ATT & iPhone Service

 

Not sure where to post this.
I have finally reached my limit w/ Sprint/Nextel.
I am considering ATT w/ the iPhone.
What are your likes and dislikes w/ either the phone or AT&T?
I am a truck driver and am tired of the dropped calls and dead zones. Can I expect better service w/ AT&T? Or does my cash need to go to Verizon?
Thanks for the understanding and comments.

this is just an opinion

and not exactly what you are looking for

I considered getting an iPhone, but I will not under any circumstances leave Verizon, so that is not an option.

Instead I bought an iPod Touch, and will continue to get a new cell phone every two years from Verizon.

While I am limited to wifi for much of the functionality with the Touch, wifi connectivity is continuing to grow.

Plus I can still use most of the apps, games and especially the very high quality video capabilities without it.

--
— (Garmin nuvi 765T) — "people who say money can't buy happiness, don't know where to shop"

Good

The owner of my company got one. He is not gizmo crazy but does like his phone. You will probably want to check out http://www.repeaterstore.com/cellynx/5barz-road-warrior.html. It has made a huge difference for him. We travel KS, OK, MO, IA NE mostly rural. There are occasional areas with no coverage in buildings. We switched from US Cellular in March and have been happy with AT&T.

Daniel

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Garmin StreetPilot c580 & Nuvi 760 - Member 32160 - Traveling in Kansas

AT&T, i-phones and data

I have been an AT&T subscriber for over 10 years and have weathered many changes with the company. The data service I use for my laptop aircard has recently degraded to below DSL speeds in my area due to the number of other data devices all attempting to access the network. AT&T just doesn't have the capacity to handle the demand at this point in time.

The current crop of i-phones are set to roam from the cellular data network to any available wi-fi node to relieve some of the congestion in major cities. This has an impact on the data throughput for the phone as well. It takes time to shift from the cellular network to the local wi-fi at Starbucks or McDonalds (or other AT&T wi-fi node) and to switch back to the cellular network.

In the ex-urban areas, there appears to be enough capacity to maintain data throughputs around 150 - 300 Kbps which is ok for most things except web browsing.

My usual throughput with my aircard runs between 56 and 86 kbps near Washington to over 3M when I'm on the road. So a lot of what to expect will depend on the area you are in.

--
ɐ‾nsǝɹ Just one click away from the end of the Internet

No Problems

I switched from Verizon & a Palm about two years ago. Love not having to carry two devices, having thousands of apps available (most of which are a buck or two max compared to $15-$30 for the palm) & visual voicemail is terrific -don't have to listen to all my messages at one time, can pick & choose. I also really like that as Apple updates the OS, it's available free to the rest of us. The phone & coverage has been at least comparable, but it seems as though I have fewer dropped calls than with Verizon.

--
Not lost anymore. Well, not as it pertains to driving anyway. -Garmin Nuvi 765t, 56 unt Mac user.

Great for me

The iPhone has been a great tool for me. I had Verizon for 15 years and felt that I was paying a lot for just phone calls (I rarely text). The iPhone can do so many things, and it does them well. It really is like having a tiny tablet computer with Internet access.

As far as quality goes I think my iPhone has the best sound quality of any phone I've ever used. It doesn't have the that "cell phone" sound to it most times. I did have occasional drops in calls if I, or the other caller, was in a weak area. In August AT&T has changed the frequency used in most places and I have 3G data service nearly everywhere in the Philadelphia area.

I have traveled all over the country with the iPhone and have had no call trouble in any US city. In rural areas it has been fine for me but that can vary in some parts of the US.

Overall, I feel I get a much better value for my monthly fee than I could with any other phone on the market. Having tens of thousands of applications to add to the phone make it a very personalized and productive tool.

--
Brent - DriveLuxe 51 LMT-S

Love my i-Phone

Just purchased the i-phone and after never having text messaging/e-mail/and the like, it is great!!! I have verizon for work and it drops signal multiple times a day and causes me to reboot my entire computer system (I use it in a police car). I have had att for many years, cingular and all, and might lose 2-3 calls a year, if that. The i-phone, I just love it! Good luck.

--
Garmin Nuvi 660 & 255W...In Steamed Crabtown

Things to consider...

iPhone article (older 3G version)

http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10359490-245.html?tag=nl.e...

I've had AT&T for at least 7 years, love the rollover minutes feature. Never have had a reception problem.
Customer service is always friendly, but not always accurate. I get the heebee jeebees if have to change a plan or add a phone...takes several times before they get it right. But what else is new in the customer service world.
I frequently check my plan against a similar Verizon, and always come out with AT&T being best for my situation.

