AP Review: Should AT&T iPhone Users Switch to Verizon?
- Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:59am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Ever since Apple’s iPhone went on sale in 2007, Verizon Wireless customers have held out hope that, one day, AT&T’s grip as its exclusive U.S. distributor would be broken.
That day arrives next week, when Verizon’s iPhone goes on sale. Verizon is accepting preorders from existing customers beginning Thursday.
It’s the same phone as AT&T sells, with a few small tweaks. The price is the same: $200 or $300, depending on how much memory you want. Verizon wants your signature on a two-year contract, just like AT&T.
But even if it’s the same phone, Verizon does things differently from AT&T, so there are some important factors to consider if you’re thinking about getting one.
The big difference is likely to be network performance. AT&T’s network is notoriously congested in some cities, including San Francisco, where for a week I tested both phones side by side. Out in the country, Verizon has much wider coverage for broadband wireless data.
The Verizon model was generally speedier at loading maps, websites and videos. For example, I was already done watching a YouTube clip of an adorable sneezing baby panda on Verizon’s phone when AT&T’s finally gave up on loading the video. At times, I couldn’t make a call on the AT&T iPhone but could easily do so on the Verizon one.
So Verizon was faster for me, but the situation could be the opposite in many places across the country. Where AT&T‘s network isn’t congested, it‘s actually faster than Verizon’s, at least where AT&T has made recent upgrades.
There are two other big changes.
Verizon’s iPhone is the first to work on so-called CDMA networks, the type Verizon uses. AT&T uses GSM, a technology that’s more widely used around the world. This means the Verizon iPhone has very limited international roaming abilities. It won’t work at all in Europe, for instance.
Verizon’s iPhone also includes Personal Hotspot, a Wi-Fi sharing feature that is becoming increasingly common on smart phones. It lets you connect as many as five gadgets to the Internet through the iPhone. If you’re stuck without an Internet connection for your laptop, for instance, you connect through the phone and Verizon’s cellular network.
The feature is easy to use, but there’s a price for this convenience: $20 per month on top of what customers already pay for voice and data services. With voice, text and data plans, that could mean monthly bills topping $110.
By contrast, AT&T lets you use the iPhone to surf on the Web on a single computer — and only by connecting the two with a USB cable or through Bluetooth. This, too, costs an extra $20 per month.
Another thing to consider about Verizon’s iPhone: If you’re a data hog, or think you might want to be one, you might be drawn to Verizon’s data plan, which allows for unlimited use.
AT&T got rid of unlimited-data plans for new customers last year. Most users get by with the 2 gigabytes of data alloted through its $25-per-month plan, which is $5 cheaper than Verizon’s unlimited plan. But if you go over the monthly allotment you’ll shell out for more data — $10 automatically for every gigabyte or fraction of it over.
If unlimited data is a must, sign up now, because Verizon has said it will switch to limited-data plans some time this year. By getting an iPhone now, you can lock in the unlimited plan for at least two years.
Another thing to consider about Verizon’s iPhone: You won’t be able you use data services while making a phone call. That means that if you’re chatting with your grandmother about her upcoming birthday, you can’t put your grandma on speakerphone while ordering her a bouquet of tulips online. Nor can you look for new games in Apple’s iTunes App Store while jumping into that conference call for work.
It’s annoying, though not a deal breaker, for me at least. And if you can connect to Wi-Fi, you will be able to use that to get online while talking on the phone.
Beyond the features, whether you get one will depend on when you last got your phone. If you are switching from another carrier and must pay hefty contract termination fees, it may not be worth it. Likewise, if you recently got a phone through Verizon Wireless, you’ll likely pay more than the standard $200 or $300 price.
One more consideration: It’s likely a new iPhone model will be out this summer, and it’s not clear whether Verizon will get it right away. If it will, then this is a bad time to buy the iPhone 4. If it won’t, the new AT&T iPhone 5 might be attractive enough to justify getting that instead of a Verizon iPhone 4. Unfortunately, we probably won’t get any answers on this for months.
If weighing the pros and cons get to be too much, just remember that whether you buy it now or hold out for the next iteration, you’re still getting an iPhone, silly.
And when it comes to smart phones, that’s a smart decision.
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Comments (61)
Kalish
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 12:40pmIn my part of CA verizon is much better, I have not had a dropped call or static since going to verizon, AT&T was terrible
Report Post »BLUJKTS
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 12:36pmBor-ing.
