Simultaneous Data and Voice Will NOT Work on Verizon iPhone

To avoid disappointment or anger, be aware that voice and data will not work at the same time on the Verizon iPhone.  For example, if you are in the middle of talking to a person over the Verizon Wireless network, you cannot concurrently do a web search, receive map updates for GPS navigation, or even receive notification of your most recent e-mail.

To be clear, this is not a problem specific to the iPhone.  This effects all Verizon Wireless phones.  This is also not something new either.  Every Verizon Wireless customer has this problem with any phone on the Verizon Wireless network.  To be fair, Verizon does not intentionally block simultaneous voice and data. The problem is with the underlying 3G technology that Verizon uses called CDMA.

For most consumers, this simultaneous voice/data issue does not become a significant issue as there are very few times there is a need for voice and data at the same time.  One way to avoid this issue to use a SIP phone like Sipdroid for Android. SIP phones are Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phones that only use the data network of the CDMA technology.

It is also important to note that the simultaneous voice/data issue does not effect Verizon new 4G/LTE network. Maybe that is another reason to wait for a 4G/LTE version of the iPhone to work on Verizon Wireless.

iPhone 4 Launch Officially Announced by Verizon Wireless, No LTE / 4G

After years of wait and speculation, Verizon Wireless announced today at 11AM EST in the New York's Lincoln Center that it will be offering the world's most popular (for now) smart phone on the the largest mobile phone network in the US.

According to accounts of the announcement, the iPhone 4 will have the same specs as the AT&T model.  It looks like the antenna will be redesigned to be "optimized to work on the CDMA network", so hopefully there will not be an Antennagate like there was with the iPhone 4 launch on AT&T's network last year.

The Verizon/CDMA version of the iPhone will offer mobile hotspot wifi connections for up to 5 devices. There is sure to be an extra charge for the mobile hotspot feature, just as there is on current Verizon Wireless Android devices.

The biggest piece of information from this launch announcement is the lack of LTE / 4G technology in the new Verizon iPhone 4.  4G/LTE is the new, very high speed wireless network that was launched by Verizon Wireless in December of 2010. LTE offers download speeds up to 100Mbps and upload speeds up to 50Mbps.  Real world data rates are between 7-32 Mbps going down and 1-12 Mbps shooting up.  Additionally, LTE also being adopted as a world wide standard by many wireless companies (including AT&T). In the future LTE phone will be true "world phones" and much more common than the specialized dual radio (CDMA and GSM) verzions of Verizon's current world phones.

Executives at the launch announcement suggested that incorporating LTE/4G would have forced design changes in the iPhone 4 that would have significantly delayed the launch of the iPhone on Verizon Wireless.  The decision was made to give consumers what they wanted (an iPhone on Verizon) with the 3G CDMA network technology earlier as opposed to more delays with the iPhone/4G/LTE.

According to the announcement, current Verizon Wireless customer will be able to pre-order the Verizon iPhone on February 3, 2011.  The rest of the world will be able to get one on February 10, 2011.  Currently, all Verizon iPhones will require a 2 year contract  Pricing will be $199 for the 16GB version, and $299 for the 32GB version.

So, if you absolutely must have a iPhone on the Verizon network, then by all means fight the crowds and wait time by ordering one on  2/3/11 or 2/10/11. Be careful though, because you will have to enter into a 2 year contract and 2 years is an eternity in mobile smartphone world.

I suggest that if you can be patient, that you wait just a few more months for the 4G/LTE version of the iPhone to on Verizon Wireless. ETA is pure speculation... for now.
 

iPhone Finally Comes to Verizon

As it is being wildly reported from multiple sources, it looks like the iPhone is finally coming to Verizon.

You have probably heard this before, and been disappointed, but this time it is true.

The company that propelled the Droid line of phones into millions of its customers hands will make the announcement on Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at an event in NYC.

When the iPhone becomes available on Verizon's network, it will for the first time allow consumers to have a choice in networks for the beloved iPhone.

What has been a long wait for many, will finally come true.  This will also benefit Apple as it has recently seen it's lead in smart phone sales nearly obliterated by the juggernaut that is the Android OS.

It will certainly make many current iPhone user happy as well, as millions will certainly abandon the spotty and sometimes unreliable AT&T network in favor of the nations largest network.

So for all those who have been waiting literally for years, your wait may be up very soon...

Verizon iPhone: Evidence or Speculation

According to iPhoneHacks  and pocketnow.com, it looks like Verizon is buying up iPhoneonVerizon.com and iPhoneforVerizon.com. A quick check to those domains reveals websites that don't seem to come from the multi billion dollar company.  A simple Whois search reveals:

iPhoneonVerizon.com

Registrant:

        Verizon Trademark Services LLC

        Verizon Trademark Services LLC

        1320 North Court House Road

         Arlington VA 22201

        US

        domainlegalcontact@verizon.com +1.7033513164 Fax: +1

    Domain Name: iphoneonverizon.com

        Registrar Name: Markmonitor.com

        Registrar Whois: whois.markmonitor.com

        Registrar Homepage: http://www.markmonitor.com

    Administrative Contact:

        Domain Administrator

        Verizon Trademark Services LLC

        1320 North Court House Road

         Arlington VA 22201

        US

        domainlegalcontact@verizon.com +1.7033513164 Fax: +1.7033513669

    Technical Contact, Zone Contact:

        Domain Technician

        Verizon

        1320 North Court House Road

         Arlington VA 22201

        US

        sysmgr@verizon.com +1.7033513164 Fax: +1.7033513669

    Created on..............: 2007-01-09.

    Expires on..............: 2013-01-09.

    Record last updated on..: 2010-12-09.

and for iPhoneforVerizon.com

Registrant:
        Verizon Trademark Services LLC
        Verizon Trademark Services LLC
        1320 North Court House Road
         Arlington VA 22201
        US
        domainlegalcontact@verizon.com +1.7033513164 Fax: +1.
    Domain Name: iphoneforverizon.com

        Registrar Name: Markmonitor.com
        Registrar Whois: whois.markmonitor.com
        Registrar Homepage: http://www.markmonitor.com

    Administrative Contact:
        Domain Administrator
        Verizon Trademark Services LLC
        1320 North Court House Road
         Arlington VA 22201
        US
        domainlegalcontact@verizon.com +1.7033513164 Fax: +1.7033513669
    Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
        Domain Technician
        Verizon
        1320 North Court House Road
         Arlington VA 22201
        US
        sysmgr@verizon.com +1.7033513164 Fax: +1.7033513669

    Created on..............: 2007-02-28.
    Expires on..............: 2011-02-28.
    Record last updated on..: 2010-05-16.

This doesn't of course mean anything about WHEN the iPhone will appear on Verizon, but it at least offers some evidence that it will eventually show up....