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Incomplete 3G Coverage May Leave iPhone Users in The Dust

dailytech.com — Recent reports about the iPhone are sending uneasy murmurs through the online community. It has been suggested that the iPhone 3G's new speed boost may be inaccessible to many users, as AT&T still has a relatively small coverage area for 3G. This would leave customers paying increased rates for the same older service.

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  • digjam, on 07/08/2008, -18/+7Some one plz come up with a torrent client for iphone...so that i can bring down their networks :D
    • Tripacer9999, on 07/08/2008, -1/+2Already been made...its called torrentula.

      lrn2google
    • santaliqueur, on 07/08/2008, -2/+5Little baby script kiddie in the making. Wants to "bring down networks", and has no ***** knowledge at all.
  • Yashar, on 07/08/2008, -4/+55Map comparison betwen AT&T and Verizon 3G coverage:
    http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/2482/attvsvzw3g ...
    • metaboman, on 07/08/2008, -0/+9Keep in mind EV-DO has been out longer than HSDPA. But yes, that's a fairly large difference.
    • ausfahrt, on 07/08/2008, -1/+3Do you have a Rogers map for Canada I would love to see it. With their high rates i would think that it would be radical coverage ;-)
      • windohs, on 07/09/2008, -0/+1I wouldn't be surprised if they throttled that too.
    • frascellyboy273, on 07/08/2008, -1/+14thats too bad, apple went up to verizon before the first iphone and asked them if they wanted to be the carrier, and verizon declined, and its a damn shame they did now
    • gweedo767, on 07/08/2008, -1/+9And that Verizon map isn't exactly 100% accurate. With their roaming agreement with Alltel (and soon their ownership of them) that expands their EV-DO coverage a ton!

      Here is Alltel's EVDO map:
      http://content.alltel.com/business/enhanced/mobile ...
      • windohs, on 07/09/2008, -0/+1well since verizon is now buddy-buddy with alltel the coverage should be pretty similar between the two.
    • windohs, on 07/08/2008, -0/+4yup. people can complain about verizon's phones all they want, but you can't match their cellular service coverage.
    • Zyphron, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Is that EV-DO rev0 or EV-DO revA? EV-DO rev0 is relatively slow, with max speeds of around 256k. Verizon's EV-DO rev A and HSDPA are pretty similar (I have got around 1 mbps - 1.5mbps with both on aircards)
    • pgiessel, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2I don't see Verizon's coverage of Alaska on there... Oh wait, Verizon isn't up here... (roaming coverage only)
    • dagamer34, on 07/08/2008, -0/+4Too bad Verizon gauges fees like no other in order to GET that kind of footprint. That's like saying "hey, it's ok for companies to do evil things if it affects people you don't know!" Sooner or later, it will affect YOU.

      AT&T may have a small 3G footprint, but there's no way I'm going to sign up for the evil that is Verizon Wireless.
      • johnpaul191, on 07/09/2008, -0/+1All AT&T users owning iPhone Rev B have to pay for 3G service though.... that extra $10/month will be paying to build their 3G network. It sucks to pay for the service if you may never be in a spot supporting it.
      • dagamer34, on 07/09/2008, -0/+1Err.. go get the first iPhone? It's as simple as that. They're all over eBay.
      • windohs, on 07/09/2008, -0/+1Yeah I HATE the evil of crystal clear calls even in places with no bars. GRRR
    • brundlefly76, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Here is today's map for NYC Metro-North - plus links to all the carriers coverage tools:

      http://www.stationstops.com/2008/07/08/most-of-ny- ...

    • clumsytime, on 07/08/2008, -1/+3Why do people keep comparing maps? What really matters is how much of the population is covered, because it shows the distribution of 3G coverage relative to where it will ACTUALLY be used most of the time.

      Most major cities and a ton of cities with only 100-200k in population are covered. MOST of the population is covered. Those who are in 3G areas, might be stuck on EDGE occasionally or while traveling, but that's not an issue as they would still have 3G 95% of the time.

