“We really have no idea what’s next from Apple; we just know that it’ll be something to unleash one’s creative side according to a tagline in the invite. According to an inside source close to the going-ons involved in all of this, a new tablet of some sort may not be the only thing on deck for next Wednesday though,” Oliver reports. “We have been led to believe by an inside source that AT&T will lose their iPhone exclusivity on the same day, though it’s not yet clear what other carrier (or carriers) will be stepping in to also carry the phone.”
“This may not be all that surprising. Inside of AT&T, we are hearing that the iPhone is causing more trouble than ever before,” Oliver reports. “On some level, having the iPhone is hurting AT&T’s image. Because they are the only company to carry it, and it’s such a data hog, it’s largely to blame for AT&T’s network troubles.”
Oliver reports, “It’s hard to say what’ll happen if a carrier like Verizon gets the iPhone. Will existing iPhone users on AT&T run in droves to switch, regardless of the early termination fee? Will existing AT&T iPhone users stick with their plan? Maybe Apple will simply see a new influx of iPhone users, as customers who were always wary of AT&T finally make the jump now that the phone is a on a network with better perceived quality? We still have to take all of this as rumor for now, but we have very good reason to believe that we’ll see AT&T quietly (or perhaps not so quietly) lose its grip on the iPhone come Wednesday.”
Read more in the full article here.
I was an early adopter and canceled after my 2 yr deal. If they come out with a new iphone on a different carrier, my family will be getting iphones, hopefully with some family plan deal
I’ve never had any issues with ATnT in Orange County California.
However, having the iPhone on more than one US network can only be seen as a good thing.
Another anonymous tip. Yay. The “trouble” Apple’s devices are causing ATT is trouble other telcos would die to have, so suggesting that ATT is shrugging and saying “maybe it’s for the best” is just LO f’ing L.
As is the pattern in other markets in Europe and Canada, the addition of other carriers has only added to the number of iPHones sold not sucked subscribers away from the original carriers. In Canada for example, iPhone subscribers are stuck in a three year contract which is too expensive to leave. Adding four other carriers to Rogers has not stolen many subscribers from Rogers but increased the number of iPhones in use. Partly this is because there is little difference in the cost of plans and contracts. Partly it is because Rogers has not had any network problems. In fact, my phone service has improved immensely since I dropped my RAZR for an iPhone.
…… “and [the iPhone] is such a data hog, it’s largely to blame for AT&T;’s network troubles”.
The iPhone itself is not a data hog. It’s the people who use them that are data hoggers.
However, the iPhone has both enabled and stimulated this market to a huge extent, an extent that no other smart phone previously (or subsequently) has come even close to achieving.
You want answers?
I want the iPhone!
You can’t handle the iPhone!
I hate to tell AT&T;, but the iPhone isn’t giving you the bad image, it’s your network. You can’t blame your troubles on the iPhone
Having the iPhone on say Verizon in addition to ATT will help ATT with their image. Some will buy new phones and switch to Verizon but many of us will stay put.
Geez, I hope so.
I seldom have trouble with ATT
but I am tired of the griping.
My girlfriend has had more problems with her service since Alltel went Verizon.
Let’s see how they handle real bandwidth use.
Not an iPhone user yet, but if I can bundle an iPhone plan with my FiOS, count me in.
Whats going to happen when everyone has an iPhone? All carriers will be overloaded because they aren’t spending enough till they see the writing on the wall.
They want to keep all the money they steal by squeezing their customers into paying both ways for calls ( incoming and outgoing – only in the USA).
Maybe then they’ll just recommend that Apple just stop making iPhones and all other devices that tax their limited networks…?
Phones don’t hog bandwidth, people hog bandwidth.
Interesting the writer totally ignores the inability of people to take the ATT-compatible iPhone directly over to Verison and start using it. Perhaps he thinks the iPhone is one of those disposable devices that you discard as soon as there’s a new one with a different colored case or sliding keyboard.
AT&T;loves the iPhone. Well.. mostly. Actually AT&T;just wants to shut down its expensive operations, fire all the staff and just have you send in your monthly checks. Period. No service, just money.
LOL
Actually, the iPhone brings something no other phone brings…. NEW CUSTOMERS. AT&Ts;exclusivity brings it NEW paying customers. All the other phones only help…. keep customers.
That is the difference.
Just a thought.
en
@Jack Nicholson (loved your post, but it needed a smidge of modification)
AT&T;: You want answers?
Verizon: I think I’m ENTITLED!
AT&T;: You want answers?
Verizon: I want the iPhone!
