AT&T and Verizon's fight over 3G coverage maps just keeps rolling along, with Verizon recently running new ads that mock AT&T's wireless network, and AT&T lawyers working very hard yesterday to get those advertisements pulled by the courts. The decision to fight the ads doesn't seem to be all that wise, given the debate has simply managed to push the ads (and AT&T's recent network issues) further into the spotlight. That said, AT&T has issued an entirely new press release that "sets the record straight" on AT&T's dispute with big red.
"As the U.S. market leader in wireless data service, we typically don't respond to competitors' advertising," insists AT&T, but "recent ads from Verizon are so blatantly false and misleading, that we want to set the record straight about AT&T's wireless data coverage."
AT&T's complaint all along has been that Verizon's ads, which use maps to highlight AT&T's limited 3G footprint (clearly labeled as "3G coverage"), give the false impression that AT&T doesn't offer service outside of their 3G footprint. To that end, AT&T is now reminding its customers that the company's 2.5G/EDGE network reaches the majority of Americans. Whether you think that's a good thing or not of course depends on your personal experience with AT&T's EDGE network.
"The EDGE network -- that as you know lets customers do all of the same things that they do in 3G areas -- apart from a difference in speed -- reaches 97% of the country’s population, about 296 million people," AT&T's Seth Bloom tells us. "In total with our networks, we hit 300 million people, or 98% of the population with wireless data," says Bloom, who goes on to say that's "certainly not the impression left by the misleading ads."
Again though, AT&T's complaints simply bring additional attention to Verizon's ads, something we're sure Verizon doesn't mind.
"As the U.S. market leader in wireless data service, we typically don't respond to competitors' advertising,"
HAHAHAHAHA! are they out of their mind??? Throw some cash into network improvement and then that statement might be right. They're just milking all they can their customers and keeping the cash in their bank accounts.
I really didn't know how slow EDGE was until I traveled to another country last week and used my Tour on EDGE....that was slowwwww as hell.
There is really no misleading in those ads, AT&T advertise "fastest 3G" and all those 3G ads, Verizon its just advertising the truth about 3G ads.
US market leader would mean subscribers. Maybe they have more people with data plans than Verizon?
"Market Leader" is a widely used marketing term that has no legal bearing. If you notice in press releases, EVERY company is a "market leader". Its just a fancy way of not actually saying anything, and it sounds good so some people get confused!
It's pointless for each company to complain about each other. If AT&T is so bothered by Verizon's ads, then they should do their own. Since almost all of Verizon's phones only work on CDMA, why doesn't AT&T show a map where their phones work all over the globe and Verizon's don't, then claim that Verizon's phones can only be used as "Doorstops in Denmark" (or "Paperweights in Portugal"). They'll probably win that war.
...Since almost all of Verizon's phones only work on CDMA, why doesn't AT&T show a map where their phones work all over the globe and Verizon's don't, then claim that Verizon's phones can only be used as "Doorstops in Denmark." They'll probably win that war.
I seem to remember used to have a billboard campaign promoting that your phone would work in Tacoma or Tokyo or something along those lines. Since Americans holds the lowest percentage of passports of developed countries, it only is meaningful to world travelers.
I seem to remember used to have a billboard campaign promoting that your phone would work in Tacoma or Tokyo or something along those lines. Since Americans holds the lowest percentage of passports of developed countries, it only is meaningful to world travelers.
Then they would have to specify which type of phones. Because verizon have global phones also and bragging about the phones you have to work abroad is pointless, since it isn't even your company's own network. First improved your local coverage.
Then they would have to specify which type of phones. Because verizon have global phones also and bragging about the phones you have to work abroad is pointless, since it isn't even your company's own network. First improved your local coverage.
It does matter. The fact that you can use your GSM phone throughout countries that Americans travel to frequently for vacations (throughout Canada and Mexico) WITHOUT having to be limited to Verizon and Sprint's tiny (and expensive) selection of dual-radio phones would be a good selling point to many Americans.
Canada has excellent CDMA coverage and a Verizon CDMA phone would work just fine there.
Then they would have to specify which type of phones. Because verizon have global phones also and bragging about the phones you have to work abroad is pointless, since it isn't even your company's own network. First improved your local coverage.