I'd love an iPhone, but don't want to pay the mandatory $30 for data and optional $20 for text.

Yesterday I got their Samsung Solstice.(touch screen with apps). It isn't considered a "smart phone" so the data plan (optional, not mandatory) is $15 a month for Internet access, and $5 for 200 text. GPS is extra (as is with the iPhone - I think).

The iPhone is a "want" not a "need", but I really do want it!

--
Originator of Keeping Your Windmill Alive. Live in MA & have a cooking website. 6 yr. member. http://kitchentoysmakecookingfun.blogspot.com/

ATT & iPhone Service

If price is a concern for service, you could even consider Page Plus Cellular http://www.pagepluscellular.com/Plans/Unlimited%20Talk%20n%2... for $39.95/month and get a used Casio G'zOne http://www.casiogzone.com/ I suggest that because PPC is a Verizon MVNO and has good coverage. Then get a separate iPod Touch for other stuff. Just a thought. Also, needless to say, truck driving can be hard on equipment, if you go iPod Touch or iPhone think about protecting it with something from Otterbox http://www.otterbox.com/ or similar to protect it.

AT&T coverage

Is less than that of Verizon.

Verizon's purchase of Alltel gives verizon the largest network not only it terms of number of subscribers, but in geography as well - more than 97% of the lower 48 land mass is covered by native Verizon network.

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*Keith* MacBook Pro *wifi iPad(2012) w/BadElf GPS & iPhone6 + Navigon*

wife and i just got new

wife and i just got new iphones and we love them.
been with att for about 10 yrs and it is as good as any lol

I'm off to the phone stores

for some face-to-face conversations.

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions. I will let you know what I decide.

...Forgot to click "Post comment"!!!

Anyway, we'll see how it works out. I got the iPhone 3G, not much into the video aspect so didn't get the 3Gs version.

Any MUST HAVE apps???

My Favorites, some are freee some you have to pay for.

Here are the Apps I use most; AppBox Pro (Swiss Amy knife of utility Apps), Accuweather (has animated radar) , ATM Hunter, DIRECTV (allows you to set up your DVR to record from your phone), Pick & Choose (A "grocery list App, lots of others to choose from),myWireless (At&T app to manage your account), Fake Call (Sets up phony call to get out of meetings, bad parties etc...), Google Maps, Google Voice Search, Dial Zero (Helps get through automated phone systems), Coin Flip ( Cool fun little app).
Here are few games; Flick Fishing (Great way to kill time fully animated fishing game),Sol Free (Solitair Game there are many others to choose from), Alpine Racer (Skiing Game), Two different Pinball Games Pn Dreams and Wild West, Par 72 Golf, Brick 3D.
Iam on my 3rd iPhone (3GS) and love them, my wife had a smartphone when I bought my 1st gen phone, a week latter she had an iPhone too. Have fun exploring the App store, try looking at the podcast page, And making an account with Audible.com for books to load on it too, both are good ways to kill time driving. If your on the road alot you can load a movie or two before you go, or upload an episode of a TV show you may have missed (if connected to wi-fi). A company named "Seskimo" makes 2 cool little stands fo watching video, both fold flat and fit your wallet and they cost $4.00 for the Batwing model or $7.00 For theCrabble (which I reccommend)
Enjoy your phone!

Everybody drops calls

Jaxom,

I've got AT&T, and I have friends who have service with the other major carriers. We ALL expereince dropped calls and dead zones. The difference is WHERE we have those issues. No one carrier will provide you with unlimited, unfettered service everywhere you go. The best you can do is find out who is the most satisfied with their service in the areas closest to where you spend the most time.

As an independent agent who can provide phones for every national carrier, I have no particular loyalty to any one provider. As I said, I'm currently with AT&T, and when my contract is up, I'll sell myself a new phone with either Sprint or Verizon, depending on who has the best deal for the phone that I want. If you want to have a more in-depth private discussion, email me at joe@shipdriver.net.

Joe

Verizon is the way to go if

Verizon is the way to go if you are a truck driver....I have AT and T cuz of iphone, but service isn't as good as Verizon....

I like both...

If you're choosing the plans base on the iphone, you really only have one choice. I have both Verizon and ATT iphone. They're both good in their own way. If you want options in phones, ATT is the way to go since they use sim cards. If you live next/near a major highway, ATT has great service. Everywhere else is spotty. Verizon has good services pretty much everywhere but any time you have phone issues, it takes little more effort to get it resolved.

