Verizon vs. At&T Feud

Serious Business Backup 83 replies 2,419 views
jspitaleri's avatar
jspitaleri
Posts: 161
Jan 3, 2010 12:57am
I have been with T-Mobile for 5+ years and I am looking forward to the upgrades mentioned above. I have been happy with their service... switched to Sprint for three days and went right back.
wes_mantooth's avatar
wes_mantooth
Posts: 17,977
Jan 3, 2010 12:59am
pmoney25 wrote:
wes_mantooth wrote:
sherm03 wrote: VZW is clobbering AT&T right now.

And I wouldn't be too sure about the iPhone going to Verizon just yet. While they do have the most cash, it doesn't make as much sense for Apple to have to completely reconstruct the phone to suit the CDMA network. It makes more sense for them to go to T-Mobile where it's just a few alterations to the chipset to get it to work on that network. However, that would spell disaster for Apple as TMO's coverage isn't so hot.

Within the next 5 years or so...I see Sprint dropping Nextel (probably selling all the towers and the technology to the government), and then Verizon buying out Sprint. Soon after, AT&T will join with T-Mobile...and we'll have two choices: CDMA or GSM.
I have Tmobile and their 3G coverage is absolutely horrible. I almost upgraded to their new droid phone until I looked at the coverage map....only major cities in Ohio. Verizon is probably where I am going after my contract is up in October.
By that time you will be surprised with T-Mobile 3G network. They are late to the game but first half of '10 they are going straight to 7.2mbps HSPA + which will blow Verizon/Att 3g out of the water. Current Test Market in Philly is getting T-Mobile up to 21mbps. This basically is bridging the gap until the carriers get to LTE (4G)
Good to know. Thanks. Do you know anything about buying an unlocked Iphone? I mean, will I have any problems calling in and activating it....because I am sure they will ask me what phone I am activating?
pmoney25's avatar
pmoney25
Posts: 1,787
Jan 3, 2010 1:04am
No problems. Easy to unlock. Only issue is iphone 3g will not get 3g but edge because tmobile 3g uses a diffrent band that att.

Phone and data will work though. Seriously though take a look at the nexus one and xperia x10 from sony. Both will use android.
wes_mantooth's avatar
wes_mantooth
Posts: 17,977
Jan 3, 2010 1:06am
Never heard of those phones....I was looking at the new Cliq or the Mytouch. I will give them a look. I can get the Cliq for 199 or Mytouch for 149 through tmobiles site.
sherm03's avatar
sherm03
Posts: 7,349
Jan 3, 2010 1:06am
pmoney25 wrote: Within 5 years, 3 of the 4 carriers have already committed to LTE for their 4G networks, leaving Sprint alone with Wimax.So the GSM vs. CDMA will be a thing of the past pretty soon. I don't see the FCC allowing the Mergers of said companies. You are more likely to see the Germans
(T-Mobile)buying up Sprint which has been a hot rumor both in Europe and the US for some time now.
The LTE/WiMax debate has nothing to do with GSM and CDMA. LTE and WiMax are 4g technologies designed to move DATA and not voice. So the CDMA/GSM debate will still be relevant.

There would not really be too much opposition to the mergers of those companies. There is no monopoly risk because there are still all the smaller companies in urban markets (i.e. US Cellular, Cricket, Revol, etc.).