      Maps aren't everything (do you worry that a cell phone carrier doesn't have coverage in remote sections of the northwest???) and I'm no Apple/AT&T fanboy, but this article is terrible and the headline even worse. Do some research first.

      Bottom line is, those who are not in 3G coverage are really a minority ... and for them, the 3G iPhone is not worth buying unless they want GPS.
    • streak, on 07/18/2008, -0/+1Keep in mind you can't browse the Internet and simultaneously make or take phone calls on EDGE or CDMA/EVDO, but you can do so on the iPhone 3G with UMTS/HSDPA.
  • StealthMonkey, on 07/08/2008, -22/+18Oh my god... 3G coverage isn't everywhere?! This is news! Panic!

    /sarcasm

    Buried as spam.
    • dotorg, on 07/08/2008, -2/+2Yeah the real problem is ATT barely has 2G coverage. I live and work within 30 miles of Boston and I'd guess 50% of the time I have spotty or no coverage on ATT.

      I switched from Verizon (which has near flawless coverage throughout New England) for the other benefits of the iPhone, and adding a GSM booster at home helped me get a signal 3/4 of the time at home, but generally their coverage is worthless.

      It actually angers me as an existing customer that they're wasting resources on extending their 3G markets when they have lousy coverage with their existing network.

      I was able to get a funny pic in San Francisco last year of me holding my phone with no coverage in front of a "more bars" ad/poster.
      • uberfu, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1the Boston area may suck - don't know_ But I found coverage no problem across the entire state of NY last December on their 2-2.5G network in rather remote locations_ Lake Ontario in the middle of the state nowhere near any major city_ Buffalo - Rochester - Syracuse and several no name small redneck towns 50-100 miles from the nearest urban sprawl_

        The only time I had any issue was in NYC between the sky-scrapers_
    • uberfu, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2Same here_ Buried_

      Buy one if you're in a location with the 3G coverage_ Don't buy one if you're not_ Buy one if you're not and you'll hvae it when the coverage cranks up_

      Get over it people_
  • petard, on 07/08/2008, -2/+37Ok? iPhone isn't the only 3G phone on AT&T. All other 3G phone users are "left in the dust", too. iPhone users are just paying what everyone else with a smartphone is paying now. Also, both can just fall back on EDGE, which other 3G phones have been doing AND paying a higher data price.
    These iPhone users think they have it so bad!
    • kelub, on 07/08/2008, -2/+5Umm... Hi, I have medianet unlimited on AT&T with my blackjack for $15. When I get an iphone on Friday I'll have to increase my data to $30 just for getting an iphone. I will use the data just as much as I do now.

      Rate hike = retarded.
      • MacEnvy, on 07/08/2008, -1/+2You have MediaNet Unlimited but you shouldn't, you should have SmartPhone Connect Unlimited, that's the problem. AT&T has been very lax about their data usage, and they allow people who have MediaNet to access external Internet sites. That's nice of them, but don't complain because now you have to pay for what you were SUPPOSED to be paying for all along. You MediaNet package technically only grants you legal access to MediaNet sites, not the full Internet use they've generously decided not to nail your ass for using.
      • kelub, on 07/30/2008, -0/+0Well, whatever the case, it wasn't like I was hiding it... "Hi, I have a blackjack, I'd like unlimited internet..." AT&T: "Ok, here's MediaNet for $15." Every rep I've spoken with - over the phone, at the store, etc - has never questioned that. So, I think you're wrong there.

        That being said, now that I have my iPhone, I will say that I use the crap out of the internet - a lot more than I did on my blackjack. I didn't expect I would, but I do, so I understand the rate hike.
  • manacit2, on 07/08/2008, -5/+34I don't have 3G where I live.. but I'm not getting an iphone so I really couldn't give a *****.

