Just switched to Verizon and now I'm wondering how I lived with AT&T for three years

[mtcowdog]

I have not had an opportunity to compare across wireless companies. It is interesting to read people's experiences. Here in Montana, Verizon has been our only wireless option. AT&T has recently grabbed a foothold via an acquisition (Altel), but the geographic coverage is still modest.

I wish we had a national wireless infrastructure built on one standard (i.e., GSM+LTE). I would be thrilled to buy phones outright and have the flexibility to move among carriers who compete to provide access. That would make so much sense. Alas, that's never going to happen.

 

[saberahul]

Glad you are liking VZ. It really comes down to where you are located.

I agree. If you are near or close to a cell tower and have 5 bars with 3G on VZW, you will get super fast speeds. Best part is that is reliable. I like near a train station so my verizon service is a little laggy (max 3 bars) but since I connect to wifi it won't matter. At work, however, I get very good speeds (sometimes I feel it is faster than wifi).

You should get the My Verizon app - it is quite helpful. University discount at VZW will give you 15% off. ATT I think is the same.

 

[carlgo]

I have not had an opportunity to compare across wireless companies. It is interesting to read people's experiences. Here in Montana, Verizon has been our only wireless option. AT&T has recently grabbed a foothold via an acquisition (Altel), but the geographic coverage is still modest.

I wish we had a national wireless infrastructure built on one standard (i.e., GSM+LTE). I would be thrilled to buy phones outright and have the flexibility to move among carriers who compete to provide access. That would make so much sense. Alas, that's never going to happen.

This could happen someday because they would rather compete with advertising than with actual physical infrastructure and troublesome technology.

There could also be a law that you only get charged for the phone calls you make and the data you use.

 

[sk1wbw]

How is voice and data at the same time? Can you do that on Verizon? I'm kinda getting fed up with ATT myself. ATT shuts off my phone after a day or two past the billing date. I'm about ready to shove my iPhone's up ATT CEO's *******.

 

[pyro008]

You should get the My Verizon app - it is quite helpful. University discount at VZW will give you 15% off. ATT I think is the same.

Discounts vary based on school an employer. For example, my school has 20% off voice and data with ATT and a big fat 0% off anything with Verizon. It made my decision for me.

 

[sk1wbw]

ATT gives me 20% for being military (now retired) and I think Verizon gives 15% or 20% for being a Hilton Hotel employee.

 

[ProwlingTiger]

In the midwest, AT&T sucks for the most part. I'm talking Kansas <---> Texas for sure. So glad I'm back on Verizon. Verizon rules out here.

 

[jeejeebu]

How is voice and data at the same time? Can you do that on Verizon? I'm kinda getting fed up with ATT myself. ATT shuts off my phone after a day or two past the billing date. I'm about ready to shove my iPhone's up ATT CEO's *******.

My understanding is you cannot use voice and data at the same time on Verizon.

 

[sniffies]

I've never hated AT&T as much until my vacation in San Francisco. The service over there is literally nonexistent.

 

[2ndchancephones]

I live in Texas and for down here, AT&T is by far the best. I hunt in the middle of nowhere Texas and the guys with AT&T can use their phones and the guys with Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile etc just have to turn their phones off. So, I guess it depends on where your at.

 

[JustLeft]

You certainly can with a 4G phone on Verizon.

My understanding is you cannot use voice and data at the same time on Verizon.

 

[Dmunjal]

The iPhone 4 doesn't support LTE so that is a moot point. The next iPhone will support HSPA+ but not likely LTE so AT&T will be better than Verizon 3G for overall speed and latency. I get 6 Mbps regularly on AT&T HSPA+ here in the SF Bay Area. Plus, you get simultaneous voice and data.

So, if you use a lot of cellular data and want to stay with the iPhone, AT&T is the best choice. Verizon does have better voice quality so if you need solid voice, that would be the only reason to choose Verizon. Now if you want outrageous 4G speeds, then Verizon LTE is unmatched. But you have to switch to Android.

 

[erayser]

The iPhone 4 doesn't support LTE so that is a moot point. The next iPhone will support HSPA+ but not likely LTE so AT&T will be better than Verizon 3G for overall speed and latency. I get 6 Mbps regularly on AT&T HSPA+ here in the SF Bay Area. Plus, you get simultaneous voice and data.

