Is Verizon testing the iPhone 4G on its LTE network?

12. sinfulta posted on 20 Oct 2009, 15:54 0 0

I thought what was in the works to happen with Iphone and Verizon now was that they were going to build an LTE/CDMA hybrid device that will be sold for full retail costs in Apple stores and online. Then the customer takes the handset to a VZW store or call in or goes through ITunes to activate it. I don't think the Verizon sales reps that are on here care too much about the Iphone device itself, but just want the sales that come from it more than anything. I own the phone, and to me it's not that great. It's for sure not the Mesiah of cell phones no matter what some people might think. I just think they want the activation sales from it. If this happens where people can buy at Apple stores and then walk into a location and activate. Don't you Verizon reps get paid for that activation? Maybe some can chime in? If so, then the people that work at VZW and work next to an Apple Store or work in a Verizon store in a Mall would love working there as they would get tons of people walking right out of that Apple store and right too their booths or stores.

13. remixfa posted on 20 Oct 2009, 15:59 0 0

yes, you get credit for activating a new line regardless of buying the phone in store or elsewhere. you get paid on contracts and new lines and upgrades and features/accessories, not on the device itself. its the same on all major carriers. yes, the iphone is old news and outdated as all heck now, but it has such a loyal following there will always be activations from it.

15. SprintLUVah posted on 20 Oct 2009, 16:04 0 0

I have heard this also before, because Verizon is not able to handle anything in stores and it's a loop hole through the exclusive with ATT. They basically sell you an unbranded Apple CDMA/LTE device and it just so happens Verizon is the only person doing both those signals together. But this would leave it open to Sprint as well but just using the device for the CDMA portion and not the LTE. I heard about this awhile ago as well. I'm curious to see if this is what does end up panning out. I totally forgot about this Sinful, thnx. I work for Sprint and I'm sick of hearing about the Iphone when we have bad ass handsets that do way more for less cost already. I don't get it. But I would so rock one if I could go buy it at full retail. I'm sure customers would too. Cause they have asked if they could go buy one at full price, but then have us activate it on our service. That would be a win for Verizon and me at sprint. And a WIN for my paycheck!

21. vzwtechbill posted on 20 Oct 2009, 18:23 0 0

I've read that Apple never intended to make a CDMA version of the Iphone, due to it's relatively low global footprint (cdma that is)

27. sinfulta posted on 20 Oct 2009, 19:01 0 0

Yeah, they said that a long time ago. But my wife works for Qualcomm, and they stole a bunch of the CDMA designers on her team to move up to San Francisco Area that now work for Apple. This happened about 8-9 months ago. So it made us curious when we were talking over dinner one night when we had someone watching the kids is to why they would steal a bunch of CDMA designers and pay them enough to jump ship. I think they lost 24 people total. I'll have to ask her again. But really made us go: humph?

30. mkl4466 posted on 20 Oct 2009, 19:16 0 0

Verizon corporate reps get paid for contracts. If you bring in a phone you already own and activate it, you should not sign a contract. The contract is the tradeoff for a discount on a handset. If you activate your own phone with no contract, the VZW rep gets some payout, but less than they would if you purchased a phone from them and therefore got a two year contract. However, VZW reps do get paid and ranked for data features, so even though they wouldn't be too happy that you weren't signing a contract on your phone, they would be more than happy to pop the required data feature on your account. Same with an upgrade. If you buy the phone full retail it isn't considered an upgrade because you aren't getting a discount and therefore aren't signing a contract. it would be an esn change with the addition of the data feature. Indirect agents or dealers usually get paid only when they sell you a phone. If they activated you with no contract they may not even have a way to ring it up in their system, depending on what software they use. So they would really not be too happy about wasting their time helping you put your own phone on a new account or doing an esn change on an existing account. But again, they get measured and get a small payout for adding a data feature, so they would be happy to add that to your account for you. The perfect unbranded iphone would be a new kind of trimode: unlocked quad band GSM with UMTS for world roaming, CDMA 1x plus EVDO revA for VZW's voice and data network, and LTE for high speed data. A handset with that many chips inside would: 1. be able to be activated on any major carrier worldwide (except Nextel/boost, or MetroPCS or cricket) 2. be very expensive (due to the number of chips and radios inside 3. probably have alot of issues 2. and 3. sound exactly like an iphone, so who knows, maybe it could happen. However, apple is dead set agains unlocked iphones, as far as I know, so for something like that to happen they would really have to change their tune.

38. remixfa posted on 20 Oct 2009, 21:44 0 0

thats totally incorrect. apple went to vzw first with a cdma version of the phone. verizon turned them down because apple was unproven and were demanding all sorts of special deals and extra compensation and verizon gives all the cell mfctrs the same deal, so they told apple to go to hell. ATT, so desperate to stay ahead of vzw took the deal and have been getting the shit end of the stick from apple ever since.

43. BlackberryUser posted on 21 Oct 2009, 06:59 0 0

I read the same thing on PhoneArena and also read a contradicting article the next week. It sounds like this is likely false, Apple played with the idea and because they couldn't get the Verizon contract they opted to start with the GSM version.

46. lovebuzz posted on 21 Oct 2009, 12:27 0 0

That doesn't even make sense. LTE is one type of network, what point is it to have LTE/CDMA combined ? Why would you even blink at CDMA when you have LTE as the latest generation. The IPhone is a worthless device; even for being so well known for its Apps, it can't even do that properly, since it won't run simultaneous apps. As for Ssjassassin's comments on 'what he expected', how do you know how Verizon does business? And what the dickens does that have to do with whether Apple and Verizon are in fact releasing an IPhone? It's so funny how people like this phone so much when even the most basic flip phone eats it for breakfast as far as capabilities. There is so much bigger and better out there, yet some people insist on playing with their IJunk while the rest of the world is already moving on.

7. Kiltlifter posted on 20 Oct 2009, 15:02 0 0

LOL... you are kidding me right? VZW's whole network right now is CDMA... they are not goign to abandon all the CDMA when they go LTE... CDMA will exist for back-up data and voice on VZW's network and LTE will be for data only... At least that is what would make sense.

14. remixfa posted on 20 Oct 2009, 16:01 0 0

it would have to be a hybrid otherwise it would only work on LTE towers and 4g which is not going to be the full expanse of the network for quite some time. if it was limited to 4g only (which will be just cities) it would be like a very fast version of metropcs, ha.

18. NMchileman posted on 20 Oct 2009, 17:31 0 0

Well I flipping know that. But why it just be a CDMA iPhone? It didn't say anything about it being a CDMA/LTE iPhone.

44. BlackberryUser posted on 21 Oct 2009, 07:02 0 0

The article clearly states iPhone on 4G LTE network, obviously it's LTE and CDMA. It's ok, you can admit that you didn't really understand. Look at AT&T, they have a 3g iPhone, it's still compatible with AT&T's non-3g network right... Haven't you seen the commercial showing AT&T's 3g map? All phones have multiple radio's in them; the iPhone should have CDMA, LTE, GPS, etc...

5. ssjassassin posted on 20 Oct 2009, 14:47 0 0

I think that Alltel reference was really funny. They do need to let this rest as we wont be seeing anything tangible for some time. Your explanation for the use of 4G is right on as well. I do expect in the next 5 to 10 years though a trasition to VOIP services and the carriers will be our ISP's.

8. iTony523 posted on 20 Oct 2009, 15:12 0 0

not really, verizon is just a money stealing company. The only reason people go there is for the "cool phones" but there really isn't any.