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AT&T vs Verizon

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foxnews1

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 16, 2010
384
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AT&T Pros:
1) upgrade and keep unlimited data
2) data and voice simultaneously
3) still offer old plan, along with new shared plans, which could lead to lower cost for some.
4) fall-back 3G/4G is faster

AT&T Cons:
1) Less LTE coverage
2) less building signal penetration
3) locked and less global ip5
4) facetime is only available on new shared plans


Verizon Pro:
1) more LTE coverage
2) better building signal penetration
3) unlocked and more global ip5

Verizon Con:
1) lose unlimited when upgrade
2) not support data and voice simultaneously
3) only new shared plans for new customers or upgrade with subsidy
4) fall-back 3G is slower

for my situation, AT&T Pros (1) and (3) weigh more than verizon Pros (1) and (2).
Hope this will help those who are still on the fence.
 
Last edited:
foxnews1 said:
AT&T Pros:
1) upgrade and keep unlimited data
2) data and voice simultaneously
3) still offer old plan, along with new shared plans, which could lead to lower cost for some.

AT&T Cons:
1) Less LTE coverage
2) less building signal penetration
3) locked and less global ip5


Verizon Pro:
1) more LTE coverage
2) better building signal penetration
3) unlocked and more global ip5

Verizon Con:
1) lose unlimited when upgrade
2) not support data and voice simultaneously
3) only new shared plans for new customers or upgrade with subsidy

for my situation, AT&T Pros (1) and (3) weigh more than verizon Pros (1) and (2).
Hope this will help those who are still on the fence.
Click to expand...

I'm with AT&T with unlimited data and I didn't get the 5 because of LTE. HSPA works very well in Philly. I hardly keep LTE on.

As far as LTE coverage AT&T will eventually catch up.
 
That pretty much sums it up.

I switched to Verizon for building penetration (I get tired of waiting for the microcell to dial, and losing the call when I walk into work).
And for international travel ease.
 
foxnews1 said:
AT&T Pros:
1) upgrade and keep unlimited data
2) data and voice simultaneously
3) still offer old plan, along with new shared plans, which could lead to lower cost for some.

AT&T Cons:
1) Less LTE coverage
2) less building signal penetration
3) locked and less global ip5


Verizon Pro:
1) more LTE coverage
2) better building signal penetration
3) unlocked and more global ip5

Verizon Con:
1) lose unlimited when upgrade
2) not support data and voice simultaneously
3) only new shared plans for new customers or upgrade with subsidy

for my situation, AT&T Pros (1) and (3) weigh more than verizon Pros (1) and (2).
Hope this will help those who are still on the fence.
Click to expand...

This articulates very well what most people have to deal with when making the AT&T v. Verizon decision. AT&T's cons are its service quality, and Verizon its cost and features. There you have it.
 
The other difference in regards to shared data:

AT&T charges more for the data group, but less per smartphone as the data amount grows. AT&T has more choices for larger amounts of data.

Verizon charges less for the data group, but the same per smartphone regardless of the data amount; it is cheaper with Verizon for the lower amounts, but more for the higher amounts. Verizon has more choices for lower amounts of data.
 
at&t usually has better in building coverage because of the 850 mhz network. i just dumped at&t and got verizon because i couldnt stand the spotty LTE coverage and the .17 Mbps download speeds on H+. their network speeds have become so inconsistent that i couldnt handle it anymore.
 
foxnews1 said:
AT&T Pros:
1) upgrade and keep unlimited data
2) data and voice simultaneously
3) still offer old plan, along with new shared plans, which could lead to lower cost for some.

AT&T Cons:
1) Less LTE coverage
2) less building signal penetration
3) locked and less global ip5


Verizon Pro:
1) more LTE coverage
2) better building signal penetration
3) unlocked and more global ip5

Verizon Con:
1) lose unlimited when upgrade
2) not support data and voice simultaneously
3) only new shared plans for new customers or upgrade with subsidy

for my situation, AT&T Pros (1) and (3) weigh more than verizon Pros (1) and (2).
Hope this will help those who are still on the fence.
Click to expand...

Stay with AT&T. Even with limited LTE, they have much faster 3G("4G" HSPA+). Plus u get to keep ur unlimited(lucky!!!) data and get voice over data support. Idk where u live but it seems like AT&T is pretty quick at getting LTE rolled out everywhere so I'm sure it won't be long for u in ur area. And from what everyone is saying based on their posted LTE speeds, it seems AT&T where available is faster than Verizon on average. It's certainly is here in Baton Rouge, Louisiana :)
 
Two more AT&T cons:

Must have mobile share plan for Facetime over LTE.
Must pay for tethering.
 
Why I switched to Verizon with an iPhone 5...

- Verizon allows for free number blocking (ATT makes you pay for a monthly service to block numbers from calling)
- Verizon has significantly greater LTE coverage in the midwest where i live/travel often
- While with ATT these past two years, I've had consistent problems with not receiving calls and dropped calls. ATT and Apple blame each other. I always upgrade iOS right when it comes out etc. Very frustrating. Never had problems when I was on Verizon previously. Could've been the iPhone 4 but I have a feeling it was the ATT network. Lame.
 
foxnews1 said:
AT&T Pros:
1) upgrade and keep unlimited data
2) data and voice simultaneously
3) still offer old plan, along with new shared plans, which could lead to lower cost for some.