It does matter. The fact that you can use your GSM phone throughout countries that Americans travel to frequently for vacations (throughout Canada and Mexico) WITHOUT having to be limited to Verizon and Sprint's tiny (and expensive) selection of dual-radio phones would be a good selling point to many Americans.
Canada has excellent CDMA coverage and a Verizon CDMA phone would work just fine there.
yeah I'm not really sure what I was thinking with that post
Canada also now has excellent HSPA coverage. Too bad a large swath of GSM phones in the US either don't have HSPA at all (AT&T) or don't have phones with 3G in the correct band (T-Mobile).
Canada already had excellent HSPA coverage. We've had nationwide GSM (Rogers) and CDMA (Bell/Telus) networks for a long time. I'm not convinced that Bell's new HSPA+ network has significantly better coverage than Rogers', but it's probably not THAT much better.
I wouldn't count on CDMA sticking around forever, though. There will come a point where Bell will likely want to transition everyone to HSPA+/LTE and shutter their CDMA network.
Bell and Telus did a full overlay on their CDMA networks with HSPA+ so coverage on their networks from what I hear is better by far than Rogers', and a lot faster as well at least for now.
As far as shuttering their CDMA networks, I'm sure the time will come, but Telus says they'll keep CDMA, iDEN and HSPA running simultaneously for awhile. Probably helps when you have a fair amount of spectrum to work with.
Are Canada's HSPA frequencies the same as AT&T's (850/1900) or is there anything on the 2100 band?
But what percentage of customers are going to care? How many people need to use their cell phone outside the US often enough for it to be a selling point? 2%? 5%?
Also, CDMA coverage internationally is often underestimated. GSM might be dominant in Europe, but that doesn't mean there aren't CDMA carriers as well.
Perhaps a better approach would be promoting the fact that Verizon's CDMA doesn't allow for simultaneous voice and data.
But what percentage of customers are going to care? How many people need to use their cell phone outside the US often enough for it to be a selling point? 2%? 5%?
Also, CDMA coverage internationally is often underestimated. GSM might be dominant in Europe, but that doesn't mean there aren't CDMA carriers as well.
Perhaps a better approach would be promoting the fact that Verizon's CDMA doesn't allow for simultaneous voice and data.
CDMA is deploy as well internationally as GSM 3G is here in the US. That is, if you stick to relatively urban areas, you'll have CDMA coverage.
But what percentage of customers are going to care? How many people need to use their cell phone outside the US often enough for it to be a selling point? 2%? 5%?
Also, CDMA coverage internationally is often underestimated. GSM might be dominant in Europe, but that doesn't mean there aren't CDMA carriers as well.
Perhaps a better approach would be promoting the fact that Verizon's CDMA doesn't allow for simultaneous voice and data.
CDMA is deploy as well internationally as GSM 3G is here in the US. That is, if you stick to relatively urban areas, you'll have CDMA coverage.
And you base this on what? In portions of Asia this may be the case (assuming the bands are even supported by the US phones, which they typically aren't), but in Europe this isn't even close to the truth.
But what percentage of customers are going to care? How many people need to use their cell phone outside the US often enough for it to be a selling point? 2%? 5%?
Also, CDMA coverage internationally is often underestimated. GSM might be dominant in Europe, but that doesn't mean there aren't CDMA carriers as well.
Perhaps a better approach would be promoting the fact that Verizon's CDMA doesn't allow for simultaneous voice and data.
CDMA is deploy as well internationally as GSM 3G is here in the US. That is, if you stick to relatively urban areas, you'll have CDMA coverage.
And you base this on what? In portions of Asia this may be the case (assuming the bands are even supported by the US phones, which they typically aren't), but in Europe this isn't even close to the truth.
I base this on our CTO who was just in Europe and Asia with his plain old Verizon Motorola Q9c ... he had service everywhere he went.
I base this on our CTO who was just in Europe and Asia with his plain old Verizon Motorola Q9c ... he had service everywhere he went.
Then he didn't go to Western or Mediterranean Europe. Even the CDMA Development Group website shows no CDMA service throughout most of Europe.
I don't know my European Geography well enough to place exactly where he went, but he noted that as long as he stayed in urban areas, his phone worked fine. China has full CDMA coverage.
So yes, that section of Europe has not been covered. There's a lot more blue on that map than there is on the T-Mobile or AT&T 3G map however, which was my original point.
