AT&T used to be my cell phone service provider — the key phrase there being “used to.” Dropped calls, poor phones and customer service staffed by incompetent gorillas are just some of the infamous issues the service provider is known for. Yet, people still cling to the carrier like submissive gimps — all thanks to the iPhone. If given the choice, a significant portion of AT&T’s customers would jump ship should the iPhone be released on a better service, say, for example, Verizon Wireless.
Religious tech junkies, your prayers have been answered. Steve Jobs has come down from the mountaintop bearing the Verizon iPhone in his billion-dollar hands. Truly, this is the reckoning.
However, not all is as it seems in the new promised land. For both current and future iPhone owners, there are a few important things to consider before either ruling out or turning your back on AT&T.
First and foremost, your brand new iPhone from AT&T will not carry over to Verizon. The two carriers use different technology for their service, requiring Apple to slightly modify the iPhone for Verizon’s network. Any apps bought through AT&T can still be accessed on a Verizon iPhone, but dropping another $300 for a 32G iPhone 4 is no small price.
Second, it’s a common practice for carriers, not just AT&T, to bill you for as much money as you’re worth should you try to terminate your contract early. Depending on when you signed a contract, fees could reach up to $325.
For those who live on the bleeding edge of technology and have wet dreams of a 4G iPhone, I would recommend hitting the snooze alarm. Despite the slight technical differences, the Verizon iPhone will still be a 3G phone and not have the (misleading) heft of its 4G network. The Verizon version is also unable to talk and surf the web at the same time, if you’re into that sort of schizophrenic multi-tasking.
Verizon’s fairly priced, unlimited data plan at $30 a month is probably the carrier’s biggest advantage over AT&T, whose data plan maxes out at 2GB a month and is powered by duct tape and broken dreams.
For all of the jokes made at AT&T’s expense, the stability of its network has really been the carrier’s biggest weakness. Really, the iPhone’s technical capabilities will be served much better on Verizon’s stronger and all-encompassing network — especially in the more rural parts of north-central Florida. If you’re a current AT&T customer without an iPhone and are thinking about jumping ship, I’ll be honest with you: It’s probably worth making the switch. And if the iPhone isn’t your cup of tea, there’s always the Droid.
The Verizon iPhone will be available online and in Verizon and Apple stores Feb. 10, with pre-orders for existing Verizon customers starting around Feb. 3. The 16GB version will retail at $200 and the 32GB version at $300, both for a two-year contract.
