Lack of LTE, effect your decision?

**flybub** · 10-12-2011, 08:31 AM

Hey all. My wife and I are on a family plan on Verizon and she upgraded (she's primary account holder) to the iPhone 4 back in June. We were grandfathered in to the unlimited Data for the next 2 years. I have an HTC Incredible and I had every intention of purchasing the 4s or 5 whichever they released, but when there was no LTE announced I had second thoughts. Having unlimited data I was excited to take advantage of the faster service and not have to worry about going over. I know that the Prime is coming but I was ready for a jump to iOS. Anyone else have second thoughts after there was no LTE announced? My Verizon store is kinda in the middle of nowhere so I'm sure I can get a 4s this Friday but I'm on the fence right now about what to do. FWIW, I have never had a problem with my Incredible. I'm rooted running the GB update and this phone has been great, so I have nothing against Android at the moment.

**SeanHRCC** · 10-12-2011, 08:33 AM

Not at all...the iPhone 4 was already fine for the browsing/DL'ing i did on it, so i would have been fine with like performance...the additional speed the 4S brings to the table, for me, is just icing on the cake.

**iphone_guy** · 10-12-2011, 08:36 AM

My problem is people calling LTE a decisive "thing" like 4g, or 3g for that matter. LTE is long term evolution, meaning it could be 4g,5g,6g and so on, so no I could care less about it.

As far as an iphone capable of 4g(hspa+) or CDMA really? my 3g on my ip4 works wonders, is super fast and really, all I'll need for googling to win arguments at bars!
All in all, 4g in our country technically isn't anywhere CLOSE to what it should be yet...so nope...that crap doesn't bother me a bit. Although, I suppose pornhub would load a lot faster for those that need it!

I really want a 4s JUST for camera/cpu/siri.

That is all

**zackawee27** · 10-12-2011, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by flybub

Hey all. My wife and I are on a family plan on Verizon and she upgraded (she's primary account holder) to the iPhone 4 back in June. We were grandfathered in to the unlimited Data for the next 2 years. I have an HTC Incredible and I had every intention of purchasing the 4s or 5 whichever they released, but when there was no LTE announced I had second thoughts. Having unlimited data I was excited to take advantage of the faster service and not have to worry about going over. I know that the Prime is coming but I was ready for a jump to iOS. Anyone else have second thoughts after there was no LTE announced? My Verizon store is kinda in the middle of nowhere so I'm sure I can get a 4s this Friday but I'm on the fence right now about what to do. FWIW, I have never had a problem with my Incredible. I'm rooted running the GB update and this phone has been great, so I have nothing against Android at the moment.

I don't have LTE, I have Sprint's WiMax which doesn't matter since there's no 4G in my area. If I got the iPhone 5 on Sprint next year it should be switched to LTE already but, I still think Sprint and Verizon will keep it not on 4G to clog up there networks.

**E_Brown** · 10-12-2011, 08:42 AM

Lack for 4G doesn't bother me at all. If the 4S was 4G, the battery would be horrible, and I want a phone that i can take off the charger at 7am, and still have juice left when i put it back on at midnight. And I feel that the websites load fast enough now with the 4. I don't do any big websurfing on my phone.

**ilwhana** · 10-12-2011, 08:49 AM

Not at all becuase of the price and service range.
It is simply not worth to have LTE

**DJBox3r** · 10-12-2011, 08:52 AM

I hoped it would have LTE but because of how the first generation chips aren't battery efficient it was a good idea and one I expected to happen for User Satisfaction on battery life. Hopefully the second generation will have better battery consumption processes.

DJ

**imwjl** · 10-12-2011, 08:57 AM

I'm a sys admin and have to deal with different phones as well as different carriers.

Most I know who need that speed are happiest with a dedicated hotspot because our users with 4G phones complain about battery life using them a lot and/or some don't like larger and extra batteries.

Others are totally in love with the 4G Android phones they have.

The majority of those we support place highest value on a phone that works well and will get them through the day with one battery charge.

On keeping unlimited data: Look at your usage and find out if you really need it. You can do as I did and get an iPhone used or out of contract too. A little delayed gratification and watching craigslist can do you wonders. Offering to meet the used seller at Verizon store addresses whether or not your phone is stolen and safety.

