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AT&T Exclusivity Expires in 2010, AT&T Asking for Extension?

Could not give me an iPhone on AT&T

What is wrong with allowing the other cell providers to also service it?

If Verizon & Sprint and anyone else who wants it, were to GET IT, then the services would be affordable and the consumer would win all the way around
 
to me the problem is not that apple has an exclusive deal with att and not verizon, its that they have deals with carriers in the first place. apple needs to let this current exclusivity deal expire and then sarah palin their asses and say "thanks, but no thanks".

i know this wont happen but it would be the best thing for the iphone and for us as customers if apple simply sold an unlocked GSM iphone and an unlocked CDMA iphone and you could do with it what you want and buy any plan that you want. no restrictions, no crippling, no bs.
 
ipedro said:
Now that Apple has become an established player in the mobile field, they no longer need AT&T. They could become their own cell provider in the US by buying bandwidth from other cell companies (and eventually building out their own cell tower infrastructure).

Being a 3G or 4G Internet & Phone service provider could be a very powerful tool for Apple. It would allow all their mobile Mac's to access the internet anywhere without worrying about WiFi, and would allow Apple to finally grab a share of the TV pie with AppleTV providing live television (news/sports) to compliment iTunes purchased TV shows and Movies.

MobileMe could be extended to function as a control panel for all your Internet, Phone and TV needs. Apple also already has the brick and mortar infrastructure nationwide to begin offering this type of service.

I'm sure this has come up as an option and if I were Apple, I would be considering it seriously.
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This would be the best solution but also the most unlikely. I don't think apple would want to get into this sort of business. I can also imagine telcos would not be happy about this. How soon would other phones follow? It would be the way to get out of the companies ridiculous plans and sell data only as they should.
 
freeny said:
I have no problems with AT&T. They all suck equally for what its worth.
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MAN I COULDN'T AGREE MORE, HAVING BEEN THRU SPRIN, T-MOBILE AND NOW AT&T I CAN HONESTLY SAY THEY ALL BLOW IT HARD. THE ONLY REASON I'M STAYING WITH ATT IS BECAUSE AT LEAST I CAN BUY UNLOCKED PHONES IN EUROPE AND USEEM.
 
I would switch back to Verizon so quickly...

It'd be worth it to eat the contract cancellation costs. My iPhone is great at everything except being a phone, thanks to ATT. It'd be so nice to have a reliable phone as well as a cool internet device.
 
Hope it doesn't change. ATT has really good coverage. Verizon rips people off and are really stupid. Example, There is a difference between .002 dollars and .002 cents.
Plus that's how ATT got a lot of subscribers. And if the iPhone goes to other carriers then hardware would need to be changed. Like, the iPhone would now need to support the EVDO network from Verizon.
 
str1f3 said:
This would be the best solution but also the most unlikely. I don't think apple would want to get into this sort of business. I can also imagine telcos would not be happy about this. How soon would other phones follow? It would be the way to get out of the companies ridiculous plans and sell data only as they should.
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Apple would have a lot to gain from this arrangement so I think it is quite likely that it is on their path at some point. Telecommunication companies are placing caps on data download because most of them also offer TV services. These caps are hurting the potential of AppleTV.

Apple will need to control the access to bandwidth if they're to succeed in the TV business. Being their own ISP would achieve this.

Further, AT&T and other telcos would be happy to sell the bandwidth to Apple. Either way, they're in business. Now if Apple buys the rights to wireless spectrum and begins selling bandwidth to the consumer directly, then AT&T and everybody else will have the right to be afraid because Apple would be their direct competitor.
 
I say Apple kills the exclusivity with AT&T.

The truth of the matter is that Apple will get almost twice as much customers as they have now without the phone being on AT&T.

I just hope that whoever gets the device doesn't choke it to death like AT&T has done.

I would really like to see an iPhone unrestricted that doesn't cost $700.
 
ugh... verizon

I know verizon has better service than AT&T in some areas, but I would hate to see what verizon would do to the iPhone. All the preloaded crap and the way they dictate how their phones can be used kills me. I used to sell verizon phones when I worked at radioshack back in the day, and they were a nightmare on the customer service end as well.

Going with Verizon would probably kill the iPhone as we know it unless verizon opened up their policies, which I doubt they would do.