Report Post »trt1
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 12:10pmThere is no way I am jumping to Verizon right away. Better coverage in rural areas and the West for sure, but I figure that once everyone jumps to Verizon… that AT&T will be far less congested. Win.
Report Post »WhatsUp
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 11:14amAbsolutely–AT&T claims to have service just about everywhere but they don’t! Too many times have tried to use my ATT connection and couldn’t while other family members with Verizon (basic phone) always get service no matter where they are!
Report Post »FreedomIsAlive!
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 10:56amMost people who don’t see the need, desire, or point of an iPhone (or any smart phone for that matter), simply have never owned one for any length of time. Smart phones are like the Microwave oven. No one new they needed one, until they owned one, and the rest is history!
Report Post »Zaphod
Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:24amThat’s funny … because I said the same thing about the iPod … I thought that was the DUMBEST thing to ever come down the Pike … when I finally got one (years ago) I couldn’t believe how nice it was. I like the iPhone simply because it was the first phone that actually made sense. People can say what they want about Apple, but in the end, Apple gets it! They design well-thought-out products that generally exceed user expectations when they first come out.
Report Post »skipmontesjr
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 10:28amDo your self a favor and leave the apple cult and get an Android based phone…I have the Verizon Motorola Droid X and it is the best phone I have ever owned..Way better than the Iphone….Bigger screen, Better Camera, I upgraded the memory to 32 gigs, and I tether it for internet use on my computer with PDANET from JuneFabrics.com so I can use my unlimited data plan for internet when on the road with my laptop….Oh yeah, I can replace my battery too…
Report Post »2smart
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 10:17amHow about the market decide on an individual level what is the best for each of them. It’s called capitolism and it works.
Report Post »Pat Alexander
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:58amI have Verizon for home phone, DSL and cell phones.
They are supposed to have the best customer service: I would hate to see the worst.
I have had nightmare scenarios with our DSL & cell phones. The tech support is unbelievably bad. If you are not tech savvy and able to do your own troubleshooting and know how to get tech answers answers from the web, you are S.O.L.
I pray for the day someone else offers service where we live. I hate them with a passion I am unable to put into words.
J.M.H.O.
Report Post »canuck44
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:38amAT&T provides the only reliable GSM network in the country. The other technologies are just fine if you never plan to travel outside the USA, but the GSM technology is used by the rest of the world. One needs an unlocked GSM phone and merely purchase a chip for your destination country. Change the chip on arrival, most do not charge for receiving calls. Give phone number to your friends before you leave and you are in business in a few moments.
Report Post »AmericanSoldier
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 10:02amI did this when i was deployed to Afghanistan. I had jailbroken and unlocked my iPhone 3G and bought a Roshan sim card from Kandahar Airfield. All I had to do was drop it into my iPhone and I was making calls no problem. Income calls were free for me as well, the wife just had to buy calling cards or use skype to call me on it. It was great!
Report Post »the_ancient
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:32amThis article make is seem like you can take your ATT phone into verizon and sign up,
You cant, CMDA and GSM are not compatible and you will have to buy a CMDA iPhone from Verizon, you can not use your GSM iPhone that you got from ATT.
There is also one BIG thing that I have always hated about the iphone. one of the BEST features IMO of the GMS network is the SIM chip in every GSM phone, something CMDA does not have. Makes switching phone hardware easy, just swap the chips….. However ATT in the nazi control freak fashion does not allow you access to the chip (nor the battery)
Personally I will never own a apple product until Apple gets of their holy than thou high horse of tyrannical control. Say want you want, but Glenn Beck could have (and should have) and android app out with out the approval of google months ago instead of waiting around for the blessing of Lord Jobs at Apple…
Report Post »AmericanSoldier
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 10:06amYou can’t access your sim card on the iPhone? Yes you can, there’s a pin size hole at the top of your iPhone between the headphone jack and the power button. Insert a paperclip and the simcard pops right out and you can switch to a different phone, easily. The battery is another thing. They do it for space saving and aesthetic reasons. I’ve taken apart all models of the iPhone and the logical need to remove the battery outweights the design of it. I’m sure they considered it when designing the phones and I hear the iPhone 5 will have a removable battery.
Report Post »Zaphod
Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:14amApparently the iPhone for Verizon will NOT have a SIM card … at least that‘s what I’ve heard … but you are absolutely right on the AT&T model … it’s really easy to access the SIM card on an iPhone with AT&T.
Report Post »rightwingheroes
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:24amThe worst thing about iPhone is that, Verizon or ATT, it will not support Adobe Flash. Other than that I have two ATT iPhones both with UNLIMITED DATA (yes there is a way around it even for new customers) and I’m rather pleased. ATT has a newer and faster network and there is no reason to leave.
