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Who has the best LTE network, AT7T or Verizon?
- Thread starter Gix1k
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This is the more important question. ATT could have 5 times the coverage, but if Verizon is better where you live and use your phone, then they are better.
Exactly. In NYC, AT&T blows and Verizon is pretty good. Same in the Bay Area. In DC, AT&T is actually better than Verizon depending on where you are. Same in Boston from my experience.
In general Verizon has more LTE coverage than AT&T right now. As said above you should check out your specific area. I think both carriers will show you detailed LTE vs 3G coverage areas if you give them your address.
It may not matter that Verizon has better coverage across the US if they have no coverage at all in your specific city.
It may not matter that Verizon has better coverage across the US if they have no coverage at all in your specific city.
Mad Mac Maniac
macrumors 601
This is good advice.
I will add 2 things.
When AT&T LTE first came out it was measured to be faster than Verizon's. I don't know if things have changed as the network has hit more congestion.
AT&T may not have the LTE coverage of Verizon, but it has a very large "4G" HSPA+ to fallback on which is probably 4 times faster than verizon's 3g which would be their fallback.
Both Verizon and AT&T have LTE in my area....
But I would rather have AT&T because of their HSPA/HSPA+ network. I am not always going to have LTE, especially when I travel for work (which is usually not into big cities).
This way, if I do not have LTE, I still have a much faster network using AT&T HSPA/HSPA+ then with Verizon 3G.
The same goes for when I am at work versus all other times. AT&T and Verizon have LTE in my area around my home and through StL, but my office is located about 35 minutes from my house... where both Verizon and AT&T do not have LTE, and probably wont for quite a long time.
Also, I agree with most of the advice people have given, depends on where you are and your normal travels (like when I go to work and lose LTE coverage)
But I would rather have AT&T because of their HSPA/HSPA+ network. I am not always going to have LTE, especially when I travel for work (which is usually not into big cities).
This way, if I do not have LTE, I still have a much faster network using AT&T HSPA/HSPA+ then with Verizon 3G.
The same goes for when I am at work versus all other times. AT&T and Verizon have LTE in my area around my home and through StL, but my office is located about 35 minutes from my house... where both Verizon and AT&T do not have LTE, and probably wont for quite a long time.
Also, I agree with most of the advice people have given, depends on where you are and your normal travels (like when I go to work and lose LTE coverage)
It really depends on where you live. AT&T has way less spectrum than Verizon does in southern California. This is why you had a lot of people on their LTE iPad complain about AT&T speeds.
Only relevant to people who travel constantly. I don't care if company X has 14 towers in the Land of Oz, because I don't live in the Land of Oz.
Far more relevant to most of us is:
1) Which carrier has LTE where I live?
2) If both of them do, which is faster?
3) If neither of them do, which has plans to get to my market first?
AT&T rocks in the Bay Area, at least in my two days of travels there recently. It was super fast. Manhattan... DISASTER. Anywhere within about an hour of Manhattan... likely a DISASTER.
But can you surf and talk at same time now on Verizon? I would never give up that feature on AT&T, no matter how much faster Verizon is.
By the way, where I live (Socal, OC area) AT&T rules both in speed and coverage.
By the way, where I live (Socal, OC area) AT&T rules both in speed and coverage.
I believe Verizon had more LTE, but AT&T is advertising their HSPA+ (slower but more widespread than LTE) as 4G. That is why Verizon says they have more LTE, and AT&T says they have more 4G.
There's actually a neat little app in the App Store that will show you the various providers' coverage in your area. Just look up "4G". I don't remember the specific name at the moment.
Most people do travel at least sometimes especially when contracts are for 2 years. It's nice to be on a carrier where you can travel once in a while and don't have to lose LTE. That would be Verizon, not the other carriers. But sure, if you are a hermit, pick a carrier with less coverage
This isn't even a contest. Verizon LTE blows AT&T LTE out of the water. Just compare the coverage maps on the websites; it's not even close.
I now even get Verizon LTE in my tiny town of 450 people, 2 hours from the closest major city. Verizon's LTE coverage is quickly approaching their 3G map.
I highly doubt you will find a place in the USA where you can get AT&T LTE but not Verizon LTE.
I now even get Verizon LTE in my tiny town of 450 people, 2 hours from the closest major city. Verizon's LTE coverage is quickly approaching their 3G map.
I highly doubt you will find a place in the USA where you can get AT&T LTE but not Verizon LTE.
SPRINT has been BAD in philly.... I do like their unlimited data though. I pay $70 bucks a month with my work discount.......
I do hear they are updating their LTE and 3G networks and should be complete soon.......
i guess the quality over quanity saying rings true hear!
I do hear they are updating their LTE and 3G networks and should be complete soon.......
i guess the quality over quanity saying rings true hear!
Most people do travel at least sometimes especially when contracts are for 2 years. It's nice to be on a carrier where you can travel once in a while and don't have to lose LTE. That would be Verizon, not the other carriers. But sure, if you are a hermit, pick a carrier with less coverage
It's a matter of priority. I will consider coverage where I live and work, then speed of coverage, as higher priorities than availability elsewhere. I know so many damn people who chose AT&T to get a GSM phone because it works in both countries--people who haven't left the country IN TEN YEARS or more.
If you travel, great, I'm not talking about you. I'm talking about the people who don't travel, yet get worked up about national or even worldwide coverage and ignore the obvious question of what's best for them on a daily basis.
switching
Thank you for the link. I've been with AT&T and the network sucks, only stayed because I still have unlimited data. I work in San Diego, CA 92101 and I have the iPhone 4 and AT&T's 3G is worst and it seems even at LTE, Verizon is top in my area and so I've decided to switch to Verizon and lose my unlimited data with AT&T. Can anybody confirm though if we can talk and surf on Verizon's LTE?
Thank you for the link. I've been with AT&T and the network sucks, only stayed because I still have unlimited data. I work in San Diego, CA 92101 and I have the iPhone 4 and AT&T's 3G is worst and it seems even at LTE, Verizon is top in my area and so I've decided to switch to Verizon and lose my unlimited data with AT&T. Can anybody confirm though if we can talk and surf on Verizon's LTE?