What advantages does the AT&T iPad LTE have over the Verizon version?

[aka777]

Exactly... you're either covered or you're not. Get the AT&T iPad and travel down I-95 from NC to FL. You won't have LTE, you'll have some 3G, and it will be a complete bitch when you're on EDGE for miles. It's real. AT&T sucks balls. They were the only problem with iPhones before other carriers started getting them.

I think this is the case all the way up 95 to NYC.

AT&T is practically useless in vast sections of the east coast.

 

[BFizzzle]

Yep, AT&T still does not have network wide 3G.

People are also under the false assumption that all of AT&T's 3G network is HSPA+, which is simply not the case.

AT&T's upload speeds in vast section of their network, including HSPA+ zones, also tend to be capped at ~ 1Mb.

You cannot just look at technical synonyms and assume a network is fast. It has to be enabled end-to-end within the network to work.

I could offer LTE-Advanced 100MB+, but if the backhaul and data network to and from the towers is not there, nobody is going to achieve these speeds.

I find it very disingenuous and cunning that AT&T plays on people's ignorance of the tech like this.

even when im not in hspa+ my phone averages 3 mbps. 5+ on hspa+

the best i have seen on verizons 3g has been 3 mb. averages 2 or less

 

[iMule]

Proof:

 

[pavvento]

In downtown San Francisco (notoriously poor AT&T service) I am bringing down 3.03 Mbps on my '4G' HTC Titan in the middle of the afternoon. I will post back tomorrow with an LTE speed test, but I don't think Verizon's 3G would bring down 3Mbps right now based on previous experiences.

 

[aypues]

1) Throttling was always in the TOS for the unlimited package. Also they are under zero obligation to allow customers to keep it once they move into a new contract, i.e., upgrade to a new phone. I agree, they handled it awkwardly and haphazardly, but ultimately, they never cut off anyone's service, just slowed it down. Those of us that pay $30 for "unlimited" (reality: 3GB 3G plus unlimited 2G) are still getting a better deal than people paying $30 for 3GBs and done.

2) I agree iPhone should be unlocked after contract is signed, or at least 6 months in to it. However, NO carrier will unlock a subsidized iPhone. This is an Apple restriction, not an ATT one.

3) Do you seriously believe the other iPhone carriers "behave" better? Verizon is more expensive for the same and Sprint offers "unlimited" but has limited places to use it in. I'm not an ATT booster, I think all CellCos are crappy. But let's be fair about it and not pretend one is an angel and the others devils.

On Point 1, This is totally wrong. The throttling AT&T is doing only applies to smartphones on contracts, not recurring iPad month to month contracts. There is no throttling at any usage level currently. You are referring to the iPhone throttling over 3GB...that is non-existant on the iPad unlimited plan...I routinely use 4-5gb/mo with no throttling. AT&T itself has said it has no plans to throttle our plans and there is questionable legal ground to do so given the nature of our contracts (month to month vs. carrier subsidized long term).

 

[dread]

1) Throttling was always in the TOS for the unlimited package. Also they are under zero obligation to allow customers to keep it once they move into a new contract, i.e., upgrade to a new phone. I agree, they handled it awkwardly and haphazardly, but ultimately, they never cut off anyone's service, just slowed it down. Those of us that pay $30 for "unlimited" (reality: 3GB 3G plus unlimited 2G) are still getting a better deal than people paying $30 for 3GBs and done.

2) I agree iPhone should be unlocked after contract is signed, or at least 6 months in to it. However, NO carrier will unlock a subsidized iPhone. This is an Apple restriction, not an ATT one.

3) Do you seriously believe the other iPhone carriers "behave" better? Verizon is more expensive for the same and Sprint offers "unlimited" but has limited places to use it in. I'm not an ATT booster, I think all CellCos are crappy. But let's be fair about it and not pretend one is an angel and the others devils.

Verizon will unlock iphones. My relative unlocked their new 4s without any problems. I don't care whether throttling was in the contract or not, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I don't like any of the wireless companies. Compared to what you get abroad for your money we get screwed in the US because the government has allowed too many mergers and there is barely any competition. I have no idea why anyone defends any of the carriers. The prices are ridiculous and keep going up.

I am moving to London and will be able to get a year of data, 1 gb a month for $15 total, not a month. Yes its 3G instead of FAUX G but at that price who cares.

