AT&T and Apple: The Marriage is Over

[aristobrat]

3 years too late if you ask me. Look at their profits vs their investment in the network the first 3 years of the iPhone.

Looks like they've consistently been dumping money into capital expenditures over the last three years?

2007 capex: $17B, net income: $12B
2008 capex: $20B, net income: $13B
2009 capex: $17B, net income: $13B
2010 capex: $18B, net income: TBD

http://www.att.com/Common/about_us/annual_report/pdfs/ATT2009_Financials.pdf

 

[AHDuke99]

I'm really, really getting tired of people complaining about AT&T now. Yes, they have problems. Yes, they are not prefect, but this has got to stop. They raise their ETF to the same levels as other carriers and people cry bloody murder even though Verizon has done it for years and no one said a thing. Now this.

This affects 2% of users. I don't feel sorry for those who can no longer use the 3G network as their home internet service. That wasn't what it was intended for. I, like most people, will now be saving $5 a month on my bill, and I'm happy about it.

I could go into perspective - how AT&T has spent the most money on their network; how truly awful an iPhone is for a carrier to service, etc, but I won't waste my time.

 

[aristobrat]

And I guarantee Verizon will handle it just fine. They've handled the big data users for much longer than AT&T has.

What big data users are you talking about?!

 

[ucfgrad93]

Verizon is going to get the phone, no doubt in my mind, and I am going to wait.

Well, have fun with that.

 

[Geckotek]

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3 years too late if you ask me. Look at their profits vs their investment in the network the first 3 years of the iPhone.

Looks like they've consistently been dumping money into capital expenditures over the last three years?

2007 capex: $17B, net income: $12B
2008 capex: $20B, net income: $13B
2009 capex: $17B, net income: $13B
2010 capex: $18B, net income: TBD

http://www.att.com/Common/about_us/annual_report/pdfs/ATT2009_Financials.pdf

Hmmm. Guess I'm wrong. Or not. Capex doesn't mean it went into the network. Either way, they took too long to improve, hence the public backlash.

But perhaps their recent efforts will appease the masses. We'll see.

 

[Geckotek]

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I'm really, really getting tired of people complaining about AT&T now. Yes, they have problems. Yes, they are not prefect, but this has got to stop. They raise their ETF to the same levels as other carriers and people cry bloody murder even though Verizon has done it for years and no one said a thing. Now this.

This affects 2% of users. I don't feel sorry for those who can no longer use the 3G network as their home internet service. That wasn't what it was intended for. I, like most people, will now be saving $5 a month on my bill, and I'm happy about it.

I could go into perspective - how AT&T has spent the most money on their network; how truly awful an iPhone is for a carrier to service, etc, but I won't waste my time.

Verizon dis not raise the ETF "years" ago. Just needed to point that out.

BTW, I stand with the crowd that thinks all carriers are evil and screw us every opp they get.

 

[Geckotek]

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And I guarantee Verizon will handle it just fine. They've handled the big data users for much longer than AT&T has.

What big data users are you talking about?!

Laptops with data cards. Sprint and Verizon had 3g networks up long before AT&T did so most corps got data cards through them. Much mora data usage than a smartphone.

 

[Compile 'em all]

That's my point

How can someone criticize AT&T when he's not a customer (for the iPhone).

I think it is quite clear by now to people even living in the north pole that AT&T sucks.

People have to understand that there are other countries other than the states and they suffer from zero of what AT&T is suffering. Most countries have had speedy networks carrying data-intensive phones for years. Have you guys ever been to Japan? Ever heard of NTT DoCoMo? They have one of the largest amount of the subscribers in the world per single carrier. China anyone?

AT&T does have a pathetic network. No one has or should "sympathize" with them. The iPhone only exposed such a fact more. If I pay you money for your service, then I should expect said service. The end.

Abusers? Are you serious? May be you guys should pay AT&T an extra monthly fee because you "feel their pain".

Sheesh!

 

[pdjudd]

People have been waiting "years" for the iPhone to come over to verizon.

A very valid point - ever sine the iPhone was announced, there were rumors of it appearing on Verizon. This rumor regularly gets brought up every time Apple has a keynote. It's gotten to the point that I dismiss such rumors until I get an announcement from Apple.

 

[Geckotek]

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That's my point

How can someone criticize AT&T when he's not a customer (for the iPhone).

I think it is quite clear by now to people even living in the north pole that AT&T sucks.

People have to understand that there are other countries other than the states and they suffer from zero of what AT&T is suffering. Most countries have had speedy networks carrying data-intensive phones for years. Have you guys ever been to Japan? Ever heard of NTT DoCoMo? They have one of the largest amount of the subscribers in the world per single carrier. China anyone?

AT&T does have a pathetic network. No one has or should "sympathize" with them. The iPhone only exposed such a fact more. If I pay you money for your service, then I should expect said service. The end.

Abusers? Are you serious? May be you guys should pay AT&T an extra monthly fee because you "feel their pain".

Sheesh!

I have to say this though, most of those countries aren't as geographically dispersed. People forget this when comparing US networks with other countries.

