Verizon Says They "Could Handle" iPhone in 2010

[Paul Daniel Ash]

Reports have been coming for some time that the exclusive deal Apple negotiated with AT&T will end in the coming year. Without knowing for sure if that will come to pass, though, Verizon Wireless says it's ready. According to a senior executive, the carrier has made the changes it would need to make to its network in order to handle what would obviously be a new surge in data traffic.

“Absolutely, I think we could handle it,” Verizon Wireless CTO Anthony Melone told Bloomberg BusinessWeek. The second-largest carrier in the United States has been buying other companies to augment its network operations, having paid $27 billion to buy Alltel this year. In picking up the rural carrier, it's added a network with good coverage in the Southeast United States as well as California, Nevada, and Arizona.

Verizon has spent about $19 billion on its network over the past three years, while AT&T has actually spent less on its network since the iPhone launch than it had before. While AT&T was recently rated the worst carrier in terms of customer satisfaction, Verizon took first place in that survey "It comes down to backing that process with money," Melone told BusinessWeek. "We've been more consistent than any carrier in the last 10 years investing year over year."

Making the iPhone compatible Verizon's CDMA network would require completely different hardware than the current UMTS/GSM device. It's been rumored that a dual-mode phone - with a new chip made by Qualcomm - is being prepared for the second half of next year. It's unknown if such a phone would be ready in time, but obviously Verizon is not waiting to find out.

image via the momentum of failure

[PhrequenC]

wow. verizon sucks
why is it such a big deal if it goes to vzw or not

[edwilk55]

God...please let it happen!

[mobilexile]

wow. verizon sucks
why is it such a big deal if it goes to vzw or not

All providers have their shortcomings.

Why is a switch to Verizon such a big deal? Simple, their CDMA network is so,ooo,ooo,ooo much aster than AT&T Wingular's duct tape network. They've become HORRIBLE, especially for the price.

[matthew1111]

Verizons cool...ATT is more well known for good service tho...

[krazyrican20]

Wow cant wait to go to Verizon with there $375 ETF fee !!

[sn0ws]

I don't see it ever happening! Verizon blows they are so controlling with their GUI it's just not the direction I want to see the iphone going. T-mo or ATT both have problems but I mean 95% of people with verizon don't even know when they are on 3G or Edge and most of them don't even know the difference. It would be a great fail for Apple unless they kept complete control of the GUI and I really don't see verizon doing that. I mean it charges you money just to set up an email address. I know my parents are happy with them but they don't really know **** about service or computers.

I hope they open it up to other carriers just not verizon. then every idiot with 200 bucks and their parents accounts would have an iphone.... I see enough of them aready and kind of like the exclusiveness of ATT and t-mo..

just my 2 cents

[law111]

Apple is loosing my business..

[jalexis4192]

Isnt AT&T the faster of the two carriers? Mean sure, Verizon has a wider 3G network, but whats point of having SLOW 3G over Fast 3G and sometimes EDGE?

[eg6motion]

I'd consider switching, and I have had ATT for years, before the iphone was even a thought. But ya know what, all those people switching to Verizon would also make the ATT network better, and the Verizon network worse, solving some problems for ATT. Hate to say it though, but ATT better sign whatever agreement Apple wants if they don't want to lose millions of customers if this happens, the bad press is killing them lately. Have to agree that Verizon has far fewer power users as well, most are voice customers that don't have any idea if they are on 3G or not.

[bbplayer5]

Droid speedtest - 2.2 mbps on average.

My 3Gs - 700-800k.


Verizon > ATT in my area by a LONG shot... Allentown, PA. I think Apple will sign with Verizon. Why? Apple is a hardware company first and foremost. The increased revenue will be astronomical.

[Melech518]

Verizons cool...ATT is more well known for good service tho...

At&t has the WORST absolute WORSE customer service as well as cellular service. This has already been established by several articles on this forum in the past month.

[TooSlo]

I absolutely love the people complaining about the ETF. How about actually fulfilling a contract that you signed instead of looking for a quick way out?

It's like society has no sense of completing an obligation to pay for a service.

[StevenB]

Is there really a need for them to charge $175 more than other wireless companies?

At&t has the WORST absolute WORSE customer service as well as cellular service. This has already been established by several articles on this forum in the past month.

What's your experience with customer service been? I personally have had good customer service from them even a rep calling me a month later following up on how I am enjoying my new pricing plan.

As for cellular service according to this article posted on this very forum shows its not all AT&T: AT&T 3G Network Tops Verizon's; iPhone Blamed

Also for those that keep pointing out that AT&T hasn't spent much on infrastructure since the release of the iPhone my response to that is this: The initial expenses will always exceed ongoing expenses. When you purchase a car outright are you spending $5k per month or are you spending $5k the first month and $20 every 3 months for oil changes, $120 per month in gas, etc?

