AT&T Block on Employee Vacations for June Hints at iPhone Launch

[HLdan]

I just think it's awesome where some of these tips come from... totally makes sense. And yeah I know this happened in the past years.

Although it MAY be true, in terms of new iPhones, AT&T blocking June vacations doesn't necessarily mean it's about the iPhone, they do sell other phones, they do offer other promotions that may require the employees to be available to handle the promo rush. Just saying.

 

[Jakeoster]

Cool that we might get the iPhone early this year, but it sucks the AT&T guys that can't take time off then.

 

[bigjnyc]

If true this is great news for me, I go on vacation for 2 weeks to Dominican Republic on July 5th and would love to get my hands on the new iPhone before that day.

 

[JPark]

My wife and I play iPhone hand-me-down every year. Of course I get the newest model and she gets the previous year's. BUT...(wink-😉-hint) I do one thing. As my iPhone is at the end of it's 10th month, I go to the "genius" bar complaining that the screen locks up. They open a case number and tell me to go home and do a clean restore.

4 weeks later I go back and say "It still locks up sometimes. Usually while web surfing but sometime while sending texts. Just a couple of times a week". They whip out a replacement iPhone but I object. "I don't want a refurbished phone that was someone else's problem." Apple say's "We don't put our refurbished iPhones as warranty replacements. This one is new and unused but without the nice box and accessories."

I go home with a new iPhone with a fresh battery and no scratches. A month later when the new model arrives, I get it and hand down my "used" phone to my wife.

I'm not at all shocked to hear that some people do this, but I am a bit surprised that they apparently feel no shame over it.

 

[PaulSorensen]

My. Poor. Wallet.

 

[cvaldes]

What about Apple employees? Surely there are Apple retail folks on this board. Any heartburn over taking vacations in June?

I can't help you, I'm not an Apple retail employee.

I don't know if any would be willing to chirp up anyhow. The world is already expecting an iPhone update in the June-July timeframe. My guess is that the employee manual says something about vacations need to be approved by a manager and that blackout periods might occur due to business activities.

If you want greater flexibility in booking your time off, don't work in retail or the hospitality industry.

 

[cvaldes]

Guys, the iPhone isn't coming to Verizon this summer. Just forget about it.

The fact that Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg just asked for it pretty much guaranteed that they're not getting it in the near future. Generally speaking, Apple's business partners clam up real tight when there's a potential deal close at hand.

 

[PaulSorensen]

My wife and I play iPhone hand-me-down every year. Of course I get the newest model and she gets the previous year's. BUT...(wink-😉-hint) I do one thing. As my iPhone is at the end of it's 10th month, I go to the "genius" bar complaining that the screen locks up. They open a case number and tell me to go home and do a clean restore.

4 weeks later I go back and say "It still locks up sometimes. Usually while web surfing but sometime while sending texts. Just a couple of times a week". They whip out a replacement iPhone but I object. "I don't want a refurbished phone that was someone else's problem." Apple say's "We don't put our refurbished iPhones as warranty replacements. This one is new and unused but without the nice box and accessories."

I go home with a new iPhone with a fresh battery and no scratches. A month later when the new model arrives, I get it and hand down my "used" phone to my wife.

Sounds like a confession to committing fraud to me. Anyone watching from {Apple Legal | Tampa Police}?

 

[Matt-M]

🙄

Hopefully the 2010 version will be more impressive than the 3G->3GS changes. Apple/AT&T needs to come up with something to talk me into upgrading my soon to be 2 y/o, out of contract iPhone 3G! A compass won't do it!

Steve Jobs in an Apple meeting in late January said: "Apple will deliver aggressive updates to iPhone that Android/Google won't be able to keep up with."

So, I would bet the improvements won't be subtle.

 

[JPark]

Steve Jobs in an Apple meeting in late January said: "Apple will deliver aggressive updates to iPhone that Android/Google won't be able to keep up with."

So, I would bet the improvements won't be subtle.

I would bet that Steve can't talk about Apple products without using superlatives.

 

[sishaw]

My wife and I play iPhone hand-me-down every year. Of course I get the newest model and she gets the previous year's. BUT...(wink-😉-hint) I do one thing. As my iPhone is at the end of it's 10th month, I go to the "genius" bar complaining that the screen locks up. They open a case number and tell me to go home and do a clean restore.

4 weeks later I go back and say "It still locks up sometimes. Usually while web surfing but sometime while sending texts. Just a couple of times a week". They whip out a replacement iPhone but I object. "I don't want a refurbished phone that was someone else's problem." Apple say's "We don't put our refurbished iPhones as warranty replacements. This one is new and unused but without the nice box and accessories."

I go home with a new iPhone with a fresh battery and no scratches. A month later when the new model arrives, I get it and hand down my "used" phone to my wife.

And people complain when Apple uses the water sensor to disallow warranty coverage. Wow. Just wow.

