Verizon vs AT&T

[slabman]

I'm currently a VZ customer for both cell phone and air card. While VZ has worked very well, I'm intrigued by the iPhone and am considering switching to AT&T for voice only....I'm keeping my VZ aircard and am not interested in tethering to the phone. All my kids are with AT&T now and two have recently switched to iPhones, so having everyone on the same network would be an advantage.

I'd like to hear from fulltimers who have made this change. While lots of people can validate good coverage in the larger cities, I'd like to know what REMOTE area coverages (footprint) are like compared to VZ. Are you happy with the switch?

[H. Miller]

Note a recent study by PC World
http://www.pcworld.com/article/16739...the_life_of_3g

[Bob (WA0MQE)]

In most cases it depends on where you go. A friend of mine has switched back and forth twice now. He was upset with Verizon and switched to AT&T, but where he winters down north of Yuma he couldn't get any signal at all. So he switched back to Verizon which gives him very good signal and coverage with both voice and data.

I on the other hand have Verizon and winter in Texas on the Gulf Coast 35 miles north of Corpus Christi. At this location Verizon is spotty, but with a external antenna it works pretty good. AT&T is also very spotty. The main carrier is this area is Sprint, which is the only carrier that gives good service reliably. But to be fair, Verizon and AT&T do have cell towers in the area, but we have an airport close to us and this limits the height of towers in the area. And since the terrain is extremely flat and there are a lot of oak trees that have leaves on them year round it limits signal penetration.

The PC World test referenced above might be okay for business's and for folks who live and work in these areas, but for most of us RV'ers this test is pretty much worthless. Primarily because RV'ers tend to travel on a lot of back roads, and visit small towns and out of the way areas.

So you just never know.

[mythplaced]

As a Global traveler (75%) I have found Verizon to have the best coverage and best agreements Internationally....

[Jack R]

vz or at & t? I have had both. when i drove an 18 wheeler it was important to stay in touch with the dispatcher. verizon by far is the best cell phone provider. anywhere phone works air card will also work. there were some areas, eastern oregon, and parts of wyoming and some mountains neither would work. formerly averaged 600-700 minutes a month chargable minutes, and 3000 plus non chargeable minutes on vz.

[Dmiles]

I too have had both AT&T and Verizon, and for me Verizon is no question the best, especially in the rural areas. In fact, the company I work for signed a contract with AT&T, but let me stay with Verizon because the coverage with AT&T is non-existant at the site I cover most of the time.

AT&T fewer bars in more places!

Just my experience...

[Wicked Whippets]

When 4G begins to be implemented next year I wonder which carrier will take the lead. I can't wait for 4G, even if it means tossing my old air card. 4G promises data speeds that are a multiple of times faster than 3G.

[TXiceman]

My experience has been AT&T beats Verizon hands down. In most of east, cental and west Texas I can throw the phone farther than it will talk on Verizon. I had a work Verizon and my wife had a AT&T. She would have nearly full signal and I was showing No Signal or at most 2 bars.

So the coverage does vary a lot, AT&T is better in most areas for me.

Ken

[DonavonP]

http://cellularmap.net/net_compare.shtml

[twalton]

I summer at Skookum Rendezvous in NE Washington State and Verizon works well here, AT&T is sketchy and Sprint is a no go. I should note that since it is mountainous here there are spots where there is no reception at all.

[MikenAmber]

We have had Verizon for a number of years and have had only a few times a signal was week. Usually in very remote areas of Texas. I've never had AT&T so can't make any statement on it. Very satisfied with Verizon.

[Bill Adams]

Also remember that voice coverage and data coverage are not the same. Just because voice is available does not mean that high-speed (or any speed) data will be available in the same area.

[slabman]

Looking at that coverage map makes one wonder if ANYONE has ATT coverage in the West, yet, we do know coverage isn't THAT bad. Surely there is coverage, for example, in MT through a roaming partner(s), isn't there? My thinking is these coverage maps don't tell the entire story.....

[Dmiles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Adams Also remember that voice coverage and data coverage are not the same. Just because voice is available does not mean that high-speed (or any speed) data will be available in the same area.

Again for me...Verizon. Since the company I work for mostly uses AT&T but let me keep Verizon, I can compare our air cards as well as voice. If we are in a hospital xray area with lead walls all around, Verizon will stil have a weak non-3G signal, but we have yet to find an AT&T air card that will get a signal at all.

Every test we have done with different co-workers Verizon wins hands down.