The IPhone - Question

[mjaclyn]

Hi everyone,
DH and I recently switched from Verizon to AT&T for the IPhone and I have to say...I absolutely LOVE this phone. The Apps are great and it's so convenient to be able to be connected to everything online right on my phone. The one and only problem I have is AT&T's wireless service. It's absolute complete and total garbage IMO. I don't live in the middle of nowhere and my calls are dropped all the time. I can't even get my voicemail unless I'm in the 3G zone and that's not very often. My question is: Does anyone know if Apple will ever offer an IPhone for Verizon? I would switch back in a heartbeat if they ever did. I can't understand WHY Apple would want to be affiliated with such a terrible cell service. There was even an article on Yahoo the other day about how AT&T is rated the WORST carrier in the USA. Yes, the phone is great but at the end of the day you have to be able to actually USE the phone and with AT&T I can't use the features that I like so much MOST of the time. That's totally unacceptable... DH and I are thinking about cancelling our contract with AT&T and going back to Verizon. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

[RedSoxFan]

DH has the IPhone for work. He loves the phone; but hates AT&T. He is always getting dropped calls or no coverage. I have Verizon and have no problems. As much as I would love to have the IPhone, I will not switch to AT&T. My sister and her husband have the IPhone and have the same problems (they live in RI).

[ElenitaB]

Compared to when I had AT&T years ago, service is much better. However, it really does leave something to be desired. A friend of mine who has AT&T but not an iPhone also experiences a lot of dropped calls, so it's the service and not the phone. I certainly hope that Apple doesn't do anything crazy like change the SIM card or anything like that if and when they offer iPhones.

[DizneyRox]

There are rumors of the iPhone coming to Verizon, latest put it around summer of 2010. BUT, personally, I don't know if AT&T is going to let the contract slide. It's proably the only thing keeping people from making the switch to Verizon.

I will say that I've never had any problems with dropped calls, etc. Sure, I'm not always runing with 3G but I do get cell coverage and ultimately, that's what's important on a cell phone.

My experience with Verizon makes me shudder at the thought of going back. They tend to nickle and dime you to death and overall I've found their plans are offered at a higher cost.

I do hope that Verizon gets the iPhone in the end. It can only help the iPhone community if more poeple get it, PLUS who knows it may even spur a price war to get the cost down on the device and maybe even the service.

For now though, there's nothing that comes close to the usefulness of the iPhone. And if you jail break the device, the world is your oyster.

[Disdude]

I've been using an iPhone since the fist day they came out and I was an AT&T/Cingular customer for years prior. I now live in the sticks but I lived in San Diego a couple of years ago and I've traveled some around the country including Disney World and Hawai'i. I cannot rememeber more than a couple of dropped calls in all these years. I'm not even sure if they were my problem or issues with the other party.

I do wish there was more 3G coverage with AT&T. I use Edge unless I'm in Dallas. Otherwise, I've been pretty happy with them.

[Ian]

I'm like you ... love, love, LOVE my iPhone, but hate, hate, HATE the service.

I have to say, I can't actually fathom any service worse than AT&T. I would estimate that I drop at least once on about 80% of my calls. My "3G" (and I use that term loosely) coverage is iffy at best and often my service is unavailable (both data and voice) even though my phone says I have full bars on 3G. And listen ... I live in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country. I'm not out in the sticks!

If iPhone becomes available on Verizon I will run not walk ... I had Verizon before and their service was impeccable compared to AT&T's. At least from an availabity standpoint anyway. Customer service was pretty bad.

Work pays for my phone, though, so I'm pretty much stuck until we can maybe move our corporate plan.

[caryrae]

I got my 1st iPhone when the 3GS came out and maybe being in a good coverage area (Twin Cities) I have never had a dropped call and unless I am in some buildings I always have 3G. The iPhone is a great device. I did have a dropped call when I was in the middle of driving from Twin Cities to Milwaukee.

[Kenny1113]

I have to say, I can't actually fathom any service worse than AT&T.

I can - nextel! Several years ago DH and I thought nextel would be great with the push to talk service. We were counting down the days to switch back to AT&T.
But in regard to the op. I do not have any issues where I'm at, only a couple of dropped calls. A couple of weeks ago in Vegas I did have some areas that were edge, but I was still able to access voicemail.

[Tinkermom]

When I was in the market for a new phone last year I SOOOOOOOO wanted the iPhone (and still do) but ONLY stayed away because I could not bring myself to switch from my Verizon service to AT&T.

DH is a huge Apple fan and has been following the rumors that Verizon may get the iPhone - and there are MANY different rumors out there! One rumor is that T-Mobile may get the iPhone and not Verizon. So, I am just going to wait it out and HOPE that the Verizon rumor comes true.

[Mufasa]

Personally, I think the iPhone coming to Verizon probably would likely occur not before late 2010 with 2011 more likely as Verizon starts their transition to their LTE network- also would be reasonable to expect that would mark the opportunity for Apple to transition to a full in-house SOC developed by PA Semi (considering that Apple acquired them in 2008, that would fit with a conservative 2-3 year lead time necessary to develop the appropriate chipset).