So, if you use a lot of cellular data and want to stay with the iPhone, AT&T is the best choice. Verizon does have better voice quality so if you need solid voice, that would be the only reason to choose Verizon. Now if you want outrageous 4G speeds, then Verizon LTE is unmatched. But you have to switch to Android.

Really? I didn't have that kind of luck last year when I attended a conference in Moscone Center area. I hope I get those speeds with AT&T 3G data when I go back to the Oracle World conference in early October. If not, I can always switch back to my Verizon mifi. I hear they have great 4G LTE coverage there.

 

[ap3604]

Verizon does have better voice quality so if you need solid voice, that would be the ONLY reason to choose Verizon.

Only reason? I can count 4 off the top of my head:
- 5x more 3G coverage across the U.S.
- A tethering plan that doesn't make you use your unlimited (Unlike Att)
- Way ahead of the game when it comes to LTE network rollout
- Less dropped calls

You might be lucky to live in a big city with lots of Att coverage but not everyone has that luxury. I live in a big city as well but if you move around alot or commute and need 5x more chance to get 1 - 1.5 mbps internet then I can DEF see the lure of Verizon.

Now as for advantages of Att I can certainly think of some too:
- HSPA+ "4g" is much less of a battery drain than LTE
- Have never said anything about throttling customers (unlike Verizon)
- MUCH better pricing options for data if your a new customer ($15/25 vs Verizon's $30)
- Can use data and voice
- Can be used outside of U.S

There's not really a best carrier. It's all just about location and personal preferences.

 

[Dmunjal]

I agree about Verizon's better 3G coverage across the nation. But in big cities where I travel, I always get good 3G.

My point was for most iPhone users, especially after the next iPhone with HSPA+ and no LTE, AT&T will be the better choice.

 

[PNutts]

Only reason? I can count 4 off the top of my head...

The image you posted has no meaning without more details. For those interested they should visit the Vendor's maps and understand what they show from the selections offered. You'll find when you zoom in the coverage looks more like a patchwork quilt than solid coverage:

AT&T coverage map: http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/#?type=data

Verizon coverage map: http://www.verizonwireless.com/wireless-coverage-area-map.shtml

And a site that displays user posted dead zones: http://www.deadcellzones.com/

From the sites above:

 

[Stein357]

Verizon's reception where I live is much better.

 

[JustLeft]

. Now if you want outrageous 4G speeds, then Verizon LTE is unmatched. But you have to switch to Android.

That was my point. The android 4G phones will do simultaneous voice and data. I was playing with a DROID charge at Costco. The speed was amazing. Averaging 15 mbs.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[machacker]

I made the jump about 6 months ago. I don't think I'll ever look back. With the Verizon iPhone and the awesome coverage and voice reception, it was worth it.

 

[kleinias]

The image you posted has no meaning without more details. For those interested they should visit the Vendor's maps and understand what they show from the selections offered. You'll find when you zoom in the coverage looks more like a patchwork quilt than solid coverage:

You might be unaware of this, but some of the images you posted are a little distortionary when compared with one another. For instance, the image you posted of AT&T's coverage of Kansas and the surrounding states, includes AT&T's 3G coverage (that makes sense), however, you've also included AT&T's Edge/GPRS, partner edge, and partner GPRS. In other words you're including AT&T's non 3G coverage area.

However, in the map you are showing for Verizon's coverage of Kansas and the surrounding states, you are only including Verizon's 3G coverage, but you leave out Verizon's Wireless 1X and Verizon's Extended 1X Data coverage. Thus you are making Verizon's coverage look much smaller than you should if you are comparing similar data coverage areas. You're probably just new to this sort of thing and so it was an understandable mistake on your part.

 

[erayser]

I don't trust those colored maps. It's all good for marketing, but not accurate. Before I upgraded my 2200 mifi to the Verizon 4G LTE device, I entered my zip on 4G LTE coverage, and it said something like... Congratulation, you have Verizon 4G LTE coverage in your location. Not once have I had a 4G LTE signal at my house. It doesn't bother me since I have fast home Internet. I'll continue being customer of Verizon, but their data isn't "picture" perfect. LOL...

 

[iamthedudeman]

Well the OP must be the unluckiest person in the world. Because I travel to several cities a week and AT@T is fast every where I go. Verizon is molasses in comparison. Where do you live?

