Assuming that the iPhone is coming to Verizon in January, should I just wait it out or get the iPhone now with AT&T? A lot of people complain about AT&T's service, but supposedly their pretty good in the Boston area. I'm currently with T-Mobile but am out of contract. Don't know what I should do...
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Go with AT&T or wait for Verizon?
- Thread starter MrCooperS
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It's a decision that is entirely up to you. If you need the iPhone badly, then get it from AT&T. I've been with them for a while now, and so far their signal is fine. Now when I was with them a year ago, signal strength was pretty crappy. But I guess they've done many updates on their network, and it's pretty reliable now.
I was with Sprint for 7 years, and their signal was absolutely outstanding. When I switched to ATT I did notice it wasn't nearly as strong. I have never used the Verizon network, so I wouldn't be able to tell you how their signal compares to ATT.
I was with Sprint for 7 years, and their signal was absolutely outstanding. When I switched to ATT I did notice it wasn't nearly as strong. I have never used the Verizon network, so I wouldn't be able to tell you how their signal compares to ATT.
Something to think about, AT&T GSM cell phones use a sim card that can be used in other GSM phones. While Verizon CDMA cell phones don't. Thus, with GSM if your primary phone got damaged, you could pop the sim card in your old GSM phone and at least still use your service.
why wait? their has been no official announcement from anyone that verizon will be getting the iPhone also.... while I have seen several articles stating that verizon could not come to terms with apple and will not be getting the iphone.
now with that said.....who the heck knows what will happen??
as for me having an iPhone on At&t and being in the repair business I really hope verizon gets the iPhone.
#1 maybe At&t will have to be more aggressive in their pricing
#2 alot more iPhones for me to fix!
now with that said.....who the heck knows what will happen??
as for me having an iPhone on At&t and being in the repair business I really hope verizon gets the iPhone.
#1 maybe At&t will have to be more aggressive in their pricing
#2 alot more iPhones for me to fix!
I started this thread on the assumption it's coming in Jan. If it doesn't come to Verizon in Jan. I would have just went to AT&T. This isn't a thread to talk about the speculation of the iPhone coming to Verizon but a simple matter of should I get it now or wait and see what happens.
Verizon and any CDMA carriers are actually worse than GSM in reality. GSM allows to switch sim cards around. CDMA does not. GSM works around the world. CDMA does not. iPhone 4 is GSM. CDMA has garbage called Android. In real world tests, Verizon and AT&T are practically neck to neck in coverage, speed and consistency of their US national network. What's more, my AT&T bill is significantly less than my friend's Verizon bill (she has a BB Storm with unlimited data, less minutes, etc.). So I'm paying less but getting more. Less is more in this scenario. The only benefit to a Verizon or CDMA iPhone is a better spread of iPhone specific data traffic. Instead of all the data crashing one network (AT&T), it will be spread across two networks of equal speed, coverage and consistency.
I would recommend that you try the iPhone 4 now with AT&T, using their 30 day trial period. If their coverage isn't meeting your needs, then you'll have time to cancel your service and go to Verizon when they get the iPhone.
If you think AT&T limits what the iPhone does, just wait till Verizon gets a hold of it, lol!
Video over their 3G cell network. They want everything to be Wifi only. It took a long time before AT&T allowed the Slingbox app over 3G. Even longer for tethering, when other countries got it on the iPhone. Now they won't allow the iPhone 4's FaceTime on 3G. Yes I know we can jailbreak, but we shouldn't have to get this feature.
The AT&T coverage isn't to bad for my area, but 3G is very slow for data. I'm talking under 1Mbps downloads. Other areas have terrible AT&T coverage, so bad that many get dropped calls walking inside buildings.
I think the industry as a whole needs to change. If they can't handle data then either upgrade the networks or don't allow smart phones. But limiting the phones ability just sucks.
Thanks for the tips and recommendation everyone. I think I may just stick with AT&T. I don't do much traveling and am mostly in the city. I've heard AT&T has good coverage in Boston. But I'm a bit hesitant because of the positive hype generated each time a new "rumor" comes out; about the iPhone coming to Verizon. But based on my needs and location, perhaps AT&T isn't so bad after all.
I've also been a long time iPhone user as well, original iPhone, iPhone 3G and 3GS all on T-Mobile.
I've also been a long time iPhone user as well, original iPhone, iPhone 3G and 3GS all on T-Mobile.
This is one of those never-ending type decisions because it all depends on who you talk to.
Depending on who you believe -- read rumor -- the iPhone may or may not be available on Verizon come January. The debate on whether this will happen has been going on continuously for quite a long time. Yet, even with unceasing debate we are no closer at knowing what will happen come January.
One's brain can become numb with the repitition of similar threads and posts -- almost like being in an infinite loop. A circular cycle if you will.
