AT&T Announces 3.6 Million iPhones Activated in Q1 2011, Resists Verizon Surge

[TurnerMan]

Many users (if not majority) are still at 175 ETF since the new 300ETF was placed like a year ago. So all those ending contracts and lower than expected ETFs make your point moot.

What about all the people that took advantage of the early upgrade and a renewal of contract, to include the $300 ETF, that are now SOL? AT&T saw it coming and made a smart business move - if people want to switch, they'll pay a lot of money to do so. You should ask AT&T how many people upgraded early and were locked in to the $300 ETF before you start making assumptions about how many are still on the old ETF contracts. Your point is moot, sir.

 

[toddybody]

Not anytime soon. Last quarter I Att had 11 million iPhone users were Verizon had 4 million Android user.

Att sucks

Verizion sucks

We're all screwed

I only wish I had your optimism

 

[Eye4Desyn]

Many users (if not majority) are still at 175 ETF since the new 300ETF was placed like a year ago. So all those ending contracts and lower than expected ETFs make your point moot.

And you know this how??? There are yet a significant number of people that have bought or early-upgraded iPhones since June 2010 and prior to VZW iPhone launch. All I'm saying is that with ETFs as high as they are, ATT has effectively curbed a customer's freedom of choice - that is for a price.

Now, on the other hand, one could argue it's the cost of doing business to recoup subsidy loss. I say BS because it's clear that a $175 ETF was suffice. But after having seen the flood of new subscribers for iPhone to the network, being the only game in town to offer it, and knowing exclusivity rights where coming full term, they got greedy and have pretty much hand-cuffed anyone wanting to leave by imposing an astronomical fee. Where's the customer's choice in all of this???

Yes, my iPhone service is through ATT. Am I pleased with the service so far? With the exception of a few dropped calls every once in a while I'm satisfied with their service. FWIW, I'm not against telcos doing business, but in a mobile phone market where there's stiff competition for devices and services it should be a buyer's market, not the other way around. But the opposite is becoming more true considering ATT is trying to buy T-Mo.

 

[TurnerMan]

Hmmm... let's see here:

1. AT&T has cheaper monthly pricing.
2. AT&T has rollover voice minutes.
3. The AT&T iPhone works if you are traveling outside of the United States, whereas the Verizon phone does not. The Verizon phone only works in the U.S.
4. The AT&T iPhone lets you use the Internet while you're on phone calls; the Verizon one does not.
5. The AT&T iPhone has significantly & noticeably faster Internet speeds than Verizon.
6. AT&T will give you a free miniature cell tower for your home or office, if you don't get good signal strength in your house.

Yeah, I think I'll stay with AT&T.

(The real shame is that the iPhone isn't with T-Mobile... now THAT'S a company with excellent customer service.)

Verizon allows you to make reliable phone calls on a phone. GG? If I didn't give a crap about phone calls I would have bought an iPod Touch.

 

[alent1234]

Many users (if not majority) are still at 175 ETF since the new 300ETF was placed like a year ago. So all those ending contracts and lower than expected ETFs make your point moot.

if you read the small print it says 80% of smart phone users are on family plans or Premier discount plans. it would cost a lot of money other than ETF to go to verizon. ETF + new iphone + higher monthly cost = not worth it

 

[alent1234]

Verizon allows you to make reliable phone calls on a phone. GG? If I didn't give a crap about phone calls I would have bought an iPod Touch.

i used my AT&T HTC INspire 4G from inside a NYC subway train while waiting in a station 50 feet underground.

only reason the verizon iphone works is because they dumpled the crappy infineon radio for the qualcomm radio chip. iphone 5 on AT&T will work as well

 

[goodcow]

if you read the small print it says 80% of smart phone users are on family plans or Premier discount plans. it would cost a lot of money other than ETF to go to verizon. ETF + new iphone + higher monthly cost = not worth it

Anyone whose company has a Premiere account with AT&T likely has the same exact discount with Verizon. I know I do, so the monthly discount part is nonsense.

 

[TurnerMan]

i used my AT&T HTC INspire 4G from inside a NYC subway train while waiting in a station 50 feet underground.

only reason the verizon iphone works is because they dumpled the crappy infineon radio for the qualcomm radio chip. iphone 5 on AT&T will work as well

Sweet, when it comes out I'll think about switching back to the cheaper service.

