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From AppleInsider: AT&T vs Verizon LTE

MJedi

MJedi

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 16, 2010
902
396
Interesting article comparing the LTE service of AT&T and Verizon

http://www.appleinsider.com/article..._ipads_4g_lte_mobile_data_att_vs_verizon.html

This actually doesn't help me. I have the new iPad with Verizon. However, based on what this article is saying, AT&T seems to be better when there is no LTE coverage due to "4G"/HSPA+ whereas Verizon only has 3G.

I'm going crazy trying to decide whether to keep Verizon or go AT&T. I may end up getting an AT&T iPad for testing and comparison. I do live in an area that has LTE from both (Chicago) but in a thread comparing the services here, Verizon has better LTE.

And it doesn't help that I still have unlimited iPad data. I still have it on my iPad 2, which my wife will inherit, so it won't go to waste. Still, it would be nice to have unlimited LTE on the new iPad.

So confused... :confused:
 
Which one is better in your area? I bought the AT&T iPad first, but exchanged it for the Verizon one because the HSPA+ speed was actually worse than their 3G speed. I waited almost the full two weeks before I swapped. Now I am pretty happy with Verizon. The only time I don't get LTE is when I am at work and I don't use the data service much there anyways. On my breaks, I just read comic books or ebooks.
 
I live in an area with both Verizon and ATT LTE coverage. Instead of obssessing over which one might have faster / better LTE service, I just went with Verizon because it offered hotspot service for no additional cost, while ATT still has to offer hotspot service at all, and no word on if it will cost extra when they do. I figure any LTE will be good enough, I'm not worrying over the niceties of which one is a little bit faster, which can vary block from block. The hotspot, on the other hand, has already come in handy several times.
 
I went with AT&T. I have always had good customer service and 3G, 4G, and LTE are strong where I live and when Verizon's adequate 3G is not available it drops down to a painfully slow EVDO. I experienced this a few times on my iPad 2 and it sucked.

I also figure that if AT&T adds a data sharing package in the future, it matches my iPhone service.

--Sean
 
MJedi said:
Interesting article comparing the LTE service of AT&T and Verizon

http://www.appleinsider.com/article..._ipads_4g_lte_mobile_data_att_vs_verizon.html

This actually doesn't help me. I have the new iPad with Verizon. However, based on what this article is saying, AT&T seems to be better when there is no LTE coverage due to "4G"/HSPA+ whereas Verizon only has 3G.

I'm going crazy trying to decide whether to keep Verizon or go AT&T. I may end up getting an AT&T iPad for testing and comparison. I do live in an area that has LTE from both (Chicago) but in a thread comparing the services here, Verizon has better LTE.

And it doesn't help that I still have unlimited iPad data. I still have it on my iPad 2, which my wife will inherit, so it won't go to waste. Still, it would be nice to have unlimited LTE on the new iPad.

So confused... :confused:
Click to expand...

If you have access to an AT&T ipad sim you can use that in the Verizon iPad and get the faster "4G/HSPA+" speeds on the AT&T network.
 
dstar said:
If you have access to an AT&T ipad sim you can use that in the Verizon iPad and get the faster "4G/HSPA+" speeds on the AT&T network.
Click to expand...

Logistically, how would that work? How are most people with a Verizon iPad going to obtain an activated AT&T iPad sim to put in their iPad? This is one of those things that sounds like a big feature but doesn't make much sense for most people.
 
barkomatic said:
Logistically, how would that work? How are most people with a Verizon iPad going to obtain an activated AT&T iPad sim to put in their iPad? This is one of those things that sounds like a big feature but doesn't make much sense for most people.
Click to expand...

That's certainly true. A lot of people still have older generation 3G iPads. Adds a little extra value to keeping one around I guess.

I tested it and it works well.
 
barkomatic said:
Logistically, how would that work? How are most people with a Verizon iPad going to obtain an activated AT&T iPad sim to put in their iPad? This is one of those things that sounds like a big feature but doesn't make much sense for most people.
Click to expand...

I am new the whole idea of SIM cards, but if one stuck an at&t sim into a verizon iPad, who would bill you, at&t or verizon?
 
cfs said:
I am new the whole idea of SIM cards, but if one stuck an at&t sim into a verizon iPad, who would bill you, at&t or verizon?
Click to expand...

If you've got an AT&T sim in your iPad you'd be paying AT&T. If you are using an AT&T sim in a Verizon iPad it would likely be prepaid from another AT&T iPad.

I guess you could get a post paid plan from AT&T and use it in the Verizon iPad , but that makes no sense to me--just get an AT&T iPad.

If you have an AT&T iPhone and used that sim in your IPad, then that would be cool to an extent. However, you'd disable your iPhone while using its sim in the iPad and probably burn through your data allotment quickly--or reach your throttling cap on the unlimited plan.
 
