“Verizon Wireless has even made upgrades that would make its network more capable of handling extra traffic that would be generated by the iPhone, Verizon Wireless Chief Technology Officer Anthony Melone says in an interview,” Ante reports.
MacDailyNews Take: Oh, yeah? Did you replace your outlier CDMA with GSM, so at least we can talk and surf the Web at the same time like we can on AT&T?
Ante continues, “‘We have put things in place already,’ Melone tells Bloomberg BusinessWeek. ‘We are prepared to support that traffic.’ …Melone says his company’s equipment would do a better job catering to the heavy data demands of iPhone customers. ‘Absolutely, I think we could handle it,’ he says.”
“Melone didn’t address the prospect of landing a deal to carry the iPhone, though Verizon Wireless officials have in the past said they occasionally discuss partnerships with Apple executives,” Ante reports. “Earlier this year, the companies were considering releasing iPhone-like devices that would run on the Verizon Wireless network, people familiar with the matter said.”
Ante reports, “In fairness, the iPhone does seem to be imposing exceptional demands on AT&T. In the two years since the iPhone’s debut, data traffic on AT&T’s network has soared 5,000%. By contrast, Melone says Verizon’s traffic has also been growing rapidly but at a slower pace. When asked to specify the growth rate, Melone said that over the last three years Verizon’s traffic has grown as high as 1,000% year over year. But he declined to provide more details. Even so, Melone says the company is ready for the deluge should Verizon Wireless land a deal with Apple for the iPhone. ‘We will handle it if we ever get it,’ says Melone.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: It’s all very easy for Verizon to say before the fact and knowing that they’ll never have to face the full brunt of iPhone’s U.S. traffic demands as has AT&T Mobility.
I am VERY SURPRISED that AT&T;are still the only carrier in the USA for the iPhone?
I mean, in Canada, we have 3 carriers and a 4th in the new year for the iPhone!
WE’RE TALKING CANADA!!!! WE’RE USUALLY BEHIND WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNOLOGY AND CARRIER COMPETITION!
Bizlaw:
Ever heard of “Clear” (Clearwire – CLWR)? Wireless WiMax connectivity that blankets metro and surrounding areas with 5 to 7 times the speed of cable or DSL. Instead of a few hundred feet like WiFi, its range is 30 miles. It’s the future. Copper wire and even FIOS is dead. It’ll just take a while for the corpses to rot.
@ Zeke
They use pre-WiMax. No difference in pricing. Lots of issues.
“In April, 2009, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Clearwire. The complaint alleges that the company’s advertisements are deceptive in their promises of fast, reliable internet access, and of internet-based telephone service that’s superior to conventional land-line service. More specifically, it alleges that consumers of the firm’s internet access service frequently experience speeds that are as slow as those available with a dial-up modem, and that both internet access and internet telephone service are often entirely unavailable. The lawsuit also claims that when consumers try to cancel their contracts for these or any other reasons, the company charges a pro-rata early termination fee of up to $220, and that this fee cannot be lawfully imposed or collected.”
@ 5andman
Well in Canada, the major carriers built networks that were 3G or could easily be updated. Not in the US.
All carriers raised funding gambling that their networks would be superior to another. Accept for a couple, most major carriers defied the world standard, i.e., GSM, and went their own way.
Their decision and those that bought into it now have to accept the fact that they have some advantages on the one hand, but disadvantages on the other. Of course, admitting it would drive down their client base, but more important investor interest.
Understanding that committing oneself to one system helps to lock in customers. Something that investors wanted to hear, particularly in the beginning.
Creating a single standard would be ideal. However, it can also stifle innovation. Something that investors can love or hate, depending what said you hedged your bet on.
Similarities abound in railway systems. There are good reasons why there are different rail gauges. And some very bad ones as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_gauge
I have to carry my Verizon Palm Treo for the many places ATT has no coverage for my iPhone. Bought a second Treo as a standby because, unfortunately, I need it so badly. It had old firmware. Went to Verizon this week for update. “We don’t do system updates for smart phones.” Two carriers, two phones, haphazard service, customer and otherwise, everywhere. I am sick of it.
is there marketing team preparing more ads that exploit my childhood christmas memories?
Verizon is so gay. And now they’re hypocrites.
“LOL….. groves of people would leave AT&T;for Verizon. But, it will not happen. Verizon would have to give up too much control and that would be unacceptable.”
LMFAO
Droves, not Groves. A Grove is a forested area. A drove is a mass of people.
Fuckin brilliant
And how do you think Verizon’s going to handle …. a 500% increase in traffic… oh yeah, dropouts and low speeds.
See what i did there?
As I have said before, I have ZERO bars from At&T;- and I can get a Verizon signal on the fillings in my teeth. I want an iPhone from Verizon – now, please. AT&T;has a plan – to sell me a minicell for $150 so that my ISP carrier can provide a signal – good for about 20 feet in any direction. That is their plan – rather than to build some new towers.
Please, please, make an iPhone that works on the Verizon system — please.
FUCK verizon, they will have us paying way to much with no rollover and a slow 3G network, and we can’t even talk and surf the web. That’s like buying a Bentley with a go kart engine.
@dick
AT&T;is building new towers. One just went up near my parents house. So I guess building new towers is part of their plan after all.