GAME OVER MAN (Should I switch to AT&T?)

[Fahrenheit85]

Well Verizon is stopping all you can eat data. That was one of the few things keeping me there. Between not getting the Note and updates taking forever and the death of grandfathered all you can eat. I think I'm ready to move to AT&T, I live in Philadelphia, which according to there website means I'm covered by LTE. Do they offer any thing to test the service in my home or work before I buy?

Also for you people that travel, how well do your phones keep bars while driving around? How is the rural area coverage? We got a cabin in the woods that I only can make a call out while hanging out the 2nd story balcony....

 

[colnago]

Just a head's up, at&t charges $10/Gig for every Gig over your plan limit...unless you are grandfathered, which you won't be with any LTE plan.

You should have 30 days to try/cancel w/o peanalty (save equipment return fee).

I'm not sure about coverage in Philly, but I may be up there this weekend. Airport area thru downtown up to top of Broad St. area w/my Note. FWIW, my T-Mobile branded Defy gets a consistent 10-15dBm better signal "on at&t 3G" than the Note. Also saw similar results with the One X, on LTE, vs. the Note in my local store. Given my co-worker's similar results with his international version, I think the Note has weakish radios/antenae.

 

[Fahrenheit85]

Thanks! yes I know about no unlimited plan on AT&T as well but they get phones and updates faster. As as far as the note goes, It's been so long I'm just gonna wait for the SG3. I'm on a family share plan and we are both our contracts have expired. We where waiting on Verzion to get the note before signing up again. If philly does get good coverage ill just switch when AT&T get the G3. We all know Verzion will be weeks later if they even get it.

 

[here4kids]

I travel a lot with att and never have issues on the highway. U will need to test out ur cabin...it just depends on antennas.

 

[damewolf13]

I have a family plan with my Note, my Vivid, and my daughters Atrix, all on AT&T, and I have been happy there for the most part. There is just one store manager I ran across that I felt treated me unfairly, but overall, good coverage, good phone choices, and good service.
And if you get the 5GB plan for data, you automatically get wifi hotspot service.

 

[colnago]

FWIW, I had the "Status" page open while driving into Philly. No LTE on 95 by the airport, nor on 76 West by U. Penn, not up thru town on Roosevelt, or North Broad. AT&T must be pretty good for the "Note" to maintain a -57dBm signal they most of town. It did drop to -79dBm here and there, but I think a phone with better reception would fare even better.

 

[nizmoz]

I switched from ATT to Verizon 3 months ago and now moved back to Verizon yesterday due to poor coverage in Rural areas. ATT has much better coverage than other providers in the rural areas.

 

[IOWA]

On Average, Verizon has EVERYBODY smoked on coverage. Now there are pockets here and there where a is better than b, c is better than a, and so forth and so on. But on Average, nobody comes close to Verizon's coverage. Just food for thought.

 

[nizmoz]

On Average, Verizon has EVERYBODY smoked on coverage. Now there are pockets here and there where a is better than b, c is better than a, and so forth and so on. But on Average, nobody comes close to Verizon's coverage. Just food for thought.

Lol so not true. I travel a lot had have signal everywhere with AT&T at least where Verizon had none. Especially west Texas. Verizon has nothing out there. Only if you stay on the highways.

There coverage maps lie. And on howardforums there is discussion about that.

 

[IOWA]

Lol so not true. I travel a lot had have signal everywhere with AT&T at least where Verizon had none. Especially west Texas. Verizon has nothing out there. Only if you stay on the highways.

There coverage maps lie. And on howardforums there is discussion about that.

That may be true in your particular case, but I'm talking big picture here. The United States is a pretty big place, and as I mentioned before, Verizon has everyone smoked in terms of national coverage, on average.

But again, case by case basis, AT&T might work better for you in places that you frequent, which is fantastic! People should always choose the carrier that works best for them, and in the areas they frequent the most. Nobody has 100% coverage, so coverage with carriers will vary place to place.

Keep in mind, since Verizon uses superior CDMA technology vs the old GSM standard for calls, a call can be held on much lower signal reception using CDMA than it's GSM counter part. I can count many times where my one bar of service on Sprint was much clearer than AT&T or T-Mobile on GSM when they were showing full signal, so take that into account as well.

