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Comment by benguild | Hacker News Reader

Yeah. No matter what, you're screwed this time around. Verizon's version doesn't support simultaneous data and calling. PITA.

AT&T doesn't support LTE when roaming except in Canada. PITA.

International GSM versions can't get AT&T LTE in the US. PITA.

The only plus side to anything is that if you switch to Verizon you can use some international LTE and get an international unlock after 60 days. However, in my case, switching to Verizon just for international LTE support is frivilous since I'd be paying more for less data on a Data Share plan versus keeping my "unlimited" plan + other grandfathered options.

TL;DR — everyone is getting fucked by the iPhone 5 if you plan on using it in a different country at some point, or like simultaneous calling and data.

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According to http://mgalligan.com/post/31415410863/buying-an-iphone-5-don... simultaneous voice & data is possible on Verizon's network, but only with LTE.

Because the iPhone 5 doesn't have an extra antenna, it won't support simultaneous voice and data: http://www.macrumors.com/2012/09/13/verizon-iphone-5-will-no...

I've got a thunderbolt on Verizon and I do 3G and voice as well as 4G and voice at the same time. Some googling seems to show that it uses two antennae to do this, but to me as an end user it works great.

Yea I'm pretty sure with LTE that's possible. It's definitely not with 3G or below though.

But overall, I've never been happy with any smartphone. I pay $80/month for unlimited data, 350 minutes, unlimited texts.

After time, it always slows down, becomes buggy, bluetooth link cuts out, or the entire phone crashes. I don't know if it's designed to do this or it happens through the process of apps being updated and the phone becoming obsolete. This could probably be tested... if a phone was never updated, ever but that could probably lead to some security/privacy issues due to app bugs, os bugs, etc. Just seems like $80 is a lot to have this thing constantly bug up.

Until Verizon's network supports VoLTE, you can not talk and use data at the same time with the iPhone 5.

And no one in the US supports the wide-band audio. According to some coverage it's likely no one will support it, because they are focusing on using audio over LTE for their wideband instead of the different codec on 3G that Apple supports (if I remember right).

Too bad. I'd really love the better audio.

I'll be upgrading, but I'm sticking with AT&T. The fact I can keep my old unlimited plan (from when I bought my 3G) and the simultaneous voice and data (which is really nice) means it's not worth switching.

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