Rumor: Apple could announce end of AT&T iPhone exclusivity Wed. - Page 3

Originally Posted by Olternaut

Is it true what they say about Verizon's network that you can't surf and talk at the same time?

Originally Posted by ghostface147

So then when I get a call and it starts in 3G and ends up in GPRS, what does that mean? There have been many calls where my 3G indicator ended up as a small circle when I was done.

Originally Posted by cvaldes1831

No.

The next-generation iPhone will be smaller than the current version.

Originally Posted by mickeymantle

with all of the rumored announcements, the show on Wednesday is going to last all day. and one more thing and one more thing, and oh yeah, one more thing.

Originally Posted by alexhasfun28

No! Apple is keeping their size. If you're thinking and hoping for the iPhone Lite, than you're just listening to rumors. Apple built this phone to be bright and and a big widscreen iPod. And overall, it's an amazing and perfect size.

Originally Posted by cvaldes1831

No, I am not thinking about iPhone Lite. I am thinking about a smaller next-generation iPhone.

My guess is that the overall mass of the device will not change. Simply that the height/width will slightly decrease and that the device might actually thicken slightly.

Again, this is mostly to accommodate peripheral components like an autofocus camera. These issues weren't a factor with a music-only iPod, but they are factors with a multi-function device such as the iPhone/iPod touch.

Originally Posted by NasserAE

The current iPhone have autofocus camera and we all know Apple don't design their hardware to accommodate current peripherals. Apple usually wait for peripherals to fit their designs. We might never see a change in the current iPhone design (screen size and home button will not go away). The current screen size is perfect for touch.

The same goes for the iPod Touch.

Originally Posted by solipsism

1)

2) I’d say the contract is likely up in the summer, after 3 full years on the market. Foolish for AT&T to make an agreement on a phone they never saw and have it start 6 months before it goes on sale.

Originally Posted by djdj

Seems like everybody has forgotten about the uproar that came when Apple first announced that the iPhone was coming to Cingular (which became AT&T). There were a lot of people that were really upset clear back in January 2007. It was because the AT&T network was crap already. Adding the mediocre radio in the iPhone, coupled with its heavy data load made the network that much worse.

It's funny how often we get long-term memory loss.

Originally Posted by alexhasfun28

I would obviously think this is ACTUALLY a 5 year deal, and that their 5 years are already up. Why? Because Apple and AT&T already signed a contract in 2005 and is now 2010. They signed it before there was an iPhone. But Apple keeps their word on a new product, even though it's not even built yet. That's why, in 2005 through 2007, they started working and building up any connections they needed to support the iPhone, which obviously would be a hassle to control by now. But other than that, I still don't believe that the Apple iPhone is going anywhere, anytime soon. Atleast not this year..

Originally Posted by ericblr

good luck when you want to look something up on the web when your in a call...

Originally Posted by MacTripper

Let the carriers compete!!


This whole thing where if you want the iPhone in the U.S you have to put up with just one carrier is wrong.

Phones are phones. As long as it works on a carriers network and meets the requirements of the carrier, it should be allowed to work.

It's in Apple's best interest to sell as many units as possible, to as many carriers as possible that is worth doing.

It's in the consumers interest to let the carriers compete on being carriers, not on what phones they have.

With competition we get lower prices and better quality, not this $100 a month rip-off we are experiencing now.

Originally Posted by tezgno

AT&T uses the world standard for 3G (UMTS/HSDPA with some HSPA showing up) that operate on the 850, 1900, and 2100MHz frequency bands (mostly 850 and 2100 from what I have seen). T-Mobile, on the other hand, runs on an exclusive and proprietary 1700MHz band.

