iphone in Rural northwest Illinois? VZ smart phones that play nice with Mac?

[OrganMusic]

Well I really want the iPhone but the ATT coverage map doesn't look good around my town (zip 61030). Most of the area is in "no coverage" -- Does that mean it won't work at all, or just not natively on the ATT network? I get fairly good service on my verizon phone all around here.

I'd prefer to stay on Verizon, but will go to ATT if the phone will work out here.

I don't HAVE to have internet and someone told me I could get get a Palm Centro without data plan. I want something that will sync well with contacts.app and iCal (or at least Google) etc. Are there other verizon smart phones that play nice with macs?

 

[Aaleck]

Does it say no coverage or something to an extent of "partner network"?

 

[OrganMusic]

I usually have around 3 bars on my Verizon phone in this area.

 

[OrganMusic]

Here's another interesting bit of info:

My Wife's Amazon Kindle gets 5 bars of "3G" -- I don't know whose network it uses, but as seen above ATT lists almost no coverage at all, let alone 3G.

Does that have any meaning for how an iPhone would work around here?

 

[oxdtown]

well u def. wont get 3G i live near dekalb and i have no 3G the are a few spotty places with edge even u might get 1 bar one day and the next get 4 bars its weird

 

[nickspohn]

You'll probably get EDGE. Who knows about 3G. I live in Elgin.

 

[mkrishnan]

My Wife's Amazon Kindle gets 5 bars of "3G" -- I don't know whose network it uses, but as seen above ATT lists almost no coverage at all, let alone 3G.

Does that have any meaning for how an iPhone would work around here?

No, it doesn't... the Kindle uses EV-DO as its 3G data service, provided by Sprint, I believe (EV-DO is a 3G data service Verizon and Sprint use with their CDMA phones).

In terms of a Verizon phone that plays okay with OS X, I think any Blackberry will sync with PocketMac or MissingSync, and the WM devices will sync with MissingSync. It works tolerably well. Options for the large number of LG phones Verizon uses are somewhat more limited....

 

[OrganMusic]

So even the voice calls are likely to be spotty? I can live without good data at home, (I work in Chicago) but I really have to have acceptable service for calls.

 

[sdsvtdriver]

Borrow and att phone or buy a phone and test it. You won't find a definitive answer here.

 

[Warbrain]

So even the voice calls are likely to be spotty? I can live without good data at home, (I work in Chicago) but I really have to have acceptable service for calls.

Considering where you are...

You'll find EDGE reception but it will be spotty. There should be some sort of GPRS connection to fall back on but that depends on the partner that at&t has or at&t's own network. I've spent plenty of time between Woodstock and Harvard and can find a 3G signal on U.S. 14 but once off the road I'm strictly on EDGE but there's better reception there.

If you can live without good data at home then it may not be so bad. Only way to find out is to get an iPhone and try it. Ask the rep when you purchase it if it would be possible to purchase it and try it out at home because you don't know how reception is where you live and want to make sure it's suitable. Find the right person and they'll let you do it.

But that is one hell of a commute to Chicago every day...I've done the train out to Harvard and it's nearly 2 hours if not more on a bad day. The drive to Harvard is 90 minutes...how long is your commute?

 

[OrganMusic]

Thanks for the info, It's about 2 hour's drive but I stay in Evanston 2 nights a week so I don't have to drive it every day. But thus why the phone needs to work well (for my wife) at home.

I wonder if they would agree to sign me up with an iPhone with a new number (to try out) and then switch to my existing number? That's probably asking a lot.

I really want the iPhone but getting out of VZW is tough since all of my family and coworkers are on it.

 

[Warbrain]

Thanks for the info, It's about 2 hour's drive but I stay in Evanston 2 nights a week so I don't have to drive it every day. But thus why the phone needs to work well (for my wife) at home.

I wonder if they would agree to sign me up with an iPhone with a new number (to try out) and then switch to my existing number? That's probably asking a lot.

I really want the iPhone but getting out of VZW is tough since all of my family and coworkers are on it.

If you talk to the right person they may let you do that. All depends on what they feel like doing and whether or not at&t will allow them to do so. I think there's a way for you to try out a phone to see if it'll work where you go but I'm not sure how to go about getting that option.

 

[Vandam500]

Remember you have 30 days to try out the iPhone (or any other phone for that matter on AT&T). If you don't get good service, you can just return it before the 30 days are up and all you have to pay is like $20 for a restocking fee.

 

[kdarling]

In terms of a Verizon phone that plays okay with OS X, I think any Blackberry will sync with PocketMac or MissingSync, and the WM devices will sync with MissingSync. It works tolerably well. Options for the large number of LG phones Verizon uses are somewhat more limited....

I don't think Verizon has any LG smartphones. Just Samsung, HTC, Moto, Palm.

I really want the iPhone but getting out of VZW is tough since all of my family and coworkers are on it.

Yep, the usual case.

You could always get a WM phone, buy a wireless hotspot app, and use an iPod touch over it. Just takes two pockets.

 

[OrganMusic]

Remember you have 30 days to try out the iPhone (or any other phone for that matter on AT&T). If you don't get good service, you can just return it before the 30 days are up and all you have to pay is like $20 for a restocking fee.

The only problem is that I can envision huge troubles if I drop VZW and have my numbers transferred to a new iPhone, then find out it won't work and have to go crawling back to VZW.

 

[sdsvtdriver]

I wonder if they would agree to sign me up with an iPhone with a new number (to try out) and then switch to my existing number? That's probably asking a lot.

No, it isn't asking a lot. That is exactly what I did. I wanted to ensure I had coverage where I needed it. After I verified and tested for 2 weeks, I called ATT and ported.

 

[OrganMusic]

AT&T = Epic Fail

Well I decided to have a go. We signed up with a nice associate at the store in Rockford. She offered to sign us up without transferring numbers at first, so I didn't even have to ask for that. Everything was great until we got about 5 miles from home and saw this:

So no iPhone for me. At first I was quite impressed as it transitioned off 3g onto EDGE seamlessly without dropping the call, but about 5 miles from home the signal dropped like a rock.

I played with the BB Storm and the Samsung ION for quite a while and was NOT impressed. So I guess I'll have to go back to carrying separate phone, palm, GPS and ipod.

 

[Warbrain]

Well I decided to have a go. We signed up with a nice associate at the store in Rockford. She offered to sign us up without transferring numbers at first, so I didn't even have to ask for that. Everything was great until we got about 5 miles from home and saw this:

So no iPhone for me. At first I was quite impressed as it transitioned off 3g onto EDGE seamlessly without dropping the call, but about 5 miles from home the signal dropped like a rock.

I played with the BB Storm and the Samsung ION for quite a while and was NOT impressed. So I guess I'll have to go back to carrying separate phone, palm, GPS and ipod.

Did you already return it? You may want to try turning off the 3G radio and see if just EDGE gets caught. When I'm at my brother's house between Harvard and Woodstock I get no signal with the 3G radio turned on but great signal with EDGE only.

 

[OrganMusic]

The little "3g" next to the signal meter turned to an E when I left Rockford, so I assumed that meant it had already switched, but I'll try that.

Edit: Made no difference. Still firmly "No Service"

Did you already return it? You may want to try turning off the 3G radio and see if just EDGE gets caught. When I'm at my brother's house between Harvard and Woodstock I get no signal with the 3G radio turned on but great signal with EDGE only.