Just my opinion...

but I don't care for Apple's close to the vest mentality. Example, the to do with Google's voice app. My daughter has the iphone, she likes it and from what I've seen the phone is good. I've been with Verizon for over 15 years so I can't speak about network quality versus AT&T.

--
Bob: My toys: Nüvi 1390T, Droid X2, Nook Color (rooted), Motorola Xoom, Kindle 2, a Yo-Yo and a Slinky. Gotta have toys.

AT&T vs Sprint

I left Sprint for an Iphone.
With Sprint I received more calls and voicemails.

People tell me they called/voiced/texted and I never received any indication with AT&T. Customer service says it must be a tower issue. So I get to play with the phone and don't have to answer anyone now.

SWEET phone

3G vs 3Gs?

Well now that I've had the phone a few days, I am finding out more about the iPhone. I was told the only difference between the 3G and 3Gs was better video w/ the "S". However...I think the processor is faster as well. I have 30 days to decide to keep this or cancel or???? Should I pony up the $100 extra for the 3Gs or just keep the one (3G) I've got?

BTW, I know this is a POI based forum!!!

TIA!

I would say no. If you trade

I would say no. If you trade it back in for the 3GS (shoots video), they will charge you a $35 re-stocking fee. My friend has a 3 GS and the only difference is the video, a compass (which I would never use, hence this is a GPS forum), and a 16 gb hard drive. I am quite happy with my 3G and have had it only 2 weeks. Good luck.

--
Garmin Nuvi 660 & 255W...In Steamed Crabtown

iPhone

I just bought an iPhone (3gs) for myself. The only thing I don't like so far is that the battery doesn't seem to last long. AT&T says it should last about 5 1/2 hours of continous use. But, being new to the phone I have been using it LOTS. Adding lots of apps and using the 3G network. It works with the Bluetooth on my nuvi 660 far better than my last phone. I can now see the phonebook on the phone from the nuvi.

More

--
NickJr Nuvi 3597LMT

alot of it comes down to

alot of it comes down to location, and how well 3g is covered in ur area.

I know a lot of people who

I know a lot of people who absolutely hate AT&T, and refuse to get an iPhone even though they love Apple products. I've had AT&T for 10 yrs now (I was original AT&T before they were Cingular, before they were AT&T again). I've had no bad experiences. I rarely get dropped calls, almost never need to call customer service for anything, etc. One time I went over on my minutes, and I called up and they cut my overage charge in half to be nice.

So I'm quite happy with them. Rollover minutes are great too - it's a nice buffer zone.

Glad I do not own Garmin Stock

What is Garmin thinking, why would they sign an exclusive agreement with the same carrier as the iPhone? Apple/At&T sold 600,000 3GS phones in 3 days, Garmin will not sell 50,000 Nuviphones in 3 months. They are charging $299 which is exactley what a 32G 3GS cost, with the iPhone you get 6 million apps and games, easy synching with iTunes, etc...., with an iPhone you can watch a movie, or put on the Backyardigans, or game for the kids in the backseat, and with a $50 dollar cable you can plug it into a TV and see a HD movie in full widescreen. Garmin cannot compete with it. Look what happened with the last so called "iPhone Killer" the much balleyhooed Palm Pre which went head to head with the iPhone has flopped. How many of the 6 million iPhone users are going to toss them out and run down to grab a Nuviphone? I can tell you when I am due an upgrade I will not be shelving my 3GS and my 765 to buy a Nuviphone and I doubt many others will either. Garmin should have gone the route of Tom Tom and Navigon and just created an app for the iPhone.

Mine favorites

Jaxom wrote:

Any MUST HAVE apps???

Shazam: free -listens to music, tells you what it is, who did it...
CarbonFin Outliner: outline program, with which I make all of my lists
Weather Bug: free- weather program, nice detail
Tip: simple tip calc. Best of all I've tried
Paper Toss: free game -great, simple addictive
LED Football: copy of the old Mattel Electronic football game from the 70's
Posi-Motion Backgammon: simple, fun
eWallet: password protection
PGA Tour: free -great way to stay on top of tourney goings on
Fore! : expensive but great golf scorecard app
USA Manual: every important document or speech in your pocket
Congress in your pocket: list of all congress, their bio's & contact info
4800+ Drinks Free: digital barkeep
iTV: free -tv guide app that finds where you are
Night Stand: digital clock used as alarm clock when traveling
Banner Free: free led banner creator (fun in bars ect)

Good luck & have fun!

--
Not lost anymore. Well, not as it pertains to driving anyway. -Garmin Nuvi 765t, 56 unt Mac user.

iphone great (only because

iphone great (only because its JB) but overall with ATT i really dont like them. want to drop them but cant. the only good thing is the rollover minutes other than that the service isnt that good, alot of drop calls for example and customer service is horrible!