And I've read the same rumors about T-Mobile buying up Sprint. That would be an absolute disaster for all parties. Any Sprint rep or customer that was around when Sprint merged with Nextel will tell you that it was a complete clusterfuck trying to get two different billing platforms and technologies to work together under one company's umbrella. It caused problems that STILL haven't been fixed. Throw ANOTHER billing platform, technology, and corporate plan into the mix and Verizon and AT&T will just dominate the market share.
sherm03's avatar
sherm03
Posts: 7,349
Jan 3, 2010 1:10am
wes_mantooth wrote: Never heard of those phones....I was looking at the new Cliq or the Mytouch. I will give them a look. I can get the Cliq for 199 or Mytouch for 149 through tmobiles site.
I got the Cliq back in September when it was announced. I've liked it, but haven't really gotten a chance to enjoy it until recently when 3g was rolled out in Cincinnati. T-Mobile's Edge data was just simply putrid. Now that Cincy has 3g...I'm enjoying the phone more. I do a ton of social networking, but I dumped all the widgets on the homescreen (kind of silly because that's the whole point of the MotoBlur)...and use it as a regular Android phone. Hopefully the Android 1.6 OS will be released for the Cliq by the end of this month.
Fab4Runner's avatar
Fab4Runner
Posts: 6,196
Jan 3, 2010 1:15am
I like turtles.
wes_mantooth's avatar
wes_mantooth
Posts: 17,977
Jan 3, 2010 1:15am
^^^That is my problem. I am not in a 3G market(live south of Canton) even though I want to upgrade...it just doesn't make sense to pay the extra $30 a month for service that I won't get unless I travel.
Fab4Runner's avatar
Fab4Runner
Posts: 6,196
Jan 3, 2010 1:19am
I hate you.
wes_mantooth's avatar
wes_mantooth
Posts: 17,977
Jan 3, 2010 1:26am
Fab4Runner wrote: I hate you.
......."in a relationship".......SMH
pmoney25's avatar
pmoney25
Posts: 1,787
Jan 3, 2010 1:27am
sherm03 wrote:
pmoney25 wrote: Within 5 years, 3 of the 4 carriers have already committed to LTE for their 4G networks, leaving Sprint alone with Wimax.So the GSM vs. CDMA will be a thing of the past pretty soon. I don't see the FCC allowing the Mergers of said companies. You are more likely to see the Germans
(T-Mobile)buying up Sprint which has been a hot rumor both in Europe and the US for some time now.
The LTE/WiMax debate has nothing to do with GSM and CDMA. LTE and WiMax are 4g technologies designed to move DATA and not voice. So the CDMA/GSM debate will still be relevant.

There would not really be too much opposition to the mergers of those companies. There is no monopoly risk because there are still all the smaller companies in urban markets (i.e. US Cellular, Cricket, Revol, etc.).

And I've read the same rumors about T-Mobile buying up Sprint. That would be an absolute disaster for all parties. Any Sprint rep or customer that was around when Sprint merged with Nextel will tell you that it was a complete clusterfuck trying to get two different billing platforms and technologies to work together under one company's umbrella. It caused problems that STILL haven't been fixed. Throw ANOTHER billing platform, technology, and corporate plan into the mix and Verizon and AT&T will just dominate the market share.
What I meant by mentioning lte is that lte is the next standard for gsm. Since verizon is switching to lte. I would assume they will eventually convert to full gsm. Sprint has also mentioned they would not rule out lte meaning all major carriers will eventually convert to gsm.

as for the mergers. I believe that verizon and att are the last two companies the fcc wants to see standing. Tmobile and sprint help keep prices lower for customers. Verizon and att already dominate every quarter.
hoops23's avatar
hoops23
Posts: 15,696
Jan 3, 2010 1:29am
I have Sprint and wouldn't go to any other company unless I had too..

3g coverage, any mobile any time, 500 minutes, nights starting at 7, unlimited weekends, unlimited data, unlimited text... All for 69.99

Love it.

4G is supposed to be rolling out soon too, and a testament to the turnaround at Sprint, they've been voted as the most reliable 3G network..
M
MontyBrunswick
Jan 3, 2010 1:38am
I've had no issues with ATT on my end. I also don't use an iPhone because I'm not a trendy idiot.
hoops23's avatar
hoops23
Posts: 15,696
Jan 3, 2010 1:38am
You don't use an iPhone because you have a strange hate for Apple..
sherm03's avatar
sherm03
Posts: 7,349
Jan 3, 2010 1:38am
pmoney25 wrote: What I meant by mentioning lte is that lte is the next standard for gsm. Since verizon is switching to lte. I would assume they will eventually convert to full gsm. Sprint has also mentioned they would not rule out lte meaning all major carriers will eventually convert to gsm.

