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Personally I've been very surprised at how often I use web+data while talking on the phone. Helping a friend with directions, sending my mom an email with photos while talking to her and walking around the farmer's market, streaming internet radio and then receiving a call... it happens a lot.

I certainly won't be willing to switch to any other service unless they have that working. Before I owned the iPhone, I probably would have said "that's silly I'd never use that". Now that I use it almost daily... I can't imagine being without it!

Ya i have really began to realize how much I actually use this. I bought a pre on sprint and thats was my first (of a few) letdowns. Long story short Im back on ATT with my iphone.
 
One very simple example: you are driving, using your smartphone for GPS-enabled turn-by-turn instructions, and you have an incoming telephone call.

I suppose if you have live traffic updates, but I've ran Navigon on my iPhone just fine in the wilderness without EDGE/3G signal. Otherwise a GPS app has no need to use your data plan afaik.
 
I have the this same theory minus the VZ network being trashed. When everyone jumps ship to VZ, that should hopefully speed things up on AT&T's side.

Well their network may not take a huge hit, but I'd love to see it happen. :cool:

All my friends who can't afford an iPhone have verizon and try to tell me how much better it is when they need coverage in BFE.
 
So AT&T has a huge network strain due to the iPhone. Once most people jump ship and go to Verizon their network will be trashed and AT&T's will be relieved of most of the stress. So my 3 Mbps 3G speeds will increase a bit and be more consistent.

I thought I read verizon handled more data than ATT on thier network last year?!?

From dsl reports:

Last year AT&T made (the wrong kind of) headlines as the carrier's network struggled under the bandwidth demands of the iPhone, and it was consistently inferred that this bandwidth demand was breaking records right and left. But according to a new study by ABI Research, both Sprint and Verizon both actually carried more wireless data traffic in 2009 than AT&T. Verizon (which the firm predicts will retain the top spot over the next five years due to broader coverage) and Sprint carried 63% of the US market's mobile network data traffic, though third place AT&T did have the most activated data devices in 2009:
Verizon will maintain the top data traffic position over the next five years. AT&T's share of mobile data traffic will increase and by 2012 AT&T will take the number two position. The final three spots for top mobile data traffic levels will be held by Sprint, T-Mobile and then all other operators. However, even though operator traffic distribution share will change, nearly all operators will see mobile data traffic levels increase eightfold from 2010 through 2014.
According to ABI, Verizon Wireless and Sprint each carried over 16 billion more megabytes of mobile network data than AT&T in 2009. Not too surprisingly, mobile laptop users bring with them greater bandwidth demand, and Verizon and Sprint both have more of these users than AT&T.
 
Not terribly familiar with how exactly these standards work, but one of the things VZW has said about an iPhone coming over to their network is that they wouldn't run into the troubles that AT&T has with dropped calls since voice/data are separated. Would transmitting voice over EVDO rev A negate this advantage? I'm happy enough with AT&T, I've only had one or so dropped calls a month since I switched, but I was just wondering.

Yeah...they have said that. Allowing the voice to run on the same data network would potentially cause many of the same issues that AT&T has faced. First CDMA iPhone, first used with VoR.A, with the first wave of people who sincerely believe that the experience will be night and day with Verizon (AKA people with HIGH expectations) could very well spell a PR disaster. I personally wonder if Verizon would be as reserved as AT&T about blaming the iPhone hardware (which is honestly partially to blame for some of the issues people have faced) since their entire brand is their network, and they stand to leave a lot of people completely dissillusioned if they fail.

I personally think it would be good for competition, but I still believe Apple will continue on with AT&T as their premiere carrier. I also am curious to see how this HSPA+ rollout goes on AT&T...Verizon's 3G is still capped somewhere around 2mbps if I am remembering correctly, and this does not mention that changing...if anything it will just slow down with no increased bandwidth, and added strain of simultanous voice/data on their data network.

Good luck Big Red...you are going to need it.
 
Eventually, Cell companies will sell data chunks instead of minutes and your voice will be over data.

So, maybe you buy 5GB of data and 1GB of that is roughly 1000 minutes of voice.
 
Not terribly familiar with how exactly these standards work, but one of the things VZW has said about an iPhone coming over to their network is that they wouldn't run into the troubles that AT&T has with dropped calls since voice/data are separated. Would transmitting voice over EVDO rev A negate this advantage? I'm happy enough with AT&T, I've only had one or so dropped calls a month since I switched, but I was just wondering.

Any weaknesses in the VzW EVDO network will be exposed very quickly indeed if they support this.

