Verizon 4G LTE commercials, what does this map look like? Ugh!

Are the people doing these ads the most prolific travelers in the United States or something?! AT&T covers a good deal of the population. Business isn't about who can get 4G LTE coverage to the most remote parts of the Dakotas, although I'm sure that matters to some.

I am very susceptible to advertising and if someone makes a good commercial on TV or radio, sure, I may be more likely to purchase the product. These ads to the lowest common denominator just chap me however. I have been angry about this for so long, thank god there is a Rant forum for me to get my anger out. Thanks fellow Ranters!!!

reply to post by bonsaihorn


Ok.

I worked in Telecom for a few decades, let me give you a sound piece of advise.

Coverage Maps for ISP's DO NOT take into account the following:

Geography
Topography
Potential Interference Factors ( like foliage)

Everything you see when an ISP shows you the breath of their coverage is a theoretical, BEST CASE, perfect conditions scenario.

~Tenth

reply to post by tothetenthpower


That is one of the reasons I am so annoyed! I don't think they should be able to use their "coverage" maps as a selling point. It is deceptive advertising. Most people only need the I-95 corridor or their home coverage area plus a little wherever they travel and it makes me sick people fall for this kind of stuff. +1 on the true coverage areas too, but will people who are in a "dark" area going to be able to get out of their contracts if they are in one, maybe if they pay a $350 disconnect fee.

I'll take T-Mobile thanks...

reply to post by bonsaihorn


That's the nature of advertising though. If you read the fine print it says theoretical, best conditions etc etc.

Really it's a matter of understanding. In a way I understand, it would cost verizon millions of dollars to educate customers on the ins and outs of wireless networks, how they work and what makes them not work ( which is to say, pretty much anything).

So the only thing we can do as consumers is remain properly informed.

~Tenth

reply to post by tothetenthpower


I'd like to see another carrier, even Walmart, spin the commercial another way. Do you need coverage over all 50 states, or do you need coverage in your town. We're a third the price and you can text just as well as the big guys.

I know, Walmart is big and "evil", but they are fairly new to the wireless game. Maybe I should be in advertising...

reply to post by bonsaihorn


Walmart is not an ISP, they only have contracts to sell other provider's services as far as I know.

Even if they were, they aren't running a national network of towers etc, they would just be paying AT&T and Verizon and whoever else to use their service, so the coverage would end up being as good, or as bad as the rest.

~Tenth

reply to post by bonsaihorn


That commercial drives me nuts just due to the idiot that says.

"It looks like a Dancer!" Wow! What the hell is she smoking? LOL

reply to post by tothetenthpower


So, in your opinion, since all these carriers like to show their maps. Which one is the better map theoritically?

In the Verizon ad, you see all sorts of coverage, but it shows AT&T as being spotty in areas such as the SouthWest.

But when you see a AT&T ad coverage map, it looks a lot like the Verizon map. Maybe even better.

Isn't this deceptive advertising?

We tried an AT&T phone and it worked all right, except at our house. Well, I wanted a phone I could have outside in case I toppled a tree the wrong way or got hurt doing work in the woods or garden.....I guess it works now but now we have a tracphone that costs us ten bucks a month. It works here very good.