Verizon iPhone 5 Will Not Offer Simultaneous Voice and Data [Update: It Was A Hardware Decision]

[emaja]

Why the iPhone 5 on Verizon and Sprint won't juggle calls and data: It was Apple's decision.

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/13/iphone-5-calls-data/

It's still Verizon's issue since the fallback CDMA can't handle voice and data simultaneously.

 

[tigres]

I use this feature every single day. Wow, sucks again for Verizon.

 

[blackhand1001]

Article is totally misleading and wrong.

No phone except the thunderbolt can do simultaneous voice and data on LTE.

All android phones and iPhone 5 CAN do data on LTE and voice on 3G at same time. FOr all those phones, if you lose LTE you lose data at same time capability.

The reason ATT is different and thus Iphone on ATT is cause of HSPDA spec which allows for that. Only when Verizon comes out with VoLTE will all those phones do it.

The htc rezound, thunderbolt, and galaxy s3 all can do simultaneous voice and data over 3g with the need for a 4g connection. This is because they all support svdo. The iphone does not support it. The upcoming razr hd, m and maxx also support as does the incredible 4g.

 

[naeS1Sean]

I'm honestly now happy and satisfied. I appreciate the follow-up.

 

[RaceTripper]

I think in the four years of super-craptastic AT&T non-service I used simultaneous voice and phone 4 times. I couldn't care less that Verizon doesn't support it. I can use it as a phone, and reliably enough that I will abandon my land line. I could never say that much for AT&T.

 

[truettray]

I've probably only used simulations data and voice 3 times total since my area got 3G.

 

[gshchegolev]

Typical VZ response.

I know the company fairly well and I am fairly certain that the person that gave this response is not qualified to give this response. Look at the language of the reply. It's very unprofessional IMHO. I also think that there is 10 people at VZ that actually held iPhone 5 in their hand and worked with Apple to develop it. They are the ones that would know if the device will do voice and data at once or not. Until either Apple makes a statement or I test it myself I will not take this response as a fact.

Nevertheless if it is true I would be very disappointed. This is one feature I miss since I switched to VZ.

Lastly to people that compare thunderbolt to iPhone 5, please stop. That phone was a massive failure with a battery life of a 20 year old Dell laptop. I don't care if the other phone has it, I only care if the other device has it and it works well on it.

 

[tigres]

For those on AT&T, who think this is a dealbreaker - how many times have you actually used voice and data at the same time?

I've been on CDMA carriers pretty much forever (with the exception of a brief fling with T-Mobile and an unlocked iPhone...which can't do simultaneous voice and data either) and I have only run into problems with this ONCE. That's more than four years of having smartphones.

I don't doubt that some people need this occasionally but it's seriously a non-issue for almost everyone. I wouldn't rule Verizon out just for this. I also wouldn't assume that a Verizon rep about knows what they're talking about either.

Sometimes when you are restricted from doing tasks, you don't miss them over time.

I use this daily while on the phone with a client- rates, email, market, Dropbox, you name it.

 

[STC1709]

simultaneous voice and data is about as overrated as using a case for your phone. If I'm talking to someone on the phone, then why would I need to surf the net, at least show the guy on the other end some respect. I have maybe needed to use both ONCE in 2 years

 

[stockcerts]

I have AT&T right now and live in San Francisco. The coverage is terrible so I've been considering switching to Verizon, which I heard is good here. Right now I have unlimited text msg's and data and pay about $92- a month. I think it would be more with Verizon.

The other thing I'm not sure about is can I pre-order from Apple choosing Verizon even though I don't have an account with them at this time? When I clicked on the link from Apple for eligibility (selecting Verizon) it stated that I don't have an account with them..

 

[einmusiker]

Plus, in the next two years the 4G LTE network is supposed to evolve to support voice calls, which would render another antenna unnecessary later.

Are they serious???? In two years there will be two new iterations of iPhone at least. What a ridiculous excuse

 

[nikhsub1]

Why? Every other phone with LTE does it, it's obviously a limitation with the iPhone 5. Also, how's that non-existent LTE? I've got unlimited and unthrottled LTE in places where dial-up is the only other internet option.

Yea seems to be an Apple thing, it still sucks for those like me that need both at the same time - I use this almost all day long. Oh, and non existent LTE? Here in Los Angeles I get 30mpbs up and down for the most part. It rocks.

Why? Those aren't the kind of things I feel bad for people for. It's just a network and they all have their issues/features anyways. Personally, this has never been a problem for me or seen as a needed feature whereas the cell coverage in my area is much better suited for Verizon anyways.

ATT works very well where I live so I stick with them, even though they annoy me.

 

[ConCat]

Can't do data and voice? Solution: make voice data. VoIP. I am curious why they didn't use the aluminum back as the needed antenna though...

 

[iVoid]

Verizon gave this statement to MacRumors:
Quote:
iPhone 5 was designed to allow simultaneous voice calling on the Verizon Wireless network while browsing the Internet over WiFi. This is no different from the current iPhone 4S.

Um... am I going blind? Doesn't that quote say that the iPhone 5 WAS designed to allow voice and data?

Copy and paste error or typo?

