Verizon iPhone to Launch in January 2011?

Verizon iPhone to Launch in January 2011?
Tuesday June 29, 2010 03:04 PM EST; Category: iPhone
Written by Eric Slivka
Bloomberg briefly reports that multiple sources are claiming that the iPhone will launch on Verizon in January of next year, marking the end of AT&T's exclusivity for the device in the United States.
Verizon Wireless, the largest U.S. mobile-phone company, will start selling Apple Inc.'s iPhone next year, ending AT&T Inc.'s exclusive hold on the smartphone in the U.S., two people familiar with the plans said.

The device will be available to customers in January, according to the people, who declined to be named because the information isn't public.

Verizon and Apple representatives either declined to comment on the reports or did not return requests for comment.

Verizon has long been a popular topic for rumors regarding expanded iPhone partnerships in the United States. One recent report had suggested that a Verizon iPhone could make an appearance as soon as November, but most observers have been expecting a 2011 launch on the carrier.
Rating (9 Positives; 2 Negatives)

:up: :up:

You will need to order one of those also.

AT&T stinks. I work a stone's throw from the financial center of the universe and do not get AT&T coverage in my office. Can't call my kids or text them using my personal cell phone. I also have two blackout spots driving home down the NJ Turnpike. I love my iPhone though.

AT&T is going to lose countless customers next year, including me.

Depends whether the V phone is GSM or CDMA. Lots of us need the GSM for travel.

It's funny... In my house, Verizon & T-Mobile never got a signal. Had to walk to the end of the driveway. My AT&T iPhone gets 5 bars and works fine in the house.

I'll bet the V phone is LTE not CDMA or GSM. Android already has a 4G phone for videochat without WiFi. Next year is the right time for a Unix BSD (OSX) 4G phone.

JoshA said:

I'll bet the V phone is LTE not CDMA or GSM.

Click to expand...

I've been curious about LTE, and have a lot of questions. It sure isn't going to be a wave of the magic wand and suddenly available everywhere. Or is it? How will backwards compatibility be handled? What frequencies will the phone work on in the US? What frequencies will the phone work on internationally? Will Verizon LTE phones and ATT LTE phones be compatible? And that's just for starters.

Anyone feel like expounding on LTE?

Anyone have a good information site that they can point to?

Pretty good overview

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3GPP_Long_Term_Evolution

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4G

LTE and WiMAX are two similar 4G technologies. Sprint and Clearwire have WiMAX available now in about 30 communities. Baltimore is the closest to me. Sprint offers the very nice Evo 4G phone for both 3G and 4G.

Verizon will have about 30 rollouts for LTE in 2011 but their communities will likely be much larger than Sprint's. Their phones will also support both 3G and 4G and I assume the iPhone 4G will be coming next year. 4G should support video chat as the Evo phone does.

One big advantage Verizon has is access to the recently liberated 700 MHz spectrum which has great penetration through walls. This was a result of the switch to digital TV last year and the reassignment and sale of UHF frequencies. Plan on upgrading your phone when your carrier offers 4G in your neighborhood over the next few years.

http://www.teliasonera.com/4g/

There's no way anyone will do a LTE phone without GSM, 3G and wi-fi. There are no real LTE phones even available yet. The LTE networks today are just a few base basestations and it will take time before they can be called a network.

LTE has a different approach to handling voice calls so it will take more time, including trial & error, before it's here.

I dont't think iPhone will do LTE in 2011. iPhobe didn't even do 3G when 3G was already mainstream (in fact iPhone has been behind the wireless tech curve all of it's life).

PS. 3G phones have been doing video calls since 2003.