Verizon responds to AT&T's Map For That lawsuit: 'the truth hurts'
By Nilay Patel 
posted Nov 16th 2009 9:28PM
posted Nov 16th 2009 9:28PM
Yeah. It's gonna be like that. Verizon goes on to argue that even AT&T concedes the maps are accurate, and that pulling any of the ads off the air without proof that they're misleading consumers would be unfair, and that at the very least both parties need time to investigate further. Honestly? We've read it over a couple times now and while the legal arguments are certainly interesting, it's hard not to get the impression that Verizon drafted this response with publication in mind -- check out this quote:AT&T did not file this lawsuit because Verizon's "There's A Map For That" advertisements are untrue; AT&T sued because Verizon's ads are true and the truth hurts.
See what we mean? Now, we still think there's some merit to the idea that Verizon's ads improperly conflate 3G coverage area with 3G service quality, but that's really not what AT&T's arguing -- hell, it's busy pimping EDGE. We'll see if these two can solve their differences and get back to work, but we've got the feeling this thing ain't over yet.In the final analysis, AT&T seeks emergency relief because Verizon's side-by-side, apples-to-apples comparison of its own 3G coverage with AT&T's confirms what the marketplace has been saying for months: AT&T failed to invest adequately in the necessary infrastructure to expand its 3G coverage to support its growth in smartphone business, and the usefulness of its service to smartphone users has suffered accordingly.
Update: Here's the PDF, in case you're interested.
I've heard people talk out of their ass before, but this one may take the cake.
word = Clueless (On Every Conceivable Level)
It's hard to read through all that fog, but did you say "Granps"?
BOOM ROASTED
Ouch! The truth hurts.
Huh? Self-ownage?
Dont it!
When your product stinks, no amount of advertizing will save your sorry arse AT&T.
Your network has more holes that swiss cheese,..
mmm cheese
Dayum straight!
amusing part is that apparently it isn't an apples to apples comparison due to the difference in tech, speeds etc. same word, different definitions. like say 'chips' to a Brit and getting french fries instead of a bag of Ruffles.
that said, I felt and still feel that a lawsuit isn't the way for ATT to fight back. it looks whiney. Fight back with facts. Assume that cell phone users are smart people and lay out for them what the term means for each company. Then let them decide whose definition they like.
uber pwnage
Wow, say it like it is. Enough of this crap and bull. Good job, Verizon. Now fix those cancellation fee's, and it's a date.
"you're gonna fit right in here! hahahahah hahah aha *THUD*"
Here is the proof:
AT&T Mobility - Coverage Map
http://www.gsmworld.com/cgi-bin/ni_map.pl?cc=us&net=b3
AT&T 3G map look similar to the one in the verizon ad:
And to think: all this coul save been avoided if Verizon simply hadn't told Steve to shove off. All this time cursing my iPhone because I can't keep a call, and require MIFI to have a decent data connection...
It's all Verizon's fault.
Oooh, that calls for a shotgun burn:
http://www.entertonement.com/clips/nlptdplggj--Shotgun-Burn
And boom goes the dynamite.
lol, well AT&T should show those maps in their own commercial. Why not right?
AT&T's new slogan:
More whining in more cases
@ljm Most GSM phones are world phones nowadays and now a good chunk of Blackberries are dual CDMA/GSM. While only a small amount of us use our phones internationally, we are the people who use our phones A LOT and generate more income for those greedy bastards at AT&T or Verizon (formerly a Bell company/AT&T themselves).
I can't wait until the 4G systems start coming online and everyone is on the same equipment. Or so I've heard.
"AT&T has three times more active smartphones than verizon."
Dipshit, that's like saying LA has better roads because they have 3 times as many cars on them.
Go to bed, the grownups are talking.
Why should AT&T bother building up their 3G network this late in the game? They've obviously lost this round to Verizon, so why not focus everything into building up 4G, and try to beat Verizon to market?
screw verizon and at&t
ring ring ring banana phone! banana phone!
ROAM BOOSTED
Listen up, you primitive screwheads! See this? These are my BOOMSTICKS!
i dont know dudes. with the money ATT spent on lawyers... it shoulda spent on expanding the frickin network!!!
sometimes i feel im the only one with common senses.
PWNED!
So much hate.
So when is Verizon going to buy out ATT? :)
SHIT JUST GOT REAL!
Wow, thanks Anthony for telling us all what we already have discussed for months now and what common sense showed as well.
Gee wiz, we should all go to your link and buy websites from you now. Spare us the posts simply done to spam a link.
So yeah, AT&T, take a look at how much are you paying the legal team for this.
How many 3G tower upgrades could you build with that?
----"When I look at the wireless data map. I see Sprint offers the 4G, Verizon offers the 3G and AT&T offers the 2G"----
LoL Classic. But Also True
More like Apples to Googles
It's not often I laugh at an Engadget news article comment, but this made me chuckle, and I thank you for that. Very clever...
its a CDMA vs GSM debate
Verizon's CDMA cannot offer international roaming, a large GSM advantage.
