Making the Switch to VZW

[cdubya1]

My contract with Sprint is coming to an end soon. I was with At&T prior to my 2 year stent with Sprint. at&t had dropped call issues in my area which caused me to move to Sprint. Sprint has painfully slow data in my area. Research reveals the best/fastest network in my area is VZW.

My current phone is rooted and I love that!

Rumors I heard -
VZW is very slow to get android updates
VZW removes some functions from phones
VZW has a locked boot loader

I am not looking for custom roms, just to stay up to date with Google software updates (without buying the Nexus line) My current Motorola was supposed to get ICS, but Motorola in all their brilliance decided not to update a phone they claimed would be updated, and instead offered a $100 upgrade stipend. Whaaaat stuck on Android 2.3 for the past 2 years??? -- Good by Motorola!! (rant complete)

I would like to run LBE privacy guard (or other comperable app), and wifi tether

Any reason to avoid VZW?

Thanks

 

[Golfdriver97]

My contract with Sprint is coming to an end soon. I was with At&T prior to my 2 year stent with Sprint. at&t had dropped call issues in my area which caused me to move to Sprint. Sprint has painfully slow data in my area. Research reveals the best/fastest network in my area is VZW.

My current phone is rooted and I love that!

Rumors I heard -
VZW is very slow to get android updates
VZW removes some functions from phones
VZW has a locked boot loader

I am not looking for custom roms, just to stay up to date with Google software updates (without buying the Nexus line) My current Motorola was supposed to get ICS, but Motorola in all their brilliance decided not to update a phone they claimed would be updated, and instead offered a $100 upgrade stipend. Whaaaat stuck on Android 2.3 for the past 2 years??? -- Good by Motorola!! (rant complete)

I would like to run LBE privacy guard (or other comperable app), and wifi tether

Any reason to avoid VZW?

Thanks

I think it would all depend on which phone you may want, and what features you are talking about. Say for Samsung phones, there are toggles for wifi, bluetooth, etc, in the pull down menu. I have heard Verizon removes them. I use mine all the time, so for me, that is deal breaker if it's true.

I have also heard that Verizon is slow to update, due to several factors, like how much bloatware they have, and how much modifying that they have to do to the stock ROM.

Every manufacturer locks the bootloader. Verizon encrypts it as well. But as you said, you have no desire to root or flash ROMs so this isn't really a big deal.

The only thing I can say is make sure you know roughly how much data you will be using and sign up for an appropriate plan.