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

What remains?

If you care about competition and what it can do to lower prices, then opening up the market to carriers other than ATT would be best.

Verizon? They are MCI who I fired a year ago when they doubled wired phone charges. If Apple really is serious about cornering the market, then iPhone should be an option with each carrier, not just one. Until then, thanks, but no thanks. It's a cellphone and I do NOT have to have it. I would never be an ATT (Bell) customer - again.
 
Couple of things surprised me:

1) That there is no term limit in which, once you have owned the phone for a given period of time you can then unlock it.

2) Vodafone in NZ you can purchase it out right with no restrictions although given we don't have another GSM/UTMS provider its pretty moot - unless when Telecom NZ move to UTMS - Apple might use NZ has a testing ground for other markets; other companies have used NZ in the past due to its small population and willingness to adopt new technology quickly.
 
I don't really get why so many people think Verizon is more consumer friendly that other US carriers. Ever noticed how Verizon phones are missing features found in the same model of another carrier? Verizon is more controlling than Apple. Remember, it was Verizon who told Apple to go away when Apple initially presented them with the iPhone opportunity. Since then Verizon's prez has said it STILL would not put the iPhone on its network as it is currently configured.

I'm not saying ATT is fantastic, just that they are no worse than the others. Anyone who isn't buying an iPhone JUST because it's on ATT is silly unless for some reason ATT reception is bad in your area.

I think Apple will go with whatever carrier(s) give it the best deal AND allow Apple to keep control of the phone features and OS.
 
The iPhone losing its exclusivity will lead to a better user experience. Sure, it may not lead to significantly lower prices, but may lead to more freedom of use. For example, currently AT&T does not allow any streaming or VoIP over its 3G. They do for other phones though (not coincidently, these "other phones" can also be had on different carriers). They can get away with this because the iPhone customers have no choice but to accept these restrictions. However, if the iPhone is offered on another network that does allow these functions, AT&T will have no choice but to change their policy (or have people migrate to another carrier).
 
Just for clarity when they say the contract ends in 2010 does that mean Jan 1, 2010 or Dec 31, 2010?
 
bryantlc said:
Just for clarity when they say the contract ends in 2010 does that mean Jan 1, 2010 or Dec 31, 2010?
Click to expand...

If in fact that agreement is scheduled to end in 2010 (this is pure speculation at this point), I would imagine it would be on June 30th (or whatever the original launch day was).
 
AT&T Exclusive

AT&T has every right to have an exclusivity agreement with apple. They helped apple develop the first iPhone as well as the 3G.
The other thing is almost every other country which carries the iPhone, apple has made an exclusivity agreement with one of the carriers.
To those people wanting tethering and voip over 3G, that is not just an AT&T thing. All the U.S. carriers have the same restrictions unless you shell out more cash for the added feature. AT&T has discussed allowing it but with a price. The fact is AT&T was the first one to agree to work with apple in creating a phone, which is why they are exclusive. So don't get mad at apple or AT&T, your feelings should be directed at verizon, T-mobile or one of the other U.S. carriers for not thinking it was a project worth working on.
For the record this information was obtained through both apple and AT&T employees that I know.
 
str1f3 said:
I hope you're wrong. I'll use an iPhone no matter who the carrier is but since I live in NY, I would prefer Verizon. They have the best reception out there period. They're building LTE where AT&T is still building out 3g. It would also hurt the viable options for an unlocked iPhone considering T-Mobile is just not good enough. There will also be no competition with iPhone data pricing.
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Verizon's coverage is best on the East Coast so that's understandable why you would want it. But here in the Midwest and most of the nation at&t is best. Verizon is shoddy here and in most other places with pockets of good reception. at&t is usually good.

The big thing people are missing here with the exclusivity contract is this - there is no other GSM provider in the U.S. that would be able to use the phone with a traditional GSM frequency band for GPRS, EDGE, and 3G. T-Mobile uses an entirely different band that would kill connectivity in most parts of North America. The only viable option is for Apple to remain with at&t. It's just a matter of whether or not it's exclusive to at&t or will Apple be allowed to develop phones for other networks and actively sell them.