A big difference between EVDO and CDMA1X is that in CDMA1X, voice calls typically are supported by multiple towers. This way, if one "leg" drops, there are more left to keep the call up and running. It's like wearing a belt AND suspenders AND really tight pants.

Not so in EVDO, it's much more dependent on one path remaining up.

Since EVDO has been data only, you don't really notice a call drop. Sure, maybe a web page loads a little slower or there's a hiccup in your streaming video, but not a big deal overall. With voice, you'll notice.

In addition, people tend to be less mobile when using data, but people can be heading down the highway at 70 MPH while talking.

This is an interesting move if true. It would bypass the need to upgrade the network side with CDMA 1X Advanced gear.
 
"Can You hear me now?"

"Hey i said can you hear me now"

"Hey you can you freaking hear me now?"

"@*#@#$78@#&*# Listen up can you hear ..."

"Oh wait I was looking at a web page. Can you hear me now?"
 
I thought I read verizon handled more data than ATT on thier network last year?!?

From dsl reports:

Last year AT&T made (the wrong kind of) headlines as the carrier's network struggled under the bandwidth demands of the iPhone, and it was consistently inferred that this bandwidth demand was breaking records right and left. But according to a new study by ABI Research, both Sprint and Verizon both actually carried more wireless data traffic in 2009 than AT&T. Verizon (which the firm predicts will retain the top spot over the next five years due to broader coverage) and Sprint carried 63% of the US market's mobile network data traffic, though third place AT&T did have the most activated data devices in 2009:
Verizon will maintain the top data traffic position over the next five years. AT&T's share of mobile data traffic will increase and by 2012 AT&T will take the number two position. The final three spots for top mobile data traffic levels will be held by Sprint, T-Mobile and then all other operators. However, even though operator traffic distribution share will change, nearly all operators will see mobile data traffic levels increase eightfold from 2010 through 2014.
According to ABI, Verizon Wireless and Sprint each carried over 16 billion more megabytes of mobile network data than AT&T in 2009. Not too surprisingly, mobile laptop users bring with them greater bandwidth demand, and Verizon and Sprint both have more of these users than AT&T.

So they already handle more, but think about how many people are going to go to Verizon when/if they get an iPhone. That will add a lot of strain. Whether or not their network will be able to handle it, I have no idea. But it will certainly be an extreme amount of data being transferred that wasn't there before.
 
It's starting to feel like all of these Verizon-oriented rumors are leaks by Verizon to create disappointment when the iPhone drops next month.

That said, those that state Apple will never create a CDMA phone are incorrect, I believe. Verizon won't be converted completely until 2012-2015, and there is no way Apple will wait that long to get the iPhone on Verizon. Apple making an LTE/CDMA combo is a given.
 
well considering that voice over LTE doesn't exist yet...

and they haven't really figured out HOW to make it work yet...

they are just hoping that once they get a little further down the road, voice over LTE will work itself out.

in the beginning at least, all voice will still go across CDMA networks... LTE is only for data. derp.
 
So they already handle more, but think about how many people are going to go to Verizon when/if they get an iPhone. That will add a lot of strain. Whether or not their network will be able to handle it, I have no idea. But it will certainly be an extreme amount of data being transferred that wasn't there before.

I don't think it will be as bad as most think. Not because I'm a verizon user, but they seem to handle a lot of data now. My workplace has 240 people and about half have corporate verizon 3g cards in our laptops without complaints. Maybe it just the area happens to be better, who knows. It would be fun to find out.
 
I suppose if you have live traffic updates, but I've ran Navigon on my iPhone just fine in the wilderness without EDGE/3G signal. Otherwise a GPS app has no need to use your data plan afaik.
I'm pretty sure there are GPS apps that don't store the entire map locally. I know for a fact that Waze does not store the map locally; I believe it provides turn-by-turn directions.

You are right about live traffic updates. You need the data connection for that.
 
-
I primarily use my iphone 3GS for data purposes.

I could seriously see myself getting a Sprint Overdrive unit and using that with Wi-Fi on the iPhone.

...and getting a cheaper handset for voice (like Metro PCS or Verizon).

I'd really like to see AT&T offer a 30.00 month no contract data plan for iPhones, like the iPad.


Marc
 
I don't care about speed as much as I do coverage. This is where Verizon stomps AT&T.

Verizon > AT&T
 
well considering that voice over LTE doesn't exist yet...

and they haven't really figured out HOW to make it work yet...

they are just hoping that once they get a little further down the road, voice over LTE will work itself out.

in the beginning at least, all voice will still go across CDMA networks... LTE is only for data. derp.