 

[takeshi74]

What reason would anyone pick the AT&T version?

at&t meets their coverage needs. Same reason as picking any device for any wireless carrier.

 

[St. Germain]

Just personal preference. That's about it that I can see at this point, unless you live in an area that has AT&T LTE, and you don't plan on travelling much with it. I'm on AT&T for phone, but I went with the Verizon iPad 4G LTE due to better LTE coverage where i live (not AT&T LTE in Detroit, and no immediate plans from what I can see from AT&T), Free tethering, and I'm hoping that I can put a AT&T sim card into the Verizon model, and get AT&T HSPA+ if I ever want to go back to using AT&T for any (I'll find out tomorrow if it's possible or not).

I'm in the same boat here in Lansing. It doesn't look like AT&T will have LTE in my market anytime this year so I might as well go with Verizon who has LTE all over the state.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

On Point 1, This is totally wrong. The throttling AT&T is doing only applies to smartphones on contracts, not recurring iPad month to month contracts. There is no throttling at any usage level currently. You are referring to the iPhone throttling over 3GB...that is non-existant on the iPad unlimited plan...I routinely use 4-5gb/mo with no throttling. AT&T itself has said it has no plans to throttle our plans and there is questionable legal ground to do so given the nature of our contracts (month to month vs. carrier subsidized long term).

Yes, that is your inference I was referring to the iPad plan. Obviously you did not try to understand the context of my post. I was responding to another post (quoted in my post) regarding ATT throttling. My response was only to that reference and where ATT's throttling exists.

Verizon will unlock iphones. My relative unlocked their new 4s without any problems...

I am moving to London and will be able to get a year of data, 1 gb a month for $15 total, not a month. Yes its 3G instead of FAUX G but at that price who cares.

Verizon does not unlock for U.S. because you can't "unlock" a CDMA phone since it doesn't require a SIM card. You can't take a Verizon iPhone to Sprint. You could take an ATT unlocked phone to T-Mobile or even a paygo service. The Verizon phone also has a GSM chip, which is unlocked, but Apple does not allow ATT to unlock its GSM phones. (It's the same with Blackberrys....BB has to authorize ATT the unlock code. ATT is glad to unlock BBs as long as they have the code).

Oh, and yes data is cheaper overseas, but most everything else is sky high. Wait until you see how much a hamburger costs in London.

 

[Apple Expert]

The advantage is ATT has fewer LTE cities.

 

[MartyXB]

You must look at what phones you currently have. At some point in 2012 Verizon and AT&T will have shared data plans so you really want to stick to one carrier.

 

[boxster99t]

You must look at what phones you currently have. At some point in 2012 Verizon and AT&T will have shared data plans so you really want to stick to one carrier.

That's at best speculation, on your part. I can think of a very good reason why Verizon and AT&T will NOT have a shared data plan between iPhone and iPad--because they can make more money requiring customers to have separate tablet and phone data plans

 

[deeddawg]

That's at best speculation, on your part.

I don't think MartyXB forged the following, so (and I mean this respectfully) there's more to the thought than just speculation on his part:

Verizon CFO says shared data plans coming mid-year
AT&T prepares internal systems for shared data, launch date still TBD

Now whether either will see the light of day, and whether either has any meaningful (or beneficial) impact is a whole other question.

My point is only that it isn't MartyXB's speculation when we have a pic from Telegence and a statement from the Verizon CFO, so maybe give him the benefit of the doubt...

 

[MartyXB]

My point is only that it isn't MartyXB's speculation when we have a pic from Telegence and a statement from the Verizon CFO, so maybe give him the benefit of the doubt...

Thanks, you are correct, I had those two sources in mind wen I made my post. I personally hope it turns out to be true. In my case I have 5 lines on my family plan, all with data, and tomorrow I get my iPad 3 and I will probably keep my iPad 1 so I would not mind having one big pool of data to share. Having to "guess" how much data each line and device will use the NEXT month is silly.

 

[anthrovisual]

It's been confirmed (at least to some extent)

Some Verizon iPad LTE owners found that inserting the AT&T sim from their iPhone 4S works on the iPad. So the Verizon iPad possibly gained yet another advantage.

The question remains if you can take an unactivated AT&T sim for the iPad and activate it on the Verizon iPad. We'll have to see.