Which one is better? iPhone 4 by AT&T or a CDMA iPhone 4 on Verizon? This is the question I am asked by users everywhere. It is difficult to find an answer until we compare both the iOS devices head-to-head. The infographic chart of AT&T vs. Verizon iPhone below compares pricing, added features, Text plan, Data plan, WiFi, and much more. Read the whole comparison after the jump.







Price

On voice-text-data plan upfront, AT&T costs minimum $64.99 per month – in which you’ll get 450 minutes of talk time, 1000 text messages and 200 MB of data. While Verizon, costs $74.98 per month with 450 minutes of talk time, 500 text messages, and unlimited data. If you don’t browse much on iPhone than going with AT&T is the best option and will save you $10.

Data Plans


With AT&T’s $25 data plan you’ll get 2 GB per month i.e. 67MB per day. You can easily listen to music every day for about an hour, browse internet and facebook for about 2 hours every day, send 2000 emails. Even then you’ll never hit the cap of 2GB, unless you are watching streaming videos for hours every day. In case you spend endless time on browsing, then go with Verizon unlimited data plan which comes for $30.

Speed


In many cities, AT&T is technically faster, but the amount of data usage on their network (from iPhone users) slows them down and Verizon looks faster. CNET did a quick speed test and found that Verizon’s iPhone was roughly 30 percent faster than AT&T’s. Even Netflix claims that their videos stream faster on Verizon network. Verizon’s network is better. That’s it in a nutshell.


4G Data 


Neither device on either carrier supports 4G data at this time due to the inadvancement of their telecom infrastructure. So if you want the 4G feature, it’s best to avoid the iPhone altogether right now.


Tethering / Wi-Fi Hotspot
The AT&T iPhone offers tethering with a Bluetooth, but Verizon offers tethering with a Wi-Fi Hotspot, giving Internet access to up to five devices for $20 with a capping of 2GB per month. Suppose you are using an iPad on your iPhone’s Wi-Fi, then 2GB of data can easily be exhausted in a about 15 days and remember that each additional GB is another $20. In short, if you do not use internet much at home, you can go ahead with Verizon iPhone 4 and use its HotSpot feature.

Data + Voice (Multi-tasking) 




Verizon’s iPhone 4 cannot support multi-tasking because it runs voice and data on different tracks, and CDMA chip does not support. On the other hand iPhone 4 on AT&T lets you use apps or search sites while talking, which can be very helpful in instances such as following directions on MapQuest iPhone app while talking to friend.

Coverage







None of the features and options above are going to be of any use to you if the carrier of your choice doesn’t cover your area. The last thing you want is an iPhone packed full of apps and features that you can’t use because you can’t get a signal. If you don’t already know what coverage is like it your area, you can use the AT&T Coverage Viewer, or the Verizon Coverage Locator, to check. Use the data coverage maps above to see your coverage at a glance.

Can I Jailbreak ?


Yes! Technically, both CDMA iPhone 4 and GSM iPhone can be jailbroken (it’s Legal). Infamous iPhone hacker Musclenerd had already confirmed that the Verizon iPhone 4 on iOS 4.2.6 will be jailbroken (tethered) on its launch day using limera1n tool. And those who buy early, the CDMA iPhone 4 unit will be pwned for Life! However, once jailbroken, you will lose your warranty.

Can I Unlock ?

Unlocking CDMA iPhone 4 would require an ESN/MEID from a donor phone w/ service. This technique is a US federal crime. So you cannot unlock CDMA iPhone 4 at all, neither any tool is available. On the other hand unlocking GSM iPhone 4 is very much required, when you are moving out of USA and you still want to use your iPhone in other countries. If you frequently move to other countries or going permanently out of USA, buy AT&T iPhone 4 ONLY.

Verdict 


My personal verdict is you should go for the AT&T iPhone 4. But still there are a couple of caveats you should keep in mind before buying an iPhone 4 from either of the carriers.


If you do a lot of international travel : AT&T iPhone 4
If you make a lot of voice calls : Verizon iPhone 4
If you do a lot of interstate travel : Verizon iPhone 4
If you live in a rural area : Verizon iPhone 4
If you want the fastest data available on an iPhone today : AT&T iPhone 4
If you use a ton of data : Verizon iPhone 4


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