Originally Posted by brucep

ATT IS DOING THEIR BEST AT LAYING WIRE
their problem is that they kept quiet about the data hogs slowing their already poor net works

ATT should have sold less phones
or merged their wired systems with other carriers and shared the load

Originally Posted by tezgno

Yes, this is a true statement. This has nothing to do with Verizon though. Rather, it's a CDMA issue. Voice calls on the CDMA network use the CDMA2000 circuit switched network (similar to GSM/EDGE 2G phone calling on GSM networks). EvDO, CDMA's version of 3G, does not handle voice communications (in fact, EvDO used to stand for Evolution, Data-Only until marketing got ahold of it. Now, it stands for Evolution, Data Optimized). As with GSM, when you are making calls on the 2G network, you cannot have simultaneous data. With GSM based 3G (UMTS/HSDPA/HSPA), both voice calls and data are routed on the same packet switched network. So, if you are using an AT&T 3G phone and start a call on the 3G network, you can talk and surf at the same time.

For many people, this is a severe limitation. For me, being both a Verizon and AT&T customer living in the Dallas/Fort Worth area (one of the most heavily congested areas for both networks), I actually prefer the way CDMA does it versus GSM. Since AT&T's network never seems to handoff 3G calls to 2G when I hit 3G dead zones, I deal with a TON of dropped calls, more so on my iPhone than with my BlackBerry Bold. With my Verizon Tour, I have far fewer drops (I have to loose signal completely to have a drop versus just loosing 3G). Even further, me working in IT, I know how critical QoS is. Part of the reason why there are so many dropped calls on AT&T is due to the fact that on the 3G network, calls are competing with data for bandwidth. With so many full-internet phones on their network (such as the iPhone and others that can fully access the internet without going through proxies), running out of bandwidth within your tower is a real possibility. When this happens, you drop as well. For me, having a separate network for voice and data is critical, even if it means that I can't surf while talking (unless I'm on a Wi-Fi network, which the majority of the time, I am).

Originally Posted by NasserAE

Ok... Can I get my iPhone officially unlocked now?!

Originally Posted by tezgno

Even further, me working in IT, I know how critical QoS is. Part of the reason why there are so many dropped calls on AT&T is due to the fact that on the 3G network, calls are competing with data for bandwidth. With so many full-internet phones on their network (such as the iPhone and others that can fully access the internet without going through proxies), running out of bandwidth within your tower is a real possibility. When this happens, you drop as well. For me, having a separate network for voice and data is critical, even if it means that I can't surf while talking (unless I'm on a Wi-Fi network, which the majority of the time, I am).

Originally Posted by solipsism

I believe you have that incorrect. I recall that a 3GSM connection can complete an inter-technology handoffs to GSM. If its a GSM call then it has no ability to handoff to 3GSM, thus requiring disco/reconnect to get on 3GSM. I dont think GSM has the dual-mode inherent to make the it possible, but 3GSM does. At least, that is how I remember it.

Originally Posted by Hudson1

I have a BB Tour on VerizonWireless also. Call stability is excellent but as you say, you can't talk and tether at the same time. At least it gives you an option of taking an incoming call or not so you can choose whether you will disconnect or not.

My understanding, however, is there is a newer version of CDMA that will allow simultaneous voice and data but VerizonWireless hasn't adopted it. Don't blame them, though, with LTE coming soon.

Originally Posted by Psych_guy

Actually, yes it does take more than year to put a new tower down, if at all. Sometimes the process can take up to 5 years and beyond. And that's not because the carriers want it that way, believe me. If they could, they would put one up the day after they apply.

Cities and counties DO NOT LIKE new towers. Swapping out antenna and equipment on existing towers isn't such a hassle, but to increase coverage in areas where there is none presently is a major hassle.

I, for one, would love to see AT&T's exclusivity end. If, for any reason, just to get all the whiners off the network and free up some bandwidth.

Originally Posted by cvaldes1831

No.

The next-generation iPhone will be smaller than the current version.

T-Mobile 3G operates on a unique 1700MHz spectrum. The iPhone is currently compatible with UMTS/HSDPA 3G connections at the frequencies 850MHz, 1900MHz and 2100MHz. It would be necessary, therefore, for Apple to build a new hardware model that supports T-Mobile's 3G frequency.