 

[walangij]

What big data users are you talking about?!

http://www.phonearena.com/htmls/Verizon---Sprint-garnered-more-data-usage-than-AT-T-last-year-article-a_10763.html

 

[RonHC]

AT&T does have a pathetic network. No one has or should "sympathize" with them. The iPhone only exposed such a fact more.

Speak for yourself, AT&T is better here than any other carrier around my area.

If I pay you money for your service, then I should expect said service. The end.

If the service isn't into your liking than switch, just because the service in your area isn't as good as you expected or as good as the other carrier, doesn't mean its a pathetic network overall

 

[deannnnn]

To the OP: You have no idea.
To the guy who said you're going to be waiting a long time: You have no idea.
To everybody else: You have no idea.

Nobody knows.

 

[RonHC]

To the OP: You have no idea.
To the guy who said you're going to be waiting a long time: You have no idea.
To everybody else: You have no idea.

Nobody knows.

Chuck Norris and Jesus know everything, so you have no idea

 

[deannnnn]

Chuck Norris and Jesus know everything, so you have no idea

Damn I've been bested.

 

[Hankster]

The OP’s first sentence sums it up: he doesn’t have an iPhone and he’s not an AT&T customer, so he can’t comment on either.

Don't you know, if you're on the Internet you're can expert on everything.

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

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Hmmm. Guess I'm wrong. Or not. Capex doesn't mean it went into the network. Either way, they took too long to improve, hence the public backlash.

But perhaps their recent efforts will appease the masses. We'll see.

Most of that capex is into the network as it signifies investments in fixed assets (PPE) with future benefits. Sure, some other stuff might be thrown in to capex, but a ton of it is in equipment upgrades.

 

[Jaro65]

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Hmmm. Guess I'm wrong. Or not. Capex doesn't mean it went into the network. Either way, they took too long to improve, hence the public backlash.

But perhaps their recent efforts will appease the masses. We'll see.

Well, considering that this is at&t, I would venture out and state that it is highly likely that a good portion of their CapEx is spent on nothing but their network.

 

[Geckotek]

To the OP: You have no idea.
To the guy who said you're going to be waiting a long time: You have no idea.
To everybody else: You have no idea.

Nobody knows.

Chuck Norris and Jesus know everything, so you have no idea

Damn I've been bested.

LOL

Most of that capex is into the network as it signifies investments in fixed assets (PPE) with future benefits. Sure, some other stuff might be thrown in to capex, but a ton of it is in equipment upgrades.

I'm spending $250,000 in Capex this month alone (and I'm just the messaging guy). None if it will benefit our customers directly. You can't make that assumption.

 

[carlgo]

ATT is spending the most money on spectrum
purchases and tower construction than any
other American carrier.

I work on cell towers for a contractor and sll i see is att takeing there equipment off towers. So they may be spending the most but most of it is to take down there sites.

Sure you didn't mis-read your work order?

 

[Geckotek]

Sure you didn't mis-read your work order?

Haha, gonna be a lot of pissed of AT&T customers in that area if he did!

Oh...wait...hmmmmmm??????

 

[mcdj]

So, saving 98% of their customers $$ is screwing them?

98% is AT&T's propagandistic figure. Are you really that easy to fool? That's like believing a BP report that only 1000 gallons of oil spilled in the gulf and that the oil is a new non-sticky kind. If AT&T were truly going to lose money from 98% of their users, their stock would have tanked on the announcement. Make no mistake, AT&T is in the business of MAKING money.

 

[kdarling]

Looks like they've consistently been dumping money into capital expenditures over the last three years?

2007 capex: $17B, net income: $12B
2008 capex: $20B, net income: $13B
2009 capex: $17B, net income: $13B
2010 capex: $18B, net income: TBD

Uh, aren't you guys using the wrong figures? Those look like capital expenditures for all of AT&T.

You need to use the figures for just AT&T Wireless, which are about a quarter of the ones above.

And don't forget to subtract the hundreds of millions a year that are used solely to pay for iPhone subsidies.

Cheers!

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

Uh, aren't you guys using the wrong figures? Those look like capital expenditures for all of AT&T.

You need to use the figures for just AT&T Wireless, which are about a quarter of the ones above.

And don't forget to subtract the hundreds of millions a year that are used solely to pay for iPhone subsidies.

Cheers!

AT&T said they were investing 18 billion in spectrum purchases and equipment upgrades on their Facebook page. In addition, paying iphone subsidies aren't included in capex figures.

 

[Coukos34]

People have been waiting "years" for the iPhone to come over to verizon.

My question is, you seem to be complaining about AT&T's service/coverage with no first hand experience. That seems a little unfair and short sited.

Look at the coverage map for AT&T and see if it suits your needs. For me, I've had very good service with AT&T. In fact I see no difference between AT&T and Verizon, as before I got my iPhone I was on verizon.

My point is, you are castigating AT&T without knowing whether they can suit your needs.

Couldn't agree more on all points! I had verizon and was hesitant to switch but quickly noticed that my coverage was actually better in quite a few areas. Obviously this all depends on your own location, but people need to be fair