Report Post »AmericanSoldier
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 10:00amI do hate that about the iPhone
Report Post »Zaphod
Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:12amAgreed … this really irritates me. If Apple isn’t going to allow Flash … where’s their alternative?
Report Post »rfycom
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:15amDon’t think so. My 4 works great on AT&T
Report Post »dcwu
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:00amCompetition drives price toward cost.
Report Post »mcpbob
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:55amwho cares?
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 10:05amAgreed, I do not have a cell phone or a Iphone, neither will I have one for as long as possible.
Report Post »finwe
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 12:56pmObviously all the people who commented on this board care, including yourself. You cared enough to take the time to say that you don’t care. hmmmm
Report Post »greg4fitness
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:48amI bet the battery wears down on both of them pretty quick. My Blackberry lasts forever. I don’t need all the gadgets but when I need to use the phone, I don’t want a battery that lasts 2 minutes or is already dead.
Report Post »DashRipRock
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:57amblackberry would work for me
if I was an Umpaa Loompaa
the qwerty board is too small for even a hamster
Report Post »DrEvo82
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:08amI haven’t had any battery issues with my iPhone (3GS). It will use more power if I watch movies and videos extensively but I have no problem getting a full days use out of it. I plug it in at night and I use an app for my alarm clock which plays music from my itunes library.
Report Post »AmericanSoldier
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:59amI haven’t had battery issues on my iPhone and I also have the external case that has a battery back up so i can go forever without having to plug in.
Report Post »DrEvo82
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:47amI have an AT&T 3GS iPhone and while it’s not perfect, it‘s the best phone I’ve ever owned. I used to have Verizon and where I live, I had no service at my house. AT&T has better service at my house but I have noticed weaker areas while commuting than with Verizon. My wife and I were fortunate to already be on the unlimited data plan and if I remember correctly we were told that we can keep it as long as we stay with AT&T. I can’t imagine switching back to Verizon, but I hope that many others do that way it will free up the network a bit, lol.
Report Post »DashRipRock
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:46amNot for nothin
but this samsung epic from Sprint
Report Post »is pretty righteous
lketchum
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:29amWindows Phone 7 on AT&T here – recently moved from Verizon. I had used them for my business for nearly 10 years, but they have morphed into a monster enamored of the iPhone. They’ve been pushing Android based devices of late and have done nothing to serve their customers well from what I have seen.
In my view, any person buying an Apple product of any kind, is buying into a consumer culture that is unhealthy for many reasons. I just don’t like the company at all and its products are in my view, grossly over priced.
Report Post »Zaphod
Posted on February 4, 2011 at 9:07am… and the same can be said about anyone buying into Microsoft. I think they’re all about buying into a culture … but as a high end computer user for many, many years … it’s VERY HARD to argue that Apple does NOT have a superior hardware product. I go through three PC laptops for every Mac laptop in my business … and the Mac laptops get retired because we’re tired of using old technology … as opposed to just being a crappy machine. On the desktops, there’s not quite the difference in quality between a Mac and other similarly configured machines. On the server front, it’s HANDS DOWN in favor of Mac … sadly, they’ve discontinued their xServe machine … it’s a fantastic piece of hardware. It should be noted, though, that during most of the 90s, I would give a HUGE advantage to pretty much ANY PC over a similar Mac. So in my 26+ years, I’d have to say that right NOW: 1. Huge difference in quality with Mac laptops over ANY PC laptop; 2. Slight advantage to Mac over PC on desktops, but not enough to lose sleep over; 3. Operating system: finally MS gets it right and comes out with an operating system that’s no longer 10 years behind Apple … I call them about even … with the ease of use going to Apple; 4. Phones? I couldn’t care less … the iPhone is very nice … it was a game changer that basically made everyone’s phone a hell of a lot better … and Apple will continue to be the R&D for the phone industry (as they have for 30 years in the computer industry) … but I think an Android is probably just as good as an iPhone if you like that sort of thing. I haven’t had trouble with either.
Report Post »TERMLIMITSNOW
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:23amcool people have blackberries………your all racists.
Report Post »what4
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:46amThats why the potus favors them…
Report Post »mikem1969
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:58amHey, I want a whiteberry, blackberry is racist. LOL.
Report Post »Xcori8r
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:19amI didn’t have that much to deliberate when I bought my last house.
Report Post »jedi.kep
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:17amBuy an android. I like them better.
