Wednesday
Jun302010
iPhone on Verizon Rumors, Again
Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 2:31AM
It is being reported on Bloomberg this morning that there are talks going on, again, between Verizon Wireless in the US and Apple to offer an iPhone compatible with Verizon's network. There allegedly are two individuals, who spoke to Bloomberg on conditions of anonymity that the discussion are centering around a CDMA compatible iPhone to be released on Verizon's network early in 2011.
The latest rumors are also brought about due to increased analyst coverage of the iPhone 4 release and coverage by a Barclays analyst commenting on how an Apple and Verizon marriage would help bolster Apple's sales next year.
These are just rumors at this point; perhaps stemming that Verizon's own CEO, Lowell McAdam, commenting on how the carrier will be releasing many new phones to run on their alleged faster 4G network next year, which is currently under development. McAdam's has said that Verizon will be announcing the new network and the new devices at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.
Those who have held out for an iPhone on Verizon may initially be elated, but all may not be rosy for Verizon with the expected deluge of iPhones that will hit their network. Furthermore, upon further investigation, one will learn that the carriers throw around the term 4G as more of a marketing buzz word than of a true depiction of what they are actually deploying.
For example, the current 4G standard as defined by the ITU-R (International Telecommunications Union - Radio Communication Sector) is known as IMT Advanced, or International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced. The standards for this technology state that an IMT advanced cellular system must have target peak data rates of up to approximately 100 Mbit/s for high mobility such as mobile access and up to approximately 1 Gbit/s for low mobility such as nomadic/local wireless access, according to the ITU requirements. Scalable bandwidths up to at least 40 MHz should be provided. Based on this standard, Verizon's network will not meet these requirements. It will more closely mimic the requirements of 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE).
Granted, Verizon's upgrade will allow them to squeeze more capacity out of their current infrastructure, but it is not a true 4G network. There not a alone with the use of the 4G nomenclature. Sprint touts their WiMax network as 4G; it's not. It is a left over of the 3GPP. Their is a standard in the works (IEEE 802.16m) to try and meet the IMT's requirements to be a true 4G network, but that is most likely years away. And you guessed it, AT&T is rolling out a 4G network as I blog this, and they are deploying a 4G LTE network, which is really the 3GPP LTE that Verizon is rolling out.
So one may say I am nit picking, but it is because I am a technologist. The IEEE, one of the worlds most respected organizations for the advancement of technology standards, is working on the international standard based on the IMT standard. That is most likely years away. In any event, the US carriers, and those in Europe, who are deploying the 3GPP LTE technology under the 4G moniker, will provide their users a much better experience on their web enable smart phones. For those who don't use that sort of phone, there really will be no difference.
The true service differentiators for the carriers will be the equipment they choose to use to offer their "4G" service and how well that equipment is installed and operationally managed. Robust user trails are planned for AT&T but I am not sure what Verizon is planning in terms of their roll-out schedule.
One other issue with the iPhone on Verizon is that Verizon has traditionally only offered GSM capable phones on the RIM platform. There still are no details as to whether the iPhone, to be released on Verizon, will work overseas, which is almost a must-have for any business traveler working overseas. Verizon's current solution to get around this plan is kludgy for a business traveler. AT&T's iPhone works overseas quite well.
For now, the rumors will continue and I will continue to be a very happy iPhone user on the AT&T network. I have not had some of the issues that others have complained of and the phone works brilliantly overseas, which for me right now, is very handy.
The latest rumors are also brought about due to increased analyst coverage of the iPhone 4 release and coverage by a Barclays analyst commenting on how an Apple and Verizon marriage would help bolster Apple's sales next year.
These are just rumors at this point; perhaps stemming that Verizon's own CEO, Lowell McAdam, commenting on how the carrier will be releasing many new phones to run on their alleged faster 4G network next year, which is currently under development. McAdam's has said that Verizon will be announcing the new network and the new devices at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.
Those who have held out for an iPhone on Verizon may initially be elated, but all may not be rosy for Verizon with the expected deluge of iPhones that will hit their network. Furthermore, upon further investigation, one will learn that the carriers throw around the term 4G as more of a marketing buzz word than of a true depiction of what they are actually deploying.
For example, the current 4G standard as defined by the ITU-R (International Telecommunications Union - Radio Communication Sector) is known as IMT Advanced, or International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced. The standards for this technology state that an IMT advanced cellular system must have target peak data rates of up to approximately 100 Mbit/s for high mobility such as mobile access and up to approximately 1 Gbit/s for low mobility such as nomadic/local wireless access, according to the ITU requirements. Scalable bandwidths up to at least 40 MHz should be provided. Based on this standard, Verizon's network will not meet these requirements. It will more closely mimic the requirements of 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE).
Granted, Verizon's upgrade will allow them to squeeze more capacity out of their current infrastructure, but it is not a true 4G network. There not a alone with the use of the 4G nomenclature. Sprint touts their WiMax network as 4G; it's not. It is a left over of the 3GPP. Their is a standard in the works (IEEE 802.16m) to try and meet the IMT's requirements to be a true 4G network, but that is most likely years away. And you guessed it, AT&T is rolling out a 4G network as I blog this, and they are deploying a 4G LTE network, which is really the 3GPP LTE that Verizon is rolling out.
So one may say I am nit picking, but it is because I am a technologist. The IEEE, one of the worlds most respected organizations for the advancement of technology standards, is working on the international standard based on the IMT standard. That is most likely years away. In any event, the US carriers, and those in Europe, who are deploying the 3GPP LTE technology under the 4G moniker, will provide their users a much better experience on their web enable smart phones. For those who don't use that sort of phone, there really will be no difference.
The true service differentiators for the carriers will be the equipment they choose to use to offer their "4G" service and how well that equipment is installed and operationally managed. Robust user trails are planned for AT&T but I am not sure what Verizon is planning in terms of their roll-out schedule.
One other issue with the iPhone on Verizon is that Verizon has traditionally only offered GSM capable phones on the RIM platform. There still are no details as to whether the iPhone, to be released on Verizon, will work overseas, which is almost a must-have for any business traveler working overseas. Verizon's current solution to get around this plan is kludgy for a business traveler. AT&T's iPhone works overseas quite well.
For now, the rumors will continue and I will continue to be a very happy iPhone user on the AT&T network. I have not had some of the issues that others have complained of and the phone works brilliantly overseas, which for me right now, is very handy.
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