**pb&J** · 10-12-2011, 09:03 AM

I'm fine on 3G. Are you dissatisfied with the data speeds? If the answer is no, then why worry about LTE? A friend of mine is a Neurologist and tells me that both she and her Neurosurgery colleagues worry about these increasingly powerful networks and the risk of brain cancer.

There is always a limit to when more/faster/smaller/bigger etc means better.

**flybub** · 10-12-2011, 09:04 AM

Thanks everyone for your replies so far. You have been very helpful!

**ame** · 10-12-2011, 09:07 AM

Nope, didnt affect my decision at all. Doesn't matter to me really at all. The networks aren't all there yet.

**flybub** · 10-12-2011, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by pb&J

I'm fine on 3G. Are you dissatisfied with the data speeds? If the answer is no, then why worry about LTE? A friend of mine is a Neurologist and tells me that both she and her Neurosurgery colleagues worry about these increasingly powerful networks and the risk of brain cancer.

There is always a limit to when more/faster/smaller/bigger etc means better.

I'm not dissatisfied with the 3G data speeds, granted I'm not out and about all that much. I have WiFi at home and at work. With 3 little ones at home I spend majority of my time there when I'm not at work. It's not real often I use 3G for data but there are occasions when the wife and I get an occasional "date night" and I use the GPS or Maps for finding what we want. Thanks again for the help.

**SeanHRCC** · 10-12-2011, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by ame

Nope, didnt affect my decision at all. Doesn't matter to me really at all. The networks aren't all there yet.

Look out! It's the...

**Premium1** · 10-12-2011, 09:17 AM

I had an lte device and just got tired of the poor battery life so I'm due for an upgrade and ill be getting the 4s. For what I do the extra speed really isn't worth the bad battery and always having to worry if it will make it through the day.

**ParadigmUSA** · 10-12-2011, 09:19 AM

LTE isn't a factor for me. Since I live in an area that has no LTE coverage, it wouldn't make sense to have a LTE device. I was actually hoping the 4S would stay with 3G and it actually made my decision easier on which new phone to get.

**ame** · 10-12-2011, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by SeanHRCC

Look out! It's the...

**diamonddialogue** · 10-12-2011, 09:59 AM

I guess because I've never had a 4G LTE smartphone, I just don't seem to care much about it. I'm pretty much sold on using the 4S on AT&T networks, if I can ever afford one.

**elavum** · 10-12-2011, 10:01 AM

I am not really worried about LTE as we dont have LTE in our place. I was more interested in the world phone capability. hence I decided to pull the trigger to buy 4S

**diamonddialogue** · 10-12-2011, 10:02 AM

I think I might just be tired of hearing about LTE, so many people despising anything that isn't LTE. It's just old, and I've never had issues with speed on my smartphones.

**davjaxn** · 10-12-2011, 10:29 AM

While it didn't effect my purchase (purchased a 4S for my wife) it would have been nice to have. I mean, the more features the better. I don't think AT&T (my carrier) charges extra for "4G" service on its phones like Sprint does so, bring on the LTE iPhone 5! That is, assuming, they don't begin to charge extra for an LTE iPhone!

**diamonddialogue** · 10-12-2011, 10:42 AM

When the iPhone 5 releases, the 4S price will drop and it will be just like the rest of the releases. I would imagine.

**Seymour324** · 10-12-2011, 10:47 AM

Battery life alone makes me not want 4g until they can make a phone with decent battery life and 4g service I don't want it

**zack125** · 10-12-2011, 10:48 AM

I don't think 4G should be a make it or break it feature until at least 2013. By that time, Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint should have (hopefully), 4G coverage in most large cities and the suburbs. At that time, the battery hit should be minimal thanks to improved technology, and more cell towers should have upgraded backhaul to actually provide "4G" speeds! I'm also hoping carriers won't stop developing their 3G networks, since when there is no 3G now, I can fall back to EDGE 2G in most places. It'd be nice to fall back on a developed 3G network when 4G is not available, rather than all the way to 2G!

**Netherscourge** · 10-12-2011, 10:53 AM

I could care less.

If I need speed, I'll use WIFI Routers/Hot Spots.

I look at 3G/4G etc.. as just a convenient way to access the internet on the run. Sure, faster is better. But I don't RELY on cellular data speed. It's just there if I need it.

Besides, AT&T is my carrier and they have the fastest "3.5G" network. It'll suffice.