New here, but trying. I searched for threads on my subject, but gave up after about 20 min, way too much to sort through. Possibly someone can take the time to fill my unknowns, or at least point the way to where already covered.

I'm currently using an old dumb Samsung x427m. Continues to work fine as a phone (nothing to compare to, but can talk and hear OK), and since never had mobile internet nor need it (long retired from business, etc), I don't miss it. Like I'm sure everyone else here, however, I'm fully sold on tech, so finally am ready and rarin' to jump into the icing on the mobile phone cake.

Continuing a long history of sticking with established brands and buying way more capability than I'll probably ever use, I'm leaning toward either the iPhone or Droid Eris (upcoming 2.1) virtual-keyboard designs, much depending on whether I stick with ATT or switch to Verizon, and which other carriers possibly end-up with iPhone receivers. Geographically, I live in Chicago, travel some to St. Louis and Florida, but that's about the extent of my moving around, typically all urban, little in the way of small towns or wide-open spaces.

I'm basically aware of ATT's iPhone joy/headache regarding bandwidth, and get the difference between 3g vs. Edge vs. whatever in terms of coverage and speed/reliability. My question here is narrower: is it the receiver wiring/coding or carrier system that determines the ability to perform simultaneous phone/internet? I've had explained to me that WiFi makes simultaneous phone/internet possible with many receivers, regardless of carrier, so long as the receiver is wired to receive WiFi and is used in a WiFi area. Aside from WiFi, though, my understanding is that, as between ATT and Verizon, only ATT phones (or maybe only ATT iPhones, not clear on that) perform simultaneous phone/internet. To me, this seems an important distinction, and as of now, a major factor in the direction I head.

An ATT tech told me, in intentionally simplified terms, that ATT's simultaneous capability derives from a different/stronger type of signal vs. Verizon's signal, and I think he said (don't recall exactly) that the iPhone currently is the only virtual keyboard ATT receiver designed to handle it (this latter assertion's not really critical, if I go ATT, it'll undoubtedly be the iPhone). A Verizon rep, not a tech, told me ATT's advantage in this respect derives from what way-back-when was a relatively inconsequential refinement in the ATT system design that became very consequential as mobile internet proliferated. My guess is that neither version of explanation is adequate, and I'd certainly appreciate whatever input responders here might offer. Bottom line of this thread, however, is the narrower question: is it the receiver wiring/coding or carrier system that determines the ability to perform simultaneous phone/internet? And I suppose an obvious follow-on question: looking forward a typical 2-year contract period, what hardware/carrier combinations seem best to deliver my preferences for iPhone/Eris type interface, virtual-keyboard design, and reliable/fast simultaneous phone/internet? I'm in no great hurry, BTW. If, as apparently is typical, an iPhone upgrade will be introduced this summer, along with other brand receiver upgrades, I certainly can wait till then.

Many thanks in advance for taking the time.