AT&T Publicly Responds to Verizon Ad Campaign

[soLoredd]

I despise all wireless companies, but I have to admit I've had no problem with AT&T coverage or 3G data speed.

Same here. I think it's pretty funny how people form these allegiances to cell companies. Other than cable, it's the worst when it comes to rules and regulations. We all get screwed one way or another.

I choose ATT because of the iPhone. That's it. None of the othe phones offered from any company interest me. And the way Verizon is using the iPhone as a "misfit toy" leads me to believe Apple won't be coming to the V. I can only assume ATT will improve as time and tech improve. I really have no qualms with them.

 

[Full of Win]

AT&T, seriously, whoever came up with that response, fire them, and use the money to build a better network. Get something that can beat Verizon, and then you can make fun of them for a change.

Here's a thought. Set a goal for LTE coverage so widely available that it does better than Verizon's current 3G network, and get it done ASAP.

No, that makes too much sense. The better idea is to sue them and bring attention on how lame your current 3G rollout is. ATT stinks of desperation at the point. I so hope that Apple comes out with a Verizon phone so we have the option to shove ATT and their so-called network.

 

[DanielSw]

. . . I can only assume ATT will improve as time and tech improve. I really have no qualms with them.

That's the point. AT&T isn't about to air its laundry about what it's doing to "catch up" with demand, just like any company which gets in a big contract and has to sub it out just to meet the deadline. They're most likely trying to gear up the best they can to meet the demand as soon as possible. They have to be ready to handle traffic and load before they announce iPhone tethering, for example.

It makes more sense to weather all the various grumbling for the time being, as that's a much lesser evil than to have to deal with mass defection if tethering were enabled too soon and there were entire sections of the network going down.

I think AT&T is both more inclined to and has better resources than Verizon to get the job done properly on its infrastructure. We're just going to have to wait a little longer.

 

[rumplestiltskin]

If AT&T is my only choice...

...I'll never buy an iPhone. AT&T's coverage sucks. Forget web access; let's just talk about making a damn phone call. Here in El Paso AT&T's service has always been spotty, at best. When I worked for Apple we were given AT&T phones (no choice in the matter) and I had non-stop dropped calls, no service, poor coverage. When I left Apple (and gave them back that awful phone) I re-upped with Alltel (now Verizon) and have had great service.

If the rumors about the iPhone coming to Verizon are true, I might buy one (but not if I have to pay for web service I'll never use).

 

[Analog Kid]

Wow, disastrous tactic by AT&T. I wouldn't have even paid attention if they didn't make a stink, and now it's clear that AT&T is just plain wrong. They've got no grounds for complaint.

 

[oammi2]

Wow.. a rational and informative comment in this entire thread. How bloody shocking.

I'll also go on record and say that I must be the only one on this entire forum who has yet to experience a dropped call anywhere I've been with the iPhone, regardless of EDGE or 3G. Places I've been:

CA: Sacramento, Davis, Vacaville, Vallejo, Berkeley, San Fransisco, Redwood City, Folsom, Roseville, Placerville, S. Lake Tahoe.

NV: Las Vegas, Henderson, Boulder City, Mesquite, Moapa, Beatty, Fallon, Tonopah, Lake Tahoe, Carson City, Reno, Laughlin.

NE: Omaha, Lincoln, Millard, Kearney, Bellevue.

IA: Des Moines, Council Bluffs, Sioux City.

AZ: Phoenix, Mesa, Wickenburg, Prescott, Kingman, Bullhead City, Flagstaff.

CO: Denver.

OK: Hugo, McAlester, Henrietta, Oklahoma City, Midwest City, Del City, Tulsa, Guthrie, Ardmore, Durant, Olkmugee, Jenks.

MO: Kansas City, Independence, Flourissant, St. Louis, St. Charles.

KY: Louisville.

Seems kinda hard for me to believe that ATT has such a crappy network, when I'm getting results everywhere I go.

BL.

Agreed I travel constantly and never have an issue dropping calls I love my iPhone and have never had issues with ATT's network.

 

[dmelgar]

And I am saying that there are going to be a million times more public record on AT&T's lousy customer service and that Verizon's price plans match AT&T price plans.

I disagree. AT&T customer service is better than Verizon. Verizon has the highest prices in the industry.

 

[jk78]

I live in Holmdel NJ and I had to actually switch from VZW to AT&T because VZW gets 1 bar coverage in my town, or at least my neighborhood..dropped calls and everything (i can't remember exactly, but i seem to recall my phone going into "no service" often). All my VZW friends have had the same experience when coming over.