As to service being cheaper, I had a buddy (who has verizon) try to upgrade to a blackberry storm recently, and the unlimited internet package for it was $45/mo and required... more than twice what we pay on AT&T for a much better experience.

I may sound like an AT&T fanboy, but I'm not. I just have a deep dislike for how verizon controls their phones and don't want to see the iPhone fall into that mess.
 
No AT&T service out where I live. Ditto for Verizon support! Otherwise I won't be able to have an iPhone. 🙁
 
Your individual love/hatred for AT&T/Verizon/etc really doesn't matter. People have different preferences. There are areas where one network works better than the other. AT&T won't even give you service in many rural parts of the country. After the Alltel merger, Verizon will be the only major carrier in Das Hinterland. Don't laugh, there are many people out there who do want iPhones - I'll be one of them this summer.

Not to mention the fact that competition drives down prices and that CDMA isn't going anywhere for some time. I say an end to iPhone exclusivity is a win for everyone (except AT&T, anyway).
 
Slurpy2k8 said:
I can't for the life of me understand why some here would HOPE that Apple stays with AT&T exclusive. Uh, what? Why? Just because you're on AT&T and you're cool with it? Everyone's situation is different. Expanding to other carriers would benefit the iPhone greatly, and would dramatically increase its market share, while giving people options.

Some people legitimately cannot use AT&T for one reason or another, however much they want the iPhone. I don't see how the iPhone being lmited to 1 carrier is a GOOD thing for you, or for Apple.
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Everyone's situation is different with EVERY phone.. so why should it be different with the iPhone? I used to think AT&T sucked.. then they added more towers... then they added 3G in my area.. I have service in ridiculously remote areas now that I didn't have with verizon. The reason why apple MAY .. <MAY...> stay with AT&T is that the tech supports GSM which is a global standard. <MEANING they they make more money internationally>. I switched FROM verizon to AT&T to get the iPhone. the first year.. was pretty damn horrible, this year MUCH MUCH Better.. so I'm not ready to give AT&T the AXE for service.. since <at least in my situation> they've clearly improved.
 
AT&T is the best mobile provider that I've seen so far. I always have full 3G bars and it's occasional that my BlackBerry Bold switches to EDGE. Dropped calls are a rarity as well. I wouldn't mind if the iPhone stayed exclusive to AT&T just because I don't want to switch when the new iPhones come out.
 
I will never buy an iPhone with AT&T for one reason: I don't get any service at my house with their.....awful 3G network. I am trapped in a contract and only get a cell signal at school. If Apple makes the right decision to not sign the contract with AT&T, maybe I could get an iPhone with T-Mobile in December after I get rid of this contract.

And there are a lot of customers out there like me that will just flat out refuse to buy an iPhone with AT&T but really want one. I think Apple could really boost their sales if they make the right decision.
 
str1f3 said:
This would be the best solution but also the most unlikely. I don't think apple would want to get into this sort of business. I can also imagine telcos would not be happy about this. How soon would other phones follow? It would be the way to get out of the companies ridiculous plans and sell data only as they should.
Click to expand...

actually initially apple wanted to do this but wanted to get a grasp on market share and make a profit first before expanding on an idea that might not of even taken off.

id love to see this happen. the connectivity of everything would make apple a powerhouse beyond any other cell provider could touch. each time apple extends the contract for only a year or so out and they talk about if they can or cant buy airtime. on a business stand point the investment needed to do this is immense and is why apple went with cingular(now at&t) in the first place. now i think they should be trying to be their own provider, although it wouldnt happen for another year or so.

if i were apple i would stop producing/designing new phone hardware for the at&t network so people wouldnt join at&t and be locked to them for another two years and buy all the things necessary and announce it in january of next year and release it in july or maybe add one more year to at&t but still release no new hardware offerings ONLY SOFTWARE. then the initial buyers of the iphone 3g would be out of their contracts and original iphone owners would be too and they could switch over without a hassle (although the biggest problem here is apple might loose the media in the time frame, which may be why apple hasnt done something like this yet cuz each time apple releases a new phone people dive right in pretty fast and people start to talk). then sell them at apple stores and do what they originally had done and activate at home or at least offer it so they could have more apple genius' selling the new iphones on the new network. apple then could connect all their hardware and software(maybe by adding a mobile feature to MAC OS for customization) offerings and produce a "world of their own"
 
terryzx said:
Could not give me an iPhone on AT&T

What is wrong with allowing the other cell providers to also service it?