 

[samtorosyan]

Enough with the "Verizon-can't-do-voice-and-data-simultaneously" bit. WE GET IT! I've been with VZW since 2000, and I've never once had a situation where I've ever had the need to do both at once.

What about all those folks that have no native 3G coverage for AT&T, that only get EDGE? Hhmm? That's right, they can't do voice and data together either. I don't hear them complaining too loudly.

AT&T fanboys (if you wanna be called that), get over yourselves. Apple is a business, they will make phones for other non-GSM carriers, end of story. I'll be laughing while I keep my calls connected on an iPhone, and you are dropping them.

Better network > "voice and data together" any day of the week.

Verizon had their chance with the IPhone… They want control over app downloads, navigation, and even web browsing. I use my IPhone 3G with edge and I can talk and search the web at the same time just fine, you don’t need 3G coverage for that. The reason why AT&Ts coverage went down was because of the IPhone itself and nothing else. As soon as Verizon gets the IPhone (which won’t happen until later this year and they will be getting the 3GS model if they get the contact) there coverage is going to go to bad as well. I’ve had AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile in and the past and ATT is the best hands down.

 

[propynyl]

ipad 3g

geese Apple, how about at least giving us a ship date for the iPad 3G first. All this waiting is getting a little silly, and it's getting boring.

 

[JPark]

I use my IPhone 3G with edge and I can talk and search the web at the same time just fine, you don’t need 3G coverage for that. .

I agree with much of the rest of what you said, but this isn't correct. You have to either be on 3G or WiFi to talk and use data at the same time. If you're on the Edge network and still using data, maybe you were also on Wifi?

 

[LSUtigers03]

I use my IPhone 3G with edge and I can talk and search the web at the same time just fine,

No you don't

you don’t need 3G coverage for that.

Yes you do

 

[JackAxe]

If history repeats itself, there will be another surge in fraudulent insurance claims on the iPhone in June.

 

[RonMexico]

Although it MAY be true, in terms of new iPhones, AT&T blocking June vacations doesn't necessarily mean it's about the iPhone, they do sell other phones, they do offer other promotions that may require the employees to be available to handle the promo rush. Just saying.

no actually they don't

 

[samtorosyan]

No you don't



Yes you do

Just tried it again to make sure... It works on edge... Its slow but it works...

 

[Eric S.]

Wow, all of AT&T's employees would be needed for an iPhone launch? That just sounds incredible given the size of AT&T.

(And remember, it was just a tiny group in AT&T, Bell Labs at the time, that gave us Unix. 🙄 )

Anyway, hoping for some Verizon time.

 

[yg17]

Wow, all of AT&T's employees would be needed for an iPhone launch? That just sounds incredible given the size of AT&T.

(And remember, it was just a tiny group in AT&T, Bell Labs at the time, that gave us Unix. 🙄 )

Anyway, hoping for some Verizon time.

No, it's not all of AT&T's employees.

 

[LSUtigers03]

Just tried it again to make sure... It works on edge... Its slow but it works...

Do you have a magic iPhone? If not you can't use data and talk at the same time on edge.

 

[joemama]

Please please... go ahead and flock to Verizon! Enjoy the limitations of EV-DO. I will enjoy the improvement of the AT&T network, when half of the iPhone users jump networks.

I was thinking on jumping too as soon as Verizon gets the iPhone, but then thought about the bottleneck that's going to happen on VZs network.

...And how AT&Ts network will get lighter (and) better. Verizon will certainly need some time to adapt.

 

[JPark]

Just tried it again to make sure... It works on edge... Its slow but it works...

According to what AT&T claims and according to what countless other users can tell you, you can't talk and use data over Edge at the same time. Look for a flaw in your testing procedure.

 

[muskratboy]

and I've never once had a situation where I've ever had the need to do both at once.

Better network > "voice and data together" any day of the week.

as people have said, that's not much of an argument. a justification, yes... but not an argument.

and i'm not sure about that 2nd one... maybe, but i'm not sure. a better DATA network (ATT) + voice and data together... is probably better than just better voice. but i'm not sure. but i feel that it is.

also, if you are fine with "a quick call back" ... then you shouldn't have a problem with dropping calls on ATT. all you have to do is call them back. easy! 😛

 

[AtlasBoy]

I guess what I mean is, is, that I've never been in a situation that couldn't be handled by a call-back with the wanted information. Are our lives getting that hectic that a couple minutes looking something up could be a difference maker? And if you're having to rely on an iPhone to look up really important stuff in a hurry, I'd say that's an issue not for this thread.

I receive business calls all the time on my iPhone and am constantly looking things up / checking things in email while on the call to provide my customers good service. I guess I could tell them I'll call you back, but that would double the time I spend on each task. Why would I tell a customer I'll call back when I can handle it while on the call?