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Verizon iPhone to Ship in A Few Weeks with Unlimited Data Plans?
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ATT will HAPPILY lose all those abusers who hurt the network for the rest of us by using 10-100X the average amount of data.
ATT hasn't forced anyone to give up the unlimited plan, they just aren't offering it to new customers. Based on that I would guess that you would be allowed to keep the unlimited plan on Verizon for at least 2 years.
If this is the case, I have only one word, "tempting."
"Go ahead," hissed the snake. "Just one bite...who will notice?"
this is an image from the Apple Store, it says that the White iPhone 4 will be available in the Spring of 2011 and will require a new 2 year contract with AT&T.
(click image to enlarge)
It makes you wonder why Apple would release the white iPhone 4 so close to the "expected" summer announcement/release of the next gen iPhone. Only 2-3 months. One possibility could be that the release of the next GSM iPhone (4S?) could be pushed back closer to the holidays with a CDMA version released at the same time.
Would sure help keep Apple's iPhone sales from hitting the skids in the 2 months before June, wouldn't it?
lol, I knew it was coming sometime last summer....
but it will be funny on tuesday, after its announced, people start posting: It's still not coming!
Not always. And nothing is slower than stopped. Around my town, you'll be able to tell the Verizon iPhone users simply because they'll be able to use voice and data inside of restaurants, while the ATT users cannot.
If the GPS app has its own database, you can.
Rollover minutes are great if you live on the edge between plans. Otherwise it's strange to hear people talk about their thousands of minutes that will never get used... it simply means they had too big a plan.
The reason Verizon didn't have to have WiFi in their handsets, was because they didn't have to rely on it for coverage like ATT does.
AT&T did allow anyone on the old unlimited plan to be grandfathered in. I did this as well until I looked at my usage and dropped to the 200MB.
That is the other thing, very few people use a ton of data. So, if Verizon DOES offer unlimited - even if "capped" at 5GB - it will create pressure for AT&T OR VZN. Verizon will either go to the tier or AT&T will increase limits/ go unlimited.
At this point, I only care about keeping the price low. Even tethering doesn't make a ton of sense on these much slower, yes even "4G", because it is NOT like current wireless speeds (eg. 802.11n). Good in a pinch - you bet. Something decent you really want to rely on for internet access, no.
As to the rest of the issues, bottom line is if you want an iPhone you will have a choice of a carrier and no one can argue that is BAD. YOU have a choice. You choose what works best for YOU.
I personally think it will be interesting to see how an iPhone compares on Verizon in terms of cost (total plan, minutes, etc), 3G speed, concurrent voice/data usage, visual vmail, etc. What will be most telling is if Apple can pry the tight controlling grip of Verizon off the iPhone and just let it be a regular iPhone. THAT, IMHO, will be the biggest feat of all if it happens.
That is the other thing, very few people use a ton of data. So, if Verizon DOES offer unlimited - even if "capped" at 5GB - it will create pressure for AT&T OR VZN. Verizon will either go to the tier or AT&T will increase limits/ go unlimited.
At this point, I only care about keeping the price low. Even tethering doesn't make a ton of sense on these much slower, yes even "4G", because it is NOT like current wireless speeds (eg. 802.11n). Good in a pinch - you bet. Something decent you really want to rely on for internet access, no.
As to the rest of the issues, bottom line is if you want an iPhone you will have a choice of a carrier and no one can argue that is BAD. YOU have a choice. You choose what works best for YOU.
I personally think it will be interesting to see how an iPhone compares on Verizon in terms of cost (total plan, minutes, etc), 3G speed, concurrent voice/data usage, visual vmail, etc. What will be most telling is if Apple can pry the tight controlling grip of Verizon off the iPhone and just let it be a regular iPhone. THAT, IMHO, will be the biggest feat of all if it happens.
No concurrent voice/data?
So CDMA won't allow concurrent voice/data access? This is kind of a dealbreaker for me since I use my iPhone as my GPS most of the time, and I need to be able to answer a call at the same time.
Can anybody confirm this is a limitation?
So CDMA won't allow concurrent voice/data access? This is kind of a dealbreaker for me since I use my iPhone as my GPS most of the time, and I need to be able to answer a call at the same time.
Can anybody confirm this is a limitation?
Because there are non-informed idiots, sorry consumers, who don't read or investigate a purchase and buy on impulse - or when available in this case. I don't blame Apple, if you can make some money fine not like it will stop working when the new version comes out.
It's true. In a few years, LTE will fix this limitation, but for now that's the situation.
I really wish people would stop using "Unlimited" in these stories. Verizon and AT&T were both 5GB for $30. 5GB isn't even remotely close to "unlimited", and would be quickly exceeded for many people if they actually used the phone like they do their computer. AT&T dropped from 5 to 2GB, and from $30 to $25.