[mikerlx]

What? Some u guys spending $100+ to run your iPhone on AT&T network? I would think u would want a better rate plan that your high monthly bill and poor service. Tmobile is better and hope they get it then I won't have to do a hardware change maybe an upgrade to the newest iPhone whatever that may be.

[addictedto3gs]

Actually a study was done and not only was AT&T faster then Verizon, they had less dropped calls then Verizon as well. So I think its stupid to compare one carrier to another when one carrier is being bombarded with data usage. I would love to see Verizon's network handle every single iPhone that AT&T has now. I am 99.9% sure that their network would crumble from the usage.

[southfrisco]

I don't see it ever happening! Verizon blows they are so controlling with their GUI it's just not the direction I want to see the iphone going. T-mo or ATT both have problems but I mean 95% of people with verizon don't even know when they are on 3G or Edge and most of them don't even know the difference. It would be a great fail for Apple unless they kept complete control of the GUI and I really don't see verizon doing that. I mean it charges you money just to set up an email address. I know my parents are happy with them but they don't really know **** about service or computers.

I hope they open it up to other carriers just not verizon. then every idiot with 200 bucks and their parents accounts would have an iphone...

I highly doubt most parents would be willing to fork over the cost of an iPhone plus $30 data a month for their kid. Unless the kid is spoiled beyond belief. Everything you just wrote about is conjecture. Have you even noticed the latest phones on Verizon do not include some of Verizon's staple bloatware such as VZ Navigator?

"Verizon blows they are so controlling with their GUI it's just not the direction I want to see the iphone going."

Really? Outside of the GUI (which Verizon seems to be letting up on now) you wouldn't want the iPhone to jump to the #1 carrier in the US based on customers and customer service? I would think allowing Verizon to sell the iPhone would make it even more popular than it already is. Apple is opening the iPhone up to other carriers across the globe and there is no reason to think they won't do the same here. This is how they will battle Android and BB. Get the iPhone on as many carriers as possible.

"95% of people with verizon don't even know when they are on 3G or Edge and most of them don't even know the difference."

Wouldn't these customers benefit by having an iPhone? It is simple, easy to use and understand. Much more user friendly than the Android/BB/WinMo platforms.

BTW Edge is GSM not CDMA. You don't know the difference either.

[hacker555]

All providers have their shortcomings.

Why is a switch to Verizon such a big deal? Simple, their CDMA network is so,ooo,ooo,ooo much aster than AT&T Wingular's duct tape network. They've become HORRIBLE, especially for the price.

You should check your facts, Verizon is Miles behind AT@T, and they DO NOT have a strong enough network to support the data traffic, the fact that they even have to say they can handle it shows they cant. its like when u go to buy a expensive car or house, and they say if you have to ask how much it is , its too much.

Wow cant wait to go to Verizon with there $375 ETF fee !!

Another great point, Verizon is horrible with how they treat people. And idk where this AT&T customer satisfaction survey came from, ive never had a problem with them.

I don't see it ever happening! Verizon blows they are so controlling with their GUI it's just not the direction I want to see the iphone going. T-mo or ATT both have problems but I mean 95% of people with verizon don't even know when they are on 3G or Edge and most of them don't even know the difference. It would be a great fail for Apple unless they kept complete control of the GUI and I really don't see verizon doing that. I mean it charges you money just to set up an email address. I know my parents are happy with them but they don't really know **** about service or computers.

I hope they open it up to other carriers just not verizon. then every idiot with 200 bucks and their parents accounts would have an iphone.... I see enough of them aready and kind of like the exclusiveness of ATT and t-mo..

just my 2 cents

Right on the money. Plus Verizon has a App store like program , i cant see apple or verizon wanting to give up monopoly of their store.



-- Final Thoughts---

Im really tired of hearing these debates, if you look at the facts, verizon has a lot of coverage but its not equiped to handle the data traffic or the speeds nessicary. Additionally neither company ( apple or Verizon ) will want to give up control over the GUI or App Store.


Stop talking about it, Verizon is AT&T's MAIN competitor, you think AT&T is gonna let that happen ? not a chance in hell.

[romeo_herman]

Ohh no, no, nooo verizon , please No.....

[southfrisco]

Im really tired of hearing these debates, if you look at the facts, verizon has a lot of coverage but its not equiped to handle the data traffic or the speeds nessicary.

Ok, where are your facts? Do you know VZW is rolling out LTE (4G) next year and by 2011 it should be rolled out across their coverage area. Are you going to tell me LTE (4G) can't handle what AT&T 3G can't handle now?