I picked Verizon for a few reasons:

1. Free hotspot functionality.

2. Shared data plans coming soon.

3. Better coverage

I'm I'm Chicago and AT&T is terrible here, at least in my area. I also travel around, and having LTE everywhere is great. I visited Louisville, Nashville, Lafayette (Indiana) and got LTE everywhere.

Only downside is in southern Kentucky while my Verizon iPhone showed "extended" coverage and had data and voice, my iPad simply said no service. This happened for a large stretch of the road, maybe two or so hours of driving time.

I also share my connection with my MacBook air and my wife's wifi only iPad, which saves us on paying for expensive hotel wifi (and it's usually faster than hotel wifi depending on the place).

When Verizon introduces shared data for families, this will help me get even more out of it, since me and the wife hardly use more than 500MB/month on our iPhones, so it will be nice to use that extra 3Gb on the iPad (plus whatever extra bandwidth we'll get by adding the iPad to the account).
 
I was in San Francisco's Mission District last week and was getting some really great speeds on VZW LTE. There were a few odd speed tests that topped out at 5-8Mbps/Down and oddly 8-10Mbps/Up but many of my tests were WELL over 40Mbps/Up and a solid 15-20Mbps/Down with a few maxing out at 47Mbps/Down!!!

Closer to where I live in the East SF Bay I get more like 20-30Mbps/Down to 15-20Mbps/Up depending on location.
 
MJedi said:
Interesting article comparing the LTE service of AT&T and Verizon

http://www.appleinsider.com/article..._ipads_4g_lte_mobile_data_att_vs_verizon.html

This actually doesn't help me. I have the new iPad with Verizon. However, based on what this article is saying, AT&T seems to be better when there is no LTE coverage due to "4G"/HSPA+ whereas Verizon only has 3G.

I'm going crazy trying to decide whether to keep Verizon or go AT&T. I may end up getting an AT&T iPad for testing and comparison. I do live in an area that has LTE from both (Chicago) but in a thread comparing the services here, Verizon has better LTE.

And it doesn't help that I still have unlimited iPad data. I still have it on my iPad 2, which my wife will inherit, so it won't go to waste. Still, it would be nice to have unlimited LTE on the new iPad.

So confused... :confused:
Click to expand...

One of each. :rolleyes:

Seriously go with the future and the most LTE coverage.
If you are worried about HSPA+ tether to an AT&T iPhone 4S
 
barkomatic said:
If you've got an AT&T sim in your iPad you'd be paying AT&T. If you are using an AT&T sim in a Verizon iPad it would likely be prepaid from another AT&T iPad.

I guess you could get a post paid plan from AT&T and use it in the Verizon iPad , but that makes no sense to me--just get an AT&T iPad.

If you have an AT&T iPhone and used that sim in your IPad, then that would be cool to an extent. However, you'd disable your iPhone while using its sim in the iPad and probably burn through your data allotment quickly--or reach your throttling cap on the unlimited plan.
Click to expand...

So then why would it be hard to get an iPad at&t SIM even if onoe has a verizon iPad?
 
noteple said:
One of each. :rolleyes:

Seriously go with the future and the most LTE coverage.
If you are worried about HSPA+ tether to an AT&T iPhone 4S
Click to expand...

This.....that's what I did, I have an AT&T unlimited sim, which still lives in my iPad 2 inherited by my wife, however, I opted for the Verizon iPad due to LTE coverage. When it drops to painstakingly slow 3G I use my att 4S to tether and get HSPA+ speeds. Best of both worlds.
 
While somewhat interesting, they tested a couple of spots around the San Francisco area - hardly indicative of the coverage and download speeds you may experience elsewhere. Buy the one with the best carrier coverage where you will use it.
 
I picked AT&T.

3GB for 30 was just too much to pass up.
Shocked that Verizon didn't match it.

Add to it, "4G" HSPA+ support and I was sold.

I had Verizon on my iPad 2 and never turned it on.

Hoping that AT&T adds hotspot but until then, I am happy with my 44meg download speeds. ;)
 
I tried using the iPhone 4 sim card (AT&T) in my AT&T LTE iPad and it didn't work. I am still grandfathered under the unlimited plan so I wanted to see if I could use that sim card when I needed to to get data on my iPad when I need it instead of buying data for the iPad. I used this past month about 900 MB on my 3GB plan. This is why I wish they would just have $10/1 GB plans. Much more economical for the consumers but I know the companies don't care.
 
Considering I have a 4g SIM from a MiFi with unlimited data that my job provides me, the choice was extremely simple. All I needed was a SIM cutter to make it work. And being able to maintain the hotspot feature of the MiFi is a huge bonus.
 
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