4 Reasons for Travelers Not To Buy a Verizon iPhone

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There are a lot of things to like about the new Verizon iPhone:

1. Its an iPhone and iPhones are cool. I think Android phones have a lot of cool functionality also. In fact I love the fact that Android phones can be a wi-fi hotspot and that they have built-in turn by turn directions. But personally I still love the iPhone’s interface more than the Android. Also I love the camera in the iPhone.
2. It’s on Verizon. In the United States, most surveys find that people are happier with the technology behind the Verizon iPhone which is their CDMA network more than AT&T and their GSM network. CDMA is designed as a spread spectrum cellular technology (based oddly enough on the original patent from actress Hedy Lamarr). Spread spectrum is more resistant to interference and therefore Verizon has a better reputation for fewer dropped calls.
3. It has a built in wi-fi hotspot (like on Android) so that you can connect your laptop or other wi-fi devices to the internet through your phone. That’s a great feature that I definitely want.

That being said, travelers should be aware of these three reasons why not to buy a Verizon iPhone.

1. Unlike the AT&T GSM technology the Verizon CDMA technology cannot do both data and voice at the same time. If you are using the wi-fi hotspot feature and take a call it will stop your internet connection. You also can’t look up information from the internet while you are on the phone.
2. Verizon has a new network coming which is their higher speed 4G network using the LTE technology. This phone does not support that new network which is rolling out this year.
3. There is not much new on this iPhone. The only feature that they have talked about is the wi-fi hotspot feature (which again I do think is great although it would be good to know what additional cost there might be). The rest of the features in this phone rolled out last Summer on AT&T and it is likely that a new iPhone will roll out again in the Summer.
4. CDMA is not widely available outside of the United States. This is a big issue for international travelers.

I mentioned this 4th issue in an older post – 5 Important Technologies for Today’s Travelers,  but the bottom line is that if you plan to travel you should check these lists

• CDMA Coverage Maps
• GSM Roaming and Coverage Maps

to see whether a CDMA phone, the Verizon iPhone or any Verizon phone, is a good option for you.

My advice is if you are not planning international travel, the Verizon iPhone is going to be a great phone, but I would wait until the Summer to see what the next model is. If you are planning on doing international travel, don’t buy this phone with the expectation of using it in most of the world.