AT&T CEO's "Only Regret" is Offering Unlimited Data Packages

[MacRumors]

Speaking at a conference this week, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson noted that he only had one regret about AT&T being the first cellular carrier to support the iPhone. As reported by the New York Times:

"My only regret was how we introduced pricing in the beginning, because how did we introduce pricing? Thirty dollars and you get all you can eat," he said in the on-stage interview at the Milken Institute's Global Conference on Wednesday. "And it's a variable cost model. Every additional megabyte you use in this network, I have to invest capital."

Since then, AT&T has discontinued offering unlimited data plans to new customers, as well as throttling users who have been grandfathered in from older plans.

Stephenson is also concerned about services like Apple's iMessage texting service and Skype affecting AT&T's existing business models.

"You lie awake at night worrying about what is that which will disrupt your business model," he said. "Apple iMessage is a classic example. If you're using iMessage, you're not using one of our messaging services, right? That's disruptive to our messaging revenue stream."

All those concerns aside, AT&T has been extraordinarily successful attracting and keeping profitable iPhone users. In the last quarter, AT&T made $3.58 billion in profit on $29 billion in sales. The iPhone accounted for 60% of the carrier's total phone sales to postpaid customers in that quarter.

Article Link: AT&T CEO's "Only Regret" is Offering Unlimited Data Packages

[unlimitedx]

greedy

[doobybiggs]

greedy bastard is all I heard in there ....

[racer1441]

Dear Apple,

Please just buy one of these jokers, sale the iphone on your own carrier and push the current cell communications model into extinction.

Thanks.

[Dragonforce]

Well, he's right.
Would you think different if it was your company?

[raymondthimmes]

Mr. Stephenson,

All I can say is you have confirmed my switch to Sprint when my contract is up in July. Hell, I might switch right now and just not pay the bill you send me for $375.

**** you, sir.

[segfaultdotorg]

What a pompous ass. I will pee on their stock certificates if they ever go bankrupt.

[Frankied22]

Aww poor baby. Go step down and collect your millions.

Your only regret should be GETTING RID of the unlimited data.

[tjanuranus]

If i didn't have three phones i would need to replace... i would leave ATT in a heart beat after reading this. This reducing your speed bs has really pissed me off lately too.

[leroypants]

What a complete and utter douchebag.

[AxeluteZero]

After living with the crappy smart phone world I'm in now, yes, I would change things.

Texting is the most ludicrous charge on a smartphone bill. Costs nothing to text from phone to phone.

Hurrah iMessage!

[swordfish5736]

i wouldn't doubt if AT&T wanted to figure out a way to double charge customers for using iMessages over 3g

[lostngone]

At least he is honest about it...

[JohnDoe98]

Apple has FaceTime for video, iMessage for text. They need to Add Talktime making it free between iOS and OS X users. How's that's gonna cut into your revenue stream AT&T?

[bwlucas]

If you're using iMessage, you're not using one of our messaging services, right?

Right, because it's data in the first place. It should already be FREE.

[SkydiveGuy]

Sorry.... but I remember a day in the mid 90s when we paid for capped dial-up data and as competition grew (along with broadband), they did away with "limited" data plans and went with an unlimited model.

This too shall pass.

[Tones2]

Love you fanboy guys. Apple making huge profit margin = GREAT. ATT&T making small profit margin = EVIL.

[jayhawk11]

Every time this ass hat opens his mouth, I'm reminded of this all-time classic post: A not-so-brief chat with Randall Stephenson of AT&T

[doobybiggs]

lol the balls of this guy ... he ***** on his customer base and people just take it. I would riot, but this is why I am with sprint

[Hakone]

We regret it too, ATT. It should've been only $20 for unlimited data.

C'mon Verizon, TMo, etc., introduce a rollover data plan!

[supmango]

If they hadn't offered unlimited data, there would still be limited adoption of smart phones. It jump started widespread adoption.

[lostngone]

Originally Posted by Tones2

Love you fanboy guys. Apple making huge profit margin = GREAT. ATT&T making small profit margin = EVIL.

Define "small profit margin"

[q64ceo]

One would think that his biggest regret should be not foreseeing the increasing of demand that should have facilitated an upgrade with their network

[Qfic]

What a prick.

[Saikkou]

I have AT&T and have never had a problem, I've even pleasant experience with customer service, but things like this just make me want to leave them. I understand a business needs to make money, but as new technologies emerge people are not going to pay to use the old ones. A company has to be fluid and innovate if they want to keep making money, not harping on progression.