3G Cell Coverage in USA - AT&T Versus Verizon Wireless

Yea, it sucks. My area has Verizon EVDO but no AT&T 3g!

EV-DO was also implemented earlier than UTMS was.

If anybody wonders why Apple waited until battery life improved to put 3G on the thing, um, that's why.

I really don't blame AT&T for not rolling out 3G more by now. The country is HUGE and very sparsely populated outside of the major cities. As far as I know, there wasn't really much of a desire for 3G before the iPhone. I know I had never heard of it.

Michael CM1 said:

If anybody wonders why Apple waited until battery life improved to put 3G on the thing, um, that's why.

I really don't blame AT&T for not rolling out 3G more by now. The country is HUGE and very sparsely populated outside of the major cities. As far as I know, there wasn't really much of a desire for 3G before the iPhone. I know I had never heard of it.

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well the us market makes about 7-8% of the world cell phone market so making a cell phone for that market alone is a bit silly, especially if you have a global brand as apple does.

as for hearing of 3g, i'm not sure consumers should really hear or care about such technicalities. it's the services 3g enables that consumers want.

Two months ago AT&T stated in a press release (and published here on the front page) that they would have 3G up in 300 markets. That would have to be pretty much equivalent to Verizon's coverage. I think that's an awfully ambitious statement to make especially since it's already May and I haven't seen much on Howard Forums about people saying there are any new, signficant coverages in their area.

There isn't anything on that map that makes me think it represents anything other than last year's AT&T coverage map or even what's presently on their locator dated for March. Even so, for months people have been posting hundreds of threads about how the 3G phone will be the best thing ever. Well, if you happen to live in one of those areas it will be nice to have faster speeds. Don't stray from the coverage area or you might as well have stuck with the original iPhone. The 300 markets aren't going to magically turn on when the new phone is released. I think there's going to be hundreds of complaint threads very shortly.

sjo said:

as for hearing of 3g, i'm not sure consumers should really hear or care about such technicalities. it's the services 3g enables that consumers want.

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Yes, but think of current home broadband advertising... companies are always comparing their speeds in commercials. So the speed "technicality" is already considered a major consumer selling point.


PS to Winterspan: thanks for the hard work... terrific map!

dangit no 3g in omaha nebraska !

AT&T is going to be expanding their 3G service heavily this year. I don't know why you would make this though.

Um..less AT&T's "3G" came out later then Verizon's, so this seems logical.

But since this comparison is between to different networks, one with the iPhone, one without, it seems like a silly place to talk about this.


(Also for note, AT&T's network has higher potential speeds)

Perhaps you'd be bet off show T Mobile's 3G network vs AT&T's....at least then you can relate it to the iPhone.

zap2 said:

But since this comparison is between to different networks, one with the iPhone, one without, it seems like a silly place to talk about this.

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I think the comparison helps, because people are always asking about 3G coverage. It's hard sometimes to visualize what good coverage consists of. This map instantly demonstrates it.

Wow, that's less than I thought, but at least my area has coverage.

jatoskep said:

Wow, that's less than I thought, but at least my area has coverage.

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It's not less than you thought. I bet if the map also showed population density, there wouldn't really be anything to talk about. AT&T's coverage is plenty for the vast majority of users. Props to Verizon for having high-speed data in Wyoming... but that doesn't help me since I'm never IN Wyoming.

For most Americans, AT&T's 3G coverage is more than enough. If you are not one of those Americans, don't buy a 3G iPhone.

NorCalLights said:

It's not less than you thought. I bet if the map also showed population density, there wouldn't really be anything to talk about. AT&T's coverage is plenty for the vast majority of users.

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I actually took the time a couple of months ago, to compare ATT's city list with census tables, and add things up. It came out that ATT's 3G covers at least 100 million people, and probably a lot more by now, or soon.

Now that's theoretical, because there are dead spots within supposedly covered cities that mess everything up. But over all, it's a fair amount of people.