My take is this. Go with what you know to be true. The iPhone is currently available on AT&T. Will that serve your needs or not? That is the 64 dollar question that you must ask yourself.
Personally, I would go with the iPhone when you need it and not wait for something that might happen in the future.
YMMV.
Again, I'm not creating the thread to confirm or speculate whether the rumors are true or not. I created the thread to ask if a Verizon iPhone is even worth waiting for ASSUMING it's true. I just wanted to know if the hyper behind the rumors is enough to justify the wait.
Please see edited post above.
In a nutshell, personally I would not wait for a Verizon iPhone. I would go with AT&T and enjoy having the iPhone now.
Verizon I thnk is more expensive
At least what my friend told me they charge for visual voicemail. And Data and texting plans are more as well.
At least what my friend told me they charge for visual voicemail. And Data and texting plans are more as well.
I wonder if other carriers who have the iPhone also force wifi only w/ FaceTime. I haven't heard anything regarding that.
Like someone else said, get it in the 30 day trial period and test it out. If you get good coverage, I would stick with AT&T. As far as a telecom company goes, I have received above average support and customer service from them. I don't feel my bill is too high for what I get ($180 for two iPhones, more minutes than I can count, data & texting, blah blah).
In some metro areas they can still be spotty compared to Verizon customers who will get a better signal, only way to know is to get it and try it or ask a friend near you.
They are quickly upgrading their network though. I lived in Seattle and about 18 months ago their service along parts of the I-5 corridor were awful, by 12 months ago they had added more towers and signal was much better.
In some metro areas they can still be spotty compared to Verizon customers who will get a better signal, only way to know is to get it and try it or ask a friend near you.
They are quickly upgrading their network though. I lived in Seattle and about 18 months ago their service along parts of the I-5 corridor were awful, by 12 months ago they had added more towers and signal was much better.
Agree. AT&T's network is getting better over time.
BTW, other networks drop signals/telephone calls as well. It's not just AT&T.
Hard question
I left Verizon (poor service) many years ago and switched to AT&T. The first 2 years were fine until I got on the G network (iPhone G then iPhone 3 GS). Yep, I've even tried going to the edge network but same problems exist. Have had nothing but dropped calls, weak, spotty, unstable reception and the list goes on. I've been through the whole list of troubleshooting many times, including 2 iPhone replacement and 2 sim cards. AT&T's tech support have not resolved these issues. As David Letterman said, I can do everything on my iPhone but MAKE A CALL
Now, I'm just waiting for my AT&T contract to expire. If Apple has not opened the iPhone to other carriers by the then I will most likely jump ship and paddle over to the Android
What you might want to do is find AT&T and Verizon customers in you area and see what they have to say.
I left Verizon (poor service) many years ago and switched to AT&T. The first 2 years were fine until I got on the G network (iPhone G then iPhone 3 GS). Yep, I've even tried going to the edge network but same problems exist. Have had nothing but dropped calls, weak, spotty, unstable reception and the list goes on. I've been through the whole list of troubleshooting many times, including 2 iPhone replacement and 2 sim cards. AT&T's tech support have not resolved these issues. As David Letterman said, I can do everything on my iPhone but MAKE A CALL
Now, I'm just waiting for my AT&T contract to expire. If Apple has not opened the iPhone to other carriers by the then I will most likely jump ship and paddle over to the Android
What you might want to do is find AT&T and Verizon customers in you area and see what they have to say.
If you think AT&T limits what the iPhone does, just wait till Verizon gets a hold of it, lol!
Lets see... $5/month per camera active, 10 for visual voicemail...
Googling it, they charge $3/month for Visual Voicemail, and they do have an interesting feature (Create 10 different caller-ID based greetings.) but yeah, that's 3/month extra for a basic feature.
Are we sure, though, that AT&T is the main reason for this? I've seen some of the 3G facetime demos, and they didn't seem Apple quality to me.
Yes we are sure.
Remember it was AT&T that didn't want to do tethering on the iPhone. The iPhone is a U.S. product yet other countries got tethering from their cell networks long before we did. It was AT&T that wouldn't allow the Slingbox app to work on their 3G network, up until recently. It is AT&T that initiated a limited data plan for the iPhone, ultimately ending the unlimited plan. They did this for one reason only, because they feel their network can't handle the usage.
The iPhone isn't the first smart phone out there and holds only a small portion of the cell phone market, yet somehow AT&T has decided the iPhone is the biggest threat to their network usage. They had no problem with other phones they sell using tethering or video on their 3G network prior to and during the iPhone release.
If AT&T couldn't handle the iPhone's data usage, then maybe they shouldn't have held an exclusive contract with Apple. Better yet, not contracted with the iPhone at all and done us all a favor.