Thanks for all the updates! I have chosen to stay with AT&T for now but will continue to miss coverage (total lack of coverage) in key areas for me. But, at least I will be able to test any enhancements Waze may make to offline ability.


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If it looks strange, or I used bad grammar or misspelled anything, it's my phone's fault.

scheu001 wrote:BUT, did you know that AT&T's iPhone 5 won't do simultaneous voice+data either when you're in AT&T's LTE markets?

Oh, now this is starting to suck even more. Is this really true? Can you cite some articles?

AlanOfTheBerg wrote:

scheu001 wrote:BUT, did you know that AT&T's iPhone 5 won't do simultaneous voice+data either when you're in AT&T's LTE markets?

Oh, now this is starting to suck even more. Is this really true? Can you cite some articles?

According to http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/09/ ... n_networks, your statement is not true.

And http://www.dailywireless.org/2012/09/14 ... oice-data/ gives a little more background. If that article is correct, then the iPhone5 will fall back to 3G/GSM signaling to do SVD.

You did freak me out for about 15 min!

After talking with some mobile experts at work today, they recommended, for my area, that if I want to make phone calls, use Verizon, due to reliability. But to rely more on VoIP services like FaceTime or Skype (pay for the dialing feature) so that even for "voice" calls, you're still using data, therefore retaining the ability for other data-using apps, like Waze, to operate.

Somewhat easier said than done, but more possible today than ever I suppose.

bkayrac wrote:it's a byproduct of the iphone 5 design.....was done to help battery life with LTE, therefor it will never work with sprint/verizon

for clarification, the iphone 5 hardware simply won't allow it, it's that new architecture for LTE, where there is only 1 radio, instead of LTE having it's own radio

One of the articles I read suggests that as LTE matures (not sure what that means, exactly) then providers like Verizon will be able to have SVD. I don't totally understand why/how GSM can do this and LTE cannot. You'd think the next big thing would at least have what seems an important feature of older technology...

Thanks for all the awesome info everyone.

I have decided, based on my typical travel patterns, that Verizon is going to be the best for overall/general voice/data coverage. In my usual haunts during the work week and at home, I should have LTE for data, though home is currently on the fringe.

The effect on Waze could be annoying, but I'm hoping it will be no more than that. I will investigate VoIP options for phone calls so as to stay in data mode as much as possible. The BT integration with the car won't be able to start a VoIP app when I ask the car to dial a number, so that will be a bit sad.

I did switch from AT&T to VZ going from iPhone4 to 5. So far, the switch is fine. Vz needs to get infrastructure upgraded in my home area, but they are very close. In the LTE areas, speeds are phenomenal. To the point that I want to LTE-hotspot my house and drop my internet. Here are some fairly representative speeds only 5 miles from my home:
The lack of SVD is annoying. You can see "LTE" just disappears when a voice call is active. I am testing out Talkatone, which integrates with Google Voice to make local calls. Other apps didn't have a real clear and easy way to call other "real" phone numbers that I could see. The voice quality, surprisingly, doesn't seem all that good yet, and has a bit of a delay. The app does integrate with normal audio support, so using it with my car BT setup is easy. Importantly, though, because VoIP is being used, Waze (and other apps) can maintain their data connection through the call.