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AT&T vs. Verizon LTE coverage for iPad (1 Viewer)

Ted Todorov

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So I've glanced at the map, and AT&T is solid LTE for NYC. But does that really mean anything?

I ask because after the iOS 5.1 upgrade my iPhone 4S is telling me it is 4G (i.e. HSPA+) But in reality that means nothing -- I'm still getting the same puny 1Mbps down as before -- less than 3 times the speed my iPhone 3GS was getting on Europe's real 3G networks. So will LTE simply connect me to the same, already totally over-saturated backhaul AT&T has in New York or San Francisco?

I have strong incentive to stick with AT&T because they offer the best data plan option -- my grandfathered unlimited aka 3GB for $30.

It is a deep shame that they are making us chose between the two up front. If people could switch between AT&T and Verizon on a monthly basis with their new iPads, that would light a fire under them to fix their networks and their rates (in Italy last summer 19€ got you 5GB -- and a network fast, ubiquitous and reliable enough to actually be able to use it).
 

DaveF

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The cake is a lie.

http://www.marco.org/2012/03/07/att-fake-4g-indicator




I can confirm: my AT&T iPhone shows “4G” now, and I just benchmarked the connnection at a blazing 0.63 Mbps down and 0.07 Mbps up.
 

dmiller68

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That's funny in Seattle I'm getting:

Work (downtown Seattle) - 4.5 - 7.9 down, 1.3 - 1.6 up

Home (Kirkland) - 2-4 down, .8-1.2 up


I was getting that before the new "4G" icon. I believe that was the 4s feature.
 

Ted Todorov

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Quote:

Originally Posted by dmiller68

That's funny in Seattle I'm getting:

Work (downtown Seattle) - 4.5 - 7.9 down, 1.3 - 1.6 up

Home (Kirkland) - 2-4 down, .8-1.2 up


I was getting that before the new "4G" icon. I believe that was the 4s feature.


Yes HSPA+ is a 4S feature -- the new icon is just window dressing. But -- this yet again goes to show that it is all about the backhaul capacity -- which AT&T simply refuses to improve in NYC. ANd my fear is that LTE, no matter how blazingly fast it can be potentially, will be every bit as slow as their current 3G due to the same limited backhaul
 

Michael_K_Sr

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On AT&T's LTE network, I was getting consistent 23Mb d/l speeds over two days at my hotel in D.C. with an Elevate hotspot. In Chicago I get 6-9Mb d/l on the train commute pretty consistently.
 

Ted Todorov

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Michael: good to know -- I sure hope this applies to NYC.

A good article on the trade-offs:

http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/7/2853111/new-ipad-lte-verizon-att-decision
 

Michael_K_Sr

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The people in our NY office hate AT&T, but mostly because of crappy voice service. I've had few problems with data when I've been there, although I haven't been out there since they rolled out LTE.
 

DaveF

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As a tourist last summer, our AT&T iPhone 4 service was fine. Walking around DC a bit the past month, it's also been normal.


Out here in the burbs (Ashburn, Chantilly, Fairfax), AT&T is a bit dodgier than it was in Rochester, but still generally good. I need to find out how Verizon is here, since I hope to upgrade to the iPhone n+1 this Fall.
 

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