Why I’m not switching to the Verizon iPhone: Need for speed

By on Jan 10, 2011 at 12:25 PM
mobile January 10, 2011

The image above says it all. It shows a screen capture of an actual speed test performed on an Apple iPhone 4 while connected to AT&T’s 3G network in northern New Jersey. It is not an anomaly. In fact it’s pretty standard in my home town and in the surrounding areas. Sometimes my download speed is faster and sometimes it’s slower, but it generally stays between 3.5 and 5Mbps¹. I can’t give that up.

Verizon Wireless has an incredibly strong network. It works everywhere, seemingly without fail, and hopefully the carrier can maintain its reputation as a rock solid network even after it is infested with data-gulping iPhones. What the Verizon Wireless network is not, however, is fast. In my town, which is roughly 15 minutes northwest of the George Washington Bridge, Verizon’s average download speed sits around 800Kbps¹. The fastest I’ve seen it in this area is just over 1Mbps. I use Verizon devices all the time as part of my job, and I often carry them with me outside my job. When I want to do something that involves downloading large files or streaming video content, I use an AT&T phone.

But what about reliability? AT&T is horrible! Wrong. AT&T might be horrible for you, but it works just fine for me. Not always, of course, but often enough that I have no interest in switching my main personal account to another provider and sacrificing data speed in the process. In late 2009 and early 2010, it was a very different story. I could rarely make phone calls in the area around my office in New York City and had Verizon scored the iPhone back then, I would have switched in a second. But beginning last summer, however, AT&T’s service in midtown Manhattan improved dramatically.

The other big part my decision comes down to the core reason any “my network is better than your network” argument is patently ridiculous. A network’s coverage, performance and reliability vary greatly depending on region — without exception. Notice the full five bars my iPhone 4 was reporting when the screen shot above was captured. Along with every other AT&T phone I have lying around, my iPhone just about always displays five bars of coverage near my home, office and nearly everywhere else I go in the area. Even when I give it the death grip.

In 2012 when AT&T and Verizon Wireless each have LTE networks that offer widespread coverage and speedy data connections, I’ll reassess the situation. I expect a 4G LTE iPhone to launch for both networks in 2012, so pricing and coverage will become the two main factors I consider. Today, however, switching from AT&T to Verizon would be like switching from broadband to dial-up — and I just can’t handle that.

¹Figures represent estimated average download speeds observed on AT&T and Verizon Wireless’ 3G data networks. The figures are based on independent speed tests performed using various devices with various speed test applications and are in no way scientific.

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  • Anonymous

    While I believe your speed claims, just remember New Jersey is home to AT&T’s GNOC center (Global Network Operations Center) and their employees make it an effort to make sure their area is covered in the latest in equipment with overlapping towers to support it. Plus how bad would it look when you go to NJ and a big Fortune 50 client complains about AT&T at their center?

  • CrimsonDiva

    Hmm. I have the 1st generation Droid running Froyo. After I read this article, I started running speed tests on my unit. my latest says 0.05Mbps (download) and 0.34Mbps (upload). So, of course I’m upset!!!

  • peoplepeopleperson

    5 Mbps?! I get a constant 256k on AT&T’s network! EVERYWHERE (except the one time I went to San Diego and got 3G speeds hitting 2 Mbps)! Meanwhile, my dad watches movies on his Droid X while travelling… :(

  • AGB

    Well said.

    And if you think that ATT’s network delivers faster performance now, just wait until those bandwidth gobbling Iphones hit the Verizon network. The increase in the number of users, and more importantly, the increase in access to bandwidth intensive applications will surely be a strain on Verizon’s network.

  • Disillusioned.

    Ok, I’m a Android on vzw customer. What I’ve been doing all day is speedtests on my vzw phone and realizing I’m paying $30 / month for unlimited slow. between 100-600kbps no matter where I go. My contract is up in March and I’m buying an ATT iPhone.

  • Anonymous

    Not to mention why would anybody swtich to Verizon for a phone that has been out for a while. It is not just speed that it lacks but it is about a year behind every other launching phone on the Verizon network from a technology standpoint. Think about this. It is 3G not 4G. It cannot do data and voice at the same time but the new phones lauching the same time can. You are limited to wifi and FaceTime for video calling where the competitors can do video chat with 500M users on 4G, 3G, and wifi with skype. It has a 5MP camera and the rest have 8MP on Verizon. It has apps but so does Android, WP7 and BB. It does not have a UI. Its archaic……why would anyone switch for an oudated phone, with outdated technology? Its just stupid

  • 1234abc

    The speeds really arent that slow. Verizon is freeing up the 3g network w/ the new 4g phones even when they’re not in a 4g market. So the Millions of iphones will have plenty of 3g bandwith to use

  • Anonymous

    I’m happy that your speeds are good. I am doing a test now and not getting more then 500kb on 3g in NYC.

  • zenanez

    Bradenton, FL download speed = 1.992 mb/s, upload = 210 mb/s for 3G, 4 bars, same app as article. Looks to be close to what was reported by Chicago. ATT support says they have more towers in New York and New Jersey. For example, Grand Central has 25 towers in close proximity, while Bradenton, FL only has one in area of test

    • troybpi

      ATT signal in Lakewood Ranch, FL (East Bradenton area) is horrible. I had to return my iphone4 and revert back to the 3GS just to get fewer dropped calls. It is very frustrating and cannot understand in our populated area that ATT voice and data is so bad.

  • Anonymous

    hmmm something about ur comment just sounds like u lying..HATER!!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_64P7ACXX4ACN44ZZET3UI2CDKA Vincent

    I’ve never been in love with AT&T, but their phone selection was always vastly superior to AT&T. As a techie, I love that. Most of the Verizon people I know had blackberries that had unusably slow internet access. Now with the arrival of Droids, they have a good selection/performance. But the iphone is one I would never choose from Verizon until they have simultaneous voice/data. No email during a call is a problem.

    I have not had the same issues with AT&T’s network that people complain of. It may not be super fast for me, but I always average at over 1000kbps downloads. Uploads aren’t nearly as good for me at 150kbps to 200.
    I will probably end up with the carrier that lets me have an unlimited data plan on LTE. Not sure if either will do that. I think 5GB caps will be the norm… If I have to stay on AT&T to have no cap, then it isn’t much of a choice.

  • An apple a day…

    Yes the world had all of those features years ago and the software that allowed them to work was horrendous. Apple releases software that actually works. Any droid I touch can’t even scroll through the contacts without lagging. Have you ever heard of a jailbreak? I can do what I want when I want on my iPhone and it doesn’t crash, it works all the time, every time. Copy and paste on windows mobile sucked, and copy and paste on the blackberry os sucked, on the iphone it rocks. The only advantage android has is that multiple hardware manufacturers make them and better hardware specs are always come out. I’ll take usability over a shoddily put together dual core phone, and when apple comes out with their dual core I have no doubt in my mind that it will function perfectly.

  • HelpImStuck

    Can you please keep this under your hat? I’m still under contract with AT&T (I’m getting a mega discount). The more iPhone owners that leave for Vz, the fewer dropped calls we all get.

  • Anonymous

    Uhh.. I’ve never got more then 1.5 Mbps here in San Jose. And in LA, a paltry 700kbps.
    San Francisco…. fughedaboutit.

  • sartttt

    get your facts:
    read through the articles, obviously BGR is an apple-hater site.

  • AndyFTW

    I disagree with this post. At my office in Las Vegas, my co-worker complains so much about his AT&T iPhone having crappy reception, while my Verizon Droid has NO ISSUES at all.

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