AT&T iPhone Exclusivity Originally Scheduled Through 2012

[segfaultdotorg]

Original timeframe was five years. AT&T failed to provide a network that met the standards and expectations of Apple and its iPhone users. I'm betting that this invalidates the exclusivity contract.

 

[rellimie]

Bottom line is this...

-I am a Verizon customer.
-I will not switch to at&t for the iPhone. Verizon's network is superior. My boss switched to at&t for the iPhone and has experienced 60 dropped calls in his first 30 days (NOT joking at all...totally serious).
-I want the iPhone. But only on Verizon.
-By not having the iPhone on Verizon, Apple has forced me to choose the Droid Incredible as my next phone, unless the Verizon iPhone is announced next month.
-There are tens of millions of Verizon customers out there JUST like me. Want the iPhone but choose the network over the phone itself.

Our balls are in your court, Apple.

Here is the way I see it.

I am an AT&T customer. Where I live the service is no better and no worse than Verizon.

Apple loves AT&T for the simple fact that in 2007 AT&T let Apple have control over a lot of things regarding the iPhone that Verizon wouldn't. I'm not sure how much of that would hold true today since Verizon's policies seem to have become a little more open regarding some of the Android devices.

Apple loves producing a GSM iPhone for the simple fact that they only have to produce one type of iPhone and it works world wide. This keeps their profit higher.

This last statement I made is important. People talk about the millions and millions of people that Apple is missing out on but the truth is Apple is thinking beyond the US, they think world wide and right now the world is GSM.

Everything I have said changes when LTE comes around. I am not talking about LTE in a few cities either. I think Apple will produce an LTE iPhone once it is a legit national service.

 

[Digital Skunk]

i wish they would just come out and say when it's set to expire

I would wager that 90% or more of us VZW supporters are just asking for this. If Apple just came and said, "It'll be on VZW in June 2013," we'd be happy.

But then, there'd be no reason for anyone in the US to buy an iPhone until 2013.

Qualcom has a single chip that does both GSM and CDMA.

Been had it. Sprint's been selling world phones with Qualcom since 2003, possibly sooner than that.

People who hate the iPhone, hate it, because they can't have it. I can't imagine me holding a phone that is not the iPhone.

This is a great comment to try to pull iPhone supports above everyone else. You are simply saying that anyone that hates the iPhone hates it for NO other reason other than they can't have it.

No, I beg to differ. Especially since most just hate AT&T, not the iPhone. Also, most that prefer not to use the iPhone have actually used it enough in it's 3 year existence. Let me not forget that the same can be said for haters of Android phones, but those of us with perspective know that not to be true.

 

[darbus69]

the last straw...

I have never complained about ATT, they are no better or worse than any other cellular company, and I have very little trouble with my service...that being said, it is time for ALL PHONES TO BE AVAILABLE ON ALL CELLULAR NETWORKS...get the iPhone out for all to enjoy, it's time to break every monopoly...

 

[MacCurry]

Apple could do that. But then it would be like Nexus: AT&T or T-Mobile would be the only options, and 3G wouldn't work on one of them.

The Google Nexus One has radios for 3G on T-Mobile and AT&T. It was disabled in software originally and is now available. No reason Apple couldn't do the same, but I doubt it.

AT&T sucks and locked phones suck, AT&T sucks even more if you call them and ask them to unlock your phone. No problem with T-Mobile.

 

[cleric]

Possibly millions of Verizon users who want an iPhone and many people who are fed up with AT&T's service and would switch in an instant it becomes available on another carrier.

Dropped calls maybe... if you are in NY or LA. Garbled voice quality your phone is broken take it in to Apple. But hey the grass is always greener.

 

[sportguy0913]

This speaks for me and a ton of other people.

Me, too!

 

[sportguy0913]

Dropped calls maybe... if you are in NY or LA. Garbled voice quality your phone is broken take it in to Apple. But hey the grass is always greener.

That's so true... For AT&T customers w/ iPhone... verizon's network is better... for Verizon Customers w/ better network.... AT&T has iPhone.

 

[Le Big Mac]

This court document proves nothing about exclusivity terms.

It's a ruling on a motion to dismiss. On a motion to dismiss the court legally must assume everything in the complaint is true. The complaint alleges that the exclusivity runs (ran) through 2012, which means only that the plaintiff and his lawyer believed that to be the case.

