Apple Denies Rumors of Plans to Launch MVNO Carrier Services

[MH01]

Stick to hardware and software, and get that right before branching out. I've never experienced such buggy software from Apple, they do not have time to fix it before working on the next version of ios /osx

 

[MH01]

Breaking news: Apple denies rumors about what it plans to do in the future.

Really? Just because they denied it does not mean it's not happening.

So very true. Given they never admit to anything officially..

 

[Bob Coxner]

The only thing I see that Apple or anyone else could do here is to create an MVNO that switches between carriers. All others are still on a single network today. If someone could switch between them as they find stronger towers, that would be awesome. First you get better service. Second you get better coverage. Third you get better battery life. Hopefully someone does this at some point -- I could see myself jumping onto a service like that.

There is an MVNO that switches between carriers and also allows handoffs between WiFi calls and wireless. It's Project Fi by Google. Depending on signal quality your call will switch between TMobile and Sprint towers and/or local WiFi. http://www.fool.com/investing/gener...-you-need-to-know-about-googles-fi-wirel.aspx

How Fi is pricedGoogle has come up with a somewhat unique price structure for Fi that refunds customers for data that they do not use. Aside from that wrinkle -- which is essentially a variation on T-Mobile allowing its customers to carry over unused data -- Google's plan is in line with other low-cost carriers.

Google charges $20 a month for talk, text, Wi-Fi tethering, and international coverage in 120-plus countries. On top of that it charges a flat $10 per GB for cellular data while in the U.S. and abroad.

"Since it's hard to predict your data usage, you'll get credit for the full value of your unused data," the company wrote. "Let's say you go with 3GB for $30 and only use 1.4GB one month. You'll get $16 back, so you only pay for what you use."

I would sign up for Fi in a second if it supported iPhones.

 

[MH01]

What I think is interesting is they specifically came to deny this rumor, but didn't deny the BMW talks, the upcoming Apple TV leaks, or even the iMac 8K slipup.

Interesting...

They do not wish to upset the current providers until it's time to announce their offering

 

[ggibson913]

I would agree that they are likely quelling those rumors for fear of damaging their relationships with the existing carriers.

​

 

[gkarris]

I believe this makes perfect sense.

Sort of the Cricket for "the discerning Apple User"....

$99/month (maybe $30/month per extra line) unlimited everything including AppleCare and Apple Music, paying up-front for the phone or paying over a 1-2 year timeframe.

This won't compete with us poor-folk on T-Mobile's $50/month plane or AT&T/Verizon loyal customers with their plan/packages.

This would only be for Apple Users willing to pay extra for Apple Customer Service as well as bragging rights.

 

[2457282]

There is an MVNO that switches between carriers and also allows handoffs between WiFi calls and wireless. It's Project Fi by Google. Depending on signal quality your call will switch between TMobile and Sprint towers and/or local WiFi. http://www.fool.com/investing/gener...-you-need-to-know-about-googles-fi-wirel.aspx

How Fi is pricedGoogle has come up with a somewhat unique price structure for Fi that refunds customers for data that they do not use. Aside from that wrinkle -- which is essentially a variation on T-Mobile allowing its customers to carry over unused data -- Google's plan is in line with other low-cost carriers.

Google charges $20 a month for talk, text, Wi-Fi tethering, and international coverage in 120-plus countries. On top of that it charges a flat $10 per GB for cellular data while in the U.S. and abroad.

"Since it's hard to predict your data usage, you'll get credit for the full value of your unused data," the company wrote. "Let's say you go with 3GB for $30 and only use 1.4GB one month. You'll get $16 back, so you only pay for what you use."

I would sign up for Fi in a second if it supported iPhones.

You should have started with it does not support iphones. And then you have mentioned that they listen in and based on what you are talking about, they will send you targeted ads.

 

[Saucesome2000]

Stick to hardware and software, and get that right before branching out. I've never experienced such buggy software from Apple, they do not have time to fix it before working on the next version of ios /osx

I know, right? Until every company achieves Jesus level perfection, no company should ever try new things.

 

[MH01]

I know, right? Until every company achieves Jesus level perfection, no company should ever try new things.

Remember the Slogan "it just works"?

I'm happy to get back to that, or would you prefer apple to be the next sony/Samsung pump out chap in huge volumes while the quality goes down....

 

[Robin4]

Well, if you are listening Apple, would you mind telling us if you'll be offering TV deals soon? ATT is starting to offer good deals now, I much rather give my money to you. So, please pretty please, can you give me a sign? I'll wait for a few more months if you say yes.

 

[Waxhead138]

Many MVNO's have unlimited plans - Cricket, Straight Talk, etc. That's their biggest selling feature.

Agreed. I should have explained it further. I don't think the biggest two would allow Apple to negotiate that same ability, with the assumption in mind of how much sway Apple holds with it's customers....aka mass defections and network stress as a result (the same network stress, but no billing control) Plus, I'm pretty sure Cricket at least throttles you pretty badly after something like 3gb, but admittedly I haven't checked into the details with most MVNOs.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Too bad. I want to give all my money to Apple

So do a lot of people here.

 

[AppleScruff1]

carriers have already replaced subsidizing with financing.

You can still get a subsidized phone from Verizon and AT&T in the U.S.