    Seriously, if you don't like it, DONT BUY IT, it's a ***** phone.
    • ThatDustyGuy, on 07/08/2008, -0/+8Don't say that! It's the meaning of life! What else am I going to whip out (besides penis) in front of women so they can sleep with me!?
      • MacParrot, on 07/08/2008, -1/+4If you need some device to score with women then you have bigger problems that what phone to use.
      • shadowfoxmi, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2try whippin' out vibrator; might workout cheap
  • AvidPreatorian, on 07/08/2008, -4/+12i remember when Digg used to care about the things that matter and not engage in shock-value headlining... and those were great times
    • a2fan, on 07/08/2008, -1/+3News for nerds. Stuff that matters... is Slashdot's tagline, not Digg's.
    • Icyfenix, on 07/08/2008, -1/+3Yea when was this?
      • Hardcase, on 07/08/2008, -0/+4Before Digg was overrun by 13-year-old Facebook rejects.
  • somberlaine, on 07/08/2008, -2/+13That's why I am sticking with my gen 1 iphone. Why should I pay 30 bucks plus 5$ for SMS while i can pay $20?
    • Firehed, on 07/08/2008, -0/+4Glad I'm not the only one. We still get the app store, which is all I care about.
    • i3x171um, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Exactly, that's the first thing I checked when the 3G was announced. As it turns out, almost all of Jersey is excluded (except for the parts bordering Pennsylvania).

      I actually felt much less screwed when I found that out. It really makes me wish Apple went with Verizon, though.
  • asdfer, on 07/08/2008, -2/+32This is pretty stupid. Considering many of the so called "tech journalists" were screaming and yelling for 3G support when the original iPhone was announced/released.

    Now that the iPhone has 3G, this is what they are saying. "There's not enough 3G coverage."
    • Gee1004, on 07/08/2008, -2/+1***** right!
    • johnpaul191, on 07/09/2008, -1/+1Well yeah..... when people called for a 3G phone it was implied they wanted a network to go along with it. A LOT of people were saying that the original iPhone wasn't 3G because AT&T didn't have a 3G network yet. Here we are a whole year later, and it's still pretty spotty.
  • pciulla, on 07/08/2008, -1/+9poor Vermont ..no 3G.. how will they survive
    • Firehed, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2VT has no AT&T coverage period - I couldn't even keep my old 802 number when I got my iPhone as a result (despite no longer living in VT). Of course, it works just as well as my old phone did in terms of signal coverage, it's just roaming 100% of the time.
  • chan0429, on 07/08/2008, -7/+14As expected AT&T == Fail.

    Now even with that said, Apple approached Verizon first but since Verizon couldn't put their "Red" OS on it Verizon passed. http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/29/verizon-passed- ...

    You know the old Cingular commercials where you're in an important conversation and the call drops? Yeah that's my life as an AT&T customer in Twin Cities metro area.
    • squeevey, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Yeah. AT&T/Cingular used to be solid when I was hear a year ago. I come back for a week and now it feels like reception is all spotty.
      • eohano, on 07/08/2008, -3/+0Honestly, it takes people twice as long to figure out what you're saying when you use the wrong form of a word. I know it looks like it's understandable to you, but it really isn't.

        *here
  • DDMX, on 07/08/2008, -4/+2AT&T needs to pick it up. I have Verizon 3g coverage here but no AT&T.
  • ftx437, on 07/08/2008, -1/+6i hope that people realize this and don't just go buy it because of the 3g and then bitch because they don't get the speed the paid for.
  • pintomp3, on 07/08/2008, -3/+7the speed will be fine as long as you stay within the reality distortion field.
  • Gee1004, on 07/08/2008, -2/+6People were whining for 3G, the day after the iPhone was released, now the iPhone is 3G and people still whining
    • yetAnotherCroc, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2Except us europeans. Cause we have 3G coverage all over. /gloat :P
  • TedTschopp, on 07/08/2008, -11/+7The author is a complete idiot

    "There's much excitement surrounding the launch of Apple's new 3G iPhone. The new phone brings many wish list features like 3G, improved battery life on older EDGE networks, GPS, push email, simulated multi-programs, more applications (including better Microsoft Office integration), and a lower price tag. Despite the phone's shortcomings -- no copy-and-paste, unsatisfactory storage for some users, and no video, among other things -- the phone seems poised to be another hit for Apple."