I base this on our CTO who was just in Europe and Asia with his plain old Verizon Motorola Q9c ... he had service everywhere he went.
Then he didn't go to Western or Mediterranean Europe. Even the CDMA Development Group website shows no CDMA service throughout most of Europe.
I don't know my European Geography well enough to place exactly where he went, but he noted that as long as he stayed in urban areas, his phone worked fine. China has full CDMA coverage.
So yes, that section of Europe has not been covered. There's a lot more blue on that map than there is on the T-Mobile or AT&T 3G map however, which was my original point.
You, like ATT, are comparing apples to oranges. That CDG map indicates 2g or 3g CDMA. Not just 3g.
Oh, and the few deployments in Europe are on a band not supported by the phone. The Q 9c is only 800/1900, while the deployment in Portugal and Ireland are 450mhz, for example.
I'm actually not aware of any 450/800/1900 CDMA phones.
When it comes down to it, GSM is deployed in every country on the planet. CDMA sees no use in some of our biggest trading partners (like Germany, France, Australia, UK, etc.) Moreover, UMTS/WCDMA is being deployed on top of CDMA in China, Japan, Canada, and Mexico - some of CDMA2000's biggest supporters until now.
Me too. Wonder what takes that spectrum here. TV stations? Military?
FREQUENCY (MHZ) 450-470
NONGOVERNMENT ALLOCATION LAND MOBILE
Earth Exploration-Satellite (US201 460-470)
Space Research and Space Operations (FN668 450 MHZ)
NONGOVERNMENT USE
Remote pickup broadcast (450-451, 455-456) Public safety, industrial, land transportation (451-454, 456-459, 460-462.5375, 462.7375-467.5375, 467.7375-470) Domestic public (454-455, 459-460) Personal (462.5375-462.7375, 467.5375-467.7375) GOVERNMENT ALLOCATION
Meteorological Satellite (460-470)
Earth Exploration-Satellite (US 201 460-470)
Space Research and Space Operations (FN668 450 MHZ) GOVERNMENT USE
GOES satellite downlinks for integration of data collection platforms operate in this band.
Veteran's medical programs depend upon the use of biomedical telemetry and telecommunications in conjunction with nongovernment medical activities.
It's pointless for each company to complain about each other. If AT&T is so bothered by Verizon's ads, then they should do their own. Since almost all of Verizon's phones only work on CDMA, why doesn't AT&T show a map where their phones work all over the globe and Verizon's don't, then claim that Verizon's phones can only be used as "Doorstops in Denmark" (or "Paperweights in Portugal"). They'll probably win that war.
How is that?. 99% of the Verizon users will never take their phone overseas and could care less. That ad would be a waste of money.
It's pointless for each company to complain about each other. If AT&T is so bothered by Verizon's ads, then they should do their own. Since almost all of Verizon's phones only work on CDMA, why doesn't AT&T show a map where their phones work all over the globe and Verizon's don't, then claim that Verizon's phones can only be used as "Doorstops in Denmark" (or "Paperweights in Portugal"). They'll probably win that war.
How is that?. 99% of the Verizon users will never take their phone overseas and could care less. That ad would be a waste of money.
Actually it's also a waste of money in the Verizon ad that shows the map of Montana is "all white" for AT&T, for whatever that means. Since most AT&T and Verizon customers have never been to Montana, then why bother?
But it all comes down to where each customer travels to. For myself, I've been to many foreign countries, but never Montana.
It's pointless for each company to complain about each other. If AT&T is so bothered by Verizon's ads, then they should do their own. Since almost all of Verizon's phones only work on CDMA, why doesn't AT&T show a map where their phones work all over the globe and Verizon's don't, then claim that Verizon's phones can only be used as "Doorstops in Denmark" (or "Paperweights in Portugal"). They'll probably win that war.
Maybe because this is about the U.S. and NOT other countries??
Well, Verizon has world phones available (the Storm series, a few lower-end phones) though the Droid is CDMA only. Also most folks don't go out of the country, and many of AT&T's phones aren't quad-band for global roaming (though the iPhone certainly is).
But yes, AT&T should be releasing ads, not press releases.
It's pointless for each company to complain about each other. If AT&T is so bothered by Verizon's ads, then they should do their own. Since almost all of Verizon's phones only work on CDMA, why doesn't AT&T show a map where their phones work all over the globe and Verizon's don't, then claim that Verizon's phones can only be used as "Doorstops in Denmark" (or "Paperweights in Portugal"). They'll probably win that war.