So I kinda chuckle when people say AT&T's coverage sucks because it's the opposite in my case.

 

[chwhale]

I have AT&T and most of the time all of my calls get dropped. Also, I don't have the Edge network about 50% of the time. Bonus: I'm in their preferred coverage area.

The iPhone has always been a great hand held device but a terrible phone. I really hate AT&T.

 

[Revelation78]

First off, I'm not Apple or AT&T Fanboy; some of you however need to quit drinking the Verizon coolaid. I've had Verizon before and I absolutely hated them.

In reference to the commercials a lot of you like to point out that Verzion has better 3G coverage, yada, yada, yada... You also like to state that based on the "maps" Verizon has more3G coverege, blah, blah, blah...

The commercials in question do not show an iPhone on AT&T's network operating at slower Edge speeds, when 3G is not avialable. It depicts the iPhone as having NO SERVICE unless it has 3G service. This is where AT&T does have a legal stand. Petty, yes!

For instance if the commercial depicted a Droid blazing through a download at 3G speeds while the iPhone was chugging along at Edge speeds, then I would whole heartidly agree with most of you.

Here in CO I have had much better service with AT&T than Verizon, I have also had better customer service with AT&T than I have had with Verizon. Ultimately every carrier I have had service with leaves something to be desired from their network and their customer service.

 

[Scooterman1]

I thought the Verizon Ads were really just comparing 3G. Why is AT&T bringing in a complaint about EDGE except that is mostly what they have coverage on? Verizon was just talking about the 3G. I guess that when someone uses real truth in advertising, it hurts.

 

[Revelation78]

I thought the Verizon Ads were really just comparing 3G. Why is AT&T bringing in a complaint about EDGE except that is mostly what they have coverage on? Verizon was just talking about the 3G. I guess that when someone uses real truth in advertising, it hurts.

No, that's not it. Verizon is depicting that you get NO SERVICE if you don't have 3G, which is simply not true. Instead of just looking at the "maps," LISTEN to the message Verizon is sending in the commercials.

 

[kdarling]

Right. ATT isn't disputing the 3G maps at all.

The major excerpt from ATT's complaint:

Customers are interpreting the white or blank space on the maps to mean that AT&T customers who are not in an AT&T 3G coverage area have no wireless coverage whatsoever, and therefore have no ability to use their wireless devices for any purpose in vast areas of the country.

I now agree with ATT that at least one of the ads makes it look like you can't do any communications outside of a 3G area.

After all, outside 3G you can still get texts to meet for a party, or get your email over EDGE. So showing someone sad for being left out of party invitations, would require somehow showing why lack of 3G would cause that.

Verizon could instead show someone Slinging their home TV or using VoIP or viewing highres videos... all over 3G. Then they could show the poor ATT user who is either banned from doing that, or unable because of lack of coverage.

 

[firewood]

So if I pay $600 for a non-contracted iPhone, but pay the same $70 or $80/month that a 2 year contract user pays, if part of their amount is going towards paying back the iPhone (according to him), where's that same part of mine going towards?

To an exercisable option to leave (options usually cost something in the stock market) and to AT&T's profits on selling you that option if you don't exercise it.

 

[Retrosonic]

At&t

Right. I live in NYC and that the ONLY reason why I dont have an Iphone......because when my friends call me (who have AT&T) the calls drop, cut out right in the middle or i cant hear them. This would not work for me.

I want an iphone so badly, BUT my Verizon phone always works, even out in Kent , Connecticut where I go for vacation.

Has anyone heard anything about AT&T upgrading the QUALITY of their network?

 

[kdarling]

Has anyone heard anything about AT&T upgrading the QUALITY of their network?

They can't. They chose GSM, probably because it was cheaper to deploy at the time. It certainly wasn't technically superior.

The reason Verizon and some others skipped GPRS and went straight to a CDMA based system (which is what GSM went to for 3G) is because it can handle far more users and a far higher data bandwidth. Plus it was easier to fully deploy 3G in the widespread USA, as we all can see.

In addition, when CDMA hands off between towers, it stays connected to more than one at a time. It's nearly impossible to get dropped during a handoff.

GSM does a hard handoff: they drop the connection to one tower, before getting the connection to the next one. That's when drops typically occur.

 

[LagunaSol]

The reason Verizon and some others skipped GPRS and went straight to a CDMA based system (which is what GSM went to for 3G) is because it can handle far more users and a far higher data bandwidth.

