Verizon to iPhone Users: “Want Five Times More 3G Coverage? There’s a Map for That.”
by John Paczkowski
Posted on October 5, 2009 at 5:24 PM PT
Want five times more 3G coverage? There’s a map for that.
That’s the cheeky slogan of a new Verizon ad reportedly set to debut during tonight’s “Monday Night Football” game. Riffing on the tagline from Apple’s iPhone commercials, it essentially turns widespread complaints about the quality, coverage and speed of AT&T’s network into a Verizon marketing campaign–if it wasn’t that already. “Browse the Web and download music and apps, at 3G speed, in five times more places than the nation’s number two wireless carrier,” the ad suggests. “Before you pick a phone, pick a network.”
Quite the sucker punch from Verizon, and a well-timed one too. AT&T’s iPhone exclusivity deal is set to expire sometime next year. And recent reports suggest that Apple, by signing on Verizon as a second carrier partner, could double U.S. iPhone sales in the near term. Verizon (VZ) pointing a mocking finger at AT&T (T) in an ad like this certainly isn’t going to do anything to make AT&T’s negotiations with Apple (AAPL) go any more smoothly.
UPDATE:
Here’s the ad:
[Image Credit: TechFlash]
Comments
I switched from verizon to get the iPhone.
Posted by Ray Mazeika at October 5th, 2009 at 5:41 pmThe phone is great. If verizon gets the iPhone
I will drop AT&T like a fly. The network sucks!!
Of course if you want to use WiFi or a decent smartphone, Verizon HAS NO app for that! Nor do they match the 85,000 apps the iPhone has on all their phones put together!
Posted by Stephen Antonucci at October 5th, 2009 at 6:02 pmVerizon must be kicking themselves for telling Apple to go f$#^ themselves when they had the first shot at the iPhone.
Also on the doubling of sales as predicting by some, I agree! I also agree the Apple revenue per phone will drop sigificantly, most likely no net gain for apple.
Posted by Terry Nenni at October 5th, 2009 at 7:13 pmI switched to Verizon for the iPhone and I am loving it. I don’t know why I had Verizon before. AT&T is as good as or even better than Verizon in my opinion. Would never go back to Verizon again!
Posted by John Nguyen at October 5th, 2009 at 7:35 pmwhere I live the only advantage that Vz has over ATT is in the metro/subway. And Even then thats changing.. Everywhere else, ATT has solid coverage, in Va/DC/Md area. Apple must be doing something right by expanding IPhone to different carriers in Europe. I wonder if they plan on migrating to Japan as well? I know the bandwidth on Japanese phones are intensive but not sure if the IPhone would work there, but if it does stand by.. I also find it Ironic that Vz’s only chance to imrprove market share and they screw it up.
Posted by mike Diaz at October 6th, 2009 at 6:14 amI’m sorry, but, this is a lost cause. I bought the Blackberry Storm and changed carriers from AT&T to Verizon. Yes, Verizon’s signal quality was off the hook at my house…B U T — When I had the storm just 4 months ago, THERE WAS NO 3G FOR BLACKBERRY’S THRU VERIZON. No matter where I went, the 3G was missing. I finally called Tech Support and was informed that OTHER phones had 3G, BUT NOT THE BLACKBERRY’S!!
Now, I ask you. If ANYONE ever needed 3G to talk and surf at the same time, isn’t it the BLACKBERRY OWNERS???????
Posted by Stephanie Berry at October 6th, 2009 at 10:20 amAny clue what agency Verizon used for this spot? Or was it in-house?
Posted by Michael Coderre at October 6th, 2009 at 11:21 am@Stephanie Berry – every Verizon BlackBerry beginning with the 7250 (released in 2005) has had 3G.
Posted by Corey Gilmore at October 12th, 2009 at 8:54 am