Verizon CEO: We don’t need no stinkin’ iPhones

“With the Apple iPhone launch less than two weeks away, Verizon sees its services and not a new iPhone-killing handset as the way to compete against rival AT&T, said CEO Ivan Seidenberg,” Marguerite Reardon reports for CNET News.

“When asked if he thinks the company will take a hit from subscribers ditching Verizon Wireless’ service for AT&T’s he said he believes that Verizon is in a very good position. Verizon Wireless has long enjoyed strong customer loyalty with one of the lowest churn rates of any major wireless operator in the country,” Reardon reports.

MacDailyNews Take: You’ve got about 9 days left of enjoyment, Mr. Seidenberg.

Reardon continues, “‘The iPhone will add excitement and stimulation to the market,’ he said. ‘If we have done our job, then we will be a beneficiary. I hope it does reasonably well.’ But a ban imposed earlier this month by the International Trade Commission on handsets that contain some 3G, or third-generation, Qualcomm technology could throw a monkey wrench into Seidenberg’s plan, if the issue isn’t resolved.”

Full article here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Adam W.” for the heads up.]

181 Comments

  1. When you talk about customer satisfaction with wireless carriers, it’s not about who you like best, It’s about who sucks less. I don’t know a single person who loves their wireless company.
    They all make you sign a contract, then treat you like sh*t because they know it will cost you dearly to leave. Nobody who wants an iPhone will stick with their current carrier out of loyalty.

  2. My current plan (4 phones – $130 a month) with Verizon ends in December.

    I’ve resisted several offers of free phones, extra minutes, etc the past 2 months. Each offer included a new 2-year extension.

    My Verizon plan is up midway through December.
    Do you hear me, now?

    The sad thing for Verizon is — they passed on the iPhone —
    They didn’t want it.

  3. ChrissyOne: “Would you like to explain how 50 million people could afford a RAZR?”

    Certainly. It’s a nice looking phone that costs nothing when you get it with a plan.

    50 million people did not buy a RAZR at $499. 50 million people will not buy an iPhone at $499.

  4. “Oh, didn’t you hear? Tommy thought he was being clever by posting a link to my MySpace. Took some heavy detective work, considering it’s the very first Google hit …”

    If you’re that slim blonde girl you’re very pretty, but, OMG, the site’s not. The design made me ill, and it autoplays some really weird music, like you’re a serial killer or something. Plus it killed Safari. I was just applying the 10.4.10 update to my Mac, so I looked at it on a Windows box in Safari for Windows. It froze it and I had to force-quit.

  5. I have Verizon now – quite happy with it. Will buy an iPhone and convert to ATT. Will just let old contract expire. Not even gonna try to get out of it. So in that regard, Verizon will do quite well by me. They get their monthly and don’t even have to provide me service.
    I do wish they had been the one to partner with apple. Still, I’m switching.

  6. I’m not leaving Sprint for several reasons.

    1) A phone isn’t that important to me.
    2) I carry my laptop with me all the time.
    3) I’ve got EVDO access for my laptop which blows away EDGE networking.

  7. “s: Achilles is right. ATT’s coverage in rural area are poor. If I drive down south or west one hour from where I live, Verizon is the only reliable carrier.”

    as a cingular customer for 12 plus, i encountered endless no coverage areas in the southeast. the final straw was having to look for a phone booth (very difficult these days) in the mall, while watching verizon cell phones being used.

    i really like the iPhone but not if the carrier is unreliable.

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