When the iPhone was AT&T-only, everyone (including me) complained about AT&T's network - dropped calls, weak signal, etc etc. Now, iPhone is available on 3 major carriers and Sprint users are reporting unhappiness with Sprint, while Verizon users are not that much better except for not many dropped calls. With the 4S on AT&T's network, I'm getting good reception, no dropped calls, decent data speeds. So, the issue could have been with the phone itself, that's been fixed now? Or do AT&T customers using other phone models also complain about dropped calls?
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Don't we owe AT&T an apology?
- Thread starter saaketham
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Nobody should apologize to a carrier for anything. All of them charge way too much for what they provide. Also there are still plenty of people having issues with ATT. All this shows that all big three carriers are really not that great.
so wait, now that you are finally getting what you have been paying for all along, you should appologize? 
just because you're better than someone else doesn't mean you're great.
just because you're better than someone else doesn't mean you're great.
How do you decide what is too much? I'm not saying they don't have issues but let's look at profit margins for AT&T vs. Apple.
AT&T 10-20%
Apple 40-50%
So, it seems that AT&T is getting less for each dollar of sales than Apple. Of course, Apple is out innovating them and deserve the profit they have earned.
I'm reminded of how everyone complains that airlines are too expensive and the service is poor. However, most of them are losing money and are close to bankruptcy. The reality is that they are charging too little for their services. I think the carriers are in a similar place.
I have maintained (and I love my iPhone) that it was never a question of carrier - but that the iPhone itself has a somewhat weaker radio than many other phones.
I have had blackberries, Treos and others prior to the iPhone and never had as many dropped calls or slow data in comparison. Not that I have TONS with the iPhone.. but still.
But now I imagine that the other problem is merely the amount of people hitting the network with an increased amount of smart phones in general over the past few years...
I have had blackberries, Treos and others prior to the iPhone and never had as many dropped calls or slow data in comparison. Not that I have TONS with the iPhone.. but still.
But now I imagine that the other problem is merely the amount of people hitting the network with an increased amount of smart phones in general over the past few years...
All cell phone companies have their issues. Plus the quality of coverage varies based on where you live.
AT&T was an easy target when they were the exclusive carrier of the iPhone. Verizon or Sprint would have been ripped just as much if they had been the exclusive carrier (likely for slow data speeds compared to other smart phones and not being able to use voice and data.)
Now that folks have options, they are realizing there is no perfect carrier out there. But having choices/competition is going to puts (more) competitive pressure on all of them to improve their service.
AT&T was an easy target when they were the exclusive carrier of the iPhone. Verizon or Sprint would have been ripped just as much if they had been the exclusive carrier (likely for slow data speeds compared to other smart phones and not being able to use voice and data.)
Now that folks have options, they are realizing there is no perfect carrier out there. But having choices/competition is going to puts (more) competitive pressure on all of them to improve their service.
A few things:
1) I agree with you to an extent that no carrier could have handled the original iPhone when it first came out. AT&T was actually probably the best equipped to handle it.
2) Part of the main reason that AT&T has gotten so much better since the original iPhone is the vast sums of cash they made when they were exclusive enabled them to massively upgrade their network. They didn't really expand their coverage much, that's not their strategy, but they did massively upgrade its ability to handle loads and provide fast speed that's not on the battery killing LTE spec (though they are rolling that out as well for when LTE radios get more energy efficient). Because of permit issues and red tape, we're just now seeing a lot of the fruits of that massive overhaul.
3) No, we don't owe anybody an apology. They're a company. They've made massive boatloads of cash on the iPhone. They can deal with people complaining, even if occasionally it wasn't really 'their fault'. They signed up for the iPhone, and made tons of cash, they also signed up for whatever backlash that caused them. it was all part of the bargain.
4) I do however chuckle thinking of the old days when every problem the iPhone ever had was blamed on AT&T. It even manifested itself with the 4S launch, when everybody was flipping out at AT&T over the activation issues, when it has now more or less been established that the problem was Apple's iTunes servers. For a lot of people, especially on this website, AT&T has been a very convenient whipping boy for any shortcomings that the iPhone has had. A lot of people here view Apple as near infallible, so it was great for them to have somebody to point the finger at besides Apple.
