Ipod touch

[Ames]

Verizon is not moving to GSM. They are planning on rolling out a 4g LTE data network, which is what GSM's next data network will be, however, the voice network will continue to be CDMA for the foreseeable future. So they will be selling phones with CDMA for voice, and "GSM" for data.

AT&T and T-Mobile are the only real options in the US for GSM now and probably for the next couple generations of the iPhone. It will be at least 2010 or later before any of the CDMA providers move to GSM, if they do at all.

They are moving to a GSM based standard for data. So yeah they are moving to GSM. We are very close to the point where data matters more than the voice side. Verizon making a change like that is big. By the time Verizon actually has a GSM based data network up we will probably all be making all of our calls over data networks anyway so the voice carrier won't even matter.

 

[justincl]

Can anyone help me with this quandry: I am thinking of getting an iPhone, because my current phone is a low end POS. I am with US Cellular who obviously doesn't offer the iPhone, at least not yet that I am aware of. What can I do so that I can use an iPhone with US Cellular without having to change providers? Do I need to like change my plan with them as well? I have heard something about needing to take out a sim card or something like that from current phone and put into the iPhone, but I don't even think my current phone has one. I am definitely an idiot when it comes to phone electronics. Any help will definitely warrant rep.

This doesn't help in the near future, but I know that Blackberry is working on a touchscreen version that is to be suited to more of a personal user in lieu of being a business phone. I isn't released yet, but USC has been pretty good about getting Blackberry phones on their programs.

 

[jferg]

I really like the looks of the LG Voyager that Verizon has out. It has a nice touch screen on the outside that looks somewhat iphone-esque. It also opens up to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard and another large screen.
The Voyager is Verizon exclusive however.

 

[jdoggivjc]

I don't get to replace my phone until December, but right now the grand debate in my head is do I go with the Motorola Q, the Palm, or the LG enV... First, kinda glad I don't have to make the decision today, second, likely something even sweeter will be out then and will probably make up my mind for me.

 

[Ames]

I think the Tilt and iPhone are the best 2 phones out right now. Now if ATT would only roll out 3G in Ames I'd be set with my Tilt...

 

[jumbopackage]

They are moving to a GSM based standard for data. So yeah they are moving to GSM. We are very close to the point where data matters more than the voice side. Verizon making a change like that is big. By the time Verizon actually has a GSM based data network up we will probably all be making all of our calls over data networks anyway so the voice carrier won't even matter.

While they will be rolling out a GSM-based data system in the future, it will only be for 4g data, and not for voice. It's like saying you drive a Ford car to work, but are buying a GM car for the wife to have, so you're moving to GM, even though you have to still drive the Ford most of the time.

Look at where 3g data is right now, and tell me that you'd be satisfied with only being able to place cell calls where it currently exists. Heck, they are just NOW turning off the Analog network which has been around for well over 20 years, and there are still going to be gaps in coverage, though they are admittedly going to be quite small. If you presume that the main reason you have a cell phone is to be able to make and take calls, only being able to do so over high speed data networks is a non-starter for most people. I'd say probably more than 90% of people I know don't even have a current data plan with their phone, let alone use it extensively.

While a Verizon move to a completely GSM network might some day happen, it's not going to be reasonable to expect it to be in the next 10 years or so for a large percentage of their users to whom the current answer to "can you hear me now" is "yes, but you're breaking up".

 

[Ames]

While they will be rolling out a GSM-based data system in the future, it will only be for 4g data, and not for voice. It's like saying you drive a Ford car to work, but are buying a GM car for the wife to have, so you're moving to GM, even though you have to still drive the Ford most of the time.

Look at where 3g data is right now, and tell me that you'd be satisfied with only being able to place cell calls where it currently exists. Heck, they are just NOW turning off the Analog network which has been around for well over 20 years, and there are still going to be gaps in coverage, though they are admittedly going to be quite small. If you presume that the main reason you have a cell phone is to be able to make and take calls, only being able to do so over high speed data networks is a non-starter for most people. I'd say probably more than 90% of people I know don't even have a current data plan with their phone, let alone use it extensively.

While a Verizon move to a completely GSM network might some day happen, it's not going to be reasonable to expect it to be in the next 10 years or so for a large percentage of their users to whom the current answer to "can you hear me now" is "yes, but you're breaking up".

It's more like having a Ford and then dropping in a GM engine and some other GM parts. You aren't going to pick a CDMA or GSM phone and have to run just one. You are going to use a mix of both depending on what you are doing and where you are doing it. Your Verizon phone will be both CDMA and GSM.

I'm not going to argue 10 years out. That's a losing game if you are talking technology. But globally GSM and 3G are pretty dominate. They are a pretty safe bet.