Verizon or AT&T - I can't decide!

[motulist]

I know there are a million threads on similar topics, but I just can't decide! What's the best way for a person to decide which carrier to go with? Do ATT and Verizon have the same length return period, and should I just buy one and see how it goes? I was thinking about getting AT&T because of its faster data speed, but from what I've read Verizon has fewer dropped calls and this is going to be my primary phone for voice calls, so I want it to be as good as it can for call quality.

And what about voice call latency? This is an issue that I rarely see discussed, but in my experience it seems to make a HUGE difference in call quality. When you call some people it seems like there's a bigger delay between when one person talks and when the other person finally hears what they says. Which carrier has the shortest voice lag? (or whatever it's called.)

 

[kfergiez]

If you want good voice support, fewer dropped calls, and better coverage with overall good customer support, go with Verizon.

AT&T's faster internet is a plus, but their screaming fast stuff is pretty localized.

 

[mpossoff]

If you want good voice support, fewer dropped calls, and better coverage with overall good customer support, go with Verizon.

AT&T's faster internet is a plus, but their screaming fast stuff is pretty localized.

According to a recent study VZW isn't much more reliable than AT&T in regards to voice as a whole. AT&T has improved. Only by less than 1% is VZW more reliable as a whole, not significant. In regards to data AT&T blows VZW away.

AT&T has improved significantly as a whole in the last 8 months.

 

[ZBoater]

If you are going iPhone, go AT&T. HSPA+ is where its at with the iPhone today.

 

[Applejuiced]

It all depends on how their coverage is in your local area where the phone will be used. Many can tell you their experience from different parts of the US but that wont mean much.
Talk to people you know with both AT&T and Verizon phones and see how they make out with service locally.
Then you can also try it for 15 days and find out for yourself.

 

[glock115]

I have had the iPhone on both networks and enjoyed the iPhone much more on AT&T. I hardly talk that much and data speeds are night and day. I was very frustrated with Verizon's slow data speeds, the inability to talk and surf, even sending mms was difficult at times.
If you talk more than surf, go with Verizon but if you are a heavy data user AT&T wins hands down.

 

[wordoflife]

Where do you live? If you get good AT&T coverage, definitely go with them. HSPA+ is where it's at.

 

[aristobrat]

After having AT&T since the original iPhone back in 2007, I switched to Verizon when I got the iPhone 4s. I do a lot of Jeeping on the weekends in rural areas where only Verizon has coverage, so this made sense for me.

My experience with Verizon 3G is that downloads (like from the App Store or iTunes Store) take *significantly longer* on Verizon than they did with AT&T (and I'm talking about AT&T's regular 3G network, not the faster HSPA+ one). However, web browsing is a little quicker on Verizon for me. Go figure.

I prefer the sound of voice calls now, but I don't know if that's something to do with the iPhone 4s, or that I'm on Verizon's network.

FWIW, Verizon costs me $10/month more than AT&T. Verizon has $5 in subsidies that they collect that AT&T doesn't, and their data plan is $5 more. However, with iMessages reducing the number of txts I send, I was able to drop down to their $10/month 1000 txt plan, and now my monthly bill is the same as AT&T.

 

[kfergiez]

According to a recent study VZW isn't much more reliable than AT&T in regards to voice as a whole. AT&T has improved. Only by less than 1% is VZW more reliable as a whole, not significant. In regards to data AT&T blows VZW away.

AT&T has improved significantly as a whole in the last 8 months.

I'd like to see this study. Do you have a link?

 

[Sandman1969]

I'd like to see this study. Do you have a link?

It was on macrumors the other day.
Here : https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1278405/

"For dropped calls, something for which AT&T has been consistently criticized, Sprint comes out worst. Metrico claims Verizon experienced a 2.1% call failure rate while AT&T had 2.8% and Sprint was worst at 3.7%."


I love AT&T. I have no problems with them. I get HSPA+ where I live and work so it is a no brainer. Being able to talk and do data at the same time is VERY nice as well. I use it quite often.

I know everyone has their opinion and tons bitched about AT&T but I have had no problems. There was some issues in 2007 when I first for the iPhone, but that has improved exponentially.
I also like their customer support. I know some complain about it, but I have been very lucky with that I guess.

 

[Ronnoco]

The lack of simultaneous voice and data on Verizon would be a deal breaker for me...
Personally, despite all the "bitching" I read about AT&T, I've been a customer since purchasing the original iPhone in October 2007, and I've had nothing but great experiences with them in both service and customer service. Frankly, I couldn't be happier with them.

 

[antman2295]

I haven't used Verizon, but everyone that has Verizon around here has poor service. We have been with At&t for a VERY LONG TIME, and haven't had any issues with At&t, customer service is like any other company, just depends on who you get, but i haven't really had any issues with customer service. At&t has pretty fast data speeds, and I have rarely had a dropped call, and that was where no carrier had coverage. I would say At&t just because ive had good luck with them, also i would say find out if you qualify for a FAN discount from either carrier. Ive also compared At&t to verizon, and At&t has been cheaper. Good luck with your decision.