Chupa Chupa said:
I don't really get why so many people think Verizon is more consumer friendly that other US carriers. Ever noticed how Verizon phones are missing features found in the same model of another carrier? Verizon is more controlling than Apple. Remember, it was Verizon who told Apple to go away when Apple initially presented them with the iPhone opportunity. Since then Verizon's prez has said it STILL would not put the iPhone on its network as it is currently configured.

I'm not saying ATT is fantastic, just that they are no worse than the others. Anyone who isn't buying an iPhone JUST because it's on ATT is silly unless for some reason ATT reception is bad in your area.

I think Apple will go with whatever carrier(s) give it the best deal AND allow Apple to keep control of the phone features and OS.
Click to expand...

Verizon's actions and desire to control the features of the phone down to the most minute aspects is what drove Apple away from Verizon to at&t. at&t was more than willing to give and take on the iPhone and they most likely will continue to be in order to keep on raking in the money.
 
If Apple really wants to own the cell phone market, the way they own the portable music player market, then they have to make the iPhone available for all (or at least more) carriers.
 
apple will not allow anyone have any influence on the iphones hardware and software. if apple decides to go with multiple carriers they will make sure that the iphone experience and use (including music downloads, screen appearance, app store) are EXACTLY the same between carriers. everything else would be completely against apples "make it simple" philosophy.

if stupid verizon is willing to give up their stupid policy of customizing the phone software, locking the phone (not the sim card) to the service, giving up revenue from music sales via phone, simple contract structure, voicemail and all that then there is a chance. and even that has technical problems since verizon is on a different system.

but cell phone companies and thier managers in the US are greedy, stupid and incompetent. just like the music and movie industry.

so I'm not very optimistic that the iPhone will be on verizon. more likely on some smaller carriers that buy bandwith from other companies.
 
nilk said:
If Apple really wants to own the cell phone market, the way they own the portable music player market, then they have to make the iPhone available for all (or at least more) carriers.
Click to expand...

This assumes that Apple cares about market share, and to a big extent they dont, as an example, i give you OSX.

If Apple sold their macbook for $500.00 they could probably double their market share of OSX overnight, they haven't, and they wont. Apple could allow OSX to be installed on any computer, again their market share of computers runing OSX could easily double, but again they wont. Why? Apple cares about $$ not market share. Right now Apple has a pretty sweet deal with AT&T and i guarantee you that Apple will negotiate for more $$ on those data plans and stay put.

For Apple, this is about $$ and control over their product, and im sure AT&T will do whatever it takes to get as many extensions on exclusivity as they can.
 
Warbrain said:
Verizon's coverage is best on the East Coast so that's understandable why you would want it. But here in the Midwest and most of the nation at&t is best. Verizon is shoddy here and in most other places with pockets of good reception. at&t is usually good.

The big thing people are missing here with the exclusivity contract is this - there is no other GSM provider in the U.S. that would be able to use the phone with a traditional GSM frequency band for GPRS, EDGE, and 3G. T-Mobile uses an entirely different band that would kill connectivity in most parts of North America. The only viable option is for Apple to remain with at&t. It's just a matter of whether or not it's exclusive to at&t or will Apple be allowed to develop phones for other networks and actively sell them.



Verizon's actions and desire to control the features of the phone down to the most minute aspects is what drove Apple away from Verizon to at&t. at&t was more than willing to give and take on the iPhone and they most likely will continue to be in order to keep on raking in the money.
Click to expand...

Exactly. It makes no difference to me, as Verizon in my area is horrible anyway. As is Nextel/Sprint. T-Mo was ok, but AT&T is 5 Bars/3G all the time. I do support Verizon and other BlackBerry's for my job. The T-Mo and AT&T are fine, but the Verizon BB [relatively the same model; 8800] is downright ugly. Both in looks, and use IMHO. I mean T-Mo and AT&T add their own theme, but the Verizon is that awful VZ menu system, etc. I'd hate to spend $200 or $300 on a new iPhone/VZ, only to find out mine has some crippled, ugly menu on it.
 
Verizon easily Trumps AT&Ts more bars in more places.

I was on Verizon for about 4 years and NEVER lost service in my area, Virginia Beach / Norfolk, VA area.

