Slow 3G - Verizon's Achilles' heel?

[binba]

I vowed not to stay on AT&T, and there's just one thing that keeps me from pulling the trigger on an iPhone.

It seems everyone agrees - Verizon's 3G network is reliable but is among the slowest in the country. (See PCmag's survey) The 4S of course has speed upgrades for AT&T's already-speedy 3G (about the only good thing at AT&T), and nothing for Verizon.

What's your experience with Verizon's 3G, surfing and tethering? Isn't it a bit frustrating?


(PS Sure I could get an Android w/ LTE, but the 4S naturally has many strengths, among them good world compatibility. Verizon currently offers zero phones with both LTE & UMTS.)

 

[kozal01]

I cant comment on the iphone speed on Verizon 3G (I havent received mine yet) but ive been using my Droid 1 on Verizon 3G for over a year and I have no complaints at all with the speed. I tether using PDA Net and the browsing speeds match that of DSL and close to the Comcast high speed home internet I had in the past. Only time it is laggy is during large uploads/ downloads and sometimes it lags loading youtube video's.

 

[p3unit32]

I thinking about changing to Verizon, I've been with AT&T nearly 11 years. But I like the ability to use both voice and data, but I'm tired of the dropped calls, and the bad coverage areas. Plus I still have unlimited data with AT&T. Any suggestions?

 

[pandahou]

My 3G isn't so bad actually feels pretty fast but I don't have anything to compare it to since I had tmobile previously. And they were slow no matter what.

 

[dtrim87]

I thinking about changing to Verizon, I've been with AT&T nearly 11 years. But I like the ability to use both voice and data, but I'm tired of the dropped calls, and the bad coverage areas. Plus I still have unlimited data with AT&T. Any suggestions?

Dude don't let go of your unlimited!!! I had AT&T and switched to Verizon and Verizon seems a bit slower to me. If I switched again it would be to spring since they will carry the 4s and offer unlimited data

 

[dtrim87]

*sprint*

 

[p3unit32]

Dude don't let go of your unlimited!!! I had AT&T and switched to Verizon and Verizon seems a bit slower to me. If I switched again it would be to spring since they will carry the 4s and offer unlimited data

You didn't like the Verizon service? What about the no dropped calls, and the LTE network? Or were you restricted to their 3G? I hear their 3G speeds are about 3.2 Mbps, not very fast compared to speeds up to 14.4 Mbps.

 

[bogatyr]

I had the Thunderbolt from Verizon and switched to the 4S. Internet is crawling compared to the Thunderbolt. Verizon 3G is pretty horrible in my opinion, but the iPhone is a much better experience over the Thunderbolt overall.

Granted on a phone... internet speed isn't the most important thing in the world.

 

[Garrett]

The speeds you get are going to depend more on where you live and the amount of network congestion more then anything else. (this applies to any carrier)

I live in Clearwater Beach FL and the Verizon coverage and speed is great down here. The only time i notice a slow down in network speed is around spring break since this is one of the top college spring break destinations.

 

[jeremyp]

I've had my iPhone 4 since April and I've noticed a degradation in the internet speed over that time. I'm guessing that my area is just becoming too saturated resulting in high network congestion. I also have a LTE hotspot and the speed is extremely fast wherever I have LTE coverage (lacking). I'm not upgrading to a new iPhone until it has 4G capability.

 

[chotty]

Glad I found this forum tonight. Well, I made the jump from iPhone 4, ATT to Verizon iPhone 4S, willing to pay the ETF, etc.
It is a great phone. Oh, then I downloaded the speedtest.net app and began running speed tests. I WAS IN SHOCK. *With FULL bars and 3G displayed, I averaged a whopping 0.03 mbps and 0.0.2 or 0.0.1 uploads. Concerned, I called and got a good tech rep who was baffled, made a trouble ticket. never heard back, so I called last night. VZW said i was in a "marginal area" (full bars w/ 3G icon is marginal??).
Needless to say, I called ATT and got ported back over at no charge of any kind, keeping my old (much cheaper) plan.
Whew. Lesson learned. Verizon 3G is a sick JOKE. How is it even legal to display full bars/ 3G when I was getting 0.0.3 (sometimes slightly higher) downloads and near non-existant upload speeds?!?
Then today, I was lucky enough to get a free ATT microcell from a client. Got it online in no time, happy camper.
*I was getting around 35-40% dropped calls on certain days. All good now.
VZW's CDMA network might be robust, built-out as far as it can be, but GIVe ME A BREAK on that "3G" speed.
That's my story,
Chotty

 

[Garrett]

like i said before alot depends on the area.... i consistently get 2 MBit down and about .5 to .75 MBit up.


chotty just out of curiosity what area do you live in?

 

[IPHON3CRS]

I am a new AT&T customer! I came from Verizon, and WoW what a difference! I always thought Verizon was the better of the 2. But yes it depends where you live and who's tower your near. IMO there is a major difference in 3G Between the two! CDMA vs GSM. Winner is GSM I wish I new this 3 years ago lol. I waited so long for the iPhone to come to Verizon, thinking Verizon is the best. Jokes on me! That's what I get for listing to all the commercials. It just shows what marketing can do! All the dissing on AT&T from Verizon. The only thing I'm missing from Verizon is my 30 dollar unlimited data plan! O well maybe one day they will bring it back.

 

[chotty]

Birmingham, Alabama. The tech rep orignally told me I was "surrounded by 4 towers, all online yet he saw I was bouncing between 1X and 3G, thus never really getting 3G... even though (as I mentioned) I had full bars and 3G icon... I suppose it's faster in other cities. Your speeds sound bearable considering the better voice call quality. I simply could not justify paying for the terrible 3G data speed on VZW here.

like i said before alot depends on the area.... i consistently get 2 MBit down and about .5 to .75 MBit up.


chotty just out of curiosity what area do you live in?

 

[jeremyp]

I'm in the Manchester, NH area and using the speedtest.net app I got 1.45Mbps download and .75Mbps upload on the first run and 2.09Mbps download and .47Mpbs upload on the second. I don't think that's too bad. It's pretty good, actually. I just can't wait until 4G LTE is in my area and Appled releases a 4G phone. Where I live I'm just outside of the coverage area, but I travel into 4G areas all the time for work. I will say that my Verizon 4G LTE hotspot in those areas is ridiculously fast!