Verizon and the iPhone: Joy, Disappointment, Confusion
Here it is. The day I’ve been waiting for. The iPhone finally released from the clutches of the dropped call master: AT&T. At long last my patience has finally paid off. So why did I have to ruin everything by reading 
the fine print?
Let’s start with the good news first. Yes, the iPhone is coming to Verizon. So all the speculation was true and I should have trusted the Wall Street Journal and bought Apple and/or Verizon stock when I first heard about it. My bad. Loyal Verizon customers, like myself, will be able to pre-order phones starting February 3rd for the standard price of $200 for the 16 GB model and $300 for the 32GB model on a two-year agreement. Everyone else has to wait until February 10th.
Additionally, the Verizon iPhone will have a different antenna configuration since it is built on Verizon’s CMDA network. This may fix the antenna problem associated with AT&T’s iPhone 4. We just don’t know yet. And you will be able to connect your computer to the Internet through the Verizon iPhone. Up to five devices at a time can use the iPhone’s built in Wi-Fi network to connect to the web.
Now for the bad news and unfortunately there’s quite a bit of it. Verizon has been touting the speed of its LTE 4G network, but you won’t be able to use it with their iPhone. Apple said the first generation of LTE chipsets would have compromised design so they created a CMDA network version instead. This means a 3G iPhone for Verizon, so no 4G data and no GSM roaming. This seems like a huge step backwards.
Another huge disappointment is that you cannot talk and surf the web at the same time. So if you are on your phone and your friend needs directions to a restaurant you’re going to have to hang up and call her back.
And then there’s the great unknown. If there are many people like myself who have been waiting to get an iPhone with a non-AT&T network, will the influx of new users create the same kind of signal problems and dropped calls that AT&T is experiencing?
Personally, I was ready to go all-in on an iPhone and my preference for user-friendly, Apple designed products remains. However, my primary interest has always been to find a smart phone that provides the features and apps to make my life easier. The limitations of this release make me want to take a closer look at other Verizon 4G phones announced at CES like the HTC Thunderbolt or the Droid Bionic both of which will run up to 10 times faster on the LTE network than the 3G iPhone.
I’m not saying that I won’t end up with an iPhone. There’s still lots of compelling reasons to go with Apple and an iOS product. I guess I’m just disappointed that the Verizon iPhone isn’t as good as I’d hoped it would be. It’s like thinking you’re getting an iPod touch and instead you get a Nano. It’s nice, but it’s not exactly what you wanted.
i travel internationally, with my current blackberry on verizon i can swap sim cards in other countries and enjoy my phone there. With the verizon iphone that is not an option – its a U.S. phone only. It will run only on 3g – another bad fact. Bottom line is im waiting for the iphone 5 and hoping Verizon gets a life by then. It will also give some time to see if the iphone antenna will work better on verizon net. and wether verizon can handle it in the first place. Don’t want to rush into a pile of you know what.
Although I agree with the whole being disappointed by non -4G service and no global roaming I gotta say I’m very impressed with the sound quality and the data speeds thus far (for what I use it for). I won’t be needing to download huge files and wont be streaming 2-hr movies on my phone anytime soon so 4G is irrelevant to me as it will be for most users. As for simultaneous voice & data goes… I’ve had to use it twice since I’ve owned a smartphone (7 years)! Bottom line for me is this: most global travelers already own global phones or can easily rent one from Big Red… so they have access to a global phone that they can activate while they’re out of the country, 99% of people don’t need to talk and surf at the same time, and the antenna design on the Verizon iPhone 4 is great. I don’t see what the problem is! Good job Apple and Verizon for giving people what they really need…. which is choice!