Of course then it says "like the 4S", which can't have voice and data at the same time.

This is bad news (if true), since LTE usually allows voice and data, someone dropped the ball there.

But I was/am going to wait till the 5s anyway . Mostly because I have a year left on my 4s contract, the odd 3 models with no true 'world phone', and the 5 doesn't really excite me. Maybe the 5s will be a single world phone again that allows voice/data on lte, and that you don't have to decide where you're going to travel when buying your phone.

And the followup update from Apple. That's pretty lame that Apple cut corners like that. The 3 different models seem very un-apple to me.

Definitely makes me glad I'm waiting for others to beta test the first LTE version for me.

 

[Buildbright]

I just read on twitter where verizon said it will support this. I will wait and see this may be a crazy panic for nothing.

 

[lilo777]

Galaxy S3 does it.
What a joke.
The carriers artificially crippling yet another Apple product while supporting/promoting Apple's competition. What a f-n joke.

You got it totally wrong. Nobody is crippling iPhone but Apple. To have simultaneous voice and data on Verizon Apple would need to use two chips. Instead they decided to save battery life and make a phone thinner so they went with a single chip and crippled the phone. iPhone 5 - slim but crippled.

 

[ECUpirate44]

So the 5S will support voice and data...

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

So much for leaving at&t

 

[Reaper0bot0]

My Galaxy S3 supports SVDO, which means I can hold a call at the same time S
as either an EV/DO (3G) or LTE (4G) data session. If this report is true, I am astonished.

 

[EvanBlive91]

The fact this only the iphone 5 has this limitation on verizon means its something to do with the single chip apple is using. No other LTE phone has this issue.

It seems like when on a call, only the CDMA and or GSM bands are working. Even on att, it drops you off of LTE and onto the 3g network.

It means other phones are using an extra radio which is probably feasible because they are so much larger. How's that for logic?

 

[sumocomputers]

Switching to Verizon

I am switching to Verizon, even though I use this feature all the time on AT&T.

Reason for switch: Bay Area data on AT&T is unusable at times, and my Verizon iPad 3 works great.

Solution to the Voice/Data issue: I always have my iPad, so I will just have my iPhone connect via WiFi to it, problem solved. Since all the data will be shared on my plan, it is only an extra $10/month to add the iPad.

But I totally understand for many users, this could be a deal breaker. For me, not having reliable data on AT&T was the bigger deal breaker.

 

[eidling]

I was ready to switch tonight to Verizon. Looks like I am ordering two AT&T phones tonight!

 

[janderson0719]

Hey, FWIW, I live in VA's largest city, where Verizon has been selling LTE for coming up on a year (next month).

Attached is a the level of Verizon LTE service I get at my house.
My Verizon 4s, at the same spot, gets 4 bars of their voice/3G service.

Point being, just because they have a city marked as "LTE" doesn't necessarily mean that the LTE coverage there is either as thorough (or reliable) as their voice/3G network.

After my experience with Verizon LTE, I'd wish YOU good luck. Hopefully your area is covered better than mine. I'm personally paying the ETF with Verizon and moving back to AT&T (for the iPhone 5). AT&T doesn't even have LTE here yet, but their 3G network clocks in faster than Verizon's LTE network does, where I live and work.

I live in Cali and I think I'm safe.

I traveled to a few places throughout California with my Verizon LTE iPad and got great service. I should be fine. However, AT&T has some very sketchy places throughout Cali and I'm sure across the nation it is no different.

 

[ladeer]

Full disclosure: current AT&T customer and wasn't planning on switching. But I honestly wonder how many people actually use this feature?

I conciously remember using this feature maybe three times in the past several years.

use every day:

1. while talking on the phone waiting for your friend at starbucks, your friend asked you "what is the address of starbuck u r at?" you look up the address and tell him.

2. you use GPS on the phone navigating while driving and talking handfree from it via Bluetooth

3. You talk on the phone while downloading song from iTune

4. Over the phone someone said he sends u an email, did you get it? You open ur mail and check....

5. You talk on the phone then u get a text message from another iPhone that require data, since iMessage does not use cellular but use data between iPhones. Do you never text/receive text/reply text during a call?? It happens all the time.

6. Check weather/traffic/stock while on call

7. use any app that require data (most do) while on a call

8. use WebEx or any other tele conference app that require you to use data and phone at the same time. (WebEx will dial to your cell phone. you answer the phone, turn on the app, then you see the desktop of the meeting host so he can present to you.)

webex.com

there are sooooo many other examples i seriously think u use this more than 3x a year. i use it every day.

 

[2IS]

simultaneous voice and data is about as overrated as using a case for your phone. If I'm talking to someone on the phone, then why would I need to surf the net, at least show the guy on the other end some respect. I have maybe needed to use both ONCE in 2 years

A case is hardly over-rated, especially if you are prone to dropping your phone.

You do realize there are other ways of using data besides directly on your phone right? Ever heard of tethering?

I do a LOT of remote network administration/troubleshooting and I am very often speaking to a client while having my macbook tethered to my phone, remote logged into their network and troubleshooting at the same time as I'm talking to them.

Moral of the story? You are not everyone, everyone is not you.