As iPhone debut looms, Verizon says AT&T not known for reliable network
After an AT&T representative characterized Verizon's network as "slow," Verizon shot back, according to The New York Times. Verizon Wireless spokesman Jeffrey Nelson reportedly said that "it must be backwards day at AT&T."
"AT&T is known for a lot of things, but network quality is not one of them," he said. "Typically companies try to call attention to their strongest suit."
The comments came in response to a previous statement from AT&T, in which the carrier touted its faster network speeds than Verizon. An AT&T spokesperson said that Verizon iPhone users would experience "life in the slow lane" on the rival's network.
"The iPhone is built for speed, but that's not what you get with a CDMA iPhone," AT&T spokesman Larry Solomon said.
Verizon is set to host a media event today in New York City, where it is expected to announce it will carry the iPhone. AppleInsider will have full, live coverage of the announcement.
The last major public dispute between Verizon Wireless and AT&T came in 2009, when Verizon released a series of TV ads mocking AT&T's network. The campaign also lampooned Apple's "There's an app for that" tagline for the iPhone App Store, using the phrase "There's a map for that" to point out AT&T's inferior 3G coverage map in the U.S.
AT&T responded by filing a lawsuit against Verizon, and asking a federal court to pull the "misleading" television ads. Verizon's ads showed AT&T's coverage areas without high-speed 3G as a blank space on a map, which AT&T argued could be interpreted by people as meaning there was no coverage at all.
Though the lawsuit was eventually dropped, AT&T opted to directly take on Verizon with its own advertisements featuring Luke Wilson. The back-and-forth advertising battle lasted for months, but both companies eventually opted to move on and prevent further damage to their images.
72 Comments
This whole Verizon vs ATT debate constantly reminds me of the childhood story about the tortoise and the hare. Verizon is the slow but steady tortoise and ATT is the fast but sporadic hare. And we all know who won that race.
"AT&T is known for a lot of things, but network quality is not one of them," he said.
So what he is saying is that Apple has partnered with a poor quality network for years and years and years. Apple does not treat its customers that way.
Will we let Verizon get away with disparaging Apple and its business partners?
So what he is saying is that Apple has partnered with a poor quality network for years and years and years. Apple does not treat its customers that way.
Will we let Verizon get away with disparaging Apple and its business partners?
All of the networks are bad. Apple had to choose one.
"AT&T is known for a lot of things, but network quality is not one of them," he said. "Typically companies try to call attention to their strongest suit."
I would much rather hear the positives and how they are going to handle voice OR data but not both at the same time. This is the biggest difference I see.
"backwards day"???
Is this dude in the 4th grade? It may be true but make it burn more than "backwards day". I bet it really hurt AT&T's feelings. Ouch.On another note, if verizon could do voice data at the same time, and have fast speeds....I would probably pay the huge fees for cancellation and buy new phones to switch. BUT, they don't do both simultaneously and the data really is slower. I was a long time verizon user and their speeds are definitely slower.