as for the mergers. I believe that verizon and att are the last two companies the fcc wants to see standing. Tmobile and sprint help keep prices lower for customers. Verizon and att already dominate every quarter.
Understood now. And I agree...with the rest of the world being GSM...I see no reason why all the major carriers here in the states shouldn't be GSM as well. And Sprint has to say they won't rule out LTE. If they put all their eggs into WiMax and it flops, they would be done.

And I also agree that the FCC wouldn't necessarily want AT&T and Verizon left...but that seems to be the way it's heading. Like I said, if TMO buys out Sprint...I can see that being such a mess that customers would leave in droves! Eventually that would put such a strain on them that either VZW or AT&T would take over that failed experiment and leave just those two companies anyways.

In any case...it's going to be very interesting to see how the wireless industry shapes up over the next few years.
M
MontyBrunswick
Jan 3, 2010 1:39am
It's not a strange hate for Apple. I have an iPod and really like it.

iPhones aren't worth the hype, I don't understand why everyone gets their panties in a bunch over them.

Droids are pretty nice though, I wouldn't mind one of those.
Fab4Runner's avatar
Fab4Runner
Posts: 6,196
Jan 3, 2010 1:40am
wes_mantooth wrote:
Fab4Runner wrote: I hate you.
......."in a relationship".......SMH
One beer...SMH after I punch you in your vag.
hoops23's avatar
hoops23
Posts: 15,696
Jan 3, 2010 1:41am
I always knew mantooth had a vag..
M
MontyBrunswick
Jan 3, 2010 1:41am
pics or it didnt happen
hoops23's avatar
hoops23
Posts: 15,696
Jan 3, 2010 1:53am
dlazz wrote: It's not a strange hate for Apple. I have an iPod and really like it.

iPhones aren't worth the hype, I don't understand why everyone gets their panties in a bunch over them.

Droids are pretty nice though, I wouldn't mind one of those.
I agree, I was just giving you shit..

I have an iPod Touch, and while I really like it, it's not good enough to make me join AT&T for an iPhone.

I was going to grab the HTC Hero or Moment, but decided to go the Blackberry route this time..

Good thing with Sprint, I get a full discount every year instead of every 2, so if I make a choice I don't like I only have to stick with it for a year until I can get another cheap phone..
T
tuskytuffguy
Posts: 615
Jan 3, 2010 2:44am
It's painfully annoying living in the Dover/New Phila area and not having 3G with my AT&T. I mean, seriously, it's a large enough area with plenty of people to stock it. But, to hell with it, we've already discussed it in my household, and we're going Verizon as soon as our contract is up. As far as the Iphone goes, it's an overrated piece of shit.
UA5straightin2008's avatar
UA5straightin2008
Posts: 3,246
Jan 3, 2010 2:50am
Verizon will have the iphone by the end of 2010
Ytowngirlinfla's avatar
Ytowngirlinfla
Posts: 2,295
Jan 3, 2010 8:36am
I think the price wars will start heating up too. How about unlimited everything for around $50? Sprints plan for any mobile any time plus 500 mins is almost about as unlimited as you get. If your a sprint customer you can call and ask for a pick 3 and they'll give you unlimited calls to/from those 3 numbers as well.
End of Line's avatar
End of Line
Posts: 6,867
Jan 3, 2010 11:27am
Verizon, easily.
karen lotz's avatar
karen lotz
Posts: 22,284
Jan 3, 2010 8:59pm
LTrain23 wrote: Good thing with Sprint, I get a full discount every year instead of every 2, so if I make a choice I don't like I only have to stick with it for a year until I can get another cheap phone..
You can get the discounted phone every year from verizon too, as long as you view and pay your bill online. They don't advertise it at all, I came across it in some fine print somewhere.