iPhone and AT&T

[SnuggleBuggles]

AT&T stinks here- bad coverage and bad customer service. I really want an iPhone though. How much longer are they partnered? I know I could hack the iPhone but I wouldn't do that...I can be patient. :)

Beth

[westgre]

Why do you want the iphone? Do you specifically want the phone feature? Or is it the apps and such you want? Because the iPod touch is basically the same, but it is not a phone and you have to have Wi-Fi to get online. I have an iPod touch and love it! I don't like the idea that I HAVE to pay the extra $30 a month for the iphone on top of my regular phone service.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I don't want to have to carry a phone + something else. That's why I am thinking of the iPhone.

Beth

[hellokitty]

I just got the palm pre last wk (sprint) and love it. Don't know if you are willing to consider other options or not. My DH was lusting after the iphone, but AT&T doesn't get a signal here and then he saw the pre and liked that even more.

[wellyes]

AT&T's exclusivity agreement is complicated & they're of course desperate to extend it forever if possible. But they do have exclusive rights until at least summer 2010, probably longer.

The carrier I like, Verizon, isn't holding its breath and is planning a rival to the iPhone based on the Google Android platform. It's supposed to have a touch screen plus a keyboard too. I dunno. The iPod was groundbreaking and all these years later none of its rivals really compare. I do hope Google's able to pull something off here, though, because AT&T sucks.

[BabyMine]

T-mobile has the G2 (3G). This is based on the Google Android platform. I have it and love it.

[kransden]

T-mobile has the G2 (3G). This is based on the Google Android platform. I have it and love it.

You are the only person I know that has it. Can you elaborate? My contract is up!

[Cam&Clay]

You are the only person I know that has it. Can you elaborate? My contract is up!

:yeahthat:

I have T-Mobile and want to know more about that, too! Please share!

[BillK]

I recently switched us to ATT from VZW and was worried I'd be unhappy with their CS - and coverage.

I've been very pleasantly surprised actually. The couple of times I called CS - they were very helpful and agreeable - and the coverage for us (North of Pittsburgh, PA) has been good. In fact - they must have recently opened another tower near us and our 3G coverage is now just as good as it was with VZW in our town.

I switched for the iPhone and so far - I'm very happy I did. That said - there are rumors of VZW getting a "lite" (no clue what that means) iPhone sometime in 2010. My only worry is all the VZW branding and crippling that may happen to a VZW iPhone.

[BabyMine]

:yeahthat:

I have T-Mobile and want to know more about that, too! Please share!

To see some of the apps go here http://www.android.com/market/.
I have had it since it came out and haven't had any problems. It works like the iphone and is a little smaller. Most of the apps are free which is very nice. Is there anything that you all are looking for? My husband uses it for work and I use mine to play. Post any of your questions and we will try to answer them.

* Disclaimer* DH is an IT analyst for T-Mobile so he uses the G2 a lot.

[codex57]

Honestly, nothing is comparable to an iPhone. No, I'm not an iPhone owner. Just calling it like it is.

If you're in a crappy AT&T market (primarily SF and NYC, but scattered places elsewhere), it's prolly not worth it. How useful is a phone that doesn't work? You just have an ipod Touch then.

It's 2010, but we have to see who's getting it. Verizon getting isn't necessarily a great thing. We have no idea if their network can handle it either. They have no problems now, but that's cuz they have a worse smartphone lineup than even Sprint or T-Mobile. Plus, like a PP mentioned, they'll prolly disable half the stuff on an iPhone.

[SnuggleBuggles]

This has been really helpful! Thanks, everyone!

Beth

[newnana]

DH and I both have AT&T. DH has an iPhone, I have a blackberry curve. I have terrible coverage, he has fantastic coverage. Doesn't make any sense, but there it is. My phone won't even ring in our house because the signal is so weak. He can have conversations in our house.

Know anybody that has one that goes to many of the places you go? I would try it out to see what kind of coverage there actually is where you are looking for. You might be pleasantly surprised.