THATS MY OPINION!!!

iphone battery

epc2 wrote:

I just bought an iPhone (3gs) for myself. The only thing I don't like so far is that the battery doesn't seem to last long. AT&T says it should last about 5 1/2 hours of continous use. But, being new to the phone I have been using it LOTS. Adding lots of apps and using the 3G network. It works with the Bluetooth on my nuvi 660 far better than my last phone. I can now see the phonebook on the phone from the nuvi.

are you on FW 3.1? if so check this out! talks about battery life on FW 3.1

http://www.sinfuliphone.com/showthread.php?t=2316

Also to the 3G network will drain that battery life quicker. I just turn my off and use wifi if available.

iPhone

I would like an iPhone, but I have one problem. The reception in my mobile home suxs!!! You have to go outside to make a call.

--
Rodney.. oditius.htc@gmail.com BMW Zumo 550 HTC Touch Pro - Garmin XT

Good Apps

Poifect wrote:
Jaxom wrote:

Any MUST HAVE apps???

Shazam: free -listens to music, tells you what it is, who did it...
CarbonFin Outliner: outline program, with which I make all of my lists
Weather Bug: free- weather program, nice detail
Tip: simple tip calc. Best of all I've tried
Paper Toss: free game -great, simple addictive
LED Football: copy of the old Mattel Electronic football game from the 70's
Posi-Motion Backgammon: simple, fun
eWallet: password protection
PGA Tour: free -great way to stay on top of tourney goings on
Fore! : expensive but great golf scorecard app
USA Manual: every important document or speech in your pocket
Congress in your pocket: list of all congress, their bio's & contact info
4800+ Drinks Free: digital barkeep
iTV: free -tv guide app that finds where you are
Night Stand: digital clock used as alarm clock when traveling
Banner Free: free led banner creator (fun in bars ect)

Good luck & have fun!

Those sound like some good ones. I'll have to check them out. I also like Shotgun pump and fire, good stree reliever

ATT & iPhone Service Reliability

Be very careful where you plan on using your iPhone. AT&T has several "dead" spots and several saturated cell phone towers in metropolitan areas. The best thing to do is ask someone who already has an iPhone in your immediate area to come to your house, your place of employment, etc to test the reception. Think of it this way, you're going to pay ~$2500 for this phone over the course of the 2 year contract. Make sure you can use it at home and at work.

Remote Tap

RemoteTap is a “Mac Style” remote desktop management solution for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

http://www.readpixel.com/remotetap/index.html

"Think of it this way, you're going to pay ~$2500 for this phone over the course of the 2 year contract."

That's the way it seems, but whether or not you get an iPhone or any other phone for that matter with your 2 year contract, you pay the same each month for your service, it's just that you're locked in. Big deal, I've been with ATT/Cingular/ATT for 15 years or better anyway.

--
If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else. - Yogi Berra

Wireless Service

Had T-Mobile and had to walk out of my house and to the corner in order to get a signal. Went to Verizon and I do not know what a dead zone is or have I had a dropped call.

--
Alan-Garmin c340

I love the iphone but I hate

I love the iphone but I hate AT&T coverage for cell signal. it sucks.

USA Manual?

Anyone have the processor specs on the 3G vs 3GS? I've looked around on Apple's site and can't find them.

I couldn't find that one. Will get to play around w/ Paper Toss during the long drive this weekend.
Thanks.

iphone processors

"This is the single largest difference between the 3G and the 3Gs. Firstly the manufacturing process has been chopped from 90nm to 65nm. Pipeline depth has been boosted to 13 – stage from 8. More importantly the clock speed of this newer processor rolls in at 600MHz – opposed to the 412MHz core of the old – obsolete 3G. Samsung has also doubled the quantity of L1 cache from 16 to 32KB." phonewreck.com

http://www.phonewreck.com/2009/06/19/iphone-3gs-teardown-and...

nice little article.

Made the switch

I was within my 30 "trial" period so I decided to make the switch to the 3GS. It cost me the difference in the phone plus a $10 restocking fee that they put toward an in-store purchase. I bought a car charger for $15-$10=$5. So far it seems a bit faster.
I think I would have regretted sticking w/ the 3G, just knowing that there was a faster version out that I could have had w/ little or no penalty. Other than the initial price difference.
Thanks for all your help.

Pandora is a nice app. Internet radio w/ music choices for your preferences...Doo Wop...Oldies...Rap...Country...etc.

hi

hi