Switzerland:
99.8% EDGE/GPRS
90% UMTS
85% HSPA (90% bis Mitte 2008)
PWLAN > 1200 Hotspots



there's still some place if you wanna settle down in switzerland

(map: http://212.60.52.171/frame.php?site=swisscom_mobile&lang=de&resol=1024x768 activate the option on the left)

kdarling said:

I think the comparison helps, .

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I don't..

kdarling said:

because people are always asking about 3G coverage. .

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Kind of...but why post it here(when its about Verizon) and the OP says this map isn't to see local coverage

kdarling said:

e. It's hard sometimes to visualize what good coverage consists of. This map instantly demonstrates it.

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I'd say it doesn't, it just shows where AT&T and Verizon have a 3G network. Perhaps an EDGE vs AT&T's 3G network, then we'd have something that shows coverage(useful to iPhone owners)

NorCalLights said:

It's not less than you thought.

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Wait, how do you know what he or she thought?

NorCalLights said:

AT&T's coverage is plenty for the vast majority of users......For most Americans, AT&T's 3G coverage is more than enough.

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Stop using the word "majority or most", you don't know how many people are covered. We have a rough figure of 100M in this thread, and guess what, thats not the majority of people in America.

NorCalLights said:

but that doesn't help me since I'm never IN Wyoming..

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Guess what! This thread wasn't made just for you!

NorCalLights said:

For most Americans, AT&T's 3G coverage is more than enough.

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Stop telling people what is enough for them

NorCalLights said:

. If you are not one of those Americans, don't buy a 3G iPhone.

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Why? A 3G iPhone works just fine on EDGE.

nickspohn said:

AT&T is going to be expanding their 3G service heavily this year. I don't know why you would make this though.

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I'm sure they might get more aggressive because of the iPhone but, AT&T has been saying this for a very long time and their 3G coverage still sucks.

zap2 said:

Stop using the word "majority or most", you don't know how many people are covered. We have a rough figure of 100M in this thread, and guess what, thats not the majority of people in America.

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Actually, I do know that the majority of Americans live in urban areas (not rural areas), and by looking at that map I can clearly see that most urban areas are covered. So there's no need to be a jerk, the reality is that AT&T's coverage serves the areas where *most* people live.

NorCalLights said:

Actually, I do know that the majority of Americans live in urban areas (not rural areas), and by looking at that map I can clearly see that most urban areas are covered. So there's no need to be a jerk, the reality is that AT&T's coverage serves the areas where *most* people live.

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60% wasn't it - I thought Computer world reviewd AT&T's 3G network recently. Will try and find the link

NorCalLights said:

So there's no need to be a jerk, the reality is that AT&T's coverage serves the areas where *most* people live.

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It may be where most people live but it's a mobile device. It doesn't take very long to drive outside of those coverage areas. Then it really doesn't matter where you live.

AT&T 3G Coverage - Will I get it?

Obviously the next iPhone will have 3G and I was wondering if I will get service at my house...

I really don't need the 3G since I will be connected to wifi most of the time at home. But it would be nice.



It shows me approx 1/2 miles outside the 3G coverage area (I am the red dot)

Just wondering how accurate these maps are and if they are current. If you are a AT&T rep you would probably know best. Thanks!

I'm a little confused... what is the difference between the dark blue section and the dark orange section? And I'm guessing the light blue parts are lakes. If the dark blue is the coverage area, you might be out of luck. Like you said, someone from AT&T would know best.

Zwhaler said:

I'm a little confused... what is the difference between the dark blue section and the dark orange section? And I'm guessing the light blue parts are lakes. If the dark blue is the coverage area, you might be out of luck. Like you said, someone from AT&T would know best.

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You can see the coverage map here:

http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/

Dark Blue is: 3G

Dark Orange is: Best Voice coverage
Lighter Orange is: Good Voice coverage

Light Blue is: Lakes

Zwhaler said:

I'm a little confused... what is the difference between the dark blue section and the dark orange section? And I'm guessing the light blue parts are lakes. If the dark blue is the coverage area, you might be out of luck. Like you said, someone from AT&T would know best.

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Dark blue is the 3G coverage. So no you wont get 3G, but hey you got wifi at home.