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AT&T to Help Bring iPad to Business Customers

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Apr 12, 2001
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Just a day after it was announced that AT&T would begin selling the iPad in its retail stores, the carrier has announced an initiative to sell the device directly to business customers. The program will see the carrier offering the three Wi-Fi + 3G iPad models along with data packages specifically targeting business customers.

While Apple has featured the iPad's utility in business settings, the new program from AT&T introduces the device into the carrier's existing business relationships it is using to promote custom mobile solutions.
"iPad is a great fit for our enterprise customers across a wide range of industries who are looking for ways to increase business productivity and offer greater flexibility," said Michael Antieri, President, Advanced Enterprise Mobility Solutions, AT&T Business Solutions. "This new offer further strengthens AT&T's commitment to provide businesses with the tools they need to accelerate mobility-led productivity."
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AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson noted back in June that he viewed the iPad as a significant opportunity for businesses to "think differently about mobilizing all of the applications that you see in business." At the time, he pointed to strong interest from the carrier's business customers, but it is only now that Apple has opened up the iPad to additional distribution channels like AT&T that the carrier will be able to work directly with its customers to get the iPad into their hands.

Article Link: AT&T to Help Bring iPad to Business Customers
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/10/15/atandt-to-help-bring-ipad-to-business-customers/
They have to offer an unlimited data plan. I mean $25 for 2 little GB?!! That's ubsurd in 2010! How do they ever think they could get away with that? :mad:
 
Never mind all those business users getting used to iWork on the iPad because Microsoft are too proud to create an Office port. It can only work to reducing the stronghold that Office has within businesses.
 
All these latest iPad developments sounds like the window of opportunity is closing soon with Microsoft and Intel coming up with a usable tablet. Microsoft had an almost automatic purchase from business but they don't have the product now.
 
MacVault said:
I smell some collusion going on between the carriers on the limited data plans. Would this be a complaint for the FCC?
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What you smell is the rationing of a limited resource (wireless bandwidth).

Demand is growing faster than the supply. Note: supply is limited by available spectrum and advances in technology.
 
MacVault said:
I smell some collusion going on between the carriers on the limited data plans. Would this be a complaint for the FCC?
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Quiet you!;)

I could already hear the yells of some that calling on the FCC to intervene is extending the reach of the Federal government and that too many regulations will crumble our fragile businesses.
 
schwell said:
What you smell is the rationing of a limited resource (wireless bandwidth).

Demand is growing faster than the supply. Note: supply is limited by available spectrum and advances in technology.
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True, perhaps. But $25 for 2GB? Get real!

AND - I hear rumors that there will be no unlimited plan with LTE (4G) which is suppose to, at least to a large extent, resolve the limited supply / spectrum issue. Right?
 
What you see here is a coming business branding effort in which new, higher-priced packages are available for the "special" versions of iPad for Business. I picture a couple of inconsequential "perks" in the special packages, and then pricing probably about 1.5X or so higher vs. comparable consumer offerings.

I don't picture better deals for business customers, such as unlimited for $24.99/month, etc. I do picture options to lock in for longer than 2 years, which then might offer some kind of perceptual savings... if you can get past the idea of being locked into one carrier for a very long time.

This is AT&T after all.
 
schwell said:
What you smell is the rationing of a limited resource (wireless bandwidth).

Demand is growing faster than the supply. Note: supply is limited by available spectrum and advances in technology.
Click to expand...

People think just because the signal is wireless, then the amount of signal is unlimited. No, big no, wireless spectrum is *very* limited and precious. Also, the FCC hasn't licensed all the spectrum in the US. It still keeps many of it in check.
 
jav6454 said:
People think just because the signal is wireless, then the amount of signal is unlimited. No, big no, wireless spectrum is *very* limited and precious. Also, the FCC hasn't licensed all the spectrum in the US. It still keeps many of it in check.
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Yea, true, wireless spectrum is limited. So charge for it. But be reasonable. Like $5 for 2GB. And, how much will LTE / 4G help this issue?
 
MacVault said:
Yea, true, wireless spectrum is limited. So charge for it. But be reasonable. Like $5 for 2GB. And, how much will LTE / 4G help this issue?
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Do you know how much a cell tower installation plus maintenance costs in your neighborhood? Would you invest that much of your money in a cell tower if you could only charge a couple bucks per GB?
 
firewood said:
Do you know how much a cell tower installation plus maintenance costs in your neighborhood? Would you invest that much of your money in a cell tower if you could only charge a couple bucks per GB?
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Fair enough. On the other hand, why would I ever invest $25 for only 2GB of data transfer??????????????? If this is required, then the technical / financial model just isn't there to make it viable. Model has crumbled!

Maybe those who can afford pay $200,000 for a few minutes in space on Virgin Galactic can also affor 2GB for $25 :)
 
It looks to me as if Apple has gotten the production of iPads up to where it can support all these new retail outlets and is now pulling out all stops to flood the market.

This should disrupt all the plans in progress by other tablet wannabe producers. Someone at APple has been studying Sun Tzu's "The Art of War."

It's hard to imagine that it's been 10.5 months since everybody and their dog were showing tablets at CES, and there is yet to be even one of those remarkable wonders on the market. :rolleyes:
 
AT&T might be selling it directly to business customers, but except in certain circumstances, the iPad will be of limited use when compared to a laptop. And of extremely limited use in a large enterprise.

Which is presumably by design, as the content-consumption vs. content creation theory has it.


Although AT&T's effort may be of use for those businesses that do find the iPad of some use.
 
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Eduardo1971 said:
I wish my job would switch over to the iPad. I really don't enjoy lugging around the Dell and 3g card around with me!
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Like an iPad will increase productivity, common
 
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