AT&T will have given Verizon a huge head start when the former finally rolls out its 4G network in the second half of 2011—and even then it could take as long as three years before its data network catches up to its rival's, according to AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega.De la Vega, speaking Thursday at the All Things D D9 conference in Rancho Palos Verde, Calif., said "in the next three years" the two 4G networks "will probably be indistinguishable," according to reports.
That's a fairly staggering admission for a company that has been beset with complaints about its network service for years. AT&T this year lost its exclusive rights to Apple's iPhone, with Verizon now added to the mix and having won a fan in D9 co-host Kara Swisher, who told de la Vega she'd recently switched to Verizon and picked up a white iPhone.
De la Vega did point out that AT&T Mobility had record iPhone sales and net customer acquisitions in the first quarter of this year, even with Verizon now selling iPhones. Read More
