

Verizon To AT&T: Sorry, The Truth Hurts - kloncks
http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/16/verizon-responds-to-atandts-map-for-that-lawsuit-the-truth-hurt/1

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brk
I travel extensively throughout the US. I carry an iPhone and a BlackBerry on
vzw (and also a vzw wireless broadband card with a Cradlepoint router).

The Verizon network wins hands-down for overall coverage/speed. If I am in a
location with both 3G coverage _and_ available bandwidth on the 3G network,
then the iPhone is a great mobile device. However, those instances are rare
and quite often my iPhone is getting Internet access via the broadband
card/Cradlepoint router over Verizons network.

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tialys
You know, I thought that they were doing somewhat acceptably in my limited
experience with 3G... until I spent the weekend in Chicago with '3G' and
'Full' reception. I couldn't make or keep any calls, and the '3G' worked about
1/3 of the time.

Embarrassing to say the least. They work ok where I live now, but I'm likely
going to switch away as soon as possible. Damn iPhone...

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maukdaddy
I had Verizon when I moved to Chicago, and now have AT&T for the iPhone. What
a mistake. 90% of the time I have 5 bars of "3G" but the network won't
actually transmit any data. Sometimes the phone flips back and forth from 3G
to edge back to 3G, which most apps can't seem to handle. I drop well over 50%
of my calls, while my wife's iPhone drops close to 90%.

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chadgeidel
Same here in CO Springs. AT&T "inflates" their connection information (more
bars) on their phones. [citation needed I know] I can sit in my office with 4
or 5 bars of 3G and not bring up Google.com on my IPhone. I live on the top of
a hill about a block away from an array of cell towers, but my calls rarely
even connect (and drop all the time).

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ericd
I've noticed this as well in an area with extremely bad reception (inside a
skyscraper) - my iPhone seems to frequently default to showing 5 bars when it
can't actually make or receive calls, but then when I go next to a window and
it actually establishes a workable connection, the signal strength meter shows
1-2 bars.

I haven't seen a citeable source, though.

Edit: clarified a bit. Also, I wanted to add that I get one or more dropped
calls basically every day, even outside (in Manhattan).

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dpifke
I'm astounded that AT&T filed a lawsuit over these ads. What would have been
somewhat forgettable as a "snarky Verizon ad poking fun at AT&T" is now front-
and-center in several media outlets, all with a positive Verizon spin.
(Witness the comments here.) Even if they win (which is looking unlikely), all
they've accomplished is getting the ads off the air - after drawing a huge
amount of attention to them that they would not have otherwise received.

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jswinghammer
What I don't understand is why hasn't AT&T fixed this problem? I'm sure they
have enough capital to make the investment to end this discussion. If
consumers are aware of this problem I'm sure that AT&T is. It seems like this
would be a better long term solution than lawsuits.

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steveklabnik
It's possible that they're holding their cash to roll out something like WiMAX
instead.

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roc
I think the proposition of a single WiMAX data network is just about dead.
Hopefully the tech survives to drive things on the scale of municipal wifi
projects - as it's a vastly superior technology than wifi in those situations.

But in any case, AT&T is firmly in the LTE camp.

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gonzopancho
that doesn't mean that Intel (who is firmly cemented in the WiMax camp) won't
use its influence with Apple to get an WiMax-powered iPhone...

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roc
I don't doubt a WiMax-capable iPhone might happen, as a secondary data
capability ala the existing WiFi support.

I just don't think it would be sold as a WiMax iPhone as opposed to
GSM/CDMA/LTE.

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sili
AT&T had a first mover advantage in smart-phones-for-the-masses market, but as
Verizon starts offering comparable Android based phones with a much better
network, they will lose this lead.

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vaksel
I like my verizon, had them for about 10 years, but I hate them whenever I
have to make/receive calls from home. The reception is junk, dropped calls,
can only hear every other word.

Outside my house, perfect, inside junk.

Also their phone selection has been pretty crap until recently.

