Commentary

Tablet A Head-To-Head Test For AT&T, Verizon?

verizon/at&t

After months of breathless hype and speculation, Tablet Day is here. The geek Super Bowl a week before the actual thing. One of the rumors surrounding the announcement is that the tablet would be offered through the 3G networks of both AT&T and Verizon Wireless.

In the last year the nation's two largest wireless carriers have waged a marketing and legal war over which has the most "reliable" or "fastest" 3G network. Verizon has mocked the more limited coverage of AT&T's network in its long-running "There's a map for that" campaign, while AT&T has struck back with its own ads highlighting advantages like phones that offer more apps and the ability to multi-task.

AT&T has separately been the target of longstanding complaints from iPhone users about spotty coverage in major markets like New York and San Francisco. But if it turns out both AT&T and Verizon are chosen to power the Apple tablet, it will provide an even playing field (or board) for the bitter rivals to show once and for all who has the better network. A side-by-side comparison to replace the rhetorical slugfest.

Because Verizon uses the CDMA wireless network standard and AT&T, the GSM standard, its been suggested Apple may come out with two different versions of the device. It could also utilize the Wi-Fi networks of both carriers. With the tablet not expected to be released for at least a few months, there's also the possibility no wireless partner(s) will be announced today. In which case, AT&T and Verizon can keep battling for Apple's affection.

Next story loading loading..