I'm not too annoyed with Comcast's "unlimited" 250GB plan, because it would be very, very hard to exceed that today. But a single game or video rental could more than blow through the "unlimited" 5GB, so...
I'm not too annoyed with Comcast's "unlimited" 250GB plan, because it would be very, very hard to exceed that today. But a single game or video rental could more than blow through the "unlimited" 5GB, so...
I have heard this as well and was able to confirm over a year ago with a friend who had an older smart phone - NOT Andriod.
Now, is this true with Andriod - no clue, haven't been able to confirm.
Will Apple have a deal to work around it - hard to say.
Good news, looks like you will only have to wait a few days to get more information.
It's confirmed (WSJ Link).
Verizon's CDMA network is built COMPLETELY different from how AT&T's is built. It's a huge limitation that prevents ANY phone on their network (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, etc.) from being able to talk and access the web at the same time.
A quick Google search will show the number of people upset about this. Also, there's some articles about the iPhone being able to support it if Version changes a few things with their network. But if it happens, that's another story.
EDIT: This is the reason why Apple made those iPhone ads awhile back that say, "Can your phone and your network do that?"
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Regarding the news itself...good news, and I hope it quickly comes to the next 4 largest carriers too (and then some). Verizon sounds like a pain though compared to AT&T, which apperently lets you adjust your plans on a month to month basis, even allowing you to backdate the change, while Verizon as I understand it forces you to do a new contract to change anything. I hope/assume Verizon also lets you continue on your current plan after you've finished your contract at least.
It's incorrect to say that it is more appealing, as a blanket statement. It is likely more appealing to heavy data users, but for average and below average users, the tiered pricing is as much as half the cost of the old mandatory unlimited data plans. You don't get "unlimited" data, you get the data that you use. Since my average cellular data usage per month, hovered around 300 MB, I was paying $30 a month for 300 MB... now, I am paying $25 for that same data. And on months when I don't use much cell data, I pay $15.
And before you guys conclude, I am merely a technological neophyte and dismiss my comment, I am a data hog, but most of my consumption is in wifi hotspots, the office, and at home.
That Consumer Reports survey was full of holes. It was only 'open' to their online subscribers and half of the respondents from AT&T were iPhone users....a group of users who basically have the highest usage rates and highest service expectations. No other provider had iPhone users.
You need to compare hard data. A day after this Consumer Reports survey came out, the BBB (Better Business Bureau) published the results and AT&T had the lowest complaint rate of all the wireless providers. This is hard data....not subjective input from a restrictive survey.
Also, according to findings from national drive tests conducted by an industry-expert third-party testing firm, Global Wireless Solutions (GWS), AT&T was on top.
GWS drove more than 950,000 road miles over several months in more than 400 U.S. markets, representing about 88 percent of the U.S. population, making their November 2010 study one of the most comprehensive and thorough studies of U.S. mobile network performance. Their scientific study found that AT&T's network is significantly faster than any of the other providers and was 1 dropped call in 1000 from the leader.
Are you posting this again? I didn't realize AT&T had fanboys (or girls), but I was mistaken.
-Speed is dependent on actually getting signal.
-Verizon has phones with international coverage, we have no idea if the new iPhone will have it.
-Rollover minutes would be nice
-You have no idea if Verizon's visual voicemail for Verizon will be free, I use Google Voice anyways, which is free visual voice mail.
-Free WiFi has limited appeal for most people. I had an iPhone for several months, and I have idea where these free hotspots were.
There is no longer a reason for Apple to stick to a annual release for their iPhones.
The initial reason was tied to the expiration date of the iPhone contracts. With AT&T people have renewal dates all over the calendar now. That said, there is still a June surge of iPhone sales at AT&T.
With Verizon, it is now the same for their customers who have Android or BB phones. They have all bought in at different calendar dates. It will be interesting to see if an annual surge of iPhone sales will start there too.
Apple is like a sitting duck right now. With CES in January and competitor phone manufacturers knowing the new iPhone release dates, they can do some serious marketing of their new feature sets that beat a nearly one-year-old iPhone.
I'd expect if Apple were to release new iPhones on a less forecastable basis, that Apple could wreck a lot of competitor marketing plans. It would be similar to how they release the rest of their products, sometimes short of a year and sometimes over a year.
what i meant was there is a dash -- in the overage rate column.. sorry.. should have formatted better
The idea that AT&T's 2gb cap was even remotely enough for even average users is a joke
AT&T was blatantly ripping consumers and hiding behind this "abuse" crap
Want to actually stop abuse? Try putting a cap significantly higher than 2gb.
What a joke
AT&T was blatantly ripping consumers and hiding behind this "abuse" crap
Want to actually stop abuse? Try putting a cap significantly higher than 2gb.
What a joke