Originally Posted by
gfunkdave
I'm not sure that I should care. Why do I need 4G? I won't be using it to tether to my computer (I have a Sprint 3G/4G mifi I can use). I'm sure using Facebook/email/web on the iPhone will be perfectly fast enough with 3G. What do I need 4G for? What am I overlooking?
If you have a present 3G smartphone which feels fast enough, and you don't plan to keep the phone more than the two year life a contract, you don't need one.
If you feel like "well, it'd be nice if it was faster" about the 3G, it'll probably only get worse over time as bandwidth-users get worse. One thought - if you hit a few bandwidth-heavy apps, you can always occasionally tether the phone to the mifi.
Originally Posted by
Braindrain
Nobody needs 4G just like nobody needs a 100 mpbs line at home. For occasional browsing, 3G is fine.
Speak for yourself on not needing the 100mbps line at home :P
Whether 3G (which can mean a pretty broad range of speeds) on a smartphone is fine totally depends on what apps you use, and for "Facebook/email/web" how patient the OP is.
Originally Posted by
wco81
Yeah it's hype and Verizon is obviously pushing it to get lock-in. LTE phones will not be as universal as 3G phones because there are way more bands which are going to be used.
Except CDMA/EVDO is already pretty thoroughly locked in; in theory you can go between carriers on the US CDMA bands but in practice even the carriers make it a pain in the neck and since it's linked to the phone's IMEI rather than a SIM, there's no way around dealing with the carrier as gatekeeper.