    * Simulated multi-programs? Did you mean multi-tasking. Did you mean the server based push technology. Did you just read the brochure and fail and English?
    * Lower Price Tag? No it's going to be more expensive. Clearly you don't know what Total Cost of Ownership is
    * unsatisfactory storage. Can the device be used as storage? Or are you talking about someone who wants more than 16gb of data on a phone?
    *No Video? WHAT??!?@!#! It plays video just fine. Been doing it now for a long time.

    ok, you are an idiot.

    • Firehed, on 07/08/2008, -1/+7Presumably the author meant no video recording, though that will change on Friday as there will unquestionably be a video recorder app (several already exist for jailbroken phones).
  • AlienMushroom, on 07/08/2008, -8/+2Why don't they just load the ***** map in the harddrive? It has 16GB, no? Google map is irrelavent and unnecessary.
  • AntBing, on 07/08/2008, -1/+4Leave us in the dust? How about "in the dark", or "without a link". Hell, you could have used "up ***** creek without a paddle", but this has absolutely nothing to do with leaving anything or anyone in the dust.
  • russh, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2This is precisely why I am not upgrading my current iPhone at the present time. I'll wait till the the 3G coverage shows up in my ATT area or Apple makes iPhones for other carriers. I love my iPhone, but there is no compelling reason to upgrade if I can't access the faster network.

    The other advanatage of waiting: if you upgrade your iPhone now, you will be locked into a contract for two years without an upgrade path. Wait, and you can get the next iteration of iPhone, hopefully at the same time 3G coverage is more widely available.
  • catjackson, on 07/08/2008, -1/+1Please. All cell companies have dead zones, and I'm sure the coverage areas will grow. Besides, they already have all the major cities covered; that's all that matters to me!
  • Voyn1x, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2...in the US at least
  • aimhelix, on 07/08/2008, -1/+1The hype is dead. Let it die in peace.
    • Firehed, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Clearly is isn't, though I too would love for it to be the case (and while I wouldn't call myself a fanboy as I'm not that rabid, I buy Apple's products).
  • noahhoward, on 07/08/2008, -1/+20Did anyone else see this coming? First the iPhone was 'defective' because it didn't have 3G support now it is 'defective' because it does. ***** typical.
  • superkendall, on 07/08/2008, -1/+6True that 3G coverage is more limited for now, but AT&T has stepped up growing out the network.

    And the good news is that most places you'll still get some network, because they have a very widespread EDGE network. EDGE is not so slow as everyone makes out, it's useful for a lot of things....
    • johnpaul191, on 07/09/2008, -0/+1Even the EDGE network blows in the East Coast cities. Most people i know can not use AT&T phones in buildings/houses.... places that Verizon has great signal. I'm not a Verizon lover by any means, but they have Philly, NYC, Boston, DC covered like no other carrier. That's a lot of people. It may get better with 3G, but time will tell. So far it seems like slightly better coverage, but the people i know with 3G AT&T phones still don't get signal places my bashed up old Treo 650 does.
  • zbeast, on 07/08/2008, -2/+1I like the iphone but it's just a phone. If you don't like it, if you don't like it's service plans,
    if you don't like it's network coverage then
    don't buy it. The nokia 95N is a good smart phone, the blackberry is a good smart phone.
    Or just wait about 6 months and you'll start seeing android based phones..
    • brandonmeek, on 07/08/2008, -0/+0"Or just wait about 6 months and you'll start seeing android based phones.." and then you can be assaulted by the onslaught that is the Google Ad machine. :)

