[Bjarne]

How to have a month to month contract with ATT. With the new release of the Apple iPad and the announcement of that Apple have lifted the VoIP ban over 3G networks with the release of iCall one could skip the iPhone and get an iPad with iCall. I assume that Skype, Truphone and others will follow in the footstep of iCall. Wonder how Google and for that matter Palm will play into this?

[Honis]

I don't think you've seen AT&Ts 3G coverage map lately...

[Bjarne]

Honis, do you believe that the red and blue maps are correct?

[Brainiac 5]

Having used both AT&T and Verizon, I don't think the maps are far wrong. In any case, isn't the iPad a little too big to carry around as a phone?

[Bjarne]

Brainiac 5, did your comparison cover home and work in one single area and if so where is that (here I am not asking for you town, just like state and if the state is larger many where in the state)? Or did your comparison covered lots of traveling around in US? Also what were the years of your use are we talking AT&T 2000- 2004, Verizon 2005 – 2009 and Sprint 2009 – current?

All I am trying to do here is to figure out if advertisement is skewing reality since I have had the opposite view by sampling my friends here in Northern California.

[Grabber5.0]

You can see AT&T's paltry 3G coverage on their own coverage tool on their website. They don't distinguish between the two at the US level, but if you zoom in one level it starts to show the separate colors for 3G and EDGE.

[Brainiac 5]

I live in Maryland, and most of my usage has been there (so I can't really say for the whole country). I had Verizon around 2004-2006 and AT&T from 2006-present.

Of course I'm exaggerating to say that my experience shows the maps to be correct, but around here Verizon does have noticeably better coverage.

[Bjarne]

Brainiac5 and Grabber5.0, thanks for your input it is appreciated!

[dallashigh]

Sorry but if you think AT&T is going to let you get by using an iPad as a regular VoIP device over their 3G network for $29.99/mo, you're kidding yourself. They will find out and they will terminate your service.

[Honis]

Honis, do you believe that the red and blue maps are correct?

Um, wasn't it defended in the courts as being true and as such Verizon was allowed to continue waving it around?

Judge rejects AT&T calls to pull Verizon ads | ajc.com

I noticed AT&T has never denied that the map was incorrect, just that it could be misleading to the general public since it could be mistaken for AT&Ts entire network (voice, edge, etc).

[Bjarne]

Honis, yes I have read the transcripts and the Judge did not rule that the Map was factual, as Verizon’s attorney said “the core of the campaign is true”. AT&T point was that the maps misleads the public in the way that one could think that people with iPhones could only make calls where the map had blue color, whereas any Verizon client can make call in all the red areas. If the map is right then people in Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota have no coverage and should never buy an iPhone.

So what is my point? I believe that most advertisement, especially the one that tries to compare, in general is never 100% factual. The way things are represented will skew the viewer objected opinion. The judge pointed that out in the statement “Most people who are watching TV are semi-catatonic. They’re not fully alive”.

So again if the map means that you have only “connection” in the red area then both the iPad and the iPhone will never be successful and I think the shipping number for the iPhone are telling another story.

[dallashigh]

Sorry but the ad clearly states 3G several times. If Joe Sixpack is an ***** and can't understand the difference, that doesn't mean the ad is not "100% factual". It is factual. How the public interprets facts can make some ads misleading, but "misleading" does not equal "not factual".

[Honis]

Bjarne, he never ruled that the map was not factual either. If AT&T had a chance of proving it wasn't factual they would have brought that to the table during the emergency injunction, which would have brought the gavel against Verizon. As AT&T has pointed out several times, they have the major populated areas more than covered with 3G. The major populous is the target audience for the iPhone (I wont argue this point here, they have been the target audience for Apple since the first USB capable iPod). Montana, Alaska, etc have no were near the target population density of San Fransisco, New York City, LA, etc. (that's right, comparing entire states to cities.) AT&T also points out that the EDGE and voice service is much more vast than the 3G coverage. EDGE although quiet slow, is supported by the iPhone so AT&T can sell them in those states even without 3G (which in my opinion is more underhanded than the map). I think we agree the map can be interpreted as an underhanded move in advertising but the people who don't live in the major populous would find it more than handy and informative in choosing a network for a smart phone.

[ADGrant]

I don't think you've seen AT&Ts 3G coverage map lately...

It pretty much covers most places I want to go in the lower 48 and plenty of places I don't.

[Honis]

It pretty much covers most places I want to go in the lower 48 and plenty of places I don't.

I hear the same excuse from iPhone users (sorry, assuming you're not considering this is precentral). With the iPad I guess I'll still be hearing it for years to come. I realize Sprint (my current carrier) has a similar map to AT&T, but they are significantly cheaper and do cover almost the identical area as AT&T.

Sprint - Nationwide Coverage

Click "Data, Email, and Multimedia" in the right if you don't see Orange highlights on the map.

Obligatory:
http://www.precentral.net/comparee-c...zon-sprint-att

[ADGrant]

I hear the same excuse from iPhone users (sorry, assuming you're not considering this is precentral). With the iPad I guess I'll still be hearing it for years to come. I realize Sprint (my current carrier) has a similar map to AT&T, but they are significantly cheaper and do cover almost the identical area as AT&T.

No I am not an iPhone user. One major difference between Sprint's coverage and AT&Ts is most AT&T phones work in places I visit outside the US, Most of Sprint's and Verizon's do not. I visit Europe much more frequently than California or Hawaii (both of which have excellent AT&T coverage) and I have nevr been to (for example) Texas.

The other important point is the map just shows AT&Ts 3G coverage, not their full Network coverage which is a much more important map to me. I can still make phone calls and receive email if I happen to travel in one of those areas which lacks 3G coverage.

[Honis]

ADGrant, that's fine and good for you but the topic of this thread is about using the 3G network as the voice network through an iPad VOIP app. In the case of this threads topic, the map is 100% valid. Maybe an app will come out that will be able to pump a decent quality voice connection over AT&Ts more extensive EDGE network, but after a quick google search I couldn't find one.

[ADGrant]

ADGrant, that's fine and good for you but the topic of this thread is about using the 3G network as the voice network through an iPad VOIP app. In the case of this threads topic, the map is 100% valid. Maybe an app will come out that will be able to pump a decent quality voice connection over AT&Ts more extensive EDGE network, but after a quick google search I couldn't find one.

Taking things back on topic then, given that the iPad will only offer 3G in the US though AT&T, any other carrier's map is irrelevant. So if you live in what is sometimes referred to as flyover country, the iPad would not be a good VOIP device. OTOH if you live in one of the urban areas on the coasts you may be good to go.