[Schfourteenteen]

I have no desire to switch from my Droid Pro...really need the physical keyboard...and does not matter...really love the Droid!

Same here. I doubt I'll be leaving the Pro for a long while.

[Hold My Own]

We dropped Verizon tethering and switched to using a Fivespot. It is more cost effective and allows the kids to connect to WiFi while we're travelling.

What???? Root your android and get free tethering!


I'm going to post my VZ rant on FB in here:

I completely agree with you. The iPhone IMO has the best UI and OS offered today...(I choose Android b/c it's open not best). Also Steve Jobs has performed better than any CEO in the world in the last 10 years IMO....for Apple to control the market share that they do on one carrier and offering one device updated a few times is astounding.

BUT all of this is the classic bait and switch for VZ customers....as you know Apple releases it's new products in June as I fully expect them to do this year...they are releasing this 3G version now because "the VZ customers asked for a iPhone now, so they are getting it" while those that get it will be locked in for 20 months and a new phone will be released in June causing any to want to upgrade then to pay full price.

I fully expect Sprint to offer the iPhone here soon which is why they were quick to point out it was a non exclusive deal with VZ....the sprint version will have a wimax antenna which the VZ version will have the LTE antenna.....that way the "design changes" will be for multiple reasons not just one carrier. That's obviously speculation but I like my guess.

As far as motivation to push Google or anyone else...VZ as well as every other for profit business in America has the motivation to push whoever is paying the muhlahh....right now it's Apple's turn. IMO VZ sold their soul to the devil in this deal though allowing Apple to release this phone now and release a i5 in June....who knows, maybe they wont release a i5 on VZ before summer...I'll be shocked though.

Oh and as far as pricing goes, that will be interesting...of course you'll pay $30 for the hotspot option (even though in today's presser they made it sound included) but I'm curious to see what they allow current customers to do that have a 250 MB/mo plan....will they allow you to get a iPhone? If they do there is a chance you'll go over your data limit which will cost you quite a bit of money....even though VZ would profit that's not what they want b/c of the PR backlash they'd take. It would make sense to offer iPhone only plans like Blackberry used to do but I havent heard any talk of that yet. They have already set the precedent by putting all of their data on tiers. I'm not sure they even offer a "unlimited data" any more...I'm pretty sure it's capped.

Either way I'm happy, this is huge to have the iPhone on VZ on so many levels! Seriously, I've been waiting for this for quite some time (even though I'm not switching from Sprint to VZ)

[adam42381]

We'll be switching back to Verizon once our AT&T contract expires at the end of November. AT&T coverage is terrible down here (and a lot of other places). This is great news for us.

[Sly Fox]

The fivespot is a completely separate line that is on an international plan giving me data access at reasonable price anywhere I travel in the world. My Droid couldn't get decent access anywhere I travelled in the South Pacific a few weeks ago. And for the record, my wife's BB Bold is the one we use with the fivespot most of the time for her work. Iy is much more cost effective than tethering or an aircard.

[El Scorcho]

My Droid couldn't get decent access anywhere I travelled in the South Pacific a few weeks ago.

That's because no one uses CDMA outside of the United States. All the more reason to be excited about LTE if you're a Verizon customer. LTE is based on GSM, which uses SIM cards and is the standard for most of the rest of the developed world. If you're a Verizon customer that travels, LTE is huge. It's just too bad your U.S. coverage is going to limited for a while.

[Sly Fox]

I agree wholeheartedly with the LTE comments, Scorcho. But I love hearing the AT&T crowd act like iPhones are going to crash the Verizon system. AT&T is going to have their excuse for lousy service exposed the next six months as iPhones start using Verizon's infrastructure without problems.

[Hold My Own]

VZ spoke more about the ability to handle the demand of the iPhone then any other fact in the presser. They made sure everyone knew they've been testing for a year now and are fully prepared for the demand.


I hate the direction the cell phone industry is going though...right when I thought we learned our lessons by splitting up into GSM and CDMA the same thing is happening with 4G.

[Sly Fox]

Actually it appears everyone will be LTE within 12 months. Even Sprint has half admitted as much.

[El Scorcho]

Actually it appears everyone will be LTE within 12 months. Even Sprint has half admitted as much.

Yep. Sprint is playing both WiMax and LTE as their backup, which seems wise at this point. The popularity of LTE will make the radio chipsets so cheap that I don't think Sprint will be able to ignore them.