      I do agree though. Buy it or don't. Just quit whining like little girls.
  • crees!, on 07/08/2008, -2/+2Marked as duplicate because this has already been posted. Just because a dozen websites report on the same damn story doesn't mean we need to regurgitate each here.
  • TremorX, on 07/08/2008, -1/+7Did anyone not already know this? You have to be a complete idiot to "upgrade" if you don't live in a 3G capable area.
    • dagamer34, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3America has a lot of idiots. Digg has a lot of idiots. Case closed.
  • Valujet, on 07/08/2008, -2/+0I won't get an iPhone because AT&T coverage is spotty at best. The iphone is useless as a phone because you're forced to use AT&T.
  • grodrigu, on 07/08/2008, -1/+1Nice Instinct advertisement placement to the right
  • scheibs14, on 07/08/2008, -0/+18No coverage in Guantanamo Bay, I feel left out :-(
    • serif69, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1It also doesn't work underwater, so double whammy there.
  • Dralite, on 07/08/2008, -2/+2This problem will be solved by the B Block and Aloha spectrum AT&T will come out with... by 2010

    on that 4g road map... that long, long road map... ***** thing sucks
  • pathouston22, on 07/08/2008, -5/+1Jesus christ what is with all this iPhone 3g ***** recently on digg? What, is there not enough Obama articles to keep the news flowing?
    • zephc, on 07/08/2008, -1/+4See, it works like this: If enough people are interested in an article, they vote, or "digg" the article up. If enough people do that in a certain period of time, it makes it to the "front page", where it gains more visibility. If you don't want to see articles about Apple, you can go to http://digg.com/settings/topics and uncheck the checkbox for Apple. Do you see it? it's right up there under Technology. You can click the "Save Changes" button at the bottom of that page, which will "submit" the "form" and "save" your "changes".

      If you require more information on how digg works, you can go to: http://digg.com/how
      • serif69, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1I "dugg" this "for" your "hilarious" "explanation"
      • pathouston22, on 07/08/2008, -1/+0I like Apple stuff. Its just ridiculous all the spam its getting the past 2 days.
      • zephc, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Maybe the imminent release of the iPhone 3G has something to do with it.
  • billbugger, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2Las vegas, I'm good.
  • meghalc, on 07/08/2008, -4/+1Thank You very much but I'll wait for the new blackberry with free applications.
  • JC-Sharp, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2UMTS/HSDPA > CDMA EVDO by far.

    EVDO really shouldn't be considered 3g as it's barely faster than EDGE Speeds but is crap compared to HSDPA
    • peterfnet, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Thank you. If they want to compare the later revs of EVDO, so be it.
  • Akaziel, on 07/08/2008, -1/+4You're right! The iPhone isn't getting enough coverage! I mean it's only every other Digg post! It should be two 3G stories to every other "lesser" post! Everyone knows the iPhone 3G is the single most important story known to the history of mankind, and everyone NEEDS to have it crammed down their throat! What is wrong with you people, can't you see how badly we need more coverage of a cellphone!?

    Buried for asshattery. In fact, I'm going to go through and bury EVERY iPhone story I see, and do so from here on out. I get that people are into it, and that's fine, but this is ***** ridiculous. There's at least 10 mainpage iPhone stories a day.
    • shakebabies, on 07/17/2008, -0/+1If you don't want to read what's on digg go somewhere else, ride a bike, fly a kite, wank it... if YOU don't want to read about the iPhone, what makes you think WE want to read you complain about it?
  • waydee, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3Buried as iphonespam
  • PosedMagnet, on 07/08/2008, -1/+1I really don't get what the problem is here. All major population areas are covered.

    If you live in ***** BFE, that's your own problem.