I get 6Mps down on HSPA+ on the regular where I live and I average 3Mps or usually more than that everywhere I go. Verizon 3Gs tops out at under 3Mps theo. with real world speeds in the 2Mps or 1.5Mps. And that is the fastest it goes, as good as it gets so to speak for the iphone on Verizon since LTE is not available on the iphone nor will it be for the iphone 5.

And let's not forget the fact that ATT's coverage is going to get a whole lot better at the end of the year once they get Tmobile's towers that already have HSPA+ with 24Mps downloads. And then the coverage will far out pace Verizon. Not only will ATT remain faster, but they will have better coverage too.

ATT will have HSPA+ for the iphone 5 which can go up to 24Mps while verizon will be stuck with 3Mps with real world speeds half that. So for the foreseeable future for the iphone 4 and 5.

Take your phone back while you still can. Verizon is not the carrier to be on if you want fast data speeds on the iphone 4 or 5. Verizon data speeds on a iphone is garbage. Not to mention the added fact that you can use voice and data at the same time.

Knowing these facts how can you be happy with going with Verizon?

https://www.macrumors.com/2011/06/02/iphone-5-att-4g/

"The implications of an HSPA+ iPhone are significant in the United States, where Apple presently offers a separate CDMA iPhone running on Verizon. Even with both current models of the iPhone 4 limited to 3G networks, AT&T's HSPA data network is already faster than Verizon's EVDO data network. That disparity will be magnified with the next iPhone as AT&T users will be able to experience download speeds in the range of 5-10 Mbps under HSPA+ while users on Verizon will remain stuck on the carrier's current 3G network running in the neighborhood of 1 Mbps. "

 

[D3lta]

I did the same last week to get the unlimited plan and am very happy with Verizon. Although 3G speeds are noticeably slower than AT&T's, I feel like I get 5 bars 3G everywhere with Verizon. Going to upgrade to the new iPhone later this year, and hopefully next year's iPhone gets 4G LTE.

 

[wordoflife]

Well the OP must be the unluckiest person in the world. Because I travel to several cities a week and AT@T is fast every where I go. Verizon is molasses in comparison. Where do you live?

I get 6Mps down on HSPA+ on the regular where I live and I average 3Mps or usually more than that everywhere I go. Verizon 3Gs tops out at under 3Mps theo. with real world speeds in the 2Mps or 1.5Mps. And that is the fastest it goes, as good as it gets so to speak for the iphone on Verizon since LTE is not available on the iphone nor will it be for the iphone 5.

And let's not forget the fact that ATT's coverage is going to get a whole lot better at the end of the year once they get Tmobile's towers that already have HSPA+ with 24Mps downloads. And then the coverage will far out pace Verizon. Not only will ATT remain faster, but they will have better coverage too.

ATT will have HSPA+ for the iphone 5 which can go up to 24Mps while verizon will be stuck with 3Mps with real world speeds half that. So for the foreseeable future for the iphone 4 and 5.

Take your phone back while you still can. Verizon is not the carrier to be on if you want fast data speeds on the iphone 4 or 5. Verizon data speeds on a iphone is garbage. Not to mention the added fact that you can use voice and data at the same time.

Knowing these facts how can you be happy with going with Verizon?

https://www.macrumors.com/2011/06/02/iphone-5-att-4g/

"The implications of an HSPA+ iPhone are significant in the United States, where Apple presently offers a separate CDMA iPhone running on Verizon. Even with both current models of the iPhone 4 limited to 3G networks, AT&T's HSPA data network is already faster than Verizon's EVDO data network. That disparity will be magnified with the next iPhone as AT&T users will be able to experience download speeds in the range of 5-10 Mbps under HSPA+ while users on Verizon will remain stuck on the carrier's current 3G network running in the neighborhood of 1 Mbps. "

Geez bro, what don't you understand that certain carriers do not work in certain places.

 

[polbit]

I live in Texas and for down here, AT&T is by far the best. I hunt in the middle of nowhere Texas and the guys with AT&T can use their phones and the guys with Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile etc just have to turn their phones off. So, I guess it depends on where your at.

That's interesting, I'm in Keller, TX, and even though my coworkers get 4-5Mb with AT&T and I only get 1.5Mb or so at best, for some reason everything loads faster on my phone. Also, I don't drop any calls, but there are many "drop" zones for the AT&T phones around. I had a tough time deciding to go with Verizon since AT&T is based right here, but all the issues I've heard about from my coworkers/friends made me a Verizon customer. So far (3 weeks) I couldn't be happier.

Polbit