But not simultaneous voice and data?

 

[butterfly0fdoom]

The reason Verizon and some others skipped GPRS and went straight to a CDMA based system (which is what GSM went to for 3G) is because it can handle far more users and a far higher data bandwidth. Plus it was easier to fully deploy 3G in the widespread USA, as we all can see.

EV-DO was easier to deploy because it's based on CDMA to begin with. But LTE's going to be a pain for AT&T and Verizon to rollout.

 

[samab]

But not simultaneous voice and data?

They can, but they don't have to and they don't want to.

Verizon Wireless is capable of operating VoIP-over-EVDO Rev A, thus you can do simulataneous voice and data at the same time.

It's a largely academic problem driven by fanbois in internet forum discussions. There are millions of Verizon Wireless subscribers with 3G smartphones, not many people are complaining about it in real life.

 

[kdarling]

But not simultaneous voice and data?

You mean the current Verizon CDMA setup? Nope, which of course is the situation with users of the first EDGE-only GSM iPhone, and with any current GSM phone outside of 3G coverage.

A difference is that, unlike EDGE, incoming calls on Verizon pause the data connection instead of going to voicemail.

Of interest is that a simultaneous voice and EVDO and voice standard (SVDO) was approved last week. The network and phone parts will be ready by mid-2010 if Verizon wanted to implement it.

VoIP is allowed on Verizon, btw, so a savvy user could have some simultaneous voice/data if they wished.

 

[AidenShaw]

It's a largely academic problem driven by fanbois in internet forum discussions. There are millions of Verizon Wireless subscribers with 3G smartphones, not many people are complaining about it in real life.

I thought about that when this first came up.

If I'm in a phone conversation, the handset is against my head.

If I'm surfing, I have the keyboard open, typing URLs and search queries and stuff.

Does it matter that I can't have both radios running? Not so much as I see it.

 

[ZeeGermans]

True Story

Yesterday I tried to make a call with my iPhone in Dallas. Call was so garbled I had to hang up. Then used my wife's Verizon phone to call back and apologize. "Sorry, I was using my iPhone. I'm on a Verizon phone now."

This is a typical experience with AT&T and Verizon in Dallas.

iPhone + AT&T = iToy (no phone)

 

[mactony]

Happy AT&T customer

I agree with all who think that both sides of this silly war are just talking about some facts while omitting others. The lawsuit seems rather pointless. AT&T should invest its money in a good ad campaign and continue to improve its network (which I am happy with). However, I do think that Verizon's advertising is misleading. Extremely misleading.

I've read various individuals' complaints about AT&T's network and I disagree. I have lived in Massachusetts and Michigan (not in major cities) and I get great service. Since I bought my iphone six months ago, I have ALWAYS been able to check my email and surf the web and, I'd estimate that about 97% of the time I have 3G service. My bottom line, though, is: I always have internet and phone service on my iPhone. That makes me a happy customer.

When I travel, AT&T seems to consistently come through for me, and most of the time, I have 3G service. EDGE service kicks in from time to time.

I would not want to use Verizon and I sincerely hope that Apple and AT&T continue their business relationship. Verizon has horrible customer service and the "Can you hear me now?" ploy is bull. Verizon's coverage map may look good, but I've seen plenty of Verizon customers have dropped calls or static in their calls. I've also seen Verizon Blackberry users not be able to use the internet. Verizon's pricing also is not the greatest for the way I use my iPhone (it's my only phone). Not once in the three years I've used AT&T have I experienced a dropped call.

I also like AT&T's plan pricing. I have tons of rollover minutes and the cost of the internet service is reasonable to me. I don't care about tethering at all. I didn't even care about MMS. I don't use it and I have never used it. And now that I have it again (this time with my iPhone) I still do not use it!

Am I the only super happy content AT&T customer with an iPhone? I really have no complaints about my service. On the contrary, I love my iPhone and AT&T service.

 

[twoodcc]

well they need to do something. but yeah, they also need to improve their network as well

 

[kdarling]

I have tons of rollover minutes and the cost of the internet service is reasonable to me.

Verizon's and ATT's plan prices for voice and data are the same. The main difference is the rollover minutes, which I can see being useful if you have lots of variable usage per month.

However, I can never understand why people brag about having thousands of rollover minutes which they can't possible ever use. Doesn't that just mean they've picked a plan that costs too much?

(Serious question)