 

[digitard]

It's all area dependent.

Check w/ your friends, family, and various cell sites to find out who has the best coverage in the area's you're mostly in.

In my area ATT has great data but they have TONS of voice dead spots that my friends experience (constant drops at various intersections, areas, etc).

I have Verizon and couldn't be happier. I haven't had a dropped call in... I honestly don't know.

 

[Nielsenius]

If you are going iPhone, go AT&T. HSPA+ is where its at with the iPhone today.

+1 on this.

 

[Macman45]

What Would You Advise

It all depends on how their coverage is in your local area where the phone will be used. Many can tell you their experience from different parts of the US but that wont mean much.
Talk to people you know with both AT&T and Verizon phones and see how they make out with service locally.
Then you can also try it for 15 days and find out for yourself.

I'm coming home in the new year, will be NYC based, but will be making regular trips to MA. Most of my friends say Verizon?

I'm so used to having unlocked, change at will freedom, that I want to be sure I have a decent provider, and how do contract lock downs work? I have to sign up for XXX months?

My 4 And 4S will be of no use (I'm told) back home, so I sell them and get? All advice gratefully received

 

[NoHo]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

I'd go with sprint of you can so you can get unlimited data. Trust me, in the very near future, were going to be able to do things we can't even imagine right now with our mobile devices and capped data is going to really suck and get very expensive. 2GB will be gone quickly.

But if you can't, I'd go with AT&T. Faster speed and the ability to use the Internet to surf, send email, text, etc while you're on a call makes up for a couple dropped calls a month.

 

[SR45]

You may wish to look at this link as well. Not perfect but just some additional information to digest.


http://www.rootmetrics.com/map/

good coverage depends on where you actually live (Home/Work) and not go by just what others have said about their own coverage area's. This is tough to find out unless you have some neighbors with the same carrier and phone, not to mention the construction of your building.

 

[Macman45]

Tats Intersting

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

I'd go with sprint of you can so you can get unlimited data. Trust me, in the very near future, were going to be able to do things we can't even imagine right now with our mobile devices and capped data is going to really suck and get very expensive. 2GB will be gone quickly.

But if you can't, I'd go with AT&T. Faster speed and the ability to use the Internet to surf, send email, text, etc while you're on a call makes up for a couple dropped calls a month.

I looked at a couple of consumer survey's and AT&T come out bottom Sprint are in the middle, my friends say Verizon (as do my friends @ Apple) Just to clarify, my 4 (unlocked purchased from apple) and my new 4S are useless back home?

 

[Applejuiced]

I looked at a couple of consumer survey's and AT&T come out bottom Sprint are in the middle, my friends say Verizon (as do my friends @ Apple) Just to clarify, my 4 (unlocked purchased from apple) and my new 4S are useless back home?

You can use them at Tmobile or AT&T.
They're not useless.

 

[Solange82200]

It's all area dependent.

Check w/ your friends, family, and various cell sites to find out who has the best coverage in the area's you're mostly in.

In my area ATT has great data but they have TONS of voice dead spots that my friends experience (constant drops at various intersections, areas, etc).

I have Verizon and couldn't be happier. I haven't had a dropped call in... I honestly don't know.

Exactly. My boss, who's rich, has a vacation house in another state in a rural area, and ATT wont work there, so he had to get a phone on Verizon. I dont travel much, and where I live, ATT is just as good if not better, so for me I chose ATT. When I did travel, once to San Francisco and once to New York City, I was able to use my 3gs (what i had at the time, now have a 4s) just fine. I know iphone/att is supposed to be bad in those two cities, I think for people who live there and are using their phone for work and daily lives its more apparent, whereas for me who was just on vacation, I didnt use at is much and didnt really notice any problems when i did, except for once right in the middle of times square data was really slow, but I pretty much expected that.

 

[Apple...]

How about both?

 

[Macman45]

So I Can Get

You can use them at Tmobile or AT&T.
They're not useless.

A micro sim from Tmobile (also Orange here in the UK) that will slot in and work?

Although Tmobile come out way low on the coverage side of things. Thanks for the information though.

Got all over Christmas to think about tis....It would be good to take my phones with me though.

 

[Applejuiced]

A micro sim from Tmobile (also Orange here in the UK) that will slot in and work?

Although Tmobile come out way low on the coverage side of things. Thanks for the information though.

Got all over Christmas to think about tis....It would be good to take my phones with me though.

Yes, they will take care of you.
But remember Tmobile USA 3G is not compatible with any iphone model so if you use them you will only get 2G edge for data.

 

[puggles]

None of my friends with Verizon iPhones get 3G inside buildings...they get that circle which i think means roaming....ive never had this problem with ATT and internet speeds seem much faster.

 

[Macman45]

S I Guess

Yes, they will take care of you.
But remember Tmobile USA 3G is not compatible with any iphone model so if you use them you will only get 2G edge for data.

The honest bottom line is sell here, and buy back home? Looks that way to me. My phones are in mint condition, and I did get big discount on both, so selling here before I come home, (Maybe buy a cheapie for travel purposes, then check stuff out when I get there.