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LTE. AT&T or Verizon?

A

Aces2412

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 21, 2012
116
1
Near DC
Ok I have been reading all the speed tests and how fast vzw is but I am looking for the network with the biggest coverage. I have been using the 4g coverage app that overlays both networks. Yes vzw has the biggest lte coverage but AT&T has the bigger 4g (hspa 3G on steroids) coverage. Am I crazy to pick AT&T because of this. I would rather have that then vzw 3G. Vzw feels like all or nothing and AT&T feels like good and sometime great.

Does anyone thing AT&T will be a better investment in the future since they just started with there lte network or do you think vzw will expand there's faster to cover all of there 3G areas?

I live in crofton md which has strong AT&T 4g with speeds of 5 -7 Mbps. In DC it's the full range with lte 7 - 30 Mbps. Depending what sever you pick on speed test.

Come on at&t fans sell me.
 
I'm going to turn it around and say: If coverage is identical in the areas you go to, then what data plan do you need?

I switched to a Verizon ipad because I don't need much data, but the 250MB AT&T base plan is bullsht. $20/1GB Verizon is more attuned to my needs. If you need more than 2GB yet under 3GB, then AT&T is the better choice.

My phones are on AT&T and I've been perfectly happy with them. Coverage is good in the areas I frequent. (but to be fair, I almost never go to a store and if I call customer service I get routed to business customer care due to my FAN/company discount and those people usually have a clue)
 
I am blown away by AT&T's 4G LTE. I am getting 51Mbps Down and 16Mbps Up at work right now. So I would recommend AT&T. However, if you need or want the hotspot feature go with Verizon. But speed wise I couldn't be happier with AT&T.
 
It takes forever for AT&T to add LTE to other cities, the reason AT&T has faster LTE is because they have like one phone on their network that will work on LTE, wait till the next iPhone comes out and puts a heavy load on their towers, then let's see how the fair.

Verizon has more LTE in more cities and decent speeds, but thief 3G sucks.
 
No hotspot needed. Where are you located? Also I have been reading some crazy issues with Verizon sim cards. Card deactivations and cellular usage turning itself on???:eek:
 
Aces2412 said:
No hotspot needed. Where are you located? Also I have been reading some crazy issues with Verizon sim cards. Card deactivations and cellular usage turning itself on???:eek:
Click to expand...

I use an AT&T iPhone, but went to Verizon for the iPad. I bought an unlimited data plan off CL, use the new unlimited LTE data planin my iPad. Not only do I have free hotspot feature, if I don't have VZW coverage I can use my AT&T iPhones sim card and a few setting changes and hook to AT&T's 3G network.

Best of both worlds.
 
I have traveled all over the country by road for years. If AT&T coverage is great in your area and you don't plan on traveling, your choice will come down to loyalty, preference, plan pricing, etc.

If you travel at all, especially if that travel includes any time outside of the largest cities in the US, my recommendation is to go with Verizon, no questions asked.
 
Aces2412 said:
No hotspot needed. Where are you located? Also I have been reading some crazy issues with Verizon sim cards. Card deactivations and cellular usage turning itself on???:eek:
Click to expand...

I'm in New York. If you are in an area that supports AT&T LTE I highly recommend it. Plus they are rolling it out fast.
 
Depends on where you intend to use it. I'm in the Pacific Northwest and the closest is AT&T LTE is in San Francisco (600 miles away) and no announcements from AT&T about any intentions to bring LTE here. Meanwhile, Verizon LTE has the Portland area covered with LTE.

Which do you think I should get? ;)
 
Verizon. Not only is falling back to EVDO very palatable while EDGE on AT&T is not, Verizon will be at 100% LTE by the summer of 2013.

I love AT&T for my iPhone, but on the iPad, Verizon is the clear winner.
 
I called AT&T and asked them when LTE was coming to my area and they had no idea. That's why my AT&T iPad is going back and I'm keeping the Verizon one.
 
Att is better at data. Always has been. Verizon is good at phone calls.
 
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Ok I will mainly use it when I travel. So I guess vzw is the way to go. Have they found a way to activate a virgin AT&T sim to add to the vzw iPad?

If you live in and work in DC does vzw 4g work ok in buildings?
 
Honestly AT&T's HPSA+ is just as congested as its 3G network. So there are a lot of times in which your HPSA+ speeds won't be that great. Always aim for the better LTE
 
AdonisSMU said:
Att is better at data. Always has been. Verizon is good at phone calls.
Click to expand...

No true anymore. AT&T had faster 3G than Verizon, but they are both using the same 4G standard. Verizon speed should be at least as fast as AT&T based on the standard. Then compare the 4G footprint of Verizon to AT&T. You would have to be blind to say that AT&T would be better for data.

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Aces2412 said:
Ok I will mainly use it when I travel. So I guess vzw is the way to go. Have they found a way to activate a virgin AT&T sim to add to the vzw iPad?

If you live in and work in DC does vzw 4g work ok in buildings?
Click to expand...

Is this for outside the U.S.? The Verizon version is fully compatible with any 3G GSM network outside the U.S. and you should be able to just put in the SIM and go.
 
bcaslis said:
No true anymore. AT&T had faster 3G than Verizon, but they are both using the same 4G standard. Verizon speed should be at least as fast as AT&T based on the standard. Then compare the 4G footprint of Verizon to AT&T. You would have to be blind to say that AT&T would be better for data.

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Is this for outside the U.S.? The Verizon version is fully compatible with any 3G GSM network outside the U.S. and you should be able to just put in the SIM and go.
Click to expand...

Both overseas and domestic. The apple guy told me the best for international was at&t ? Is that old info? Will having the 2100 feq be better down the road?
 
Verizon originally intended to overlay their entire 3G network with LTE by the end of 2013. That date has been moved up to sometime in the summer of 2013.

AT&T intends to overlay their 3G network with LTE by the end of 2013.

If both remain somewhat aligned to their projected rollouts, it looks like the majority of the US will be covered by LTE in the next 2 years.

While Verizon has more LTE coverage now, I would say that you can't go wrong getting either the AT&T or the Verizon iPad.
 
Peanut207 said:
I am blown away by AT&T's 4G LTE. I am getting 51Mbps Down and 16Mbps Up at work right now. So I would recommend AT&T. However, if you need or want the hotspot feature go with Verizon. But speed wise I couldn't be happier with AT&T.
Click to expand...

Does LTE light up on the top next to 4G? I'm on Staten Island which is suppose to be totally 4G LTE, but all I'm getting is 4G. ATT rep called me up the other day to make sure I was all set up to receive LTE, but haven't see it yet. Thanks
 
BiggAW said:
I'll believe it when I see it. Maybe "4G", but I highly doubt 4G, as they are claiming that they will be 100% 3G by the end of this year. Some EB, and they would be 100% "4G".
Click to expand...

http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=2943
http://content.usatoday.com/communi...-outlines-plans-for-4g-network/1#.T2zLj44sVJ8
http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/5/2684767/att-lte-2013

http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/16/leaked-fcc-document-details-atandts-4g-lte-rollout-plans-talks-u/
http://www.dslreports.com/r0/download/1678331~018ee90413e657e412818181a5d840ff/DOC.pdf

Not hard to find. Research the FCC documents when AT&T was still trying to acquire T-Mobile, and they say the same thing. 4G LTE should be in the Top 200 markets (markets, not cities) for AT&T by the end of 2013.
 
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