vB Easy Archive - Using voice and data at the same time

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Using voice and data at the same time
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Posted by: cmango

OK, I realize this is more a question for carriers than phones, but there wasn't a carrier battle section so I decided to post here. I did a search for this topic and it seems people have been asking about this for several years. So how about an update for June 2009? Where do we stand with this? My understanding is it's possible on AT&T only, and only in certain areas. True, false? I also was under the impression that GSM based networks were capable of it (would include T-Mobile?) and CDMA networks (Sprint & Verizon) were not. With the advent of smartphones, this would seem like such a huge advantage for AT&T, that I would think they would be shouting it from the rooftops, so to speak.

I called Sprint and asked someone in their technical department if this was a feature we would see coming down the pipe any time soon, and he said no. I've been with Verizon since the beginning, but my contract is now up, and I want to enter the world of smartphones... and I like Sprint's prices. I know there are many things to consider, so I'm going to start a separate "carrier battle" thread where everyone can weigh in with their opinions on the current choices out there. But I want to get a handle on this particular topic first, because it seems like such a huge advantage for AT&T if the other carriers are not going to be offering a way to do this any time soon. I heard someone say you could do it using wifi for the data, but this is only in hotspots, right?

I don't know, maybe it's just me, but for my job (contracting), it would be very convenient to be on the phone with a client, distributor, manufacturer, etc., and be simultaneously viewing a pertinent website. Or when someone without a data phone calls me because they're lost, and I could call up Google maps with them connected on speaker phone.

Posted by: RogerPodacter

I say that simultaneous voice and data is actually THE best feature of 3g. Verizon and sprint cdma networks cannot do this and never will until they upgrade their network to lte. Att can do both as long as you're connected to 3g which is everywhere i go. Tmobile can as well as long as you're on 3g. But their 3g is still limited and they use different frequencies so phone selection is severly limited to only a few phones.

With these latest smartphones running apps and widgets that constantly connect to data its a must have to do voice and data together.

Posted by: cmango

I agree- it's pretty important nowadays- definitely throws a bit of a monkey wrench into my whole platform/phone decision I'll be making shortly. I was all set to go the Sprint/Pre route, which I may still do, but there are advantages to the different carriers. I think it's time to start the carrier battle thread.