 

[Ammo]

Here is the way I see it.

I am an AT&T customer. Where I live the service is no better and no worse than Verizon.

Apple loves AT&T for the simple fact that in 2007 AT&T let Apple have control over a lot of things regarding the iPhone that Verizon wouldn't. I'm not sure how much of that would hold true today since Verizon's policies seem to have become a little more open regarding some of the Android devices.

Apple loves producing a GSM iPhone for the simple fact that they only have to produce one type of iPhone and it works world wide. This keeps their profit higher.

This last statement I made is important. People talk about the millions and millions of people that Apple is missing out on but the truth is Apple is thinking beyond the US, they think world wide and right now the world is GSM.

Everything I have said changes when LTE comes around. I am not talking about LTE in a few cities either. I think Apple will produce an LTE iPhone once it is a legit national service.

-The GSM iPhone profit argument doesn't hold much water. Apple would have even higher profit margins because Verizon is the largest network in the U.S.

-Did you see the stat where 53% of Verizon customers would get an iPhone if it were offered by Apple? That's 35 million more customers at least and higher profit for Apple. In that case it's worth the relatively small investment to put a CDMA radio in the iPhone

-These are people who, like me, refuse to leave Verizon's network for at&t when the Droid Incredible is a perfectly viable alternative.

-Even with the LTE phone, legacy CDMA support would still have to be offered.

 

[blipper]

I don't have an iPhone yet, but according to the dozen or so people who I saw with an iPhone in hand, I ask about my area and how well is the AT&T service, what with everybody griping about it everywhere else on these rumor sites.

No complaints and works great is the feedback I receive. Hmmm...

Maybe Silicon Valley and New York need to move?! Of course, just not in my backyard!

It's more than just SV and New York. I have both an iPhone and a Verizon LG Decoy and 9 times out of 10, the VZ has way more bars than the iPhone. Some times/places the only way I can use the iPhone is to turn on my VZ MiFi and let the iPhone connect through that.

 

[cmaier]

And this horrible logic came from where? Your ass?

What logic? I just pointed out that most people who buy cellphones do not buy smartphones. This should be obvious to you. After all, Apple has only 5% of the overall cellphone market (http://www.electronista.com/articles/10/05/06/motorola.slips.to.second.place/) despite having 16% of the smartphone market (http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/apple-iphone-smartphone-market-share-surges-rim-slips/34181). It's simple math.

Given your need to resort to coarse language, perhaps the math is too complicated for you, though. So here's the answer:

Smartphones accounted for 18.8 percent of all mobile phones in the first quarter, up from 14.4 percent in 2009.

Which means that 80+% of those verizon customers are not likely to be buying iPhones.

And if you were referring to my other point, I cited the CDMA group's own map showing where CDMA is used worldwide. I didn't make a point about it, just cited it.

 

[rstansby]

This rumor is so tired.

It does not make sense to manufacture a verizon iPhone. The rest of the world uses GSM. It would need to be a custom design for one carrier. The unit would come at a production premium cost that Apple would not be able to pass off to the consumer. They would make less profit on the verizon model simply to make it available for that one carrier. What is the incentive?

While I don't expect the iPhone to be available on Verizon soon, I don't think your argument makes much sense. The incentive would be increased volume. You do not need to maintain a specific level of profit on each product, you can make more profit by selling 2 million devices for $51 dollars profit, than you can make by selling 1 million devices for $100 profit.

 

[deannnnn]

Let me ask this question.....When your Moto Razr dropped a call what did you do? Hit redial...When your Palm OS based smartphone dropped a call what did you do? Hit redial...when your iPhone drops a call what do you do? o to the Apple store and B*tch about it instead of hitting redial! I have had MANY blackberry phones on various networks and now my iPhone service in SoCal is JUST AS GOOD as any of the other ones. I was in an Apple Store and a family was buying an iPad...they said they wouldnt buy an iPhone because of ATT and they were Verizon customers...another customer said he was a sales Rep..had to use Verizon for work and had an iPhone personally...he said that HANDS DOWN he got better service THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY on ATT. Verizon would be no better with the iPhone than ATT...period.

You say that as somebody who lives in SoCal, an area with good AT&T coverage.

Nobody knows better than me that it's ALL ABOUT LOCATION.
I spend about half the year in Miami, Florida and the other half in New York City.