 

[URFloorMatt]

Hmmm... let's see here:

1. AT&T has cheaper monthly pricing.
2. AT&T has rollover voice minutes.
3. The AT&T iPhone works if you are traveling outside of the United States, whereas the Verizon phone does not. The Verizon phone only works in the U.S.
4. The AT&T iPhone lets you use the Internet while you're on phone calls; the Verizon one does not.
5. The AT&T iPhone has significantly & noticeably faster Internet speeds than Verizon.
6. AT&T will give you a free miniature cell tower for your home or office, if you don't get good signal strength in your house.

Yeah, I think I'll stay with AT&T.

1) False, as far as I'm aware.
2) True, but Verizon has Friends and Family, which AT&T does not.
3) False. An AT&T phone generally works if you are traveling in Europe and the Verizon phone does not. A Verizon phone generally works if you are traveling in Asia and an AT&T phone does not. It depends on where you're going. Neither phone has an inherent advantage globally.
4) True, for another few months anyway.
5) Debatable to false, especially when you factor in that AT&T's 3G coverage is so much smaller.
6) Never heard of that before. Interesting though.

 

[Macboy Pro]

AT&T had the market and was the target. Now that everyone has the opportunity to bail on AT&T, they are not doing as expected. Sure, some will switch but it seems most wont. Would you switch to a significantly inferior network, to use only part of your iPhone's abilities, just so you can take a chance at 1 or 2 less dropped calls a week? I am in the group that understands that cell phone technology comes with dropped calls and your going to get them on Verizon also.

Apple is extremely careful about what technology they use. Many times they are considered late to the game because they choose not to embrace risk that could reflect negatively on their products as a whole (ie... no blu-ray on Mac Products). I believe Apple made some of their decision to initially offer the iPhone on AT&T because they considered it the best network and most likely the network best able to handle the functions of the iPhone.

AT&T did a exemplary job and partnering with Apple to change the smartphone market.

Again, I thank AT&T for taking the heat and providing a fantastic network that exploits the iPhone.

 

[magnon]

Not true about CDMA being better for travel in Asia. Only about 15% of the Asian cell market is CDMA.

 

[Macboy Pro]

1) False, as far as I'm aware.
2) True, but Verizon has Friends and Family, which AT&T does not.
3) False. An AT&T phone generally works if you are traveling in Europe and the Verizon phone does not. A Verizon phone generally works if you are traveling in Asia and an AT&T phone does not. It depends on where you're going. Neither phone has an inherent advantage globally.
4) True, for another few months anyway.
5) Debatable to false, especially when you factor in that AT&T's 3G coverage is so much smaller.
6) Never heard of that before. Interesting though.

1) Actually, it is true all around
2) Wrong, AT&T does have Friends and Family, Rollover minutes, and you can put 10 numbers on a list that are free calls anytime. Landlines, other cell phone providers, etc.
3) Don't know, Don't care, and most don't care.
4) True, There are no plans to charge extra for data and voice simultaneous calls
5) AT&T 3G Coverage is WAY better then it use to be. Come on out of 2008.
6) Irrelevant.

 

[timerollson]

No way in hell I'd go to Verizon if I couldn't talk & surf at the same time. I'm not worried about service. AT&T and Verizon are pretty equal in Boston.

I also think that the numbers for Verizon aren't that high because Verizon users are waiting for iPhone 5. I've talked to several people who didn't want to buy the iPhone 4 because of Apple's refresh cycle.

 

[hexonxonx]

I have three iPhones activated with AT&T and will upgrade all three with the new iPhone and will stay with AT&T. Their service has been excellent over the past two years. Why leave?

 

[alent1234]

Anyone whose company has a Premiere account with AT&T likely has the same exact discount with Verizon. I know I do, so the monthly discount part is nonsense.

but then you still have to buy new iphone 4's. $199 + activation per iphone + ETF if any is not cheap. and you have to move the entire family plan to verizon or you end up paying more. and most times the contract dates are different so if you don't want to pay an ETF you may have to wait a year or more until everyone's contract is done to move the entire family to verizon

 

[toddybody]

AT&T had the market and was the target. Now that everyone has the opportunity to bail on AT&T, they are not doing as expected. Sure, some will switch but it seems most wont. Would you switch to a significantly inferior network, to use only part of your iPhone's abilities, just so you can take a chance at 1 or 2 less dropped calls a week? I am in the group that understands that cell phone technology comes with dropped calls and your going to get them on Verizon also.

Apple is extremely careful about what technology they use. Many times they are considered late to the game because they choose not to embrace risk that could reflect negatively on their products as a whole (ie... no blu-ray on Mac Products). I believe Apple made some of their decision to initially offer the iPhone on AT&T because they considered it the best network and most likely the network best able to handle the functions of the iPhone.

