AT&T responds to Verizon's 3G ad campaign -- by bragging about EDGE
By Nilay Patel 
posted Nov 12th 2009 7:17PM
posted Nov 12th 2009 7:17PM
My iPhone 3GS, in downtown Chicago, as I wrote this post.
Right, right -- the only difference. That must be why Apple named it the iPhone EDGE Slightly Faster.With both 3G and EDGE coverage, customers can access the Internet, send e-mail, surf the Web, stream music, download videos, send photos, text, talk and more. The only difference – with some data applications, 3G is faster than EDGE.
Now, AT&T has a valid point when it says that its 3G map covers 75 percent of the nation's population, and that Verizon's conflation of total 3G coverage with actual network quality is slightly misleading. But you know what? We watch our iPhones drop from 3G to EDGE and even to GPRS all day long in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, and that has nothing to do with the damn map, and everything to do with AT&T's actual network quality. Let's put it this way: Verizon's ad campaign would be totally ineffective if it didn't ring so true, and the best way for AT&T to counter these ads is to build a rock-solid network, not filing lawsuits and issuing press releases bragging about freaking EDGE. We all clear on this? Good.
All jokes aside there isnt THAT much difference between the newest EDGE revision and 3G (current 3.6) in real world values. The new EDGE is no slouch like 1X on CDMA by any means.
Um, that is the point of their ad, Verizon's 3G coverage is pretty much everywhere. My data has not switch to 1X, well since the launch of Rev 0 actually. Can you same the same about AT&T and 3G?
There are two things AT&T should never attempt to tackle Verizon on. 1) Network 2) Customer Service.
Its good you brought AT&T's edge over the matter, well in fact that's the whole POINT of AT&T why they are suing Verizon. It's because on the ads, the latter didn't include EDGE 2.5G coverage
Updates: ATT had recently released a statement why they are suing Verizon. May the "there's a misinterpretaion for that that” image help you to understand better why AT&T is having a boiling-point over the matter.
detailed sources: http://bit.ly/ATT-VS-VERIZON-Theres-a-misinterpretation-for-that
Hint: The conflict is about not including AT&T’s Zedge on the picture :D
Flame-on!
It also doesn't help that the iPhone has a poor 3G chip. From my experience having been on AT&T for over 4 years now, my old Razr2 got a better 3G signal and dropped less calls than my iPhone 3G does. With that aside, AT&T could pull a Verizon and upgrade EDGE to 3G, however, there are many people who like to buy unlocked phones from Europe that are only EDGE compatible, so I think that's the reason why there is still so much EDGE (I've had a few unlocked phone that only worked on EDGE). And I will also agree with klmsu19, that EDGE is a bit faster than 1X CDMA. If I'm stuck in a building with general poor reception (dropping me to EDGE), I can continue to stream Pandora, get and read e-mails... and while it is slower, I can live with that. But the Phoenix, Az area has good 3G coverage and it's rare that I'm on EDGE. Just my $.02. Sorry for the long comment.
Scott I don't know what part of phoneix are u located but att 3g signal sucks here in the north, south, west and eastside of town I have witnessed that with my brothers htc touch pro friends iphones. Most of the time those handsets are on edge. Now edge may be faster than 1x cdma but is still slow an that sure doesn't justify the $30 dollars u have to pay for data with att. If u get a constant 3g signal here in phoenix, az I gueess u are lucky.
Actually, AT$T can't exactly 'pull a verizon' and easily upgrade all it's 2G towers to 3G so easily. For CDMA, upgrading to EVDO Rev. 0 (and even Rev. A) was really just a software upgrade, while GSM and UMTS use different hardware (base stations, IIRC) and therefore require more effort (read: money) to upgrade. Basically, it's 2 networks at the same time ... and that requires more radio spectrum.
With regards to Engadget's comments on what ATT should be focusing on, it'll take less time to sue than it would to build out the network the way it should be.
Its the iphone 3G chip, i agree with Scott very much so, I had the Nokia N97 and that supported 3.5G, worked great never dropped a phone call in my life. Now when I switched to the iphone 3G, it dropped calls, Apple should invest in a better chip for his next iphone after the iphone 3GS. I think its 80% chip, 20% network.
Good grief!! Now there's AT&T FANBOYS?!?!?! WTH?! 8D
I am in Denver Colorado and a new Iphone owner. I read all the bad reviews on AT&T, interviewed AT&T iphone users that I know and waited. AT&T upgraded their service in Denver and the surrounding front Range area in October. I purchased my phone October 30 and haven't had any issues with 3g service. The Iphone is great, AT&T customer service is great and coverage is equal to my former Blackberry Curve with T mobile
Well someone somewhere has to win the reception lottery (as long as you don't move out of the 2 square miles of contiguous reception)
Fine here in San Diego as well. I actually get better 3G coverage at home with AT&T than I did with Verizon. 99% of the time I am on 3G, rarely (once a month or less) I'll get punted to EDGE only to get back on 3G within less than a minute. I don't live or work in BFE though, and when I do head out to the middle of nowhere (East County) I hit areas where it looks like EDGE is all that's available.
