The end of AT&T...Verizon iPhone

[Pwnin O'Brien]

LTE iPhone?

[szh]

Blackberry connects to all of the above.

Depends on which one you have, I think. Many are single technology only ... either CDMA or GSM. But, some are dual-technology switchable - like my current Samsung.

My Samsung Saga has both CDMA and GSM in it - not simultaneously, of course. This is because it has two chip-sets in there - or certainly the same processor can load up the different protocols and run them as needed.

The CDMA is what I use here in the US and it switches to GSM when I travel overseas.

I would not use the GSM capability in this phone while in the US for some obvious reasons: (a) cost ... the roaming charges would be horrible and (b) quality of service ... regardless of what everyone wants to hear, the fact is that the 3G CDMA coverage of Verizon and Sprint are both superior to the 3G GSM coverage provided by AT&T.

Z

[wingFeather]

Verizon sucks. Apple sucks. Guaranteed failure!

[szh]

LTE iPhone?

Very likely. That is what I believe will be the case. However, LTE chipsets are not available in low enough cost yet - that I know of. Which is why I don't believe the rumors just yet ...

An interesting point though: if it is LTE, then it will, in theory, work on Verizon or AT&T ... as long as the phone designers take the various spectrum needs into account. Since Verizon is planning to use 700MHz for LTE (has already been announced) and I think AT&T is going to use 2.1GHz (but not sure about this - less info available on AT&T).

And if the carriers do not hobble the phone for this capability. Case in point: years ago, the Samsung i730 was available through both Verizon and Sprint - but you could not switch a phone from one to the other. You had to get the correct firmware version.

Personally, I find this "locking to a carrier" a completely anti-consumer and unacceptably protectionist attitude, but, here in the US (unlike the ROW), the carriers have been getting away with this for a long, long time.

Z

[Jesda]

Blackberry connects to all of the above.

Depends on which one you have, I think. Many are single technology only ... either CDMA or GSM. But, some are dual-technology switchable - like my current Samsung.

My Curve didn't, my Tour does. Has a replaceable sim card. You just go into the settings menu and choose CDMA or GSM. As it is, I can select GSM and use it for emergency calls if needed. It also does HSPA.

I have a feeling I'll be satisfied with EVDO speeds for quite a while. Since moving to EVDO-capable phones in 2007 I've never really needed more mobile bandwidth.

[szh]

I have a feeling I'll be satisfied with EVDO speeds for quite a while. Since moving to EVDO-capable phones in 2007 I've never really needed more mobile bandwidth.

Very true for me on my cell-phone too! Although I am using EVDO Rev A. for its faster upload speeds over plain EVDO.

With my data-card, that I use for PC connectivity when I travel, I will go for a faster one when it becomes available. Sometime this summer, Sprint will have WiMAX in the S.F. Bay Area ... I intend to try it out then and compare to the 3G service.

For the moment, for 3G, I prefer Sprint over Verizon because I consistently get better signal strength and 10% to 25% better throughput with Sprint wherever I have traveled (for a year, I had both providers data-cards - for a test - and I would try both everywhere I went.)

Z

[gammer_ghn]

Att has too many customers for their network and is bigger than verizon, so when verizon brings out the iphone and charges you your soul and takes away all the naggers, att will free up bandwidth and be able to make their service better. Ive had att for 8 years now and i dont see whats all this crap is all about, on the other hand my sister and brother have verizon and sometimes use my phone to send text messages. its fun trust me!

[PoorManQ45]

I really hope that Verizon doesn't do like they did with the Blackberry and disable hardware functions like GPS.

THen they charged more to get these functions...

[RicerX]

That is the same thing that kills me with Verizon - they have EVERYTHING on lockdown, and it all costs a premium.