Verizon says its 4G phones won’t be compatible with AT&T’s LTE network

By on Jul 15, 2011 at 12:20 PM
mobile July 15, 2011

If you’re looking forward to the possibility of flip-flopping your smartphone’s SIM card between a Verizon Wireless 4G phone and an AT&T 4G phone, we have some bad news for you. Verizon Wireless spokeswoman Brenda Raney confirmed to PCMag on Friday that the carrier’s 4G LTE phones will not be compatible with AT&T’s 4G LTE network because the phones “run on different frequencies.” PCMag explained that while the two carriers operate within the 700MHz frequency band, AT&T will operate mostly within the 704-746MHz bands while Verizon’s 4G LTE will utilize the 746-787MHz frequencies. Additionally, Verizon still routes its voice calls over its 2G/3G CDMA network while AT&T uses GSM/HSPA. That means, until both networks are fully utilizing voice-over-LTE, it just won’t work. Sascha Segan, the article’s author, notes that it is possible for phone vendors to create devices that operate with the frequencies used by both AT&T and Verizon Wireless, but it would likely require the carriers to ink out some sort of agreement first. 

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  • Spoken Wordâ„¢

    the title should be AT&T’s LTE phones won’t be compatible with Verizons LTE network. 

    • Anonymous

      Tomato?

    • sirpaul

      Verizon has the head-start in the so-called “4G” space, not ATT.

  • Anonymous

    If the devices are operating on different frequencies, what difference would Voice over LTE make?  This post makes it sound like once the carriers are both using VoLTE, devices will be interchangeable.  The disparate voice networks are only part of the problem.

    • Bruesm89

      RTFA… It clearly states towards the end that it is possible to make devices that utilize both frequencies but would require an agreement between VZW and AT&T…

      • Anonymous

        RTFH(eadline).  And try not to be such a jerkoff.

      • QuickWeevil

        You’re attacking me because you can’t read a short article? The problem with these sites is people like you who simply read a headline and comment on it. To anyone who read the article your post sounds ignorant. I probably shouldn’t even acknowledge your response but there’s a reason that “RTFA” is a well-known acronym and that reason is people like you.

      • Anonymous

        Look, troll, you “attacked” me first. And I did read the article, obviously, since I referenced the VoLTE argument from within the article. So instead of trying to characterize me as illiterate, reactionary, and ignorant in an attempt to make yourself feel superior amongst your anonymous bretheren, why not consider my original point for a moment.

        My original comment was simply trying to say that despite the implication in the article, the implementation of VoLTE is hardly the biggest hurdle standing in the way of interoperability.

        The agreement the article and you mention is a pipedream. If devices haven’t been officially (carrier-sanctioned) interoperable with past networks, why would that change for LTE? What possible motivation would carriers have to strike such an agreement?

        Edit: mobile typo

  • Anonymous

    Network?  Heck Verizon wouldn’t even want AT&T phone chargers near their phones….that drop call virus might be contagious ….

  • Anonymous

    OK, let’s not get too hasty here. AT&T’s LTE network is, for all intents and purposes, non-existant. Forget about the fact that we’re dealing with 1st-generation LTE radios and chipsets…would you expect OEMs launching 1st-generation LTE devices on Verizon to validate on a non-existent network? No. End of story. Of course you can’t take your Thunderbolt and expect to swap in an AT&T LTE SIM! To expect anything more would be insanity. Keep in mind that the device was built to use CDMA 1x voice, and not UMTS.

    That doesn’t mean OEMs can’t make an LTE phone that works on multiple carriers (700MHz at least). The chipsets might not be available now, but there will be a generation of LTE devices that allow you to switch SIMs and change carriers. Just give it another year or two…

  • Anonymous

    Don’t feel bad, ATT’s current 4g phones, as well as T-mobile’s 4g phones won’t work once the merger goes thru anyways…ATT is kicking everyone off T-Mo’s band and making it 4g-LTE…we’re all screwed. (before someone starts flaming, I’m talking about 4g, not making calls)

  • Anonymous

    This is why the US mobile rates will continue to rise.  No true competition.  Until we can buy a phone at Walgreen’s and use it on ANY US network, our rates will be artificially inflated.

