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AT&T Prepares for Loss of iPhone Exclusivity as Subscriber Base Approaches Verizon's
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Couple things:
I have a Verizion BB for work and a Verizon aircard and they are so slow. It's not that great, folks.
- Android is s*itting its pants over this.
- ATT's network will improve when everyone flocks to Verizon
- I'm happy with ATT and simultaneous voice/data on their network
I have a Verizion BB for work and a Verizon aircard and they are so slow. It's not that great, folks.
Everywhere else in the world pretty much the iPhone hasn't been exclusive to a particular carrier - the result has been a war between carriers to win over customers. In New Zealand although Vodafone is the preferred seller but many people are opting to go with XT Network instead due to the superior 3G coverage. It will be interesting if iPhone was completely unlocked in the US and more frequencies were supported I wonder how dispersed the customer base would be.
As for AT&T, they're a prime example of a company run by a person who doesn't understand how mobile networks work. You cannot bring on millions of new customers each quarter and expect that you don't need to touch the infrastructure. Upgrading the infrastructure needs to be an on going programme - there is no 'plateau' that some how you reach and any more investment is not required. The more feature rich phones come on the market the more bandwidth heavy applications there will be to take advantage of it - its up to the carrier to make sure that the infrastructure is in a state that it can handle that rapid growth.
As for AT&T, they're a prime example of a company run by a person who doesn't understand how mobile networks work. You cannot bring on millions of new customers each quarter and expect that you don't need to touch the infrastructure. Upgrading the infrastructure needs to be an on going programme - there is no 'plateau' that some how you reach and any more investment is not required. The more feature rich phones come on the market the more bandwidth heavy applications there will be to take advantage of it - its up to the carrier to make sure that the infrastructure is in a state that it can handle that rapid growth.
Right. ATT was caught with their pants down when the windfall of subscribers (and cash) hit their network with the iPhone. Their stores are so fancy now thanks to the iPhone payday. And yet their network continues to struggle. Where's all that Apple money going??
I, for one, hope the iPhone comes to Verizon soon, as the "OMG I'M BOLTING" crowd will leave ATT thus clearing up more bandwidth for me.
I see AT&T network to lighten up as many AT&T customers will switch to Verizon to see if Their network is better. I see it as a problem for Verizon. They have a huge network and I don't get poor or no reception (outside) in Eaton, Indiana with Verizon but AT&T has an extra bar to two where I am at. I also see the lost of AT&T customers helping in other AT&T customers as the network won't have as many daily users on it. The drop calls would also lighten up.
I think the jump will hurt Verizon. AT&T wasn't prepared enough and Verizon HOPES they will have a better network but they will be like no other than AT&T. I have been with Cingular and service is OK. Since then I seen prices go up and service go to hell. BUT that is corporation for everyone. They only see numbers. But with the length of time I been with Bellsouth and Cingular, AT&T has treated me fairly and I am happy. When I have a billing issue or a surcharge of a extra item, I can get it reversed and credited back to my account. I love my iPhone regardless of which cell phone provider I am with.
But how sure are we about the iphone 5 being released so soon? Isn't that more speculation? I mean it makes more sense to release that later so that people who renewed a contract with iphone 4 are nearing the end of a contract with that phone when the iphone 5 comes out than to release in the middle of that contract.
I'm hoping this will happen.
This is going to significantly improve the network since I'm assuming a lot of people are going to be switching to Verizon's crappy network
This is going to significantly improve the network since I'm assuming a lot of people are going to be switching to Verizon's crappy network
I am in a state where AT&T has virtually no presence and where Verizon reception really is the only option (V have invested in a significant number of additional towers to get around our many mountain peak interference problems). So for me, I am anxiously awaiting the iPhone coming to Verizon. When Verizon bought Alltel, the FCC made some of the area companies part of AT&T. That is supposed to happen here. The question still comes down to reception. And I think I, like many, are wondering if Verizon, should they get the iPhone, will be overloaded with data usage as to run into the same problems as AT&T. Regardless, at least I can finally get my hands on an iPhone
if anything is released in January it will only be the iPhone 4. The iPhone 5 will only be released in June. As for the contract issue, yes it will be unusual which is why I'm still not fully convinced that a midcycle release will happen. But I have absolutely no doubt that the iPhone 5 will be released to both Verizon and ATT next summer.
The only problem is that we may never know this. Most people when polled said they would not leave AT&T for a Verizon iPhone. And unless many of the current Android users, and others adopt the Verizon iPhone en masse the VZ network may not see the strain that the AT&T network has. I'm hoping though that Verizon will help carry some of the burden and eventually lead to Facetime over 3G.
Weird, here in Tokyo I can only send SMSs when I have 3G signal (WiFi alone won't work). I guess is an issue of the telco not allowing access to its closed sms network from the open internet... I remember when sms came out, you would get tons of spam from e-mail address generators running on PCs (you only had to generate all the possible phone numbers). Now you can only send sms with the phone number as the address if it's from phone to phone; otherwise you must use a proper, user customizable e-mail address with letters, underscores, etc...
What exactly is unusual about it?
Yes, many did say that wouldn't leave. And depending on your definition of many....many said they would. Personally, I consider 1.4 million many. Sure, it's not a ton in light of the 93 Milllion subscribers Verizon already has, but it's not exactly a small number.
