Verizon iPhone vs. AT&T iPhone: Battle Between Two Carriers
Unless you've been living under a rock (or away from the United States), then you may have heard that Apple has finally made a CDMA-compatible iPhone, and they're making it available first on the Verizon Wireless network.
That makes for a good fight. And what's a good ol' fight between two companies without a good ol' advertising war?
Verizon and AT&T aren't new to this battle. In fact, they've had their share of battles in recent past.
But that was then, this is now. The battle then was about who has the best network. This one is about which iPhone will work better for you.
So let the fight begin (continue?). Verizon wireless has released a new ad this week, essentially throwing the first punch.
However, not to be outdone by Verizon, AT&T has released their "Answer" to Verizon's ad.
Verizon's network has been known to have better voice coverage than AT&T, however their network prioritizes voice calls over data. What that means is that if you're surfing the web, or using an app that requires data and you get a call, then you won't be able to continue doing those tasks while talking on the phone at the same time. Verizon's iPhone will also serve as a wireless hotspot, but given Verizon's limitation, you will drop the connection on any device connected to the hotspot once you accept the call. It is yet unclear if AT&T will have wireless hotspot on their version of the iPhone, although, I do assume they'll offer it at some point.
On top of all that, Verizon has said they'll reserve the right to throttle the speeds of their top 5% data users. Those folks are likely to be, that's right, iPhone users. And if that wasn't enough, Verizon has also said they're going to compress images when you send them via MMS. Verizon clearly wants to make sure the user experience isn't affected when it comes to data. But they had said in the past that their network would be ready if they ever were to get the iPhone. That doesn't seem to me like they're ready to handle the traffic iPhone users are known to bring to networks.
AT&T, on the other hand, has a faster 3G network that allows you to surf and talk (where 3G is available) at the same time, albeit, with a probability of more dropped calls if you're in a weak coverage area.
AT&T's network is built on GSM technology, which also has the upper-hand over Verizon as this type of cellular network technology is found in more places throughout the rest of the World, especially in Europe. This is particularly important for those folks who plan to use their phones while traveling abroad.
Basically, it boils down to this; if you want an iPhone in the United State, and you value voice over data, then Verizon is your network. On the other hand, if you value faster 3G data speeds, and the ability to talk while you surf the web at the same time, then AT&T is for you.
It'll be interesting to see if the customers eventually end up being the true winners in this battle.
That makes for a good fight. And what's a good ol' fight between two companies without a good ol' advertising war?
Verizon and AT&T aren't new to this battle. In fact, they've had their share of battles in recent past.
But that was then, this is now. The battle then was about who has the best network. This one is about which iPhone will work better for you.
So let the fight begin (continue?). Verizon wireless has released a new ad this week, essentially throwing the first punch.
However, not to be outdone by Verizon, AT&T has released their "Answer" to Verizon's ad.
Verizon's network has been known to have better voice coverage than AT&T, however their network prioritizes voice calls over data. What that means is that if you're surfing the web, or using an app that requires data and you get a call, then you won't be able to continue doing those tasks while talking on the phone at the same time. Verizon's iPhone will also serve as a wireless hotspot, but given Verizon's limitation, you will drop the connection on any device connected to the hotspot once you accept the call. It is yet unclear if AT&T will have wireless hotspot on their version of the iPhone, although, I do assume they'll offer it at some point.
On top of all that, Verizon has said they'll reserve the right to throttle the speeds of their top 5% data users. Those folks are likely to be, that's right, iPhone users. And if that wasn't enough, Verizon has also said they're going to compress images when you send them via MMS. Verizon clearly wants to make sure the user experience isn't affected when it comes to data. But they had said in the past that their network would be ready if they ever were to get the iPhone. That doesn't seem to me like they're ready to handle the traffic iPhone users are known to bring to networks.
AT&T, on the other hand, has a faster 3G network that allows you to surf and talk (where 3G is available) at the same time, albeit, with a probability of more dropped calls if you're in a weak coverage area.
AT&T's network is built on GSM technology, which also has the upper-hand over Verizon as this type of cellular network technology is found in more places throughout the rest of the World, especially in Europe. This is particularly important for those folks who plan to use their phones while traveling abroad.
Basically, it boils down to this; if you want an iPhone in the United State, and you value voice over data, then Verizon is your network. On the other hand, if you value faster 3G data speeds, and the ability to talk while you surf the web at the same time, then AT&T is for you.
It'll be interesting to see if the customers eventually end up being the true winners in this battle.
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