iPhone not 3G for some of O.C.
July 10th, 2008, 1:05 pm · 3 Comments · posted by Tamara Chuang, a.k.a. The Gadgetress
**UPDATE on EDGE service below**
If you poo-poohed the original iPhone because it lacked 3G cellular Internet service, now’s your chance. The new iPhone goes on sale tomorrow at 8 a.m. Read iGirl’s tips on what it takes to buy the new phone.
3G is lovely, though not as fast as your broadband connection at home. AT&T, in fact, reminded media this morning that it has invested $20 billion to create “the nation’s fastest 3G network.”
But before you wait in line all night like our intrepid iGirl, AT&T’s service is not available everywhere. It’s in 300 major U.S. metropolitan areas, which AT&T plans to expand to 350 by year’s end.
Take a look at where you can and can’t get AT&T’s 3G service in Orange County. In Laguna Beach, for example, 3G coverage is spotty and in many areas, non-existant (the dark blue splotches are 3G areas while the lighter blue are not and offer the slower EDGE service). But your iPhone will still work, according to AT&T. It just switches to the slower EDGE Internet service.
But Laguna Beach has it better than residents to the east of San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano (the white areas). Those folks don’t get AT&T cellular service of any kind!
Check out AT&T’s 3G coverage in your neighborhood HERE.
What if you’re really out of luck and don’t have 3G coverage at home, work or anywhere you roam? I’m checking with AT&T to see if you can purchase just the EDGE Internet service for $10 less per month. I will update as soon as I find out.
THE UPDATE: Nope, new iPhones require new 3G service contracts from AT&T. If you do live in the boonies and can’t get AT&T’s 3G service, the company tells me you could always buy an old iPhone, which does rely on EDGE service.
More iPhone 2.0 coverage:
- iPhone countdown: All you need to know
- 10 reasons why camping out for iPhone is better this year
- 5 ways to save money on the new iPhone
- New iPhone leaves iGirl wanting more
- iGirl’s iPhone 2.0 wrap-up: Cheaper, faster, better!
- Let the live Apple iPhone 2.0 coverage begin!
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haha south OC suckers. centralOC a little better, but people are still crazy…
Really – how many people reside in those areas of the map that you point out? I doubt the white areas are populated to any great extent (though Ortega Hwy may pass through some of it at times), and I know the light blue area just north of Laguna is not populated at all. OTOH, Laguna’s Top of the World is EDGE-only, and so is that stretch of Newport Coast you pointed out. (Guess Kobe won’t be using an iPhone at home!)
I wish I lived on the OC. It is such a nice area. I am 52 years old and live at home with my mom. It’s nice because she still cooks for me and makes my bed. She is gonna loan me some money so that I can take the bus down into South OC and stand in line at the Apple store today and finally get me an iPhone. I can’t wait. It is gonna be so nice to sit and play on it and use the internet with high speed. I don’t like how or computer has such a slow 28.8K modem. Does anyone know if it will run Windows? I really like the newer version of windows 3.11 over the old 3.0. I will be sure to post back in my phone number when I get it. I want to be part of a larger talking community. Thanks. Ed.