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Topic: Networking

Reviews: Mossberg raves about Apple's iPhone 4, throws AT&T under the bus

Summary: The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg is out with his review of Apple's iPhone 4 and in a nutshell he's upbeat about the device, which remains best in class. The big problem: The iPhone is on AT&T's network.

Larry Dignan

By for Between the Lines |

The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg is out with his review of Apple's iPhone 4 and in a nutshell he's upbeat about the device, which remains best in class. The big problem: The iPhone is on AT&T's network. Simply put, Mossberg throws AT&T under the bus (WSJ version). He hugs the iPhone, loves the design, talks about elegance and functionality. And then opens fire on AT&T. Mossberg argues that iPhone desperately needs a second network in the U.S. Here's a key excerpt in the long review:
Both Apple and AT&T told me they worked to make the iPhone 4 do a better job with AT&T's network. For example, the phone itself is surrounded by a prominent stainless-steel trim piece that acts as a large antenna. And Apple said it also tuned the phone to try to grab whatever band on the network was less congested or less affected by interference—to stress the quality of a signal over its raw strength. AT&T said it, too, made some changes to its network with the new iPhone in mind. But, in my tests, network reception was a mixed bag.
In a nutshell, the iPhone 4 has better connectivity---calls are louder and clearer. But AT&T still drops calls and has no signal in some areas. Apple said there's a bug that has to do with the way the bars are shown. So AT&T may have appeared to have no service, but it really did. The takeaway: Apple's iPhone 4 is a sweet smartphone---still shackled to AT&T.

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Other reviews that all fall on the glowing side: And the video: And the USA Today video:

Topics: Networking, Apple, Hardware, iPhone, Mobility, Smartphones, AT&T

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  • RE: Reviews: Mossberg raves about Apple's iPhone 4, throws AT&T under the bus

    I've got news for you. Verizon drops calls and doesn't have signal in some areas. I expect if Verizon had received the number of new data-hogging phones that AT&T has had to deal with in the past few years, they would be getting criticized as well. The iPhone data model is very inefficient compared to Blackberry, so it is no surprise the networks (not just AT&T, but O2 and others as well) can't keep up. I am not an AT&T apologist. I just wish people would have some sense of proportion when they describe the problems AT&T is having.
    ncted
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Reviews: Mossberg raves about Apple's iPhone 4, throws AT&T under the bus

      @ncted
      If iPhone users have to start paying for what they actually use, the network congestion may ease a little. The iPhone is a data hog.... no doubt about it.
      shawkins
      Reply Vote

    • Missing a little bit

      @ncted

      There was a study showing Android devices on Verizon use slightly more data per month than iPhones on AT&T. And they've been selling like hotcakes for almost a year and there has been no impact on Verizon's network here in the Houston area. It's a fairly large market but I travel all around and it has, without a doubt, better service than ATT. I was with ATT for 4 years at work and we've been on Verizon a little over one year now. The only time I've had a call dropped was when my Q (terrible phone, company though) would randomly decide to reboot and/or turn off completely. I've got a HTC Touch Pro 2 now and it's been really, really good.

      I will say markets but from where I've lived/traveled around the US my Verizon phone has been superior than my time on ATT, and that was before the iPhone was close to where it is today in usage.
      LiquidLearner
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Reviews: Mossberg raves about Apple's iPhone 4, throws AT&T under the bus

        @LiquidLearner
        How do you get Verizon around the world?
        Why I dropped them. WIth ATT I can get actual global...
        rhonin
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Reviews: Mossberg raves about Apple's iPhone 4, throws AT&T under the bus

    I agree with Mossberg, but not entirely for the same reasons.

    The areas that I use my IPhone in have more than acceptable coverage.
    It's AT&T's Customer Service where I have problems
    AT&T could care less about the problems their customers are experiencing.
    When it comes to Customer Service, AT&T SUCKS!

    When is Apple going to wise up and allow other providers to compete with AT&T?
    That's the only hope for getting their attention.
    JamieW
    Reply Vote

  • What did you expect from Mossberg?

    The guy's an "Apple Loon": Apple can do absolutelly no wrong to him, any problem people have with their products are allways somebody else's fault.

    It so sad to see that people like him still exist in the world...
    John Zern
    Reply Vote

    • Agreed.

      Of course he would. That man has his entire self of Job's a**. Give me a review by a more neutral party.

      If it wasn't for AT&T, I would have an iPhone by now, even if Apple is gripping that thing to death. AT&T makes phones unusable as phones!
      The one and only, Cylon Centurion
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Reviews: Mossberg raves about Apple's iPhone 4, throws AT&T under the bus

        @NStalnecker <br>In the near future try android on ATT.<br>I use an Epix (MS) and if not for the poor user interface I would use it full time. The good call quality and complete lack of dropped makes it shine compared to the 3GS. <br>It makes the iphone look pitifull from a connectivity pint of view.<br><br>As for customer service mine has been pretty good. Maybe the fact I am a Premier customer is the difference.
        rhonin
        Reply Vote
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