The technical challenges, licensing and ROI to bring an EVDO/CDMA chipset for an iPhone to Verizon doesn't make a lot of sense (and has also been stated on earnings calls as a direction Apple would not take given the limited international markets for that technology)- and both Apple/Verizon being able to seize the LTE launch as favorable for both companies since Verizon paid out a hefty fee for the C block licenses during the 700 Mhz spectrum auction, and AT&T likely not starting their transition to LTE until at least 2012 having committed to using HSUPA and HSPA+ as a bridge.

[Genie1953]

Strange to be reading all of these complaints....it may just be a location problem. Our entire immediate family has had ATT for years and I got my new 3GS IPhone in August.....I have had absolutely NO problems at all with ATT service or my IPhone. It has been great. In fact my entire family including extended family members across the US have ATT and many have IPhones as well....they have not had any problems either. I have to say that I do love my IPhone.....and all of the apps that are available. It is just wonderful. Just sorry that it took me so long to make the decision to switch to an IPhone.

[Jeff]

Love my iphone but not as thrilled with AT&T. I had a regional carrier (Centennial) for years but switched last summer to get the iphone. My AT&T experience is not as bad as some of you are reporting but it's not as good as my old Centennial!

AT&T - fewer bars in more places!!!!!

[brewcrew26]

There are rumors of the iPhone coming to Verizon, latest put it around summer of 2010. BUT, personally, I don't know if AT&T is going to let the contract slide. It's proably the only thing keeping people from making the switch to Verizon.

This is just hearsay but my brother works for Verizon and says the iPhone is coming in Feb. or March 2010.

[ElenitaB]

For reference, when I use my phone for business calls, I invariably have to dial back into conference calls at least once per meeting due to dropped calls. Very embarassing. This was the case with both my 3G and my new 3Gs. Go figure!

There are also parts of my apartment where I have no phone coverage whatsover (and did with T-Mobile), but I expected that when I switched back to AT&T. At least with this phone, I don't have to practically hang out my bedroom window to get a signal.

And worst service ever? Sprint, hands down.

[BrerGnat]

The current contract between Apple and AT&T as the sole carrier of iPhone is up in 2010. It will then be made available to other wireless providers (highest bidder, I suppose).

I have had AT&T for 10 YEARS, in different areas (albeit all in California). I have had issues with dropped calls ONLY on specific phones! I had a Sony Ericsson phone a couple years ago that would drop EVERY call. No joke. I switched to a Motorola Razor and it immediately stopped happening. Since I've had my Razor (about 14 months now), I've had ZERO dropped calls. My sister has an iPhone. She lives about 45 min away from me. Her calls drop all the time. I really do believe it is the PHONE, not the service, a lot of the time. Some smartphones are just better at being PHONES than others. The iPhone is one of these. Its functionality as a PHONE is pretty poor.

To solve that issue, although it seems like heresy to say this: have two separate devices. I want all the functionality of the iPhone, but not the phone itself. So, I'm keeping my Razor and getting an iPod touch. The Touch does EVERYTHING that the phone does, except be a phone. No, it's not on a 3G network, it's Wi-Fi, but that's good enough for me! My Razor is on the network, so when I HAVE to go online for something and I'm away from home, I can use the phone. Plus, that $30/month data service is pretty high! I pay $15/month for unlimited data on my Razor. The difference in yearly data fees pays for the iPod touch...

[Ian]

Strange to be reading all of these complaints....it may just be a location problem.

Not strange at all. There are entire websites (and apps) devoted to how terrible AT&T's service is. It's not a location problem ... it's a nationwide problem that's been the subject of countless newspaper and television stories.

If you honestly have no issues, count yourself lucky. You're in a very small minority.

I really do believe it is the PHONE, not the service, a lot of the time.

That's actually my theory as well, but not exactly ... I suspect that the iPhone doesn't handle the sudden switch from the 3G network to the Edge network gracefully and that the real problem is due to AT&T's dubious 3G coverage.

[Melanie]

I guess I should consider myself lucky then. I've had my iPhone since June, and can count on one hand the number of calls I've had 'drop'. I do have occassional problems with service though, and interestingly enough, it's while I'm at Disney World.

[teambricker04]

I love my iphone as well. I drop a lot of calls, but mostly at home as we living in an old brick building in the city and are surrounded by other old brick buildings. Generally I don't have any more or less than I did with Verizon.

Heres the thing... If you don't have your phone in a protective case DO IT! I had mine a tad over a month and I dropped it on my kitchen floor... the screen is all cracked. It still works and I need to take it to get fixed, but sigh, it was a sad sad day none the less.

PS I just dropped a call while typing this!

[Kenny1113]

Several years ago (5+) I had issues with my phone service with AT&T. I actually got phone calls from AT&T asking where(specifically) I had issues. Guess what the service actuay improved!
So hopefully with all the "map" commercials and websites dedicated to the poor service of AT&T, they will look to improve again!

[DizneyRox]

Heres the thing... If you don't have your phone in a protective case DO IT! I had mine a tad over a month and I dropped it on my kitchen floor... the screen is all cracked. It still works and I need to take it to get fixed, but sigh, it was a sad sad day none the less.

I'm using the OtterBox Defender case and I can't recommend it enough. I've dropped my phone a couple times getting out of the car (onto asphalt) and at least once onto my granite kitchen floor iPhone looks like new. The case is still in good shape too. It is a $50 case however...