AT&T or Verizon?

[ToddS]

I'm wondering if anyone out there has any input as to which carrier, AT&T or Verizon, offers the best service and coverage on an iPhone in the WDW parks? Has anyone used both at WDW? Any advice you can offer is much appreciated!

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

at&t you can talk and text and surf.. if your on the web with verizon it can go to voice mail or so im told....

i have had both providers but i went to at&t for the iphone.

 

[Jaime4004]

The only place I had any trouble with At&t iphone at WDW was in the Land pavilion, Soarin area... Otherwise no problems. DH has verizon (had a blackberry at the time) and had no problems...

 

[chartle]

at&t you can talk and text and surf.. if your on the web with verizon it can go to voice mail or so im told....

i have had both providers but i went to at&t for the iphone.

On Verizon , If you are running the browser and a call comes in, the phone will ring and you answer the phone. What you can't do is while on the phone, browse the web.

 

[Hockeyman]

I was there this past weekend and had issues in all the parks with and Att iPhone 4. Texting and making calls was not a problem but trying to email pictures to my grandparents and updating Facebook I had major problems. It was a hassle trying to do anything that involved data.

 

[Pink Mouse Ears]

We've never had issues in WDW with our AT&T coverage (other places we have, though.)

Just curious, are you choosing a carrier based on just WDW coverage? If so, you must be devoted!!

 

[LUVMICKEY]

I was there this past weekend and had issues in all the parks with and Att iPhone 4. Texting and making calls was not a problem but trying to email pictures to my grandparents and updating Facebook I had major problems. It was a hassle trying to do anything that involved data.

Hmmmmm, we were there in November with our IPhone 4's and we did literally tons of e-mailing pictures and uploading to Facebook and never had a minutes trouble. In fact we did it so much we ran out of data and had to pay for more. Sorry you had such problems doing the same. I wonder what was going on. We have had AT&T for many years and never had any issues with it at all at WDW.

 

[ToddS]

Just curious, are you choosing a carrier based on just WDW coverage? If so, you must be devoted!!

Yes, I am devoted! A devoted, crazy WDW fan!

Actually, I'm trying to figure out which iPad to buy, Verizon or AT&T, and since WDW is one of the few places that I will actually need to have cellular coverage to use it (at home and at work I'll be on wi-fi) I might as well buy the one that has the best cellular coverage at WDW!!

I should have mentioned it was in consideration of an iPad, but I know there will be a lot more folks out there with iPhone experience in the parks than iPad experience (and up until now iPad has been AT&T only anyway) and I didn't want to drive them away.

Much thanks to you and everyone else responding for your help -- it is appreciated!

 

[Gypsybear]

We have had issues with our AT&T IPhone even in the resort rooms. We literally had to walk outside of the rooms to get signal at all....we were at CSR (our usual resort)....We had sporadic coverage in the parks....

Our friend who was traveling with us, was on Verizon, and he NEVER had any issues. He was booked at OKW as his resort, btw.

 

[mistydoodles]

We brought our iPad to Disney World just a couple weeks go. We have AT&T for our coverage. It was almost impossible to get coverage while in the resort room. We had to move around the room searching for a spot that we could get one bar. It was horrible. But when we used it at the pool it was great. Full coverage and no issues. We never took it to the parks but I did see a few other people with one.

 

[NikitaZee]

I would choose Verizon, and I'd go with a Droid. But that's just my preference

 

[puffkin]

I used to have spotty coverage with ATT but it has improved tremendously over the last few years. Our last few trips with my Iphone I haven't really had any problems except for in some queues inside buildings.

 

[ToddS]

I can't thank everyone enough for all the great advice!

 

[SuzanneSLO]

I can't thank everyone enough for all the great advice!

We used our ATT iPad at BWV in December and had no problems at all.

In addiiton to coverage, you are probably aware that there are very different pricing structures for iPad data plans (and, of course, those can and will change over time) between ATT and Verizon. I think ATT has 250 MB for $15 and 2 GB for $25, with any extra charged as a new month (i.e., $15 minimum). Verizon has 1 GB for $20 ($20 per GB extra), 3 GB for $35 ($10 per GB extra), 5 Gb for $50 ($10 per GB extra) and 10 Gb for $80 ($10 per GB extra). Having to make this choice would give me a headache! -- Suzanne

 

[EastonCat]

We had reasonably good coverage with our AT&T iPhones throughout WDW, with trouble spots usually in rooms. I have a Verizon wireless card for my laptop that had similar issues in the rooms, so I think the problem has more to do with architecture and location than carrier. Before living the iPhone life, we had Verizon cell phones that handled data and they seemed to work fine pretty much everywhere too.

In the summer we noticed a few issues with gaining AT&T network access when we had a signal -- this happens when the network is heavily loaded. It is similar to what people complain about in NYC - I have bars, but have trouble making a call or getting data.

More importantly, when I'm in Caldwell, my AT&T service works fine, as does it throughout North Jersey and along the I-78 corridor when I am commuting from PA. Both Verizon and AT&T drop crossing the river.

If you are in NYC very much, you may find AT&T a little frustrating when the network gets heavily loaded.

 

[theallens5]

We didn't have the iPhone at the time, but we have had verizon for the last several visits and have had no problems. Friends of ours had problems with ATT and I had to make several calls for the other spouse. Frustration for them.

 

[suemom2kay]

I have AT&T and had no problems with reception at WDW. I haven't had Verizon in years and have never used them at WDW. My 24% discount with AT&T will keep me their customer for years to come!

 

[suemom2kay]

More importantly, when I'm in Caldwell, my AT&T service works fine, as does it throughout North Jersey and along the I-78 corridor when I am commuting from PA. Both Verizon and AT&T drop crossing the river.

If you are in NYC very much, you may find AT&T a little frustrating when the network gets heavily loaded.

I grew up in Cedar Grove! I live in PA now and miss NJ sometimes!

 

[HsvTeacher]

We have iphones and use AT&T. The only problem we've ever had at WDW was when they had a citywide outage. (I can't remember if it was in May 2010 or July 2010.) Otherwise, the service has been great!

 

[ultra63]

many trips and no problem with Verizon 3g or voice