Originally Posted by spezi

That's not quite correct. The "world standard" for UMTS/HSDPA would be 1900/2100 MHz (paired spectrum, that means 1900 MHz upstream/ 2100 MHz downstream) which is used pretty much everywhere in the world, except for North (and partly South) America. So already AT&Ts frequencies 1900 (not paired with 2100 MHz!) and 850 MHz are somewhat special, while T-Mobile's 1700/2100 MHz pair (again, upstream/downstream) was indeed quite exclusive until recently.

Originally Posted by Hudson1

My understanding, however, is there is a newer version of CDMA that will allow simultaneous voice and data but VerizonWireless hasn't adopted it. Don't blame them, though, with LTE coming soon.

Originally Posted by pmz

Somebody please give me explanation of How the iPhone user experience would be better on Verizon?

As if you were pitching this to Steve, I don't want to hear more coverage more speed as neither is true, or translates into something the user experiences.

All I see on Verizon is slower 3G, No rollover minutes, and no Data while on a call. Sorry but every single phone call I make is while using Data. Every one.

Anyone? Please?

Originally Posted by Abster2core

Do you remember saying this?

Originally Posted by sapporobabyrtrns

Wrong, or at least wrong where you are. I was part of the buildout for Mannesmann (now Vodafone) in Germany, E-Plus in Germany, and O2 in Germany, as well as Vodafone in Cairo, Egypt. A tower or more accurately BTS (base station) can be put in a matter of minutes. It is all about location. Many, operators use existing structures, i.e. building rooftops, the sides of buildings, leasing space on towers, etc... You get the picture. You inference is simply incorrect. You are correct about swapping out equipment. That tends to be no problem at all.

Originally Posted by hellokitty

"HotHardware alleges, without any evidence to support the claim, that the iPhone doesn't handle the switch from 3G to EDGE connections well, and frequently drops calls when 3G access is lost."

No phone can switch a call between 3G and EDGE. If a call starts on 3G, in must end on 3G. Or, alternatively, end when 3G coverage vanishes. AT&T's 3G coverage gaps and insufficient network capacity are to blame.

Originally Posted by djdj

Seems like everybody has forgotten about the uproar that came when Apple first announced that the iPhone was coming to Cingular (which became AT&T). There were a lot of people that were really upset clear back in January 2007. It was because the AT&T network was crap already. Adding the mediocre radio in the iPhone, coupled with its heavy data load made the network that much worse.

It's funny how often we get long-term memory loss.

Originally Posted by al_bundy

you should come to the USA

in NYC buildings love cell phone towers. especially residential apartment buildings. they pay a lot of rent that reduces people's monthly bills.

in the burbs the idiots complain about no coverage but every time they try to put up a tower the same idiots complain it would ruin the view. so a lot of companies make their towers look like fake trees or put them on church steeples. the same idiots complain that it doesn't blend in. if they still don't get their way they sue.

Originally Posted by al_bundy

you should come to the USA

in NYC buildings love cell phone towers. especially residential apartment buildings. they pay a lot of rent that reduces people's monthly bills.

in the burbs the idiots complain about no coverage but every time they try to put up a tower the same idiots complain it would ruin the view. so a lot of companies make their towers look like fake trees or put them on church steeples. the same idiots complain that it doesn't blend in. if they still don't get their way they sue.

Originally Posted by sapporobabyrtrns

I hear you dude. People do not realize that you need the BTS's to have coverage. 3G antennas do not have to be as high as normal GSM towers, but you still need the antennas. I did see some pretty cool designs to hide them though. I was in Kuwait and Egypt and the operators disguised the towers as really tall palm trees.

"Inside of AT&T, we are hearing that the iPhone is causing more trouble than ever before," the report said. "On some level, having the iPhone is hurting AT&T's image. Because they are the only company to carry it, and it's such a data hog, it's largely to blame for AT&T's network troubles. We don't remember hearing about AT&T's 'horrible network' before the iPhone--do you?"