AT&T Cons:
1) Less LTE coverage
2) less building signal penetration
3) locked and less global ip5


Verizon Pro:
1) more LTE coverage
2) better building signal penetration
3) unlocked and more global ip5

Verizon Con:
1) lose unlimited when upgrade
2) not support data and voice simultaneously
3) only new shared plans for new customers or upgrade with subsidy

for my situation, AT&T Pros (1) and (3) weigh more than verizon Pros (1) and (2).
Hope this will help those who are still on the fence.
Click to expand...

Another pro for AT&T is that if you dare to visit some parts of bush Alaska, AT&T service works. However the Data plan does not really, sometimes you can not check your voice message. There is a 3-5 second voice delay but it is useable.

You will get data in Fairbanks, Anchorage and possibily Juno. The phone will work fairly well there, I used my wifes iPhone 3gs. But that is about it to my understanding. I do visit Galena from time to time.

This will be my first smartphone purchase and really a first phone for me while walking on this earth for 25 plus years. I choose AT&T cause it works in NY, central Florida and in most parts of bush Alaska.
 
I think I might give up my AT&T unlimited to switch to Verizon.

My college town only has Verizon LTE, so that's a major selling point. I seldom use over 2GB of data, so I'm okay with a lower allotment (especially since I can get Wi-Fi in most places I frequent). Then with those rare occasions when I need to hotspot or FaceTime, it isn't a hassle. I also travel out of country every other year or so, so the unlocked SIM will certainly help that.
 
KylePowers said:
I think I might give up my AT&T unlimited to switch to Verizon.

My college town only has Verizon LTE, so that's a major selling point. I seldom use over 2GB of data, so I'm okay with a lower allotment (especially since I can get Wi-Fi in most places I frequent). Then with those rare occasions when I need to hotspot or FaceTime, it isn't a hassle. I also travel out of country every other year or so, so the unlocked SIM will certainly help that.
Click to expand...

How's AT&T non LTE network at your college? I work at a major college and seldom have LTE enabled because HSPA(+) works great.
 
mpossoff said:
Wait for jailbreak :)

Use tethering app responsibly.
Click to expand...

Or buy Verizon and don't need to bother jailbreaking! :)

----------
mertron said:
- Verizon allows for free number blocking (ATT makes you pay for a monthly service to block numbers from calling)
- Verizon has significantly greater LTE coverage in the midwest where i live/travel often
- While with ATT these past two years, I've had consistent problems with not receiving calls and dropped calls. ATT and Apple blame each other. I always upgrade iOS right when it comes out etc. Very frustrating. Never had problems when I was on Verizon previously. Could've been the iPhone 4 but I have a feeling it was the ATT network. Lame.
Click to expand...

I've had AT&T with a family plan since the original iPhone through the 4S. I have lots of problems especially at work with my phone never ringing and then not getting the voicemail alert until I got home. This has been with multiple phones and multiple iOS releases.

In the two weeks I've been trying Verizon on the iPhone 5, I have not had a single call not come through or a voicemail not popup in less than a minute. My area had no AT&T LTE until the day of the iPhone 5 launch (great planning for those pre-orders AT&T).

Only negative I've seen with the Verizon so far is no LTE inside my work building (but I have wifi there). I've seen some reports of faster LTE speeds on AT&T but does that matter if I can't get a call? Same problem happened yesterday when I called my son's iPhone (still on AT&T) and it never rang for him. As I picked him up in car and was driving home, his phone light up with the voicemail that I was calling him.
 
mpossoff said:
How's AT&T non LTE network at your college? I work at a major college and seldom have LTE enabled because HSPA(+) works great.
Click to expand...
Hrmm, it's not horrible. In my apartment (which is essentially on campus), 90ms ping, 6.30Mbps down, 1.09Mbps up. That's with full signal too, which can be spotty depending where I am on campus.

Wi-Fi (through Comcast) gets me 20ms ping, 19.04Mbps down, 5.99Mbps up. Not sure how Verizon LTE compares to that around here, but I'd imagine it's similar, if not better.
 
Att for me, has better sound quality.I must admit VZW has more dead spots in my area. Same building penetration. Att has less LTE, but if you out LTE area with VZW you get to slow 1mb CDMA. Att forgive you upgrade fees, VZW not.

Ther are more people who hate Att more than Verizon and I like this. Leave me alone and go with VZW :)

I don't work for Att. I use VZW for my ipad since they have 20/1 plan.
 
imlynxy said:
Att for me, has better sound quality.I must admit VZW has more dead spots in my area. Same building penetration. Att has less LTE, but if you out LTE area with VZW you get to slow 1mb CDMA. Att forgive you upgrade fees, VZW not.
...
Click to expand...

Bull pucky. I've had AT&T for years with a family plan paying lots of money each month. They constantly want the full two years out of me before allowing any upgrade on my line. I've seen very poor customer service from AT&T.
 
Not sure about building coverage. In south fl verizon is terrible while AT&T is flawless. Also lte coverage is better with att in south fl.

Also att 3/4g is fast. Verizon is slow.
 
KylePowers said:
Hrmm, it's not horrible. In my apartment (which is essentially on campus), 90ms ping, 6.30Mbps down, 1.09Mbps up. That's with full signal too, which can be spotty depending where I am on campus.

Wi-Fi (through Comcast) gets me 20ms ping, 19.04Mbps down, 5.99Mbps up. Not sure how Verizon LTE compares to that around here, but I'd imagine it's similar, if not better.
Click to expand...

You want to switch to VZW because of LTE?
 
Primejimbo said:
moot point when Verizon doesn't let you have unlimited anymore for anyone. period.
Click to expand...

You can still get unlimited data :D Our company still can get those kind of plans from Verizon so you have no clue at what you are talking about
 
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