A few corrections...

As far as figuring out HOW to make it work, the problem isn't that it can't be done, but rather that there are many options for doing it, and there's no consensus on how to move forward.

"LTE is only for data" - well, voice *is* data in VOIP. It's just another data application, with about 8K throughput and "conversational" QoS.
 
Again... this is a myth. LTE does not mean "the end of CDMA." VZW LTE phones will still have to be BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE. Meaning, the phones will *still* have to support CDMA.

So, if and when the iPhone does come out for VZW (which I believe is an eventuality) it will STILL have to be CDMA compatible.

w00master

It will not have to be CDMA compatible. In Canada, both Bell and Telus are CDMA networks. Last year they adjusted their networks for the iPhone. The iPhone is not a special Bell or Telus iPhone. My wife has both a Bell Blackberry, full CDMA and an iPhone which is also used on the Bell network.

I believe that if the iPhone were to come to VZW that it would be in a similar fashion.
 
I use this feature all the time....

Why is it important that voice and data be performed simultaneously? I have never come across a time in which I "needed" both.

....it is critical to my business. I use the voice side to join conference calls and then I use Cisco's Webex App to view/share presentations over the internet at the same time. Everyone on the conference call can talk and view the PPT at the same time.

For personal use, it is extremely valuable to be able to surf and talk to someone who is asking a question.

Verizon's CDMA is just not that useful....it's old technology, it can not be upgraded as far as speed, and it is not employed in MOW.
 
Eventually, Cell companies will sell data chunks instead of minutes and your voice will be over data.

Yes, I've always said people should be careful what they ask for. Paying for calls by amount of data transceived (instead of by time) could suck. Who wants to pay more for a phone call in a noisy bar than one in a quiet room?

OTOH, starstruck lovers just sitting on the phone for hours listening to nothing, would get a great deal :)

Whether or not their network will be able to handle it, I have no idea. But it will certainly be an extreme amount of data being transferred that wasn't there before.

I don't think it'll add that much in comparison to what goes on now. CR's study showed that iPhone users average less than 250MB (edit - MB) a month. Even if that's twice the normal smartphone amount as the report states, it's still tiny. There are a lot of Verizon users who've been Slinging TV for years, on top of all the corporate laptop users.

well considering that voice over LTE doesn't exist yet...

I've read that Verizon has recently deployed IMS for testing voice over LTE. And of course there's the news that Verizon says they'll have up to five LTE voice+data phones for sale within the year.

Side note: Verizon has said that their 1X voice network will stay up for the next decade. Dumb phones are still popular.

As for the supposed Voice over Rev A, I've commented before that I've used VoIP on a CDMA phone while streaming data, and it worked very well. The only time the incoming ring didn't appear instantly, was when I was playing a video at the same time. Some integration between 1X paging would solve that.
 
I have a Blackberry Tour with Verizon

I can be downloading a webpage AND RECEIVE CALLS AT THE SAME TIME. ONCE THE CALL IS OVER, I can then go back to my browser. I don't see what the big deal really is whether I can browse and talk simultaneously. That makes no difference to me. What I really care about is that my calls can be pushed through even if I am browsing, and that already exists with Verizon.

MOREOVER, if the ability to do that would impede the reliability of my cell phone use at all, I'd hope that they would choose more reliable cell phone usage than technology that probably doesn't get used as much as people say.

ONCE...ONE TIME... one of my many friends that have ATT used his browser while talking to me. And ironically , the call was dropped when he tried it.


e
 
I don't think it'll add that much in comparison to what goes on now. CR's study showed that iPhone users average less than 250KB a month. Even if that's twice the normal smartphone amount as the report states, it's still tiny. There are a lot of Verizon users who've been Slinging TV for years, on top of all the corporate laptop users.

I use almost a gig a month. I have unlimited data why not use it. That's not tethering either. That just straight web and data intensive app usage.
 
Why is it important that voice and data be performed simultaneously? I have never come across a time in which I "needed" both.

Thats because you don't have the ability. I'm sure if you were able to you would suddenly come across many times where you would "need" both.
 
Verizon costs way to much.
In my city, they aren't any better than AT&T. Just did carrier testing for work.
Verizon customer service, whom I have to call everyday for work, blows.
No SIM cards.

I'll stick with AT&T. Maybe jump to T-Mobile if they get an iPhone down the road. Which will probably be the same time, if not sooner than Verizon due to SIM cards.

Wrong, my Blackberry has a SIM card. If Verizon gets the iPhone, I'm upgrading no matter what. But, I can wait...
 
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