I'm not in love with AT&T, but I am satisfied, for now.
Up here (50 miles north of NYC) we have a really slow version of Edge. Hell, a cup and a string have better data rates than the crap we have here. In AT&T's defense the network is former Dobson CellOne but they also should have known what they were getting when they bought the damned network. Now we get delays because they supposedly have hardware issues in upgrading to 3G. Morons.
What's strange is that 70 miles north of NYC (Poughkeepsie) and in most of the areas between Poughkeepsie and Fishkill and along i-84, the coverage is full 3G.
You nailed it, Engadget!
We watch our iPhones drop from 3G to EDGE and even to GPRS all day long in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, and that has nothing to do with the damn map, and everything to do with AT&T's actual network quality. Let's put it this way: Verizon's ad campaign would be totally ineffective if it didn't ring so true, and the best way for AT&T to counter these ads is to build a rock-solid network, not filing lawsuits and issuing press releases bragging about freaking EDGE. We all clear on this? Good.
and to think I pine for decent EDGE over GRPS. sigh t-mobile
My EDGE is solid. Then again, my work and home is in an area sandwiched between 2 fairly good 3G areas (Akron/Cleveland).
I love my new Droid. Smokes em all.
I've got solid EDGE and damn good 3G in Louisville, KY. EDGE is actually really good around here. The only complaint I have with 3G is that it's hard on battery life. I have to charge my iPhone constantly. :)
I carried Verizon (personal) and ATT/Cingular/ATT (corporate) devices side by side for 4 years. When my company decided simply to reimburse for cellphones, I could choose. In my area (Cleveland to Chicago), I chose ATT because of the quality issues I had with Verizon and dropped calls. I can personally attest that Verizon's own 3G coverage map is NOT true. My Verizon device did not have 3G, AND would be in Extended Network all over rural part of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Not even or Verizon's network, yet somehow the entire LP is red. Don't lie, Verizon....
That being said, I find it hard to believe that ATT hasn't built out 3G completely between Detroit and Chicago, or between Toledo and Cleveland, both along major highways. But my calls on my iPhone 3G don't drop, and can still stream on EDGE. ATT needs to be challenging Verizon on their lies, but they also need to speed up the 3G buildout.
Well if they are lies they are not Verizon's. The maps Verizon uses in the ads are from a 3rd party, independet research firm that created the maps based on their own testing.
Also how long ago was it that you had Verizon? If its more than 2 years then maybe things have changed since then... like maybe they put up new towers... I know shocking!!
Sorry, while I'm no longer on VZW, the mother in law is. Even Verizon isn't adding towers across rural depressed Michigan, still Extended Network.
I am on my iPhone right now in N Virginia. I love my phone and find that it performs wel. I have read that they are using more spectrum that works better through buildings. Don't know if it is turned up in this area bit I can tell you that I am getting better coverage than ever in buildings that were a problem as recently as two months ago. I am very satisfied with the AT&T network.
I need to put my iPhone on EDGE to place a call in New York City.
Verizon might as well claim that AT&T doesn't have 3G coverage period. It wouldn't be that much of a lie.
Come on people! What does 3G have to do with dropping calls? Nothing. 3G is directly referring to the faster speeds available for DATA transport on Verizon's network. That my friend is the truth. ATT is suing because they are mad the truth is being revealed.
Keep in mind 3G = Faster data coverage (faster than 2G).
oh yea, I forgot to clarify EDGE = 2G not 3G. ATT's 2G network is larger than ATT's 3G network. ATT is suing Verizon because the maps reveal where ATT has a comparable data transfer rate. It would be unfair to compare 2G data rates with 3G on the map, as they are technically two different things altogether in terms of speed.
Verizon, however no longer has 2G only coverage anywhere except where roaming agreements are in the absence of Verizon's own network, at least that's what I'm told.
this post seems to refer to AT&T as "our nations largest wireless carrier" - correct me if I'm wrong but isn't VZW now the largest?
thank you! 21 comments and only 1 person pointed that out?????
VZW has been the nation's largest carrier since the aquisition of Alltel back in JANUARY!!!!
Alltel still exists, so they are not VZW customers yet. Still number 2.
@ Toledo
With the accounts that VZW *was* able to acquire, it has pushed them to #1.
Alltel still exists in what are called "trust markets", meaning there is no other competition and so VZW couldn't acquire those accounts, nor can they actively promote to those customers within those areas.
In NYC, Edge is actually better then 3G on my iPhone. Being sick and tired of a 40% - 50% dropped call rate, I turned 3G off about 4 weeks ago. Since then, every call I make is connected on the first attempt and I receive all my calls instead of having it go straight to voice mail and receiving the message hours later. Not to mention, my battery life is now amazing! I can go all day without charging my phone. Web browsing is only slightly slower sometimes, but most of the time there is no noticeable difference.
