Gotta love Cnet's brutally honest 5 reasons NOT....

[robo74]

Its funny that this whole international thing comes up over and over and over.
I have a friend with an AT&T iPhone. He loves his iPhone. Money to him is not really something he has to worry about as his family is well, good..a few times over and over. Anyway, I am not sure the details of the international calls and such, but he travels overseas often for vacation, maybe once every couple months. Sometimes he needs to contact me for flight info or whatever, and when he does, he uses skype over wifi and calls my cell number, not skype to skype. He said he does it cause its cheaper. I am not sure of the details, dont really care. Now if thats the case, why is this an issue? It tells me there are alternatives! So the international thing to me, has been thrown out the window a few times already. Plus I will worry about it if/when I ever get a passport. Right now I am certainly not itching to do so.
Everything else is preference.
I am on verizon now, been using a droid, and I am happy with the service.
I am also very looking forward to giving up my droid on Monday for my iPhone.

 

[robo74]

It was entertaining.

I'm a virgin mobile user cause I'm a cheapo. So I'm not biased either way. But I'd tend to agree with the guy, in that you should basically wait it out and see how things shake out over the next half year or so.

At least wait for iPhone 5 before signing a two-year contract approx 4 months before the next refresh.

I bought the iPhone 4 now so I can save my money. I heard a rumor that there is a bridge in San Fran that is going to be for sale this year, and I want to have a shot at buying it.

 

[tucker3434]

Few things:

1. For the few weeks I'll be out of the country over the next 2 years, I'll make do. I'm not going to base a purchase like this on those few weeks.

2. If a totally redesigned iPhone 5 comes out for VZW in June, I'll buy one then too. If a 4gs comes out this year followed by a 5 in 2012, I'll hold on to my 4 until 2012, and I'll be perfectly happy.

3. I want an iphone that I can use in my apartment. My gf's iphone becomes an itouch in both of our apts, itp in atlanta.

 

[bradl]

I love how people think EVERYONE travels outside of the country. I'm so glad you can take your phone everywhere, you think everyone cares? NO
Verizon has how many customers, you think they care? I have at&t now and the most I went outside the USA was Mexico, and ya know what? I had Verizon back then and made calls with no problems.

Me personally, I am happy Verizon people can have the iPhone now. Verizon didn't work for me, but it works for others. Why can't others be happy that more people can enjoy the iPhone?

Whether they care or not is irrelevant. What matters is that I have the freedom to purchase one device, and can use that device everywhere I go. And that brings up the crux of the matter. I should be able to buy a device and use that device on any network I choose. I can NOT without either incurring ridiculous roaming charges on VZW. Whereas with a GSM phone, it is simply a matter of a purchase of a sim card. I could step one foot into Canada, pick up a Rogers or Telus sim card, and have coverage throughtout the entire country. VZW? I'm roaming.

Furthermore, I shouldn't have to purchase the same model of phone AGAIN to use on their network. This is something that only the US models, which should have been nipped in the bud in the mid-late 90s. Everywhere else, the phone networks make the network to suit the phone. In the US, the phone makers have to make the phone suit the network. Ever wonder why there are 3 different models of the same Blackberry phone? That is why.

Long story short, I should be able to use my phone anywhere I want, wherever I want, whenever I want, and however I want, without being limited to the technology of a carrier's network. VZW has that limit and will continue to, until LTE is implemented. So in this case, ATT (or I should say, GSM) > Verizon.

BL.

 

[Gen]

No international coverage and voice/dat-simultaneously are huge turn offs for me :/

 

[asleep]

Do you smell the ATT Fanboy in here? It's thick.

Phew, that's some nasty stench!

 

[Rodvette]

Whether they care or not is irrelevant. What matters is that I have the freedom to purchase one device, and can use that device everywhere I go. And that brings up the crux of the matter. I should be able to buy a device and use that device on any network I choose. I can NOT without either incurring ridiculous roaming charges on VZW. Whereas with a GSM phone, it is simply a matter of a purchase of a sim card. I could step one foot into Canada, pick up a Rogers or Telus sim card, and have coverage throughtout the entire country. VZW? I'm roaming.

Furthermore, I shouldn't have to purchase the same model of phone AGAIN to use on their network. This is something that only the US models, which should have been nipped in the bud in the mid-late 90s. Everywhere else, the phone networks make the network to suit the phone. In the US, the phone makers have to make the phone suit the network. Ever wonder why there are 3 different models of the same Blackberry phone? That is why.

Long story short, I should be able to use my phone anywhere I want, wherever I want, whenever I want, and however I want, without being limited to the technology of a carrier's network. VZW has that limit and will continue to, until LTE is implemented. So in this case, ATT (or I should say, GSM) > Verizon.

BL.

ATT > Verizon to you.
Verizon > ATT for me.

as a side note. I don't have a job that makes me travel so whenever I do leave the states its for vacation. And when I am on vacation I am trying to get away from my life and enjoy my vacation, I turn my phone off because one of the joys about being on vacation is the fact that people can't reach you. And in those cases when I needed to contact someone for w/e reason there are so many forms of communication out there (cheaper and efficient) that can help you get in contact with whenever you need. For example everytime I needed a phone the hotel/resort I was staying out was more then happy to let me use their phone for international calls, hell even some of the restaurant/bars I went to let me make international calls.

Maybe this will help you understand why I don't see the advantage you are trying to state.

data + voice at the same time? where I live thats a false statement because ATT always drops calls when my buddy tries that, and I dont see it as a big deal