∞ AT&T sets the record straight on Verizon ads

Written by

Apple is well known for its iconic advertisements, but its wireless partner AT&T is taking some brutal hits from competitor, Verizon. AT&T said it is setting the record straight.

AT&TAfter asking a federal court to force Verizon to pull its ads highlighting the limitations with its 3G network, AT&T has gone public with some facts of its own. AT&T said they felt compelled to do it because the Verizon ads “are so blatantly false and misleading.”

AT&T broke it down to these key facts:

  • AT&T’s wireless data coverage reaches 303 million people — or 97% of the U.S. population, where they live and work. Our data coverage consists of 3 different types of technology:
  • 3G. 233 million people or 75% of the population are covered by AT&T’s 3G network, the nation’s fastest.
  • EDGE. 301 million people or more than 96% of the population are covered by EDGE.
  • With both 3G and EDGE coverage, customers can access the Internet, send e-mail, surf the Web, stream music, download videos, send photos, text, talk and more. The only difference – with some data applications, 3G is faster than EDGE
  • GPRS. Covers 303 million people, allowing you to talk, text, e-mail and access basic websites optimized for wireless.

AT&T also said it offers the most popular smartphones in the industry, its customers have more apps to choose from and it has the fastest 3G network.


  • Eric

    And AT&T doesn’t have phones with a button hard wired to download data (no matter how little) and charge you a minimum $1.99 per download. Accidentally pushed it? You get a $1.99 charge for 1 meg downloaded, no matter how little data was actually downloaded.

    This is why Verizon is evil.

    Still, to be completely honest, AT&T needs to add – “But we don’t tether the iPhone yet.”

    • Jim Dalrymple

      LOL — good add.

    • http://phatness.com Mike

      That’s wrong. AT&T also has the same “$1.99 buttons.” My wife has a Sony Ericsson and she hits that damn thing all the time.

  • Dennis in Austin

    and yet it STILL has a smaller 3G coverage area. That’s the point of the Verizon commercial. AT&T 3G coverage area is SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER than Verizon’s. PERIOD.

    I have an iPhone on AT&T & would MUCH rather be on Verizon’s network.

    • Bob

      I see you drink the Kool-Aid, Dennis. It’s wonderful to have a map with lots of red on it. However, the point of what AT&T has done is to focus its coverage not all over the map, but in places WHERE PEOPLE ACTUALLY ARE. As such, you probably don’t have 3G coverage in the bustling metropolis of Murdo, Utah. Instead, AT&T is putting its money on focusing and increasing 3G coverage in major metro areas such as (gulp) New York City, or along major Interstate freeways.

      Don’t get me wrong: I’m not some AT&T fanboy. But it makes sense to invest in adding more cell transmitters where most of the population is located, rather than spreading your investment thin on adding coverage everywhere. The iPhone is AT&T’s ticket. The revenues they make from the iPhone will directly fund investment in expanding and deepening its 3G network.

      I live in the city where Verizon has its headquarters. And every time I drive past their building, I flip them off. Read David Pogue’s recent article about Verizon in the New York Times (http://bit.ly/4cqeuX) and maybe then, you might understand how evil they are. This may be one of many reasons why Steve Jobs told Verizon to pound sand.

  • Javi
  • http://www.macupdate.com/ Misha

    Also to its credit:
    - AT&T leads Verizon in dropped calls by a wide margin

    And for what it’s worth, here in Austin TX my 3G speeds around downtown seldom get above 100-200kbps (*not* KB/sec — more like 10-20 KB/sec). Yet my Sprint connection routinely gets above 1,000Kbps…

    There’s definitely heavy congestion and poor performance in some parts of the U.S. for AT&T customers.

  • Dennis

    I hear ya Bob. I guess since I haven’t had the pleasure of dealing with Verizon I can’t comment on their service or customer service for that matter. And your input was spot on about how AT&T using their revenues to better service in metro areas. Most with iphones complain about service & dropped calls more than those with other phones on AT&T. It’s probably both. Eh, I have a feeling we’ll ALL whine about our mobile service providers of some sort.

  • http://www.basilweb.net Walt

    I have to say that just about every phone company I hvae ever heard of has a bunch of people that speak about how evil they are. I can talk to 5 people in my building and get 5 different reviews of their service, all from the same company. Some will have dropped calls. Some will have dead zones in same locations that other of the same carrier will have perfectly normal reception.

    I couldn’t care less about tethering. At least now. I have no need for it and don’t foresee any in my future – but that’s just me. I’m sure it means the farm to many more people.

    The change within at&t that will keep me with them after the iPhone is available on other networks came last month with the addition of the A-List.

  • 2394872397

    I am an AT&T/iPhone user, and I would drop AT&T in an instant if I could. I live in the Bay Area and work in San Francisco, and dropped calls are a daily occurrence. I have missed important calls, and I’ve had to call back into business meetings 2-3 times.

    It’s embarrassing and unprofessional. I had significantly better cell phone service 10 years ago.

    The key facts in AT&T’s counter-assertions are all correct — with the possible exception of the 3G speed. But they all miss the point by a mile. I CANNOT MAKE OR RECEIVE PHONE CALLS RELIABLY WITH MY AT&T PHONE. That’s been true from day one. It’s been true in the five states that I’ve been in since January with this phone.

  • George S.

    iPhone may be going to T-Mobile USA next? This is the second tech journalist that has been hinting at this in the past week. Do they know something about Apple that we don’t?

    http://www.thestreet.com/story/10634548/1/apple-iphone-may-go-to-t-mobile-next.html

  • Sam Jones

    Ah Verizon is now under FCC investigation:

    FCC Asks Verizon to Explain Fees

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091204/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_fcc_verizon_charges

    For all the incompetence of AT&T, Verizon tries hard to be a close second.