Apples and Oranges: [IP] worth reading AT&T and iPhone

Dave,

As far as I can tell from the article, the author concluded that AT&T has better performance in the major metro markets. That's interesting in its own right.

However, Verizon's 3G map comparison makes a claim about coverage, not performance in areas of coverage. The article alludes to Global Wireless people criss-crossing the country checking on service, but it isn't actually specific about comparing coverage rather than performance in areas of coverage.

Those of us who live outside the seven major metro areas ask first whether we can communicate, and only if we can communicate do we ask how fast.

Mary Shaw

On Sun, Dec 13, 2009 at 1:01 PM, Dave Farber <dave@farber.net> wrote:

Begin forwarded message:

From: Ed Lazowska <lazowska@cs.washington.edu>
Date: December 13, 2009 12:32:23 PM EST
To: "'dave@farber.net'" <dave@farber.net>
Subject: For IP re AT&T and iPhone

Dave --

Interesting NY Times article on AT&T's cellular network and the iPhone:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/business/13digi.html

"When I set about looking for independent data, however, to confirm the superior performance of Verizon's network, I was astonished to discover that I had managed to get things exactly wrong. Despite the well-publicized problems in New York and San Francisco, AT&T seems to have the superior network nationwide.

"And the iPhone itself may not be so great after all. Its design is contributing to performance problems."

[Note: I am a Verizon user!]

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