I lose service with AT&T every so often, and specifically in buildings.
 
verizon

Please bring it to Verizon, this will get a lot more people on it. And yes they would make it for CDMA, remember they wanted to go to Verizon first.
 
str1f3 said:
I hope you're wrong. I'll use an iPhone no matter who the carrier is but since I live in NY, I would prefer Verizon. They have the best reception out there period. They're building LTE where AT&T is still building out 3g. It would also hurt the viable options for an unlocked iPhone considering T-Mobile is just not good enough. There will also be no competition with iPhone data pricing.
Click to expand...

I hope he's right. The problem here in the US is the splintered mobile cellular technologies. UK and Europe are much better that they only have one cellular technology and instead carriers differentiate by value added services. We should instead move Verizon and Sprint to GSM family technologies.
 
Warbrain said:
Verizon's coverage is best on the East Coast so that's understandable why you would want it. But here in the Midwest and most of the nation at&t is best. Verizon is shoddy here and in most other places with pockets of good reception. at&t is usually good.
Click to expand...

I agree, I live in San Antonio and friends of mine always complain about their Verizon coverage. It doesn't help their case either that AT&T was headquartered here for a while (now in Dallas) so the AT&T infrastructure in Texas is pretty strong. The company I work for has also had AT&T throw up new antennas and 3G/HSUPA and HSPA+ boxes.

My point is that anywhere you go, opinions and coverage are going to vary. So regardless of living in the largest US city, or the 7th largest, it all boils down with who makes the sexiest deal with Apple.
 
But AT&T's exclusive deal to carry the iPhone in the U.S. expires next year, according to people familiar with the matter, and Mr. Stephenson is now in discussions with Apple Inc. to get an extension until 2011.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I bet he is. :D

AirwingMarine said:
yeah but even if AT&T contract does expire verizon customers still wouldn't be able to utilize because of the sim card situation Verizon Wireless uses CDMA which does not use SIM Cards. GSM like AT&T and T-Mobile are the only ones that use SIM Cards. wouldn't verizon have to go to a GSM setup
Click to expand...

Or the next iPhone could be a GSM/CDMA "hybrid" handset like the "World-Edition" BlackBerrys. This seems like the most likely route (or at least the one that makes the most sense) but who knows if they'll do it? :cool:

W1LLk said:
So regardless of living in the largest US city, or the 7th largest, it all boils down with who makes the sexiest deal with Apple.
Click to expand...

Nobody makes deals with Apple, Apple makes deals with YOU. :D
 
Xenious said:
I hope he's right. The problem here in the US is the splintered mobile cellular technologies. UK and Europe are much better that they only have one cellular technology and instead carriers differentiate by value added services. We should instead move Verizon and Sprint to GSM family technologies.
Click to expand...

Exactly, and thats the goal of the 3GPP (LTE) initiative, to standardize and increase the strength of wireless technology using internet based protocal--all-IP flat architecture system. The best part is that MOST (if not all the major) carriers in the US are upgrading from GSM/HSPA to the new LTE at some point.
 
mikeinternet said:
Apple needs to make them bend on things for the privilege to exclusively carry the iphone.

-Tethering
-VOiP on 3G
-Sling Player
Click to expand...

I totally agree with this. Apple probably won't get VOIP or Sling...but at least they could get AT&T to bend on tethering. I mean, come'on...we're paying for the data plan anyways...stop trying to double-charge us AT&T! Put the squeeze on them Apple!
 
Sehnsucht said:
Nobody makes deals with Apple, Apple makes deals with YOU. :D
Click to expand...

:p True, but thats why I said "sexiest", because there must be some wooing involved. Somebody at AT&T said something right last time go get the deal. I don't think Apple flipped a 6 sided D&D dice and just picked a carrier regardless of terms.

But good point! :apple:
 
macaliseme said:
Vodafone in NZ you can purchase it out right with no restrictions although given we don't have another GSM/UTMS provider its pretty moot - unless when Telecom NZ move to UTMS - Apple might use NZ has a testing ground for other markets; other companies have used NZ in the past due to its small population and willingness to adopt new technology quickly.
Click to expand...

:eek: :eek:

*buys an airline ticket to New Zealand*

:D
 
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