Two thoughts on that:
1) I'm guessing a lot of Android users on Verizon chose Android because a lack of an iPhone option. Those users would likely switch when their next upgrade is eligible.
2) Android users on Verizon use more data per user than iPhone users on AT&T. So Android users switching to iPhones would not change the amount of data on the network.
What I would expect to see is a lot of feature phone users that were tempted by the simplicity of the iPhone but put off by the Android (asking a friend, the thought is that the iPhone, easier to use or not, has so many people using it that there would be lots of help figuring it out) begin to migrate to their very first smart phone.
Either way, AT&T was caught off guard. Nobody predicted the iPhone would blow up like it did. Verizon has the advantage of seeing what AT&T went through. There are stories that they are already preparing their network for even more data than they handle now.
I might like to point out Android is doing really well over seas on carriers that have low and behold both android and the iPhone. In the US AT&T is just starting to carry some real android phones and people seems to like them. They still have a long ways to go to compared to the others and I wish they would start carrying more.
You are correct, alm99 is mistaken. Unless alm99 is using some app to send SMS over data, you need cell reception to send sms. But unlike a phone call, sms can deliver over pretty weak signals.
70 of iPhone users said they wouldn't switch, so whatever number that amounts to. And secondly I agree that a lot of Android users on VZ would love to have an iPhone given the opportunity to have one AND stay on their network.
I frequently travel throughout Montana. From Kalispell to Missoula, Butte to Billings and in-between.
ATT works fine, it's just Edge mostly everywhere. I do have a work BB w/Verizon and it has EVDO mostly everywhere, so I give the data edge to Verizon.
I just find that for basic voice and data coverage, ATT really isn't that bad in Montana.
Does ATT have any native coverage in Montana? I thought it didn't.
If not, you're roaming on another network while you're traveling there.
Corrections welcome.
It's actually more than that, 23% said they would switch amounting to 77% that wouldn't. So yeah, the 23% that would switch amounts to about 1.4 million.
I don't live in MT so I'm not sure. All I know is my phone has a signal and it's Edge data.
I don't agree. I believe iphone 5 will coincide with other carrier options in 2012. I know the exclusivity contract was revealed in a court case to end in 2012. I have seen no evidence of it happening before then except for speculation that it could have been changed.
ATT only has 4G in a few cities now. Verizon isn't LTE yet. In 2012 both might be implemented and that would be a good time to release iphone 5. Or perhaps iphone 5 on ATT att eh end of 2011 and on Verizon in 2012.
You have that totally backwards. Verizon has LTE already deployed, ready for sale in about three dozen metro areas covering 1/3 of the US population. They plan to be fully deployed around the end of 2012, with the same nationwide coverage as their current 3G.
ATT's LTE plans are about two years behind Verizon, so they won't start deploying until 2011, with probably a 2012 debut. They've said they want to wait until LTE costs go down and more handsets are available. Their plan seems to be to first finish up their 3G network and boost its speeds instead.
Corrrection: Verizon has publicly stated that their LTE rollout will not be complete until around 2013-2014. So, as they begin to rollout LTE phones (next year), they need to ensure that they can fallback on CDMA for many years to come. Verizon needs to rush their LTE network now in order to attract the latest phones.
AT&T has the "luxury" to enhance their 3G network to faster speeds (7.2 mbs now, next is 14.4 mbs). Verizon's CDMA is, for all practical purposes, dead as far as ability to enhance. CDMA is stuck at 3.1mbs (yes, I know....all these speeds are theorteical). AT&T is tesintg LTE now, and will rollout next year as LTE phones become available. I'm not a cell engineer, but I heard that the LTE standard is still not final. I hope that all this equipment that they are deploying (Verizon and ATT) is field upgradeable via software updates.
Sprint is kind of going in their own separate way with their 4G Clearmax solution. Yes, they were first to build a 4G network but this might hurt them in the long run as they try to attract the latest/greatest phones. Will Apple ever produce a Clearwire iPhone? Doubt it.
I'll never understand why there so much misinformation and FUD spewed about CDMA in this forum. Verizon has made a strategic decision to move away from CDMA and toward LTE. This means they allow AT&T to have the speed edge for a bit while they transisition early to LTE.
But even though Verizon has decided not to roll out the next revision of CDMA, it is still being developed and the latest revision is capable of even faster speeds capable of the same speeds as HSPA+. I do expect with major carriers like Verizon dropping support that one day CDMA will go the way of the Dodo, but this is no different that what's happened to past GSM technologies as well as AMPS. Technologies get phased out, it's a fact of life. But no reason to call it dead before it truly is.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2371053,00.asp
Re: Sprint, they have already expressed an openness to LTE.
AT&T is carrying even more brands of smartphones this year. Let's say 50% of iPhone customers decide to switch, how many NEW smartphone customers do you think they'll gain with more selections? I'm guessing a LOT. Good luck with your network.if people jump ship to verizon will at&t peeps see network improvements?
Yeah, we'll see more and more feature phone users switching to smart phones. Historically AT&T has been slow to roll out network upgrades. Hopefully the iPhone taught them a lesson and they'll continue to improve the network to keep up with demands.