AT&T;: You can’t handle the iPhone!
Users jumping from AT&T;to Verizon can only be good for AAPL.
Consider that the switchers AT&T;GSM iPhone is not compatible on Verizon’s CDMA network. Think of all those “new” iPhone sales. So from an AAPL perspective, do we really care?
BTW, AT&T;network works fine for me too. Although I agree as has been speculated that the iPhone on anyone’s network will cause it problems “somewhere”. So ALL the VZ people who think the entire VZ network is so good may find that where they live, it has the same troubles as AT&T;.
The Phone Company
Ernestine…..Lily Tomlin
Technician in background…..Al Franken
Ernestine: A gracious hello. Here at the Phone Company, we handle eighty-four billion calls a year. Serving everyone from presidents and kings to the scum of the earth. So, we realize that, every so often, you can’t get an operator, or for no apparent reason your phone goes out of order, or perhaps you get charged for a call you didn’t make. We don’t care!
Watch this… [ she hits buttons maniacally ] We just lost Peoria.
You see, this phone system consists of a multibillion-dollar matrix of space age technology that is so sophisticated — [ she hits buttons with her elbows ] even we can’t handle it. But that’s your problem, isn’t it? So, the next time you complain about your phone service, why don’t you try using two Dixie cups with a string? We don’t care. We don’t have to. We’re the Phone Company.
I believe that Apple’s server farm must be up and running when the iSlate is shipping. This tablet will aggressively be tethered to Apple’s server farm cloud in NC.
You all remember the BILLION DOLLAR SERVER FARM that Apple started about a year ago? How about also using those Mac mini servers or the AppleTV for local media and storage. The MacBook Air demonstrated how a Mac w/o hard drive or CD can reach out and use local / networked drives.
People have not seen anything like the data volume that will flow from the iSlate and the NEW Apple server farm!
Got to love those yearly contracts that are coming!
“Data Hog”
To be honest, this term kinda pisses me off. Why are we iPhone users being demonized for *GASP* using the broadband advertised and sold.
I PAY for UNLIMITED data, and quite frankly that is what I expect.
How am I the CAUSE of their troubles? Seems to me a convenient ruse on their part to A. Justify making me pay more without getting more, & B. A not-so-clever attempt to deflect blame for their inadequate, oversold network.
…’Interesting the writer totally ignores the inability of people to take the ATT-compatible iPhone directly over to Verison and start using it.”
This isn’t really all that relevant. If you had an iPhone on AT&T, and somehow Verizon now also has it and you want to switch, all you have to do is port your number and get that $200 (presumably) CDMA iPhone from Verizon. When the switch is done, put your old AT&T iPhone on eBay and collect at least $300 for it.
Is it possible that ordinary people are too stupid to figure out that they CAN sell their old, no longer necessary iPhone? (and same goes even if they stay on AT&T and just want the newest iPhone)
Hmmmm,
It seems to me that I’ve seen a lot of “anal” ists roasted on this board for just the kind of commentary and speculation I see here, this morning.
Perhaps all this hot air is a hidden cause for global warning. . . . I thought that had AT&T;have a bit more time of exclusivity.
Hope this is true.
Whats going to happen when everyone has an iPhone? All carriers will be overloaded because they aren’t spending enough till they see the writing on the wall.
Yep. They will be forced to upgrade their networks. We all benefit from that.
It’s about time!
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I was a happy Verizon customer. When Apple introduced the first iPhone, I didn’t want to jump right away, so I waited until the next morning. At first AT&T;service was atrocious, but eventually they upgraded their network here and everything is now fine. The global dimension of GSM is very compelling, and I do not plan to switch back to Verizon. I don’t think any of the carriers imagined how much data demand the device would create, until they used one anyway. Users should be demonized, nor AT&T;either. Best for everyone to spread the iPhone users across all networks. AT&T;’s service in problem areas will get better, as Verizon et al carry more of the demand load. The iPhone is in its infancy and all networks will have to build out because this phone is a personal necessity going forward.
m159, Let me get this right: Users should be demonized because the carriers did not imagine (PLAN FOR) the data demand the devices would use?
NONSENSE.
I was sold a phone with groundbreaking features, many of those features have never been done on a phone and require broadband level bandwidth. I was sold a phone with an UNLIMITED data plan.
I use the phone, these features, and my bandwidth. And I should be demonized, it’s my fault?
You simply cannot make a reasonable argument that users are to be blamed for using the very products and features AT&T;was all too willing to sell us. It is clear that THEY miscalculated and oversold before they were ready to handle it. PERIOD. not my fault either..