Filed under: Odds and ends, iPhone
Verizon to AT&T- 'The Truth Hurts'
Verizon isn't fazed by the AT&T legal claims that the Verizon ads attacking poor coverage are false and misleading. Our sister site Engadget broke the story of the Verizon response to the suit and you can read the it here.Verizon isn't pulling any punches and says "AT&T did not file this lawsuit because Verizon's "There's A Map For That" advertisements are untrue; AT&T sued because Verizon's ads are true and the truth hurts."
Then to drive home the point:
"In the final analysis, AT&T seeks emergency relief because Verizon's side-by-side, apples-to-apples comparison of its own 3G coverage with AT&T's confirms what the marketplace has been saying for months: AT&T failed to invest adequately in the necessary infrastructure to expand its 3G coverage to support its growth in smartphone business, and the usefulness of its service to smartphone users has suffered accordingly."
Ouch!
This latest salvo follows AT&T sending a message to customers complaining about the Verizon ads and telling customers their coverage is great, that they sell more smartphones than Verizon and that the AT&T 3G network is faster. So there.
Well AT&T, your move. It's great for the lawyers, and actually, we admit we just love the spectacle.


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Aedile said 10:09AM on 11-17-2009
Pwned.
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pee tee said 9:43PM on 11-17-2009
Owned and pwned!
All is fair in ads and war! As Verizon stated on their counter affidavit: "We are just telling the truth and the truth hurts" Seeing the minced version of the 53 page statement of Verizon.
detailed review AT&T VS VERIZON: http://bit.ly/Verizon-is-just-telling-the-truth-and-the-truth-hurts
Thriple k!ll :D
Final Testimony said 10:20AM on 11-17-2009
Hmm, another frivolous lawsuit among corporate titans. I wonder how far this one will go. Oh wait, there's a map for that...
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loup407 said 10:27AM on 11-17-2009
I switched to AT&T in order to get the first gen iPhone (in fact, I got two). I now have two 3G S and AT&T's service has gotten worse then ever. Despite an alleged network upgrade here in the Denver area, service is worse than ever. I can't recall the last time a call didn't drop and 9 out of 10 incoming calls go straight to VM. I have zero sympathy for AT&T and I suspect few other customers do, at least in Colorado.
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Steven Mohler said 8:46PM on 11-17-2009
So you had the service, knew that it sucked, but continued to use it, and are now pissed off at AT&T for this.
You sir are the reason that AT&T's coverage is so bad. Why the hell would they invest in upgrading their technology if every shmuck out there will still pay for the service whether they fix it or not.
I know the iPhone is alluring, and you feel like you need the iPhone, but if you are unhappy with AT&Ts service, for god sakes, stop giving them money for it!
mdtree said 10:27AM on 11-17-2009
Coverage is one issue but for me but the one that is going to chase me from AT&T is the problem with voicemail. Voicemails arrive late and often you can not open them. Add that to the coverage issue and it seems that AT&T doesn't wish to keep its customers.
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jay said 10:30AM on 11-17-2009
I'm not sure what to think about this.. Honestly I am a bit surprised Verizon would respond this way. Have a little class.. jeez. I know their coverage is better, etc but this is turning into a corporate poo fight.
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Zach said 10:44AM on 11-17-2009
I think Verizon is just saying what a lot of people have been thinking for a long time now. They are being rough with at&t after years of at&t with the iPhone.
I own a 3GS, I love the commercials, and I hope Verizon puts at&t into a position where they are forced to upgrade their network.
colouroflight said 10:33AM on 11-17-2009
Ha! Screw AT&T.
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Ben said 10:45AM on 11-17-2009
Perhaps my AT&T experience in the Chicago suburbs is unique but I have zero problems. No voicemail issues, no dropped calls, no odd areas that lack service, no 3G problems. I've had AT&T for 9 years (first as AT&T Wireless, then Cingular, then back to AT&T) and having the iPhone on it has only made things better as it's the most capable phone I've ever owned.
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Andrew Dixon said 12:53PM on 11-17-2009
Not to mention that AT&T charges $30 bucks a month for data. I understand how important that is, because if it wasnt there, it'd cost an arm and a leg, but with 4 iPhones on a plan, it gets rediculous. There should be a family plan. The rumor of the $50 dollar tethering(not to mention the rumored tethering itself) is a bit much also. I understand that it would benefit business people, but its sending data, no differently I might add. (the tether glitch that you can download is working just fine for me, and I love it.) Sure there is more data, but who cares? I live in OKC, OK and the 3G isn't HORRIBLE, but it could use improvement. I want Cingular back.. :(
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Veloxi said 2:30PM on 11-17-2009
What tether glitch download might you be referring to?
KP said 8:32PM on 11-17-2009
How much does Verizon charge for data? When I was with them it was $45.
DudeDad said 11:22AM on 11-17-2009
Truth? Here's the truth...Verizon phones blow, except for Android, they put their own crappy software on and disable features...yeah, advertise that, Verizon. Take a phone that's on both Verizon and another service and compare the features.....shocking, isn't it?
I had Verizon for years and hated the phones. I love the iPhone and have to say that in my area, AT&T has been great...I know that is not the case for other cities in the United States, but the places where I travel, I've been pleased.
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bluemonq said 4:44PM on 11-17-2009
Which is great and all, but the first feature of a phone is to... make phone calls, be it voice or data. And if your phone can't reliably do that, it doesn't matter how many features it has - you can't depend on it.
Nick said 11:43AM on 11-17-2009
The truth of the matter is, out of the four big wireless carriers, none of them are good. Had a shitty experience with Verizon to the point that I got the Better Business Bureau involved, and AT&T isn't doing much better. I wouldn't expect any improvement on T-Mobile or Sprint.
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Noah Ramon said 11:57AM on 11-17-2009
EXACTLY. While my AT&T experience has been pretty good, I am under no illusion that ANY cell carrier is anything other than vile. If T-Mobile had the iPhone, there would be all sorts of problems. If Sprint had it, there would be all sorts of problems. If Verizon had it, there would be all sorts of problems. We can all point at specific issues with each, but it really boils down to the fact that they're all cell carriers and that they'll all give atrocious service most of the time.
MRCUR said 12:04PM on 11-17-2009
Verizon is completely right though, the truth hurts. The only reason AT&T is so pissed at these ads compared to any other one is because it's a truth that really makes people pay attention. I personally don't have an issue with the amount of 3G coverage AT&T does (or doesn't, really) have, but that their network is crap. I'm in a relatively new 3G market and am supposed to have great 3G coverage at my house - instead my 3GS sticks to five bars of EDGE most of the time.
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David owens said 1:52PM on 11-17-2009
I love my iPhone but finally could no longer stomach ATT service. My wife has
a cheap Verizon phone and she always has service and I am reading half a bar. I just switched to Verizon, and while I miss my iPhone, I love the coverage.
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btblomberg said 12:21PM on 11-17-2009
AT&T may be overloaded in parts of the country, but the issue AT&T has is that EDGE is as fast as the low end of Verizon's 3G while AT&T's 3G is technically twice as fast. So if you want to truly compare by network speed Verizon should compare maps with AT&T 2.5G EDGE. Verizon is trying to imply there is not coverage over the rest of the US and you are without usable service in all those other areas. If you want to compare by speed and true coverage they are likely even, not counting problems the iPhone would cause on any mobile network.
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