In terms of service, I have found all providers to be equally painful. I don't think any provider is great or terrible, it all just depends on who answered the phone, KWIM?

[niccig]

DH has an iPhone and I have an iPod Touch. We don't get ATT in our home, not such an issue for DH as he's at work. I got an iPod and swapped my phone to T-Mobile - the ONLY carrier that works in our canyon, and we have 1,000 homes here - we NEED another tower.

I'm posting to tell you that carrying 2 items hasn't been a big deal. I do love the iPod Touch. I've got all the contacts and calendar and to do items synced. DH is actually using his calendar now. I dont' need Internet access when out and about, but it's been nice to have the WiFi in places like Starbucks or my Dr's office.

[redrice]

My DH and I used to have Verizon and were very happy with their coverage (though not thrilled about the horrible interface they put in every one of their phones!) We decided to both get iPhones early this year, and like other posters, we were worried that we wouldn't be as happy with AT&T service. But, so far we've had no issues with AT&T, except that it took us forever to get a family plan together since my phone number is from the west coast and his is from here (east coast). Since our numbers are from different "markets," we had to wait 60 days before they let us combine the accounts. Other than that, DH and I are extremely happy with the iPhones (and the coverage as well), we use it for everything and I can't imagine going with any other phone right now. For us, it was definitely worth the switch, and we still think that Verizon was out of their mind to turn down the iphone deal. :D Now that we're accustomed to iPhones, we hate the Verizon interface even more.

[BillK]

Also - other than a 10% restock fee with ATT - you have nothing to lose by trying an iPhone for 30 days to see if it meets your needs.

That's what I did - and when I was ready to ditch VZW - they just ported my VZW number over and killed off the temp number they gave me while I tried it. During that 30 day trial - I just forwarded all my VZW calls to the temp ATT number on the iPhone.

[BabyMine]

Honestly, nothing is comparable to an iPhone. No, I'm not an iPhone owner. Just calling it like it is.

I meant comparable as they both load apps on their main screens and you can load three screens. Here are some sites comparing phones.

http://hc.posterous.com/android-g1-vs-g2-ding-vs-iphon

http://appmodo.com/652/appmodo-comparison-iphone-30-vs-palm-pre-vs-android-g2-vs-blackberry-storm/

[codex57]

I meant comparable as they both load apps on their main screens and you can load three screens. Here are some sites comparing phones.

http://hc.posterous.com/android-g1-vs-g2-ding-vs-iphon

http://appmodo.com/652/appmodo-comparison-iphone-30-vs-palm-pre-vs-android-g2-vs-blackberry-storm/

There are plenty of competitors offering similar features. No one has come up with a true competitor on par with the iPhone tho. No one has that "whole package."

I'd say Android has the most potential, but potential isn't reality. Currently, the Palm Pre comes the closest IMO, but I don't think it has the whole package just yet (the apps is the biggest deficiency).

Trust me, I want a real competitor since I'm not an iPhone owner cuz I don't want AT&T. There's just nothing out there right now. Maybe in a couple of years, but that's no guarantee cuz it's not like Apple will be sitting still either.

[TwinFoxes]

There are plenty of competitors offering similar features. No one has come up with a true competitor on par with the iPhone tho. No one has that "whole package."


:yeahthat: The other phones' apps selections are lame. I have friends who have other smart phones, and they just aren't even close. Loading three pages of apps is nothing, I have six pages of apps, and that's not the max.

AT&T isn't ideal, but it's not as bad as I thought it would be (except for the fact I sometimes don't have service in my own house, grr). I liked Verizon's coverage. They really do seem to have the best coverage. As for customer service, I've never had to contact AT&Ts, so I don't know how it is. Verizon's was pretty bad though.

[codex57]

As for customer service, I've never had to contact AT&Ts, so I don't know how it is. Verizon's was pretty bad though.

You should have seen how Sprint's was a year or more ago. Getting better now. Now, they're just clueless/powerless. Before, it seemed they actively tried to make your life a living hell.