When I'm in MIA, I have excellent, reliable service. No dropped calls, fast internet, no problems.

When I'm in NYC, I consider it an accomplishment if the phone doesn't drop the call. It's terrible.

Location, location, location.

 

[Rocketman]

There is no reason to believe 2012 is not correct. Not only is that when the world is coming to an end, it is also when LTE is being deployed en masse by AT&T.

Maybe Verizon will enter into a roaming agreement with AT&T over LTE data. The planets will align!

Rocketman

 

[calsci]

I wonder what it is at now with the inclusion of the iPad.

 

[boss.king]

But then, there'd be no reason for anyone in the US to buy an iPhone until 2013.

I don't live in the US, but don't you think people might want something new over a 3 year period? If you were joking, I retract that.

I get really confused when I see people saying that 1 network is unanimously better than another. they don't seem to take into account that different areas have different levels of service quality, even in a country as small as New Zealand (where I live). I hope you guys on VZW get an iPhone, mainly so people will stop discussing this to death, and I cannot see what the harm in this would be to die-hard AT&T users and why they are so opposed to it.

 

[noahrobd]

I remember it being stated that the exclusive contract with AT&T was for 5 years when the iPhone was first introduced, which is why I've never believed all the rumors saying it will be up in 2010.

 

[FrankieTDouglas]

What makes you think big red can even handle the load? On top of that, why on earth would someone switch from a network that gives you voice AND data at the same time, to one that only gives you voice OR data but not simultaneously?

Well, I'd say the people living inside of this red zone would like to be able to use an iPhone, since right now their options are "Sorry, not possible, period." ATT doesn't exist except for a small minority, isolated inside big cities.

The map of no ATT coverage is actually much bigger, but I could only fit that much of the map into the viewer.

 

[klrobinson999]

Apple should just buy up Sprint and T-Mobile, combine the companies, and create their own carrier. They have enough cash on hand.

 

[rdlink]

...another customer said he was a sales Rep..had to use Verizon for work and had an iPhone personally...he said that HANDS DOWN he got better service THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY on ATT. Verizon would be no better with the iPhone than ATT...period.

He's an idiot for saying that. And you're an idiot for believing it. Verizon has a much better domestic network than AT&T. Period. Not even a point that can be argued with a straight face or any credibility.

Having said that, if it were just about AT&T's network I would use them for my iPhone (currently unlocked on T-Mobile). But they're an evil, poorly run company, full of morons. That's why I won't use them. Not that happy with the prospect of VZ, either. Frankly, I want T-Mobile on 3G. And I'm tired of waiting. If no other carriers are announced in June I am on my way to Android land. I may even mail my iPhone to Steve. Maybe he'll hear me then.

 

[hexonxonx]

Well, I'd say the people living inside of this red zone would like to be able to use an iPhone, since right now their options are "Sorry, not possible, period." ATT doesn't exist.



The map of no ATT coverage is actually much bigger, but I could only fit that much of the map into the viewer.

I live inside that read area and have perfect 3G coverage. In fact, my 3G speeds are just under 3Mbps. AT&T does exist here.

 

[FrankieTDouglas]

I live inside that read area and have perfect 3G coverage. In fact, my 3G speeds are just under 3Mbps. AT&T does exist here.

Well, that's why I included the key. It obviously shows Denver with coverage, surrounded by a wash of no coverage or partner. Which, I should add, if you use the latter too much, ATT&T will simply boot you off their network.

 

[LagunaSol]

Verizon has a much better domestic network than AT&T. Period.

Too bad about that whole "no simultaneous voice and data" thing.

Having said that, if it were just about AT&T's network I would use them for my iPhone (currently unlocked on T-Mobile).

T-Mobile is my favorite carrier I've had, but their data network leaves much to be desired.

But they're an evil, poorly run company, full of morons.

Interesting theory.

I may even mail my iPhone to Steve. Maybe he'll hear me then.

Mail it to me, I'll be sure he gets it.

 

[marksman]

It's more than just SV and New York. I have both an iPhone and a Verizon LG Decoy and 9 times out of 10, the VZ has way more bars than the iPhone. Some times/places the only way I can use the iPhone is to turn on my VZ MiFi and let the iPhone connect through that.

This is nearly as scientific as Verizon's own published network testing of having a guy walk around and saying "Can you hear me now?"