Which U.S. Carrier is Best for the iPhone 5?

[dgstorm]

Correction: This article has been corrected due to new information. Some of our sources were misinformed. See the updates below.

The latest and greatest Apple creation has been unleashed upon the world. After our heads have stopped spinning from the whirlwind of the moment, some of us may be faced with choosing a U.S. carrier for the new phone. Obviously, some may not need to make that choice. Many will stick with the carrier they already have, or are not in the States. Still, just in case you are in the position to need to make that choice, we thought it would be worthwhile to share a few details about the iPhone 5 on each carrier to help you make an informed decision. Here is a breakdown below that is NOT all inclusive.

Obviously, you will want to base your decision on the specific way you will use the iPhone 5 in your everyday life. We didn't include specific pricing for these carriers, as we wanted to mostly focus on the technical aspects. Feel free to visit their respective websites for pricing details. If any of our members have additional feedback to offer, feel free to add more in the thread.

AT&T iPhone 5:

• It has a GSM model A1428*: UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz); LTE (Bands 4 and 17) - Based upon these bands, the AT&T version has less global compatibility than other models.
• AT&T Indicated they will not support FaceTime over cellular, and will block it, unless you pay them separately for the service.
• AT&T recently released a statement that they will allow users who already have an Unlimited Data plan to keep that plan with the new iPhone. Everyone else will need to choose one of their "Mobile Share plans" or limited individual plans.
• AT&T's version will support simultaneous voice and data.
• AT&T is NOT known for good customer service or support. In fact, they have ranked dead last for several years running now in several consumer satisfaction surveys.

Sprint iPhone 5:

• It has a CDMA model A1429*: CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1900, 2100 MHz); UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz); LTE (Bands 1, 3, 5, 13, 25) - Based upon these bands, the Sprint version will have great global compatibility.
• Sprint has already stated that they will support FaceTime over cellular without any additional fees or pricing.
• Sprint currently is the only iPhone carrier to offer a truly Unlimited Data Plan, with no throttling and no data caps. They also have the least expensive plans.
• S̶p̶r̶i̶n̶t̶'̶s̶ ̶v̶e̶r̶s̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶w̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶s̶u̶p̶p̶o̶r̶t̶ ̶s̶i̶m̶u̶l̶t̶a̶n̶e̶o̶u̶s̶ ̶v̶o̶i̶c̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶d̶a̶t̶a̶.̶ (Although they have stated that their new HD Voice network feature is not supported by the iPhone 5.) [UPDATE: As it turns out, some of the info yesterday was erroneous - The Verizon and Sprint versions of the iPhone 5 are likely NOT going to support simultaneous voice and data. We apologize for the confusion.]
• One negative for Sprint is that they currently have the smallest LTE network, as they have only just begun to roll it out. Still, they are moving very quickly with their rollout, and will have over 100 new cities added by the end of the year.
• Sprint actually tied for first place in customer service and support over the last two years with Verizon in several surveys.

Verizon iPhone 5:

• It has a CDMA model A1429*: CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1900, 2100 MHz); UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz); LTE (Bands 1, 3, 5, 13, 25) - Based upon these bands, the Verizon version will have great global compatibility.
• Verizon has already stated that they will support FaceTime over cellular without any additional fees or pricing.
• Verizon currently has the most expensive plans, and pretty much all of them involve their "Shared Data Plans" unless you area already grandfathered in. If you are, you will need to buy the iPhone 5 without a subsidy in order to keep an unlimited plan. That ranges from $649 to $849 depending on which version.
• V̶e̶r̶i̶z̶o̶n̶'̶s̶ ̶v̶e̶r̶s̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶w̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶s̶u̶p̶p̶o̶r̶t̶ ̶s̶i̶m̶u̶l̶t̶a̶n̶e̶o̶u̶s̶ ̶v̶o̶i̶c̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶d̶a̶t̶a̶.̶ [UPDATE: As it turns out, some of the info yesterday was erroneous - The Verizon and Sprint versions of the iPhone 5 are likely NOT going to support simultaneous voice and data. We apologize for the confusion.]
• Verizon currently has the largest and best developed nationwide LTE coverage area, bar none. This means there are far more places you will be able to use the high speed networking to access the internet.
• Verizon has tied for first place in customer service and support over the last two years with Sprint in several surveys.

This information was found at multiple sources across the internet, and most of them where press releases, or officially available info from Apple.

 

[Thomasjtsi]

AT&T Indicated they will not support FaceTime over cellular, and will block it, unless you pay them separately for the service.

I still find this completely ridiculous... UGH!!!

 

[Darkstar2007]

Thanks for this info dgstorm!

I'll stick with Verizon. They have the best coverage in my area and they've rolled out LTE pretty well in my location.

 

[Darkstar2007]

I still find this completely ridiculous... UGH!!!

I'm sure the good folks that develop for the cydia app store will fix this ailment for you.

It's still silly that you have to jailbreak to get this feature everyone else has.

AT&T seems to be the least global friendly iPhone...
They're really looking bad when you compare the facts like this..

 

[Thomasjtsi]

I'm wondering though.... LTE isn't available in my area yet. Should be up and rolling the 1st Quarter of 2013, though. How do we go about that change mid-contract? It's probably carrier specific though... how they handle the switch over?