 

[nizmoz]

Look at these maps. Select AT&T then Verizon. AT&T has more coverage period.

AT&T Coverage Maps - 2G, 3G and 4G Coverage Map | OpenSignalMaps

Like people have been discussing Verizon lies on their maps. CDMA is very not upgradeable technology. GSM has worlds better for future expansion. CDMA you can't do voice and data at the same time. You also don't have fast speeds on CDMA like you do with GSM with HSPA and HSPA+. The LTE so far as proven to be faster on AT&T than Verizon. But that could be due to load.

Also, Verizon has the slow 3G network to fall back on vs AT&T has the HSPA+ from LTE, then HSPA, then Edge.

That may be true in your particular case, but I'm talking big picture here. The United States is a pretty big place, and as I mentioned before, Verizon has everyone smoked in terms of national coverage, on average.

But again, case by case basis, AT&T might work better for you in places that you frequent, which is fantastic! People should always choose the carrier that works best for them, and in the areas they frequent the most. Nobody has 100% coverage, so coverage with carriers will vary place to place.

Keep in mind, since Verizon uses superior CDMA technology vs the old GSM standard for calls, a call can be held on much lower signal reception using CDMA than it's GSM counter part. I can count many times where my one bar of service on Sprint was much clearer than AT&T or T-Mobile on GSM when they were showing full signal, so take that into account as well.

 

[IOWA]

Look at these maps. Select AT&T then Verizon. AT&T has more coverage period.

AT&T Coverage Maps - 2G, 3G and 4G Coverage Map | OpenSignalMaps

Like people have been discussing Verizon lies on their maps. CDMA is very not upgradeable technology. GSM has worlds better for future expansion. CDMA you can't do voice and data at the same time. You also don't have fast speeds on CDMA like you do with GSM with HSPA and HSPA+. The LTE so far as proven to be faster on AT&T than Verizon. But that could be due to load.

Also, Verizon has the slow 3G network to fall back on vs AT&T has the HSPA+ from LTE, then HSPA, then Edge.

Interesting fact: The "3G" that GSM providers are using is actually based on CDMA technology. GSM as we know it is quite dead, and the fastest GSM technology is actually EDGE, which we all know is quite slow. (HSPA/UMTS/LTE is NOT GSM Technology!!)

CDMA also in fact DOES allow for simultaneous voice and data, it's called 1x Advanced, which is being deployed now.

CDMA 2000 | 3G Wireless | Qualcomm

Verizon is not lying on their maps, and I stopped frequenting Howard Forums because of topics like that where people are spreading false information, as well as the behaviors of people on Howard Forums. I much prefer the company here, but I digress. Anything said on Howard Forums should be taken with a grain of salt in my opinion.

The LTE deployments are both varying by market, and AT&T doesn't have anybody on their network yet, which is a huge factor in this comparison. Verizon by far beats anyone relative to LTE deployment as well.

 

[nizmoz]

Dead? It is the MOST used cell technology in the world. 75% of the world uses GSM. Seriously dude stop now. CDMA has NEVER allowed both voice and data. You sir need to get your facts straight. Until LTE came out, is the only time it actually allowed it. You probably left because OF YOUR WRONG statements like this. People having to correct your wrong information all the time. LOL

Interesting fact: The "3G" that GSM providers are using is actually based on CDMA technology. GSM as we know it is quite dead, and the fastest GSM technology is actually EDGE, which we all know is quite slow. (HSPA/UMTS/LTE is NOT GSM Technology!!)

CDMA also in fact DOES allow for simultaneous voice and data, it's called 1x Advanced, which is being deployed now.

CDMA 2000 | 3G Wireless | Qualcomm

Verizon is not lying on their maps, and I stopped frequenting Howard Forums because of topics like that where people are spreading false information, as well as the behaviors of people on Howard Forums. I much prefer the company here, but I digress. Anything said on Howard Forums should be taken with a grain of salt in my opinion.

The LTE deployments are both varying by market, and AT&T doesn't have anybody on their network yet, which is a huge factor in this comparison. Verizon by far beats anyone relative to LTE deployment as well.