AT&T did a exemplary job and partnering with Apple to change the smartphone market.

Again, I thank AT&T for taking the heat and providing a fantastic network that exploits the iPhone.

I had heard that Verizon was initially offered the iPhone, but would not accept some key conditions.

 

[ghostface147]

5) AT&T 3G Coverage is WAY better then it use to be. Come on out of 2008.

Well I don't know about WAY better, but the trip from Houston to Austin rarely has areas that are on EDGE where it used to be frequent.

 

[2 Replies]

Hmmm... let's see here:

1. AT&T has cheaper monthly pricing.
2. AT&T has rollover voice minutes.
3. The AT&T iPhone works if you are traveling outside of the United States, whereas the Verizon phone does not. The Verizon phone only works in the U.S.
4. The AT&T iPhone lets you use the Internet while you're on phone calls; the Verizon one does not.
5. The AT&T iPhone has significantly & noticeably faster Internet speeds than Verizon.
6. AT&T will give you a free miniature cell tower for your home or office, if you don't get good signal strength in your house.

Yeah, I think I'll stay with AT&T.

(The real shame is that the iPhone isn't with T-Mobile... now THAT'S a company with excellent customer service.)

While I hate Verizon, (and hate defending them) I dispise the proliferation of misinformation more.
That said, I have to point out that the US isn't the only country that uses CDMA. I know Canada and India for sure have CDMA networks.
Verizon's site also clearly delinates other countries where their phones will work (being legaly liable for false advertising, they couldn't post this if it wern't true).

But generally, yeah. CDMA isn't as pervasive as GSM (for good reason, it was a kludge).
Pretty much every nation that has CDMA also has GSM, but the inverse is rarely (if ever) true.

 

[dacapo]

I wonder how many AT&T users are waiting for the iPhone 5 to come out before making the switch. There is a widespread perception that it will be released in June, and many could be waiting for the refresh before switching.

Count me in with this option. I'm switching to Verizon as soon as iPhone 5 comes out, whenever that is. Unless AT&T offers me an upgrade discount that matches the Verizon new customer price.

 

[ten-oak-druid]

Not anytime soon. Last quarter I Att had 11 million iPhone users were Verizon had 4 million Android user.

Att sucks

Verizion sucks

We're all screwed

True. There is no doubt about price fixing by all of them. And the fee for text messaging is a scam. There is no need for that.

 

[maclaptop]

Well say it ain't so. With Ma Bell's ETFs north of $300, it's suffice to say that anyone with a decent amount of common sense isn't necessarily going to jump ship at those prices. They really have the customer by the gonads here.

I've been a customer of Verizon and AT&T concurrently for the last decade.

I might remind people it was Verizon who was the first carrier to jack up the ETF from $150 to $350, in one fell swoop.

Only after that, did AT&T raise theirs to match.

 

[Macboy Pro]

I had heard that Verizon was initially offered the iPhone, but would not accept some key conditions.

Conditions like... You have to improve your network speed, get off an antiquated 1995 CDMA Network.

In reality, Verizon CEO indicated they never were approached.

http://isource.com/2011/01/16/verizon-never-approached-to-carry-the-original-iphone/

That is the story he better stick with because if he was and didn't take it, his career should be over. Thats like cutting Michael Jordan from your basketball team.

 

[Macboy Pro]

No way in hell I'd go to Verizon if I couldn't talk & surf at the same time. I'm not worried about service. AT&T and Verizon are pretty equal in Boston.

I also think that the numbers for Verizon aren't that high because Verizon users are waiting for iPhone 5. I've talked to several people who didn't want to buy the iPhone 4 because of Apple's refresh cycle.

That is what Verizon wants everyone to think while they scramble to build a network worthy of this millenium.

 

[srxtr]

Considering I live in Los Angeles, I always thought AT&T's service was iffy at worst... until I went on a trip to San Francisco.

Like 90% people I meet in San Francisco own an iPhone... and it doesn't work 90%+ of the time! I don't know how you guys can stand not having service in these big cities. I kept getting failed calls every time I used my iPhone.

Funny thing, reception was very position based: a guy standing 2 feet in front of me was able to make calls while I couldn't.

 

[davidbrummy]

Apple did AT&T one last favour

The timing of the iPhone 4 release was timed to helped AT&T as most people are stuck in their contract and Christmas has past by the time Verizon got it.

People are waiting for the iPhone 5 or though it looks like it will be more like the jump from 3G to 3GS then from 3GS to 4 aka it will just be faster. However if I was jumping I would wait.

Verizon has sold at lot of Android phones so a lot of its customers will be stuck in their contracts.