If you believe the folks at The Wall Street Journal, AT&T’s monopoly on the iPhone will finally be coming to an end this June when Apple will release a CDMA version of the iPhone which will be available on Verizon. According to people “briefed on the matter” a special CDMA version of the iPhone will be made starting this September by Pegatron Technology Corp., a subsidiary of ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
To which company will this CDMA device be headed? Verizon Wireless. Even though I bash AT&T for their network (and I’m not alone here for sure) and the fact that calls continuously seem to drop, I can actualy tell they’ve made a few strides in improving their network, at least in the Los Angeles area.
Still, in LA at least, Verizon is usually the clear winner when it comes to network availability and the ability to make a call and stay on that call without dropping. So, if their really is an iPhone coming to Verizon, I may just have to pick one up. That or I may just give up the iPhone all together and go for a Google Nexus One when it comes to Verizon. The next few months should be interesting indeed.
Andrew
March 30, 2010 at 2:17 pmsome problems with this reasoning. First and foremost is that CDMA technology does allow more users per channel, because one of them is analog. The same stuff you use coming from that archaiac thing hanging from the wall. SO it can allow more users on an analog network because it’s using older tech. Now, in regards to GSM tech. GSM tech actually operates on more national frequencies/international frequencies and is the globally recongnized standard. CDMA is limited to the continental U.S and to the areas where the provider may have made servicing agreements for transferring their digital signal to analog in order to facilitate international roaming. CDMA has 285 million subscribers worldwide. Only 1 country in Western Europe supports CDMA digital technology. There are 1.5+ billion gsm wireless subscribers, with heavy and accepted coverage in Western Europe.
Now the 30% dropped call ratio for New York MAY be accurate data, but it doesn’t factor a couple of things. It doesn’t take into account that a large majority of ATT’s data use for 3G type of devices takes place in that area, and just like any other tech, when it gets overloaded it sometimes buckles and will drop calls or data services. Take your wi-fi enabled computer to any local highly trafficed hotspot and you’ll get the same issues on whichever provider the service is with. And added to that, people using GSM phones get the best of both worlds, they can use data and voice simultaneously, which CDMA doesn’t support enough frequencies for to use, and will not, so if you have to talk and surf (ie give someone directions via Mapquest) have your laptop ready.. GSM devices can use one frequency for voice channel and one for data. Rather than just one or the other like CDMA, GSM also had the potential to go to tri band and quad band, which most technologically advanced countries (europe, japan, etc.) have upgraded to Is the Iphone worth it, it depends. But the Iphone doesn’t reflect GSM technology, it represents a manufacturer (ie Apple), as does the Droid (ie Motorola). So let’s not draw similarities between devices and network capability, because no matter how advanced your DEVICE is, if the network doesn’t support its full capability, ITS A PAPERWEIGHT. Verizon droid, ATT iPhone or no…. oh and just a side note 4g is a joke. It’s marketing, fourth generation is all 4G means. Nothing to do with network speed or superiority. It’s hey this is the 4th time I’ve done this, hope it works!….There was a study done about 2 months ago that actually PROVED AT&T has better service in major metro areas such as oh ya know, San Diego, LA, New York, Chicago, Dallas, more reliable and faster service then Verizon, its a FACT, not just what they are “known” for, and apparently more people like AT&T then Verizon because ATT has about 82mil customers where Verizon has 79 or 80 so maybe it should be said, “who really likes verizon?”