Just don't move to Phoenix because we have good AT&T coverage and we don't need a overload (3G all the time and fast), sorry I don't have the problems with AT&T like most people do. When I first got AT&T it dropped calls but I don't think I've dropped a call in months. Now I have coverage at home unlike with T-mobile, what was weird I could drive around the block and have full bars plus T-mobiles edge I couldn't stand surfing it was so slow (jailbroke iphone). I did like T-mobiles plans better but their phones suck.
A earlier poster said now we have AT&T fanboys, well it works for me so I guess I will be a fanboy for now.
AT&T IS AN OLD SLOW NETWORK WITHOUT THE SPEED WE NEED IN TODAY'S DEVICES. THEY SUE WHEN THEY SHOULD BE PUTTING THEIR PROFITS INTO THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE.
I GOTTA GIVE IT TO ATT'S MARKETING GROUP-- THEY HAVE ARGUABLY THE WORST NETWORK, SOMEHOW MANAGED TO GET THE IPHONE, AND TO TOP IT OFF THEY ARE THE MOST EXPENSIVE CARRIER OUT!
I HAVE MORE RESPECT FOR T-MOBILE AS THEY HAVE A DATED NETWORK AND ACKNOWLEDGE IT WITH REASONABLE PRICING.
ONE MORE COMMENT -- YOU KNOW THE WORLD IS A CRAZY PLACE WHEN SPRINT WHO HAS ARGUABLY A GREAT COVERAGE/DATA SPEED NETWORK AND CAN'T MAKE A PROFIT. SOME OF US HERE WILL EVEN SLAM SPRINT-- DOESN'T MAKE SENSE WHEN THEY SURELY HAVE A BETTER NETWORK/COVERAGE DATA SPEEDS FOR MOST OF US THAN ATT, TMOBILE--- AND TOP IT OFF THEY PUT LARGE AMOUNTS OF CASH BACK IN OUR POCKETS EACH MONTH.--AND NOW EVEN HAVE GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE.
YOU WANT TO SEE A BETTER WORLD?! HERE IS THE ANSWER: AN IPHONE ON THE SPRINT NETWORK. BETTER YET, APPLE IN ALL THEIR VISION FORESEEING A NEED FOR THEIR OWN NETWORK AND PURCHASING SPRINT FOR A STEAL!
WE KNOW WIMAX TO LTE IS NOT COST PROHIBITIVE, AND MAINLY SOFTWARE TWEEKS-- MAKE THE PURCHASE APPLE! GET YOUR OWN GREAT NETWORK FOR A STEAL AND BRING YOUR CUSTOMER/BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY TO SPRINTS NETWORK FOR YOUR SUPERIOR PRODUCTS!
UNTIL THEN, I'LL BE SATISFIED WITH RUMORS THE IPHONE IS COMING TO VERIZON :)
Wow Jared, new to the internet? How bout dropping that CAPS LOCK button next time?
iPhone to Verizon? Yes, I'm sure after the scathing ad campaign Verizon just launched, Steve Jobs can't wait to cut a deal with VZW. T-Mobile and Sprint will probably get an apple device before Big Red now.
I live in upstate NY (Albany) I can pretty much go 50 miles in any direction and still have 3G. Which for me is my daily calling area. I have only dropped a number of calls since switching from verizon in 2007, when I went to the iPhone and at&t. I had the 1st gen, 3G and now 3GS, the call quality is the same on each of the devices, and the only real difference is the speed of the device itself from 1st gen-to-3G-to-3GS. Don't get me wrong EDGE data transfer was a bit tedious from time to time, but I never was aware of it until the 3G, as I wasn't aware of the significant lag on the 3G until after using the 3GS for the past 5 months or so..
As for customer service I have never had a problem with at&t, if they made a mistake they always corrected it and credited my account, or if the charge was valid they would explain the charge in detail to me (versus verizon who charges anyone $1.99 for accessing web services (hitting the hard/dedicated web browser key) and refuses to credit accounts when this is done, even when you block all web/data you are still charged $1.99 for this action and won't be credited) if at&t sees that the button is pressed in error (certain amount of bytes transferred) they will just auto credit the account (mom is on my plan she had a messaging phone without data before going to the iPhone) and they would credit her monthly if she hit the button accidentally.
The article seems to seriously dig at at&t, if the author's panties are that tightly bunched, perhaps he should just say peace to at&t and the iPhone until the iPhone lands on a network more acceptable to the author, as the facts he is reporting are not 100% fact, and for users like me, there is 0% fact regarding the service claims that he is reporting, which may be misleading for certain new or unfamiliar users which just doesn't seem to be fair, as newer users are more likely to seek out facts from sites such as this.
Sorry for the post length, I was just upset to see 2 at&t deep-dig articles on the mobile home page that just aren't applicable to me or the at&t/iPhone customers in this area which are overall stoked about their service/coverage/device..