If Verizon & Sprint and anyone else who wants it, were to GET IT, then the services would be affordable and the consumer would win all the way around
Click to expand...

REALLY?? Give me an iPhone with a Verizon OS?? NO WAY!!! .. I LOVE verizon's service.. but HATE their "OS/ proprietary systems"...
 
Iphone 3g Factory unlocked flatting the market

They wont be able to maintain exclusivity with factory unlocked phones flatting the markets.
 
str1f3 said:
This would be the best solution but also the most unlikely. I don't think apple would want to get into this sort of business. I can also imagine telcos would not be happy about this. How soon would other phones follow? It would be the way to get out of the companies ridiculous plans and sell data only as they should.
Click to expand...


I agree.. This would be the best solution.. However... the capital and initial investment would be ENORMOUS.. raising prices EVERYWHERE..
 
Plus if you have constant 3G & WIFI connection

Plus if you have constant 3G & WIFI connection, I dont see why you would need a phone provider in the first place. They just getting our monies. Skype (working in the background) I salute you.
 
People in this thread need to realize two things:

1. If the iPhone goes to Verizon, Apple would never allow Verizon to add any extra crap to it like they do with other phones so don't start harping about how Verizon would be horrible for the iPhone...If Verizon wanted to add their crap, we will never see the iPhone on Verizon.

2. Apple will not deal with CDMA so don't say that's a reason for the iPhone not going on Verizon. LTE is coming for both Verizon and AT&T. Apple is most likely already in talks to get LTE working in the iPhone and so Verizon could very easily have the iPhone in 2010 or so when LTE starts going up...but maybe more likely in 2011.

Now on to speculation: Since Verizon will have LTE before AT&T there's no doubt AT&T will try and lengthen this exclusivity. At the same time, Verizon would probably love to have the iPhone on Verizon LTE for a year while AT&T is still on 3G. I personally hope, and speculate, that Apple will want to upgrade the iPhone to LTE as soon as possible...thus, an exclusivity deal into 2011 may not be the right move. At the same time, it's possible that they continue with AT&T until both AT&T and Verizon have LTE and then upgrade and extend across all companies with LTE...
 
if they come out with a Verizon Phone, I will get it so fast.....
Here's hoping to iPhone on VZW in 2010!
edit:i just realized that my verizon contract expires on Superbowl Sunday, 2010. So if true, i wont have to wait for an upgrade! Yee haw!
 
Luke1robb said:
Tethering = Happening, but have to pay
VOiP = Never gonna happen... how would it make business sense for AT&T?
Sling Player = It will happen, you'll just have to pay out the ear for Sling.
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I disagree about VOip over 3g. I don't think it would really kill AT&T. I think that a majority of people wanting skype want it for international calls. Making these calls with AT&T would be ridiculous. Who would be making these calls under current cell contracts?
 
mlmorg said:
People in this thread need to realize two things:

1. If the iPhone goes to Verizon, Apple would never allow Verizon to add any extra crap to it like they do with other phones so don't start harping about how Verizon would be horrible for the iPhone...If Verizon wanted that, we will never see the iPhone on Verizon.

2. Apple will not deal with CDMA so don't say that's a reason for the iPhone not going on Verizon. LTE is coming for both Verizon and AT&T. Apple is most likely already in talks to get LTE working in the iPhone and so Verizon could very easily have the iPhone in 2010 or so when LTE starts going up...but maybe more likely in 2011.

Now on to speculation: Since Verizon will have LTE before AT&T there's no doubt AT&T will try and lengthen this exclusivity. At the same time, Verizon would probably love to have the iPhone on Verizon LTE for a year while AT&T is still on 3G. I personally hope, and speculate, that Apple will want to upgrade the iPhone to LTE as soon as possible...thus, an exclusivity deal into 2011 may not be the right move. At the same time, it's possible that they continue with AT&T until both AT&T and Verizon have LTE and then upgrade and extend across all companies with LTE...
Click to expand...

No offense but why do why lock ourselves in the notion that we need these providers. We do not.
 
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