Although the Apple iPhone 4 sold by Verizon and AT&T are similar, they are not the exact same phone. The Verizon iPhone uses CDMA technology. The AT&T iPhone GSM technology. Apple has released some feature details showing how the phones are different.
Combined with information about rate plans and cell phone coverage areas for AT&T and Verizon, you should be able to make an educated purchase about which company you should choose to sign up for an iPhone service contract.
Verizon vs. AT&T iPhone Features
Apple explains the CDMA and GSM feature differences in their February 7, 2011 Apple Support article "iPhone: Understanding Phone Features." The primary difference between CDMA iPhone features and GSM iPhone features is seen in how easily you can turn different features on and off. The AT&T iPhone will allow you to change features for caller ID services, call forwarding, and call waiting by turning them on and off in the Settings function. With the Verizon iPhone, you insert a number to enable or disable caller ID (*67), call forwarding (*72), and call waiting (*70). After you input the *and the number, you dial the phone number of the person you are calling.
If you conference call or put calls on hold, you will be happier with AT&T as your cell phone carrier. The AT&T iPhone can handle 3 more conference calls than the Verizon iPhone, and the Verizon iPhone can not be used to put calls on hold. The Verizon iPhone can do one thing that an AT&T phone can not do: add a hard pause between number sequences dialed. This feature is useful for people who have to enter codes and pins as well as phone numbers.
AT&T vs. Verizon Phone Coverage and Rate Plans
If the basic differences between CDMA and GSM network features are not an issue for you, then you should look at the differences between phone coverage plans and rate plans. Both cell phone carriers have online coverage maps so that you can look at the areas where you will be using your iPhone.
- AT&T cell phone service coverage map
- Verizon cell phone service coverage map
Rate plans for mobile phones can change depending on what phone packages you buy. An AT&T Family Plan or a Verizon tethering package will change the cost of your phone service. Geoff Herbert made a comprehensive AT&T and Verizon rate plan comparison chart for "AT&T vs. Verizon iPhone," which was published on February 2, 2011 in the The Post-Standard in Syracuse, New York.
Now that there are two carriers for the iPhone, the last difference to be aware of is that the cases for an AT&T iPhone 4 will not fit a Verizon iPhone 4. In the Apple online store "iPhone 4 at a Glance" guide, Apple explains that "the button placement on the CDMA model for Verizon is slightly different from the GSM model for AT&T."
If you buy an iPhone case that the phone slips in and out of, you can buy one for either phone model. If you are buying an iPhone 4 cover that fits snugly around the body of the phone, you will need to make sure that you are buying a CDMA case for Verizon iPhones or a GSM case for AT&T iPhones.
Alex Sharp - Alex Sharp is a teacher who has been keeping Suite101 readers up to date with the latest in audio- and e-book gadgetry since 2008.