    • Gara56

      Just another way to hose the consumer.

  • http://benpike.net Ben Pike

    Just kill yourself now if you thought they would – because you are useless to humanity due to your stupidity.

  • Josh Swenson

    So does really mean that I’m not only going to have to pay more for 4G LTE service, but also have craptastic coverage when I travel because there’s no longer roaming across other carrier’s towers???  FAIL!!!

  • http://twitter.com/dustbeta Dustin Schultz

    Bad news for me, I travel overseas frequently and global roaming is my lifeline.  With this kind of mess, 4G will be rather useless.  Scratch 4G LTE off my must have features list.

  • Anonymous

    If there is ever a level of compatibility in the US that approaches that in Europe it won’t be the result of carriers inking an agreement. It will be the result of the FCC applying a regulation.  Differing technologies is an excuse, as proven by world phones from both AT&T and Verizon, and the lack of interoperability in the LTE market will be to keep users chained to their carriers.

    Unfortunately, I don’t see the  FCC acting on behalf of consumers anytime soon.

  • Anonymous

    Why should they be,
    AT&T’s LTE doesn’t work for AT&T phones!?

  • Jaime

    So does this mean AT&T lte will have better building penetration? Verizon lte is really good at it. Our 2″ thick steel break room is blast proof. Att 3G can’t come in. Only edge. Both Verizon 3G and lte get full bars.

  • Anonymous

    Unlocked Penta-band devices from Nokia did not require a carrier agreement, but they sure like to make it hard for manufacturers who want to make the effort.

  • Anonymous

    Thank you FCC.

  • Anonymous

    Some journalist are stupid. Everyone knows U cant BUY A VERIZON PHONE N Put ur ATT SIMS card in it th both have different 4G bands. Any one could of told these guys that.

  • guidimusmaximus

    So the Verizon 4G LTE is still using the old legacy 2G/3G for voice?  Does that mean its not ‘real 4G’, LOL!  No wonder its so fast, most of the traffic still runs on the old network.  When they finally get the voice to use LTE, will it get real slow?

    • Anonymous

      As an example AT&T does not use 3G/Fake 4G for voice so it could to keep it’s network in tip top shape, never said it was a good example…

      • dontwannawin

        um actually they do. it goes/will(maybe) go like this.  

        GSM/3G(UMTS)/LTE for voice.   GSM/EDGE(2.5G)/UMTS-HSPA(3G)/HSPA+(4G)/LTE(Faster4G) for Data.

  • Anonymous

    I read this, and thought that I would share this with you:

     

    It’s easy to see why RIM will be the dominant Smartphone
    player in the east.

     

    Apple is an American company; Apple pays taxes to the American
    government. The government uses that money to purchase weapons and missiles, to
    use against the people of the east.

     

    Android is software made by Google. Google is an American
    company; Google pays taxes to the American government. The government uses that
    money to purchase weapons and missiles, to use against the people of the east.

     

    Nokia and Microsoft together. Microsoft is an American
    company; Microsoft pays taxes to the American government. The government uses
    that money to purchase weapons and missiles, to use against the people of the
    east.

     

    RIM is a Canadian company. Canadians love everyone. 

     

    Nokia use to do very well out east. But now that they have
    joined an American company, it’s an entire new ball game.

  • Anonymous

    How about congress stepping in here and regulating these assholes into using the same devices to make them more competitive.
    oh wait, congress doing something useful… silly me!

    • Securitywiz

      Kindly remember that not everyone wants the government stepping in and regulating a private/public business.

      It’s not always in our best interest and they will just screw it up.

  • Anonymous

    No surprises here.  The carriers chose to keep them separate.

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