Should I stay with AT&T or move to Verizon?

[ClubDownforce]

The "which carrier" question and your location have a direct correlation. Verizon sucks here, and AT&T is much better, for both data and voice. LTE is something I won't see from either until, oh, I don't know, never.

3g vs 3g, AT&T is much faster. Here. Plus the data and talk simultaneously thing is nice, very nice, in fact.

Pricewise, you're gonna get raped either way. Just bend over for one of them, and keep the phone in front of you to distract what either one of them are doing to your backside, usually in the wallet region.

 

[lilo777]

Try a real test in which the server is not right next to you. All my AT&T 3G bandwidth test are done with servers in other locations to simulate real life.

But this has nothing to do with LTE speeds, right? I think 10Mbps on the phone today is plenty fast (even 5 Mbps will do most of the time) but not 700Kbps (iPhone on Verizon or Sprint)

 

[jav6454]

But this has nothing to do with LTE speeds, right? I think 10Mbps on the phone today is plenty fast (even 5 Mbps will do most of the time) but not 700Kbps (iPhone on Verizon or Sprint)

Exactly, so LTE has no bearing here until an iPhone supports it. Currently the iPhone 4's data speeds can easily handle current and short-medium term future usage.

7.2 Mb/s is quite the bandwidth in a mobile device.

 

[lilo777]

Exactly, so LTE has no bearing here until an iPhone supports it. Currently the iPhone 4's data speeds can easily handle current and short-medium term future usage.

7.2 Mb/s is quite the bandwidth in a mobile device.

Not quite. iPhone on AT&T does not make 5Mbps (forget about 10Mbps) in most areas in U.S. It's usually below 2Mbps and I doubt that AT&T is going to invest into 3G now that they started deploying LTE too. This makes Verizon LTE right now rather unique proposition.

 

[jshbckr]

My wife and I are switching to Verizon.

I was worried about slow data speeds because everything people say on the internet. But I figured I'd rather have "pretty good data" that works pretty much everywhere than "really good data" that is patchy and only works in cities.

However, I have a friend at work with a Verizon iPhone 4 (while I have an AT&T iPhone 4) and I decided to run a speed test on our phones at the same time. To my surprise, running couple tests in a row, his Verizon iPhone outperformed my AT&T iPhone on download speeds. The upload speeds were also neck-and-neck, with my AT&T iPhone having the edge. It wasn't a huge difference (about 1.7mbps to 1.5-1.6mbps download) but enough to quash my worries about Verizon having this "awful data network" I'd been hearing so much about.

 

[clutchm3]

I currently don't have a contract with AT&T for my iPhone. I have an unlimited data plan with them and based on where I live I will have better cell phone coverage with Verizon. My coverage is not horrible but Verizon would be better. I am trying to figure out the importance of having an unlimited data plan.

Currently I use very little data on my iPhone but what about the future? Will I benefit from it in the future?

Would you stick with AT&T based on having an unlimited data plan or move to Verizon for the better cell phone coverage?

Thanks for looking.

Man this is my EXACT same situation. I just bit the bullet on Verizon because it is much cheaper for me, my family has a family plan on it. I am quite dissapointed in all of these speed issues though.

 

[RotaryP7]

In Miami, my iPhone 4 on AT&T hits 3-5 mbps download avg. I've tested a Droid Charge from Verizon and it hits 700-800 kbps download avg. Oh and on 4G the Charge hits 4-5 mbps. I'm guessing Verizon isn't fast around here?

 

[jav6454]

Not quite. iPhone on AT&T does not make 5Mbps (forget about 10Mbps) in most areas in U.S. It's usually below 2Mbps and I doubt that AT&T is going to invest into 3G now that they started deploying LTE too. This makes Verizon LTE right now rather unique proposition.

I would like to refute that with this (bear in mind, this was the slowest in my area in New Orleans):

 

[motty2307]

All other carriers have this ability now just not with iPhone. Both LTE (Verizon) and WiMax (Sprint) provide for this use scenario.

Good to know but I thought we were talking about the iPhone.

 

[phillymacuser]

I too was having doubts about upgrading to iPhone4s because of rumored speed differences. I have Verizon with a Blackberry and was waiting for the new iPhone to be released. I contemplated switching to ATT for the faster data network but I have unlimited data on Verizon so I will just stay. I pre-ordered on the 7th and ship date is 14th on Verizon! I can use wifi @ work and home if speeds aren’t good but coming from a Blackberry I can only go faster!!

 

[kappaknight]

I must be unique in this. I had unlimited data with at&t and I downgraded to 200 mb a month as soon as they offered it. 99% of the time I am in a wifi zone and for the other 1%, I just check my email or check-in with foursquare. Obviously my use case is different than a lot of people's but I don't understand why one would stick with a company they don't like and/or continue to pay extra money to a company for services they don't need or use.

Fear is really not a good reason to stick around but sadly so many people stay b/c of it.

 

[brainwave89]

Great input from all. I appreciate your efforts.

I have decided to stay with AT&T due to:
1. I can talk and access data at the same time
2. My coverage isn't that bad where I live
3. The unlimited data plan has me wondering about the future. I feel better knowing I have that option.

Cheers!