 

[Thomasjtsi]

I'm sure the good folks that develop for the cydia app store will fix this ailment for you. It's still silly that you have to jailbreak to get this feature everyone else has. AT&T seems to be the least global friendly iPhone...They're really looking bad when you compare the facts like this..

Good thing about it.... it's not a "deal breaker" for me. I rarely use FaceTime as it is. So, being able to do it over 3G... 4G... whatever would be a novelty that wears off quite quickly. However, as you said Dark, it's the fact that the other major players are allowing it w/o any extra $$ involved and AT&T just has to greed up their hands just a bit more.

 

[Rogue]

As far as i understand it AT&T only wants you to upgrade to the new mobile share plan they offer, in my experience its for the better my bill will go up 5 a month and i will get more for my money, previously I had (between 2 lines) 700 minutes, unlimited text and a Total of 2.3Gb of data with my new plan i get unlimited talk, text and 4Gb of data so an additional 1.7Gb! I'm happy About the new plans

 

[Thomasjtsi]

As far as i understand it AT&T only wants you to upgrade to the new mobile share plan they offer, in my experience its for the better my bill will go up 5 a month and i will get more for my money, previously I had (between 2 lines) 700 minutes, unlimited text and a Total of 2.3Gb of data with my new plan i get unlimited talk, text and 4Gb of data so an additional 1.7Gb! I'm happy About the new plans

Absolutely! For some users, the new Shared Data plans that AT&T offer, it greatly increases the amount of data that each individual user in the shared pool received. I guess the biggest hang-up for some... are those that are still in the Grandfathered Unlimited plans. I have two iPhone lines on AT&T w/ 550min, Unlimited texts & 3GB data packs for each line... it comes out to about $10/mo cheaper than if I were to have the 6GB Shared Data plan. People just need to do the math before making a decision on switching... to see which is a better deal for them.

 

[ardchoille]

Are we certain that Verizon and Sprint will support simultaneous voice and data? I'm seeing a lot of news that neither carrier are able to support this:

Although certain models of Apple’s new iPhone 5 offer support for simultaneous voice and data over LTE, it’s been discovered that the advanced network of U.S. carriers, Sprint and Verizon, are not compatible with this feature.

And an update:
According to The New York Times, it was Apple's choice to prevent Sprint and Verizon phones from using both LTE data and voice on simultaneously. Because the LTE network only supports data and not voice, Apple would have to add a third antenna to the iPhone 5 to allow both LTE data and CDMA voice together.

Can someone confirm this for us?

 

[cherryhesh]

As far as i understand it AT&T only wants you to upgrade to the new mobile share plan they offer, in my experience its for the better my bill will go up 5 a month and i will get more for my money, previously I had (between 2 lines) 700 minutes, unlimited text and a Total of 2.3Gb of data with my new plan i get unlimited talk, text and 4Gb of data so an additional 1.7Gb! I'm happy About the new plans

Me too!! New plans way better! Give way more for just about the same $..

 

[dgstorm]

The above OP has been updated with corrections.

 

[notbuying_copycats]

This is why am abandoning AT&T eventually but personally though Verizon has the best LTE coverage, am not happy with their new rate plan structure. UGH I hope T-Mobile steps up and be quicker on LTEs technology as though their networks are spotty and still weak I have had better experience and find their pricing always reasonable / competitive. Sprint - just not good enough and I dislike CDMA as well.

It might be in the end will be an expensive / costly carrier hopping experience for me but am buying the unlock just for the freedom & flexibility. Time to test all of them.

 

[mdholm]

Me too!! New plans way better! Give way more for just about the same $..

I use my iPhone to tether. Mostly I tether my iPad, but occasionally I have my Kindle Fire with me, instead. Its my understanding that the share plan requires each tablet to be registered separately. As it is now, I can tether any device that happens to be around (if I wanted to, that is). That makes the share plans less desirable to me. I don't use Face Time often, but it is disappointing that ATT is charging for it when the other two are not. This certainly won't be helping their customer satisfaction rating.

 

[cherryhesh]

Absolutely! For some users, the new Shared Data plans that AT&T offer, it greatly increases the amount of data that each individual user in the shared pool received. I guess the biggest hang-up for some... are those that are still in the Grandfathered Unlimited plans. I have two iPhone lines on AT&T w/ 550min, Unlimited texts & 3GB data packs for each line... it comes out to about $10/mo cheaper than if I were to have the 6GB Shared Data plan. People just need to do the math before making a decision on switching... to see which is a better deal for them.

all your math is correct there. But people on the grandfathered unlimited plan can't escape the fact that you will be throttled after 3 GB of data usage. This is not true of the 6 GB shared data plan with AT&T. So that $10 additional is way worth it. Not to mention you're also getting a lot more with the new plans terms of unlimited calling. There is no minute counting anymore. Pretty much in every measurable way the new shared data plans AT&T are a better value than the grandfathered unlimited plan. It's no longer as simple as looking at the dollars and cents of the issue. The $10 more you're paying with the shared data plan gets you way way more then with the unlimited plan which, by the way, isn't really an "unlimited" plan at all.