AT&T vs. Verizon: Why Faster 4G Is a Lie
AT&T and Verizon are battling it out for claim to the fastest 4G service, and consumers are left scratching their heads. Which one is faster? The answer is, it doesn’t matter.
The fight for LTE, a faster 4G standard, is heating up. And AT&T and Verizon are touting their beefed-up networks, eager to lure data-hungry customers.
AT&T is citing a PCWorld study, which found that “AT&T’s new LTE network pumped out the fastest speeds of any 4G provider.”
Verizon, meanwhile, is backing a report by RootMetrics, which claimed “Verizon had the clear upper hand in the more meaningful real-world experience.”
So… they’re both the best? Well, yes and no. Let’s clear things up.
What Does “Better” Mean?
Better is better, right? Not so fast. Some studies measure “peak” performance. Others measure “average” rates. Still, others only consider download speeds, since that’s what most customers use.
AT&T says they are the fastest, hands down, using peak performance as the measuring stick. But Verizon is crying foul, saying they are the better overall network.
The point is, you may get “faster” speeds on one carrier, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily “better for you.” If you plan to watch streaming videos, which requires consistently fast download speeds, then Verizon may be for you. If you want short bursts of data for e-mail, maybe AT&T. It all depends, really.
But wait, there’s more.
Then, of course, there’s the issue of reception. You can run on the best network in the world, but if the coverage is spotty, it does you no good. To make matters worse, coverage is variable — depending largely on tower location, landscape and even weather conditions.
So How Do I Choose?
The best way is to try it out yourself. But we understand contracts make that a hassle. So the next best thing is to ask a few neighbors. People love to give their opinions, especially if the service is bad. You can quickly weed out the ones to stay away from.
Don’t have neighbors? Or friends, for that matter? Not to worry, we’ve simplified the problem with our “tower and coverage search.” Just type in your zip code or city and see what helpful neighbors in your area say about their service gripes and praises.
Regardless of who’s better, one thing is certain: Verizon’s service covers more ground, in more cities — two in three — than any other network. AT&T is a bit smaller, but it’s racing to catch up to Verizon.
Meanwhile, Sprint is ready to release its LTE service, while T-Mobile, sidelined by failed merger talks with AT&T, is scrambling to launch its LTE network in 2013.
Carriers have a way of slicing and dicing research data to meet their marketing needs. They’re not the best peak speed, but they’re the best average rates in the country. Or maybe not the country, but the best in New York City. But only in basements. You get the idea.
Just don’t believe the ads.