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Verizon vs. AT&T real world test results on iPad2

I have a Verizon iPad 2 and AT&T iPhone, so I'm always doing comparisons. I live in Atlanta, and AT&T is of course almost always faster. However when I travel for work, or use it riding in the car, the Verizon iPad has always had a 3G signal, where the iPhone is spotty at best. Also when I go see my parents in rural GA, or go to the beach, the I get a great Verizon signal, and either Edge or no signal at all on my phone. I got the Verizon iPad for this reason, because when I need cellular data I need a reliable one. It doesn't help me that I get double the 3G speeds at my house, coffee shop, or library; because I use wireless there anyway. Also I've found that in crowded areas, like at Hartsfield Jackson Airport in ATL, my iPad gets much faster and more reliable speeds than my iPhone. My iPhone slows to a crawl in crowded places or doesn't even work at all, and my Verizon iPad has no problems getting a good and fast signal.
 
medora66 said:
I posted about this on another thread, but this might have been the better place, so ...

If you travelled extensively through rural America ... with no real pattern, no no way to predict where you are going to be ... and it was really important to have reliable service/gps in these areas ... would you go Verizon or AT&T?

The coverage maps seem to indicate that Verizon has far more 3G areas than AT&T (where they go down to Edge), but I have no idea whether those maps are reliable.

We're journalists and are all over the place, so it's really tough to figure this out. Big cities usually aren't part of our agenda, tho.

Thanks for any and all opinions.
Click to expand...

Verizon. I travel a lot in rural areas and on interstates. AT&T is poor in these sorts of areas. Verizon is generally slow in these areas, but at least you have coverage.
 
I have the verizon iPad and the AT&T iPhone 4, AT&T data service is very good down here most of the time. I haven't had time to activate my iPad on Verizon but when I do I'll post results.
 
A couple of weeks ago, I got these results on my VZ iPad. I consistently get on average more than 1.5 mbps and testing various apps as well. But it's just localized to my home where I get 20mbps wifi... other places, I usually get between 1-2mbps on average (Chicago area)

vz.PNG


iPhone4 ATT, iPad VZ Plus, I have clear hotspot as well for work so I'm pretty much covered wherever I go. I just need that 4.3.1 untethered JB so I can add the option of miwi.
 
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phpmaven said:
Vegas? Come on. I was just there a month ago and I had rock solid AT&T signal just about everywhere, with the exception of deep inside some hotels.
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Vegas is hit or miss depending on which conferences are in town. When we went to CES in January, the entire of infrastructure of the city was overtaxed beyond being useful.

  • $49 hotels were renting for $479
  • Taxi cab lines were hundreds of people deep
  • Restaurant reservations were nearly impossible to secure, and walk-ups were measured in hours
  • Traffic was at a stand-still
  • Cell phones were about as useful as a brick

/Jim
 
Anyone in Orlando with a speed test?

I have 2 ipad2s one on each of the networks.
I am travelling to Orlando and wondering which network is better in the area.

Tethering off my iphone is an option but would like to be able to have access on one of the ipads.

thanks
Scott
 
bruinsrme said:
I have 2 ipad2s one on each of the networks.
I am travelling to Orlando and wondering which network is better in the area.

Tethering off my iphone is an option but would like to be able to have access on one of the ipads.

thanks
Scott
Click to expand...

AT&T hands down.
 
phpmaven said:
Vegas? Come on. I was just there a month ago and I had rock solid AT&T signal just about everywhere, with the exception of deep inside some hotels.
Click to expand...

Disagree. Was just there too and ATT coverage there was very spotty. Data crawled to a snails pace in a lot of areas on the strip.
 
Colorado front range

I have Verizon 3G iPad 2. My job carries me all along the colorado front range daily. Verizon is almost always available. Speeds are usually 600/100 or so.

I have nexus 1 android on t mobile which has faster 3G but is only available about 60% of the time. I have heard AT&T is also a little spotty in Colorado.
 
medora66 said:
Are the speeds y'all are getting via 3G Verizon in rural/off-beaten-path areas generally fast enough to stream video (YouTube, mebbe Netflix) w/out buffering?
Click to expand...

I actually get 1.5 Mbps at my parents house in the middle of nowhere in GA on my Verizon iPad. My AT&T iPhone won't even get a signal within 20 miles of the place, and won't get a 3G signal within 50 miles.
 
flynz4 said:
Vegas is hit or miss depending on which conferences are in town. When we went to CES in January, the entire of infrastructure of the city was overtaxed beyond being useful.

  • $49 hotels were renting for $479
  • Taxi cab lines were hundreds of people deep
  • Restaurant reservations were nearly impossible to secure, and walk-ups were measured in hours
  • Traffic was at a stand-still
  • Cell phones were about as useful as a brick

/Jim
Click to expand...

I was there over the first weekend of March Madness. I had a great time, just had to use my Verizon iPad instead of my AT&T iPhone.
 
Pballer110 said:
Stick with Verizon they are much more reliable in more areas.
Click to expand...

I agree. If you plan to travel a lot and more reliable coverage is needed based upon your needs of business, go with verizon. If you dont mind how AT&T 3G network is, then I'd go with AT&T. Other than that, for your needs, go with Verizon since being connected all the time seems to be the most important concern.
 
Here are my results on AT&T iPad 2
all tests done with full bars

White Plains, NY 10 tests over 3 days
0.5 / 0.5. With some tests up to 0.7 / 0.7

Greenwich, CT 3 tests over 2 days
Avg 4.0 / 1.6

Houston, TX 5 tests over 3 days
Avg 2.3 / 0.9

Austin, TX 2 tests over 1 day
2.7 / 1.1

Stillwater, OK 2 tests over 2 days
5.3 / 1.25 and 7.6 / 0.9

I am getting 7.5 down repeatedly this morning.

Clearly the hw can sustain 7.5 / 1.5 and it's all dependent on the tower / load.

Am happy with the perf
 
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