Verizon actually has a few phones that also have GSM sim card slot and contain all the quad bands so you can use your phone all over on GSM networks. A few blackberries and Samsung phones are the ones they are offering with that option.
EDGE can actually be fairly respectable. I've seen speed tests as high as 250kbps with it. But it's a smaller pipe so it saturates quickly, and some middle-of-nowhere towers probably have weak backhaul. Whatever the case, I'm happy to see AT&T coming under fire for poor data coverage. It can only help encourage more deployment that they desperately need!
quote:"The EDGE network -- that as you know lets customers do all of the same things that they do in 3G areas -- apart from a difference in speed
Hmm... are they really sure? With 3G.. can't we talk and use data at the same time?
and.. on EGDE.. we can't do that!!
You can't do that on VZW at all. Their EVDO does not support it. Some phones can hang up the data connection for a call. Big deal, who wants to have their download interrupted as opposed to just grabbing the message and calling someone back when it's finished?
i know NO ONE who thinks it says there is no at&t coverage in those areas... it simply means the areas in white have no 3g... in fact the areas in white only have the painfully slow edge service, no voice+data, and totally broken voice encryption
seriously do they think if they keep saying it over and over it will be true? please at&t if you have any sanity left drop it and hope it goes away.
AT&T's network is a joke. I wonder how much of the area they claim is covered by edge is off-network and thus means you can't even use 50megs of data before they get pissed and tell you your off-network coverage has been disabled and the only way to do anything about is to end your contract. Pretty awesome if you ask me. Just for reference I live in a 3g area but when I visit family in my hometown I either have no service or can't use any data. Pure bull!
Those are the commercials that should be taken off the air. The internet finds a way to hide from me quite often while I try to use my iPhone on a long road trip. It didn't hide from my brother who was using Sprint.
YES, the maps do CLEARLY indicate that they depict 3G coverage. The problem is that the people in the ads using "at&t devices" are giving the vibe that their devices don't work AT ALL (as in no service).
They must be having a party. They have made such an impact that ATT finds the need to respond to their ads and everytime they do so they open themselves up to the question, does Verizon have better 3g coverage that ATT ?
Senator! When was the last time you hit your wife?
I admit, I am a bit confused now, mainly over all the chatter I've read. So I do have a question:
When comparing Apples to Apples, i.e. true 3G coverage (ignoring any other type coverage), how accurate are the maps?
If Verizon is showing on their maps for their ads true 3G coverage, and only 3G coverage, then AT&T doesn't have a leg to stand on. I assumed that is what Verizon doing. I'm I wrong?
"Yes we suck, but with Edge+3G we suck just a little less than what you originally thought."
I hope you feel ok with spending all the litigation money to clarify a still pitiful situation. Good job AT&T , now go blow all your money on the lawyers.
"Yes we suck, but with Edge+3G we suck just a little less than what you originally thought."
I hope you feel ok with spending all the litigation money to clarify a still pitiful situation. Good job AT&T , now go blow all your money on the lawyers.
They probably have hundreds of lawyers that are being paid whether they use them or not. It's not like they went out and hired an expensive firm just to handle this case.
When I'm at a convention or gathering of lots of iPhone users, I switch to EDGE and get better reception, speed, and latency for data and voice. That's how suck AT&T 3G is.
After reading all your posts, I do believe that about 5% of you understand. I believe the majority of the "network" problems are due to at&t having twice as many smartphone customers as Verizon...more people to complain. All the free "hotspots" for at&t customers that eventually end up in their wired network and not to mention all the netbooks and wireless (sim card) adaptors. Oh yeah and how about over 150,000 employees nationwide with wireless capabilities on their company laptops.
Jeez, I wonder why the network has problems at times????
Hey AT&T I have used your edge network. It is no 3G network. Your splitting hairs. Verizon is correct that their 3G coverage is much better. My advise to AT&T is quit complaining and start improving and expanding your network. Quit wasting your money trying to tell us differently. Prove it!
Using law suits to compete in marketing one's product shows all the world that the corporate IQ level is below that of an amoeba. They should follow the Bard's instructions: "First, we kill all the lawyers."