If you don’t already know, Verizon announced today that it will begin selling a CMDA version of the iPhone 4 in February. This marks the end of AT&T’s exclusive contract to carry the iPhone in the U.S., a day many have been looking forward to given the GSM giant’s poor coverage and performance in several regions. While I haven’t been chomping at the bit for a Verizon iPhone I am tempted to switch to Verizon, though I need more information before making my final decision.
Most importantly, I need to know data plan pricing. Verizon did not cover this at the event today, which is a little surprising in my view since I’m certain they’ve already worked this out. My guess is that not revealing this information is a tactic to help draw people in to continue paying attention to Verizon until this information is available, and to not muddy the announcement itself with more mundane details. Verizon’s iPhone 4 splash page lets you submit your email address to get more information as it’s available, which will definitely help them ascertain the volume of interest out there.
My contract with AT&T ends in June and while I could certainly pay the early termination fee to get out of this earlier, I’m not making that decision until I know more about Verizon’s iPhone plans. Also, I’m a little disappointed that the Verizon iPhone will not be a global phone that’s still compatible with GSM networks. While I don’t travel out of the country often, I like having the option to use a local SIM card to get better rates (my AT&T iPhone is jailbroken and unlocked to allow this).
One feature that is quite appealing about the Verizon iPhone 4 is its ability to act as a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot for up to 5 devices, essentially turning it into a Mi-Fi-like device. From the way it was worded at the event, it sounds like this feature will be included for free, though I’m not 100% positive of this without knowing the plan pricing details from Verizon. Technically, this is not something I need since I generally only need to tether one device at a time (my laptop) to my iPhone 4, which I can do easily already with the help of the TetherMe jailbreak app. Plus, I already have a MiFi (on AT&T) and my iPad has 3G capability built-in.
The most significant reason why the Verizon iPhone is tempting to me is when it comes to large events like CES where AT&Ts network is usually overwhelmed and nearly useless in such enormous crowds. However, I only attend these events once a year for a few days, so this is hardly reason to switch carriers and possibly increase my monthly expenses.
When it comes to coverage and service quality, AT&T has not been terrible for me in the Boston area. I do hesitate to make calls on my iPhone sometimes since I do experience dropped calls more often than I’d like though I rarely have trouble getting a decent data connection anywhere I go. My beef with AT&T has been about the dropped calls, the fact that they charge more for tethering without providing any additional data to go along with the $20 premium they charge for this privilege, and how much they charge for text messaging, which actually costs all carriers very little to offer.
However, I’m sure Verizon is not without its faults as well and I think I’ll be content to wait to see how the iPhone 4 works for those who switch before committing to making the jump from AT&T.
Will you be switching to the Verizon iPhone?
). It *could* replace my MacBook Air (my secondary Mac I use when traveling or to spend the day working at a cafe or the library) if a few things happen:
