AT&T Sues Verizon over 3G map

A Verizon commercial depicts the dismal extent of AT&T's 3G coverage. AT&T is suing, claiming the map confuses customers. [Engadget]

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Itsumishi

Mmm.. Indeed.

Very confusing. No easily identifiable permalink (you can obviously paste in the comments link and remove the #comments part at the end if you want to link to it, but who wants to do that), no heading whatsoever on the Vaccination post.

Surely if the main page just had a smaller heading this would be better? Something 3/4 the size of the regular heading?
Anonymous

3G is defined as digital voice with digital data (such as internet), so Verizon does not deliver 3G while AT&T does. Everyone uses the same equipment, so the maps are identical anyway!
Anonymous

I have an Acer laptop with a build in wifi card. It’s At&t 3G. My phone is Verizon Wireless. Well to make a long story short, my phone call never drops but my AT&T signal for the laptop disappears off the scene like Bernie with other peoples money.
Anonymous

verizon currently doesnt have a gsm standard 3g network. att does currently have the fastest i dont care what anyone says. whenn verizon goes lte the will be and lets be clear lte is not 4g.
nobodyman

Hey #3, you are either sadly misinformed or a paid comment shill. Either way, Wired performed extensive tests which placed Verison in first place w/ 1,940 Kbps, T-Mobile in 2nd with 1,793 Kbps, and AT&T *dead last* with 901 Kbps.
Anonymous

I have pulled 2.9Mbps tethered on AT&T here in Charlotte, NC. I use about 2 gigs of transfer a month, but have gone over 5 gigs several times. In addition, I have an acquaintance in Minnesota that gets 3.4Mbps tethered on AT&T. I don’t need an article to tell me what works best. Those of you who are looking to switch carriers can often get a 30 day trial before any commitments are binding. That way you can see what works best for you.

Now, the real question to ask yourselves is this. Over the next couple years, how capable is that HUGE verizon network of reaching speeds over 4Mbps? Not on CDMA they won’t (max theortetical throughput of 2Mbps). AT&T is already capable of 7.2Mbps and most of their 3.6g devices (HTC Fuze, Tilt 2, etc) are already getting 3.6Mbps download. Also realize the hardware in the iPhone 3g (not Gs) is only capable of 1.4Mbps, and half the reason why ‘surveys’ often have AT&T 3g at the bottom of the list. If the iphone wasn’t so popular, the surveys would certainly be different.

So, here is the REAL speed race. Can Verizon convert their entire network over to GSM faster than AT&T can put up new equipment? I would like to bet on the ‘Map for that’ race… In the meantime, i think AT&T is on point and Verizon is digging in to get those last 2 year contracts signed. We are gonna see some major separation between these two giants especially when video calling goes standard. So for now I don’t think it is wrong for AT&T to be singing “There is a lawsuit for that”, LOL!
- Anonymous
  
  Quote…
  
  “Not on CDMA they won’t (max theortetical throughput of 2Mbps). AT&T is already capable of 7.2Mbps and most of their 3.6g devices (HTC Fuze, Tilt 2, etc) are already getting 3.6Mbps download”
  
  LOL…
  
  Even if this were completely accurate, which its NOT, it wouldn’t matter. Verizon’s 4G network, LTE, is launching in 30 markets in 2010. LTE will carry download speeds of 10-12 Mbps. AT&T is trying to revamp their antiquated equipment. It’s a nice effort, but at BEST, will be half as fast as Verizon’s 4G network. So once again its an epic fail from AT&T.
  
  As for your speed race comment..
  
  “Can Verizon convert their entire network over to GSM faster than AT&T can put up new equipment?”
  
  That’s the stupidest thing that came out of your entire post. GSM? It’s history… old news. LTE is the future for the WORLD WIDE standard. Not just the US. While AT&T is dumping money into improving their horribly limited 3G network, Verizon is investing money into their soon to launch 4G network. If you want 3.6 Mbps instead of 12 Mbps then by all means stay with AT&T. You deserve them.
  
  Here is a link to check out:
  
  http://gigaom.com/2009/05/27/att-moves-up-its-lte-rollout-admits-to-network-issues/
  
  Just do your own research, people.
Anonymous

AT&T is not great, but Verizon limits data to 5GB/month. 90% of the time I’m on EDGE with AT&T and still pull over 40GB/month for $30 with my tethered iPhone. Verizon charges $100/GB for overage – why have great coverage if you can’t use but 5GB?
- Anonymous
  
  I’ve heard that “they all” cap at 5gigs, “they” just don’t tell you.
  That’s what a rep at Costco told me
Anonymous

Well they should sue them – my entire county is 3g covered , has been for a year now and it was NOT shown to be so on that map in the commercial. Mis rep re sentation. Gotta love companies that lie to try to catch up.
anewc2

I think Verizon is letting ATT off easy. I live along the Hudson River between NY and Albany, and that map shows ATT 3G service there. But it’s never shown up on my phone.
Anonymous

One thing you might also want to remember is that the “3g” service of verizon only can only do data or voice. AT&T on the other hand in 3g you can do both. I have an iPhone that tethers. I have no problem surfing the web and talking on the phone at the same time with no problem at all with speed at my home in Springfield,Mo.
Grant – Alaska

Verizon outright lied about the coverage they offer. On the map they show in the comercials it depicts 3 areas of coverage in Alaska. Verizon offers NO 3G coverage in AK. PERIOD. Not in Anchorage, the largest city, or in Fairbanks, the second largest, or in Juneau, the Capitol. AT&T has every right to sue them over false advertising and defamation.
EH

AT&T got straight-up punked on this one and now they’re whining to the courts. Sorry guys, it says “3G” in the ad and your 3G coverage SUCKS. The truth hurts, but AT&T has made their bed.
Anonymous

I live in Arkansas and the AT&T maps show almost the entire state covered when in fact little rock, west Memphis, and fort smith ate the only cities that have 3g coverage. When I called customer care they told me that they didn’t know anything about the commercials. Their story changes everytime I call them to get something done. Now they only wanna offer you 2gb for $20 and another $20 if you go over. Also they are now offering teethering with 2gb for $45 Which AT&T is not able to support teethering yet. I wish someone would put these companies in their places and make them tell the truth.
octopod

>I just signed a 2 year agreement for what was supposed to be mobile broadband ( 3G ). I quickly noticed that I have no 3G coverage in my town. I do not travel

caveat emptor?
RaptorOne

Yeah…it’s very clear it’s comparing 3G coverage…which…AT&T only provides in very densely populated areas. What should happen is AT&T customers suing AT&T for charging them the same as Verizon does but gets only subpar 3G service in return.

The whole argument is like saying, “Yeah, we know our competition has broadband access everywhere, but we’re worried that people won’t release that we have dial-up available to them.” Yeah…we don’t care about dial-up anymore.
Anonymous

Let it be known, however, that AT&T’s 3G is way faster than Verizons. Independent Engadget.com study indicated almost 4x faster internet than Verizon’s 3G. In matter of fact, Verizon’s 3G is slower than Sprint’s and T-Mobile’s 3G.

3G here is not equal to 3G there.
Anonymous

Fyi LTE is NOT 4G so stop using them together they’re 2 different technologies. Theoretical max for LTE is 100Mbit/s, 4G is 1Gbit/s.
Anonymous

@ itard tether guy. Verizon can tether the droid. Voice and internet at the same time And its free. Not to mention allows free Voip calls on 3g
Itsumishi

Anyone else not getting any headline on this article and the one above?

When I clicked the comments button on this article I can see the headline on this page, but not the main BB page, however with the article above the headline isn’t there for either the main page or the article itself.
- Antinous / Moderator
  
  They’re mini-posts.
Anonymous

Hey Anonymous who’s complaining about your AT&T wifi card – You’re exactly the person that AT&T is worried about with these ads, someone who doesn’t know the difference between different types of coverage. If your phone were AT&T, your calls wouldn’t be dropping either because your phone calls don’t require a 3G data connection which is what this map debate is all about. If you were to compare AT&T’s voice coverage or Edge coverage, it would look drastically different.
- Anonymous
  
  Hey anewc2, I no how you feel. I just signed a 2 year agreement for what was
  supposed to be mobile broadband ( 3G ).
  I quickly noticed that I have no 3G coverage in my town. I do not travel
  much so I guess I,m paying $100 a month
  for a cell with e-mail. The internet is way
  s l o o o o o o o w ! ! ! !
  Maybe we will get coverage some day.
  Kevin