    If you notice, not everyone in the country can get broadband either. Hell, some people can't even get basic cable because their closest neighbor is 10 miles away! But you don't see massive digg stories about how much of an "epidemic" it is.
  • Ninjaneer, on 07/08/2008, -2/+1The 3G iPhone data plan is still 25% cheaper than AT&T's standard data plans for other smartphones, so I really don't see the need for all the crying.
  • skim1420, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Is anybody else considering trying to nab a used EDGE iPhone for $50 and using more flexible options for a service contract (pay as you go, jailbreak, etc.)? On that, what would my options be if I had a jailbroken EDGE iPhone as far as service?
  • Hardcase, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1If AT&T has 3G coverage in Boise, Idaho, I'd say that they put 3G where people are. Don't have 3G? Don't buy an iPhone. Wow.
  • CharlesSaint, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1Where I work downtown (in Des Moines, IA), they've been saying they were going to have 3G here for the past 2 years. I had a blackjack before my iPhone, and part of my consideration in buying it was that I would be able to take advantage of the future 3G data network (though I honestly didn't put too much faith in what the ATT tech was saying). Yeah, I know, Iowa isn't exactly metropolis USA; I don't expect state-wide 3G coverage. But here in the capitol, there are some serious corporations that ATT is losing out to (this is mainly regarding blackberries) because Verizon has cornered the 3G data speed market. I work in the IT department for Principal Financial, and although we allow each employee (for the most part; sometimes it's determined by the requisition officer for the business unit) to choose their own provider, the vast majority of users choose Verizon over ATT simply because of data speed and cell coverage. We've got at least 2 fortune 500 corporations here in the Des Moines area (Principal Financial & Pioneer Hybrid International -- Owned by DuPont); not to mention the countless other businesses downtown. There is a lot of money to be made; it wouldn't be charity by any means.
    • sau124, on 07/11/2008, -0/+1Charles,
      Not 2 Fortune 500 companies but more. You forgot Monsanto Co. (head quarters in St. Louis) which has 4 locations around Des Moines, IA and Wells Fargo and lot of other insurance companies which have their hubs here in Des Moines.
      I totally agree AT&T is loosing lot of business and hopefully they do something about it....
      I am leaving now to get in line to get an IPhone 3G anyways....
  • rento, on 07/08/2008, -0/+2In UK the network provider for the iPhone is the ( famously )country-worst 3g provider.... Thanks Apple!!
  • somabc, on 07/08/2008, -0/+33G coverage in the UK with O2 is pretty bad

    Compare the
    three network
    http://images.worldofapple.com/hutchinson_3gukcove ...
    with O2 (dark purple is 3G, light is 2G)
    http://images.worldofapple.com/o2_3gukcoverage.jpg
  • RMoore08, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1You don't have to pay for 3G data plan you can stick with the EDGE one and pay the same price as you did before.
    • Import98, on 07/08/2008, -0/+3I don't think so. The data plan for the 3g is $30. I don't think you could change that.
      • RMoore08, on 07/09/2008, -0/+2Yea your right. I just called ATT and they said you have to buy the 3G data plan.
    • johnpaul191, on 07/09/2008, -0/+1No, if you buy the new iPhone you must get the new plans..... even if they don't cover your region.
  • fugazied, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1The funniest thing is how Telcos word their coverage. "98% coverage in Australia*"
    * - coverage is based upon population in the areas of coverage, total geographic coverage of the country is 5%
  • richw, on 07/09/2008, -0/+1omg who cares there's been plenty of 3g phones released for at&t within the past 2 years, why is this such a big deal with the iphone? It's not like at&t shrinked its 3g network, it's only been growing since it has been released. I never once saw an article about blackjack users complaining that they bought a 3G phone and don't have 3G service. If you buy a 3G phone in a non 3G area, it's your own damn fault, not at&ts.
  • caponumen, on 07/09/2008, -0/+1Worse, 3G covrerage != 3G speeds.
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