 

[flaw600]

What I think is interesting is they specifically came to deny this rumor, but didn't deny the BMW talks, the upcoming Apple TV leaks, or even the iMac 8K slipup.

Interesting...

Because those may be true, but they don't affect Apple. However big Apple is, they still need carrier support and carriers would balk if Apple decided to launch its own service.

 

[furi0usbee]

How about that for marketing... get one year FREE service, up to 1000 minutes talk and 5GB monthly data when you buy a new iPhone. For people who upgrade annually, you can have perpetual free phone service. At the very lest, if you upgrade every two years, get a free year every other year.

 

[chiefsilverback]

You can still get a subsidized phone from Verizon and AT&T in the U.S.

You can't. The phone isn't subsidised, your plan will be ~$25 more per month than the equivalent plan where you bring your own handset, or the new Next/Edge/Jump plans where you then pay a separate $25/month repayment on a 2 year 0% APR loan for your phone.

Please do not be under any illusions that ATT or Verizon are somehow picking up any of the cost of the phone! As I said in an earlier post on the old style plans, if you weren't right on the mark in upgrading your phone as soon as it's repaid you were actually giving the carrier money, because they weren't reducing your monthly charge!!!

 

[willisbr]

That's what I would say if I had discussed or planned to launch an MVNO.

 

[AppleScruff1]

You can't. The phone isn't subsidised, your plan will be ~$25 more per month than the equivalent plan where you bring your own handset, or the new Next/Edge/Jump plans where you then pay a separate $25/month repayment on a 2 year 0% APR loan for your phone.

Please do not be under any illusions that ATT or Verizon are somehow picking up any of the cost of the phone! As I said in an earlier post on the old style plans, if you weren't right on the mark in upgrading your phone as soon as it's repaid you were actually giving the carrier money, because they weren't reducing your monthly charge!!!

Do the math. For 2-4 GB of data it is cheaper to take the subsidized phone.

 

[31 Flavas]

I would sign up for Fi in a second if it supported iPhones.

Just remember, like any MVNO, your service is de-prioritized compared to the cell carriers retail brand customers. Which isn't a problem as long as there is plenty capacity. If the tower you are connected to is congested though, then you are second in priority.

 

[Oberhorst]

When someone says "bigger pro iPad!" and Apple says "we have no plans" and then they change their mind later, that's fine.

That’s exactly what they said this time as well.

But if Apple says they're not entering an entirely new line of business and then they do, that would be securities fraud and someone would definitely be going to jail.

Maybe, but that’s not what they said.

Conclusion: It doesn’t mean jack ****. It can still be happening.

 

[69650]

I can tell from reading this post that most people don't understand what an MVNO is. They aren't leasing towers, they are leasing network capacity. So basically they use the network, but by buying it in bulk they can pass on savings to the customers. It would actually be a pretty smart thing to do but obviously the carriers still wouldn't love the idea. Someone as large as Apple doing an MVNO would be pretty disruptive to their service for their own customers considering the percentage of people on the network using iPhones. For example, in Canada (and possibly the US) 7-11 operates an MVNO called speak out. Up here they use the Rogers network, the network is awesome and up until a couple years ago their pricing was great. $10 a month for unlimited 3G data on a pay as you go plan. And this was at a time where LTE didn't really exist widespread so the plan was awesome. Unfortunately Rogers wasn't obligated to do that and they ended up having to change their plans when Rogers upped the MVNO fees, but from what I have heard in the states MVNOs have some sort of governement protection that they don't have in Canada to price gouging

In the UK there are several MVNO's. Most of the food supermarkets like Tesco and Asda have one. An Apple MVNO would be a smart move. It would allow them to create and sell a tailored solution ideal for iPhone users.

 

[mazz0]

They read my comment on the first rumour thread about how they're crap at services, and it changed their mind.

 

[tdar]

Conclusion: It doesn’t mean jack ****. It can still happening.

Agree. It can still happen, and likely will. By the way, what if it's not a MVNO. What if it's something completely new. Is Fi truly a MVNO? I say it is not. Maybe they have an even better idea.

 

[tdar]

Google is in the wireless provider business because it benefits them. They get to collect information about every single website, text message, email, and interaction that person sends and sell it to advertisers. Their use for that data is why it makes sense for them. Why does it make sense for Apple, who doesn't currently care about any of that as they don't make money in that way.

Every company is in their business because it benefits them. In this case Google is in this business (wireless) for the same reasons that they are doing Google Fiber. Google wants more people to be users of the internet. And big users. We connected people sometimes forget that a LOT of people do not use the internet at all. Some only use it limitedly. Part of the reason for that is cost. Part of the reason is poor service from providers. Some net app developers are prevented from doing the app they want due to providers that will not provide the speed that they need their users to have. Providers are greedy and won't invest due to finance pressure. Google Fiber is designed to change that. Fi is the same in wireless. It's not cellular as we know it now. It's a new hybrid of cellular and fixed connections, with the fixed delivered to the device by Wi-Fi.

One note there that I don't see people taking into account. Our use of data on mobile devices seems to be unlimited, the spectrum we have to use it in is mostly fixed. Something has to change. I'd argue that Fi is about that change. Along with improvements in price and access.

 

[macnewbie91]

Of course Apple will deny any rumors asked about by the media. Apple's executives aren't going to go, "oh damn, you already know about that?"