I've done several speed tests (ping, upload, download) and 8 times out of 10 Verizon's LTE is faster/just as fast as WiFi.

Yes, LTE will use a little bit more data than just regular 3G, but the difference hasn't been that big for me. I stayed under 2GB per month with AT&T, and I've been able to keep the same with Verizon.

Also, it's a little more pricey than AT&T, but if you're getting a 22% discount then go for it. It's totally worth it.

Verizon's 3G will be significantly slower because it isn't "fake 4G" (hspa+). It's still good enough when browsing the web though. It's good enough. You don't have to sit waiting for 5 minutes for a webpage to load, is what I'm trying to say.

No, LTE doesn't use more data, but people on the Internet says that it does because it's faster, so you end up browsing and downloading more. But if you download the same app on 3G and on LTE, the same amount of data is used.

VZW is great in my area; AT&T not so much. LTE virtually everywhere. Dropped calls are extremely rare and I usually suspect the person at the other end.

The only (and for me it's minor) downside is the lack of simultaneous voice and data on the Verizon iPhone 5 due to design choices Apple made (no separate LTE antenna or some kind of combined antenna that can't be used for both voice and data, where other LTE phones on VZW have a separate antenna thus can do voice and LTE data simultaneously).

Still, I have no hesitation recommending VZW.

xraydoc said:

VZW is great in my area; AT&T not so much. LTE virtually everywhere. Dropped calls are extremely rare and I usually suspect the person at the other end.

The only (and for me it's minor) downside is the lack of simultaneous voice and data on the Verizon iPhone 5 due to design choices Apple made (no separate LTE antenna or some kind of combined antenna that can't be used for both voice and data, where other LTE phones on VZW have a separate antenna thus can do voice and LTE data simultaneously).

Still, I have no hesitation recommending VZW.

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This isn't apple's fault it is a limitation of Verizon's. No VZW phones are currently capable of voice and data at the same time.

I agree with pretty much what everyone above has said.

I have had Verizon for several years and just upgraded to my first iPhone, the 5, back in October. I have had zero complaints.

However, in almost all posts similar to this, the biggest factor between carriers is what works best for YOU. Where you are located and the places you use your phone the most are important. ATT and Verizon are both better in certain areas than each other. That said, I believe Verizon is overall the better service provider because they have a better coverage map.

I am in a fairly low populated area, NW Ohio/Toledo area and spend a lot of time in "the country" etc. Never had a coverage problem and I have LTE probably 90% of the time, if not more. It's fast, I don't have dropped calls so I have very happy with Verizon in my area.

I would highly recommend it.

Verizon service is terrible in my apartment and my whole neighborhood despite showing on the coverage map that I should have perfect signal.

However I do have LTE and solid service almost everywhere else I go so its pretty good. Did some traveling these past few months and literally had LTE just about everywhere except for a few spots.

Only drawback is the lack of simultaneous voice and data. Before now I've always had GSM carriers AT&T or Tmobile so I used to use this feature a lot. Kind if annoying to have to hang up the phone to use my data.

I've been on Verizon for years and love it. Thankfully I have unlimited data grandfathered in. I just switched from a Galaxy Nexus to the i5 and couldn't be happier. LTE is actually snappier with a fuller signal now, although I chalk that up to superior radios in the i5 than in the Nexus.

3G sucks though. Super slow.

8 months of being a Verizon customer and I love their service. Had the i5 since launch day and lte in the bay area is very nice...FAST AND AVAILABLE ALMOST EVERYWHERE.

Depends on your location. For me Verizon is great 4 bars of LTE near places I frequent, 5 bars right now while standing in the kitchen.

gregrose said:

how is verizon service with ip5?

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Depends on where you're located. You need to confirm with people that have Verizon service in the area(s) that you're asking about. Unless you're in Houston my comments aren't relevant.

gregrose said:

Also will LTE use more data?

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It doesn't use more or less. Your usage dicatates how much data you use -- not the network tech.

MacLovin78 said:

This isn't apple's fault it is a limitation of Verizon's. No VZW phones are currently capable of voice and data at the same time.

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False statement. SGS3 has this capability. It is due to the third antenna... IP5 only has two. Current CDMA circuitry requires 3.


Kra-Kow!

I've had Verizon for 2 years now, went from an iPhone 4 to the iPhone 5, couldn't be happier. great coverage, fast LTE.

I recently switched back to Verizon from AT&T when I purchased my iPhone 5. It killed me to leave Verizon when I purchased my first iPhone, a 3GS, but I'd held out as long as I could waiting for them to get the iPhone.

Oddly enough, my AT&T coverage ended up being much better than expected. I came in right at the time they added a slew of towers. Their customer service was great so it made my decision that much more difficult when deciding who to go with when buying the new phone.

Long story short, I did some sleuthing online to check cell coverage for my area. I used cell coverage maps like Signal Map & CellReception.com where you can enter your zip code & see what coverage rates strongest in your area. More importantly, I focused on reading real people feedback as well. This only helps for your targeted areas though. If you travel a lot, then for me & based on experience, Verizon is the way to go.

Or this one....

http://www.rootmetrics.com/map/

V. is significantly more consistence and faster on lte ( came over from att with unlimited date 6months ago because of poor signal / speed quality ).
with V. i rarely see 3g signal through out california-arizona-utah...even get lte signal while skiing in utah .... one word : awsome.

gregrose said:

I am also excited because there is LTE coverage for verizon where I live, where AT&T is still just on the fake 4G.

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That's how it is where I live too (which is in the middle of VA's largest metro area). In the almost year that I've had LTE with Verizon (starting with the iPad 3), I've seen Verizon's LTE speeds fall from a high of 25mbps down to 8-12mbps, with Verizon's average LTE speed being about the same here for me as AT&T's fake 4G.

My roommate has an AT&T iPhone, and I'd guess from his coverage that literally every AT&T tower in this area offers fake 4G. Whereas it appears that Verizon only has LTE on about 50% of their towers. My iPhone 5 shows 1 bar of LTE where I live. If I turn off LTE on the iPhone, it shows 5 full bars of 3G. There are numerous other areas around here where Verizon LTE signal shows low bars, but turning off LTE on the iPhone gives you almost full bars of 3G. Huge discrepancy between the quality of their beginning LTE network vs their mature 3G network here. It's too bad their 3G is so slow (rarely breaks .5mbps). Hopefully Verizon will come back and fully deploy LTE here. They've been plastering this area on their maps as having LTE for about 1.5 years now.

MacLovin78 said:

This isn't apple's fault it is a limitation of Verizon's. No VZW phones are currently capable of voice and data at the same time.

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This is not true. I had an Android HTC Thunderbolt phone before my iPhone and I was able to do simultaneous voice and data. My best friend has an HTC Rezound than can do it as well.

gregrose said:

Got the phone today lte is fast as hell. I gotta say out of the few phone calls I have made the call quality is terrible. I don't know if it the iPhone 5 or verizon but my iPhone 4 call quality was way better

Any opinion?

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I think the iPhone 5 quality is lower. My girlfriend has an iPhone 4 on Verizon and in my apartment she gets 3-4 bars consistently while my iPhone 5 gets 1-2 bars. Also the quality of the calls sometimes sound robotic or distorted but it's only in low signal areas. When I have 3-5 bars everything is all good.

gregrose said:

Got the phone today lte is fast as hell. I gotta say out of the few phone calls I have made the call quality is terrible. I don't know if it the iPhone 5 or verizon but my iPhone 4 call quality was way better

Any opinion?

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Call quality for me has been every bit as good with the iPhone 5 as it was with the iPhone 4. Maybe I just haven't been in a weak signal area?