Report Post »pHredster
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 11:06amAgreed…Verizon rocks and Droid is their screaming lead guitar.
Report Post »Just A Private
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 3:19pmI am not sure any cell phone company rocks, even Verizon. Any time a company requires a two contract for you to remain their customer they do the opposite of rock.
Report Post »fishlore
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:15amI have an Iphone with ATT and I’m staying with ATT. I don’t experience network congestion where I live and I can download data much quicker than my Verizon pals, plus I can surf the net while on a call. Also, I too would never do business with Verizon.
Report Post »MrObvious
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:13amVZ Customer service has been pathetic for years – not just for cell service; but, all phone services and DSL.
Report Post »AmericanSoldier
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:56amI hated Verizon when I was with them and in my area, I am on the same boat as you, my ATT service is much better with better coverage then my Verizon buddies. And I‘m already locked in for life on my unlimited data plan so I’m not going anywhere until they decide to not honor their grandfather clause for unlimited data.
Report Post »hifi74
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 10:35amI seem to be one of the rarities. I haven’t had any issues with Verizon and their customer service, and I happen to be in an open period for an upgrade. So for me the release comes at a perfect time. But then again I get the government employee 15% discount and who knows maybe that puts me in a different category for customer service. Eh well I ordered mine this morning.
Report Post »LOVEFREEDOM47
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 12:35pmI switched from Verizon to AT&T a year ago to get the Iphone. I’m a mac user, so the ease of use between the phone and laptop is awesome! I travel across IL for work every week. Dropped calls with the Iphone are a daily problem and I live in a town of over 130,000. Rural reception is horrible at best. There are parts of IL I have no coverage for 20-30 min. I will be switching back to verizon…purchasing a new Iphone…I just NEED my sanity back!!! You know how your talking to a client or anyone for that matter and boom out of nowhere you get a dropped call…your furious…ya thats me multiple times per week.
Report Post »GeauxAlready
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:11amWe all need free iPhones come on Obama gimmie, gimmie, gimmie…………..
Report Post »streetrodder
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:11amI would not do business with Verizon. It is a Venezuelan owned Co. No money to Chavez.
Report Post »DashRipRock
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:44amVerizon is what is left of Bell Atlantic
Report Post »Independent Tess
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:47amOh, dang!
Report Post »Why did you have to tell me that? Verizon is the only choice I have where I live.
Dang!
DashRipRock
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:55amverizon is not owned by hugo chavez
its owned by millions of stock holders
Report Post »blanco
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:05amSince I hold ap in such high regard……BARF!
Report Post »what4
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:19amThese things are one of the plagues described in the bible!
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:25amNeither for me….I use a LOCAL small company with just a good ole crackberry. The money pretty well stays in my own hometown and region.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 10:04amLet the free market decide, whichever side or a competator comes up with the best phone overall and the best deal shall dominate in the end.
Report Post »AmericanSoldier
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 10:11amThis sounded more like a review you’d find on a tech website to try to sell you on the Verizon iPhone then a news story for a website like the blaze….
Report Post »suttonea76
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 10:34pmOk, to all you naysayers hating on Verizon keep in mind THESE facts:
- Verizon DOES have SIM chips specifically used for international use in most smartphones
- Verizon DOES have better coverage in most locations for 3G and 4G
- Verizon DOES have more roaming agreements with other networks (Alltel, US Cellular, etc)
whereas AT&T has hardly any which would prevent you from using your AT&T phone out of network due to very few GSM networks in existence in the US
- Tethering is vastly superior with Verizon smartphones at higher and more dependable speeds
- YOU CAN’T just switch out your SIM and restore voice AND data with ease in a corporate environment without calling in and updating the IMEI number
Folks, I do this for a living and AT&T is a headache at best, BUT I don’t see the Verizon IPhone4 being worth a crap as Apple customer service is the worst of all transcending any carrier.
Report Post »Zaphod
Posted on February 4, 2011 at 8:54amsuttonea76: your commentary may be quite perspicacious, but methinks your little jab at Apple’s LEGENDARY GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE bespeaks some personal vendetta against Apple. In all the years I’ve dealt with Apple, you can accuse them of A LOT of things … but poor customer service is NOT one of them … I‘m sure there’s the odd incident, but I have met very few people who have much bad to say about Apple in the regard. Granted, if you don’t get exactly what you want every time, that will taint your view, but I think a fair analysis by most reasonable people will highlight that Apple does deserve their highest rating for customer service by most pundits.
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