[ALUmnus]

But aren't all the next-gen phones going to still use CDMA for voice, and LTE for data? I could be wrong, you know.

[From the class of 09]

So now I'm hearing that they are going to be coming out with an IPhone 5 this summer . Now I don't know what to do. Do you get the IPhone 4 in Feb or wait 5-6 months to see if the IPhone 5 really does come out risking the whole time that it might not come out and I'd be stuck with my current BB.

[Hold My Own]

Did you not read my rant??? Come on! I havent heard that but it makes to much sense...they've released a new phone every year in June....this year wont be any different. Read my rant...I havent even read a single rumor saying what I said but its obvious.

[LUconn]

It's ok to have an iphone 4 if there is a 5 released. Plus you'll be a quarter of the way through your contract. If you're willing to wait 6 months for the next greatest thing, you will be waiting for the rest of your life. There is always something way better in 6 months.

[From the class of 09]

It's ok to have an iphone 4 if there is a 5 released. Plus you'll be a quarter of the way through your contract. If you're willing to wait 6 months for the next greatest thing, you will be waiting for the rest of your life. There is always something way better in 6 months.

Hopefully it would be only 5 months and then at least a year after that before it is upgraded again. But if I'm going to get the IPhone I might as well wait until it's brand new...I'm stuck with verizon for 4 years whats another 5 months.

[Hold My Own]

I fully agree...while the iPhone is brilliant it still is fairly old in tech standards. Lukon is right...if you wait for the next best thing you'll be waiting your whole life....but at the same time if you buy something 8 months old then you made the same mistake. We're just talking June....not like its an eternity away....you've waited this long...might as well get the most bang for your buck since you'll be locked in for 20 months....

[SuperJon]

I get a new upgrade in April. I'll probably wait the two months to get the 5. Had I been able to get an upgrade in February, I would've went with the 4. Waiting two months isn't bad.

[Sly Fox]

And for the record, the buzz is already out on the streets that Sprint is working on iPhone access as well.

How long until AT&T sells off its greatly devalued wireless business? I'd put the over/under at 18 months.

[PAmedic]

in more important news, I broke the flip-part on my Nextel last nite at work.

drat.

now I'll have to re-activate my old ic502

oh- and could someone please explain the following:

GSM
CDMA
LTE
WiMax

of interest is how the above would affect me: I do not use the internet on my phone (that would be what my COMPUTER is for) and I predominantly use it to MAKE PHONE CALLS.

on occasion, I do use it to text

[Sly Fox]

In Medic terms, GSM & CDMA are like AM & FM radio signals. They are different but serve similar 3G functions for phone calls & data services. WiMax & LTE are the new 4G formats. WiMax is an older technology that Sprint pushed quickly to market to get 4G first back this past summer. But nearly every expert agrees that LTE is a better option and everyone seems to be agreeing that it is going to be the worldwide standard for 4G.

Make sense?

[PAmedic]

ok- so do I have AM or FM and is that good or bad?

and why do I lose signal when going thru trees?

thanks

[Sly Fox]

AM & FM were used as a metaphor. But we're getting there.



I am not going to guess why you are having signal problems. But I would assume the older technology you are carrying around might need to have its towers updated. And keep in mind, cellular signals are line of sight similar to FM radio.

[jcmanson]

So I just called Verizon. I'm eligible for an upgrade now, but the upgrade is now just a $30 credit. When did they change that?

[Hold My Own]

Same time as they changed the term length. All of these steps including the data tier was in preparation for the iPhone.

[Sly Fox]

The data tiers are not in place yet although it is inevitable. Right now you can still purchase unlimited data and VZ indicates that will still be the case for the first wave of iPhone purchases.

[rueful]

And for the record, the buzz is already out on the streets that Sprint is working on iPhone access as well.

How long until AT&T sells off its greatly devalued wireless business? I'd put the over/under at 18 months.

everyone keeps saying this. But I just dont see it happening. I have never had problems with AT&T, i feel like the whole "theres so many problems with AT&T" are blown out of proportion. I think anyone who switches from at&t iphone to the verizon one is a) a moron, and b) going to realize "im a moron" very quickly

my only annoyance out of all of this is with the cases. The verizion iphone has its volume buttons moved down slightly compared to the at&t one, requiring different cases. Not a big deal, but still going to be annoying if i have to buy a case and get the wrong one.