AT&T's GSM has world phones and better phone selection.
Tell that to my Storm with CDMA and Quad Band GSM.
Let's please not talk about the Storm too much though...
who cares on the technology (CDMA vs GSM)...it's about availability of a faster network here in the US.
How many people really need/use a global roaming phone? I think the fact that you do not see many world roaming phones for sale should answer the question....
When I look at the wireless data map. I see Sprint have the 4G, Verizon have the 3G and ATT have the 2G.
I bet at&t is really regretting telling Apple to reject Google Voice,
it's war baby
The whole roaming data argument is moot. AT&T's roaming data cost is so astronomically high that you can never use it. And even if you get a local SIM to use to minimize the costs, you have to have an unlocked phone to use it in and at that point, it's pretty much worth renting the phone as well because you'll get a deal on the combo. Really, claiming that AT&T's phones are useful around the world is a useless point not only because of the inhibitory costs, but also because Verizon has CDMA/GSM combination phones available. I say all this as an AT&T customer.
World's best phones are on GSM.
iPhone
Bold 9700
Nokie E71
Nuvifone
HTC Hero
SE Satio
Palm Pre
HTC HD2
SE Xperia
Verizon:
Storm - NO Wifi
Tour - NO Wifi
Samsung Omnia - No GPS
Droid
HTC touch diamond
Storm 2
@Travis: My Touch Pro2 lets me use CDMA and GSM....
Touch pro2 and Storm?
is that all you got?
@Travis:
Classic trolling. All of Verizon's smartphones going forward will have WIFI. The Storm 2 has Wifi, the DROID and Droid Eris have WIFI, the Touch Pro 2 has WIFI, the original Omnia has WIFI and GPS(Verizon software-disabled the GPS until somewhat recently but I think they have now unlocked it with a firmware update or said they are going to)... Verizon isn't the only CDMA carrier either. Sprint has their versions of some of the phones you listed as GSM, like the Pre and the Hero, plus they are first to offer the Pixi. The Tour may not have WIFI, but the upcoming Curve 8530 does and so does the rumored Gemini, which I think is basically a Tour with WIFI and a trackpad. Which phones are best is purely subjective anyway, so there is really no relevance to your comments. You should find something constructive to do instead of trolling Engadget.
@ Travis
The majority of the phones you listed under GSM are already on either Sprint or Verizon. The Hero is on Sprint, and the Droid Eris is Verizon's version of the Hero. The Hero isn't available on contract in the US on a GSM network, but even if you do buy one that is unlocked, you won't be able to use 3G.
The Pre was a phone that originally launched as a CDMA phone on Sprint and it is soon coming to Verizon. There hasn't been any talk about either T-Mobile or AT&T getting the phone in the near future, so it will still be a GSM phone only in Europe.
Verizon will be coming out with a Tour that has Wifi and a trackpad under the codename of Essex soon. It will be the equivalent of a CDMA 9700.
The Nuvifone? Really?
I really don't think that WinMo phones are the hottest thing going right now. Everyone is saying that it ruined the HD2 and a few other phones.
So, the GSM standard has the iPhone and something that runs Symbian. Personally, I'll stick with my Droid.
@NikAmi, true about CDMA/GSM phones operable in many places of the world but at what cost? $2 / min via international roaming? fuck that! might as well get an unlocked gsm phone and get a local cell plan there. U.S. probably has the most expensive cell phone bill anywhere, so you should be in for the better. Verizon wont and cant activate any unlocked phone you may have. my wife may need to travel outside u.s. so CDMA carrier w/ international roaming is really a no go, we stuck w/ crappy ATT so she could easily take out the sim card and put another in her unlocked phone and use a local cell plan there. sigh, if T-Mo's reception was any better or Verizon switch to GSM like some claimed I would hop out this shitty carrier like hopping of the friggin Titanic... mm good analogy *self pack on the back*
not true.
VZW now sells some dual CDMA/GSM "World" smartphones.
My VZW HTC TP2 has a SIM slot so I can use GSM for international roaming.
LOL truth hurts?
Carriers doesnt matter to me because GSM gets the first dibs on the best smartphones and you can run them only on AT&T network.
"Carriers doesnt matter to me because GSM gets the first dibs on the best smartphones and you can run them only on AT&T network."
What are you talking about? Where's my GSM Droid? Where's my android anything on att?
Sure I can import phones, but none of them work on att's 3g bands, which makes them basically useless.
Right now signs point to SE's X10 and the HD2 coming to tmobile, not att.
Please explain how any of these things show att getting the best smartphones first.
T-mobile is GSM too.
GSM Droid is Milestone ...its coming soon.
HTC HD2 and X10 is AT&T 3G compatible....goodluck running them on verizon!