 

[IOWA]

Dead? It is the MOST used cell technology in the world. 75% of the world uses GSM. Seriously dude stop now. CDMA has NEVER allowed both voice and data. You sir need to get your facts straight. Until LTE came out, is the only time it actually allowed it. You probably left because OF YOUR WRONG statements like this. People having to correct your wrong information all the time. LOL

I'm sorry sir, but you are wrong.

Verizon already uses simultaneous 1x Advanced with the HTC Thunderbolt, and it indeed gets simultaneous voice and data over 3G (not LTE!).

Please read about 1x Advanced.

1X Advanced Benefits 050509

Again, UMTS, HSPA+ is based on CDMA technology. You can find more information here:

Evolved HSPA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Relevant excerpt:

HSPA+, or Evolved High-Speed Packet Access, is a technical standard for wireless, broadband telecommunication. HSPA+ enhances the widely used WCDMA based 3G networks with higher speeds for the end user that are comparable to the newer LTE networks. HSPA+ was first defined in the technical standard 3GPP release 7 and expanded further in later releases.

WCMDA = Wideband CDMA.

Like I said, GSM from a technical evolution standpoint, is dead. It hasn't been changed for quite some time now. Everything you hear about GSM's "natural evolution" is just marketing speak, and has little to do with the actually technology being used for GSM, which is a codec that runs on TDMA, or Time Division Multiple Access.

 

[nizmoz]

Then take a video and prove it. Because they don't and that is a known fact. I am done with you since you have been spewing wrong info.

I'm sorry sir, but you are wrong.

Verizon already uses simultaneous 1x Advanced with the HTC Thunderbolt, and it indeed gets simultaneous voice and data over 3G (not LTE!).

Please read about 1x Advanced.

1X Advanced Benefits 050509

Again, UMTS, HSPA+ is based on CDMA technology. You can find more information here:

Evolved HSPA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Relevant excerpt:



WCMDA = Wideband CDMA.

Like I said, GSM from a technical evolution standpoint, is dead. It hasn't been changed for quite some time now. Everything you hear about GSM's "natural evolution" is just marketing speak, and has little to do with the actually technology being used for GSM, which is a codec that runs on TDMA, or Time Division Multiple Access.

 

[IOWA]

Then take a video and prove it. Because they don't and that is a known fact. I am done with you since you have been spewing wrong info.

Not my video, but this was very easy to find on YouTube demonstrating 1x Advanced on the HTC Thunderbolt There are many just like it demonstrating the same thing.

Talk and Surf at the same time on verizon - YouTube

 

[nizmoz]

Well that proves it no doubt. I stand corrected as this seems to be something that just started to happen. Sorry.

 

[IOWA]

Well that proves it no doubt. I stand corrected as this seems to be something that just started to happen. Sorry.

It's ok, we're all here to learn something . Next time though, in my opinion, it would be better off if you tried to take a few things as a learning experience rather than an insult. When people tell me things, I don't believe them right away either, so I do my own research.

I encourage everyone to do their own research, about any subject, instead of just taking someone's word for it though.

 

[nizmoz]

It's ok, we're all here to learn something . Next time though, in my opinion, it would be better off if you tried to take a few things as a learning experience rather than an insult. When people tell me things, I don't believe them right away either, so I do my own research.

I encourage everyone to do their own research, about any subject, instead of just taking someone's word for it though.

Thing is I have in the past on this subject but not recently as I didn't know about this network change. :/

 

[Sandroidfan]

I got burned with verizon in their Gnex update fiasco. So I am looking into pre-paid GSM carrier plan like ATT gophone or Straight talk with unlocked phone like GSM nexus. I'm new to ATT, so I got a few questions.

1. Is it possible to use LTE data on prepaid Gophone plan?

2. what's the maximum data package available on gophone? its web page says 1Gb/$25 as the highest one and that seems too small. or I have to pay $0.01 for 5kb.


BTW, regarding simultaneous voice/data on CDMA phone you guys are talking, my understanding is that's only possible with certain radio chipset configuration. That's qualcomm snapdragon AP with 3G radio and another 3G/4G radio chip for 3G/4G data all in a single phone. I think only HTC CDMA/LTE phones like Tbolt, Rezound have this kind of configuration.

 

[tdperry]

CDMA you can't do voice and data at the same time.

One bad fact can call the rest of your facts into question. Google SVDO and get back to us on your quoted statement. Pretty sure all the Verizon towers have the capability.