1) I agree with you to an extent that no carrier could have handled the original iPhone when it first came out. AT&T was actually probably the best equipped to handle it.
2) Part of the main reason that AT&T has gotten so much better since the original iPhone is the vast sums of cash they made when they were exclusive enabled them to massively upgrade their network. They didn't really expand their coverage much, that's not their strategy, but they did massively upgrade its ability to handle loads and provide fast speed that's not on the battery killing LTE spec (though they are rolling that out as well for when LTE radios get more energy efficient). Because of permit issues and red tape, we're just now seeing a lot of the fruits of that massive overhaul.
3) No, we don't owe anybody an apology. They're a company. They've made massive boatloads of cash on the iPhone. They can deal with people complaining, even if occasionally it wasn't really 'their fault'. They signed up for the iPhone, and made tons of cash, they also signed up for whatever backlash that caused them. it was all part of the bargain.
4) I do however chuckle thinking of the old days when every problem the iPhone ever had was blamed on AT&T. It even manifested itself with the 4S launch, when everybody was flipping out at AT&T over the activation issues, when it has now more or less been established that the problem was Apple's iTunes servers. For a lot of people, especially on this website, AT&T has been a very convenient whipping boy for any shortcomings that the iPhone has had. A lot of people here view Apple as near infallible, so it was great for them to have somebody to point the finger at besides Apple.
I am on Sprint, and my iphone seems to have equivalent coverage to all of the other phones I have had. My guess is the people are complaining because they haven't used the other phones as much as they are using the iphone. I haven't done an exhaustive 3g test yet as I have had good access to wifi since I got the phone.
That's on the initial sale of the phone. Do you really think the device is where they make their money? Hell, they pay for 2/3 of the cost of the device just to get you signed up for 2 years, that should tell you it's the service where they make their money.
except the people.... I'll be here all week.
Also, the amount of data on US networks makes Euro data networks look like a small city. And the original euro carriers ALL had problems when they first got the iPhone as well.
To my knowledge, every carrier that was the first to get the iPhone in a particular country had fairly major issues.
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it's not the coverage people are complaining about with sprint, it's the data speeds. Even when Sprint is having a good day, AT&T is around 4 times faster. Many times AT&T is even 10-20 times faster though.
a.k.a No there not.
But they do have a 10x slower 3G network. Good luck with those 700Kps average download speeds.
As much as I love to bash AT&T, and still have many reasons to do so... there is some validity to this thread.
Do we owe them an apology? No.
I have noticed though with my 4S I am dropping less calls and they are connecting much more quickly then they were with my 4.
The data seems faster but I think that is mainly due to the better processor allowing the pages to be rendered much more quickly.
I definitely think Apple made some improvements to the phone part of the iPhone.
You can go ahead and down vote me now since I made a post that gave AT&T a little bit of credit.
Do we owe them an apology? No.
I have noticed though with my 4S I am dropping less calls and they are connecting much more quickly then they were with my 4.
The data seems faster but I think that is mainly due to the better processor allowing the pages to be rendered much more quickly.
I definitely think Apple made some improvements to the phone part of the iPhone.
You can go ahead and down vote me now since I made a post that gave AT&T a little bit of credit.
Actually I had zero issues with AT&T when I moved to an original iPhone in 2007. In my area their service was pretty good and in the three years before they launched 3G in the area, I had exceptional call quality and not a single dropped call.
Since 3G came, call quality has deteriorated, and along with odd noises and digital artifacts, dropped calls have also happened. Switching back to 2G (when that was possible, unfortunately it isn't on the 4S) resulted in excellent voice service once again. In other areas where I travel, 3G service has been much better, so I'm waiting (and hoping) their service locally improves to match that.
Taking all criteria into account, for me AT&T was, and remains, the best available iPhone carrier.
What it all proves is that cellular service providers are all equally bad, even if not at the same things.
a.k.a No there not.
But they do have a 10x slower 3G network. Good luck with those 700Kps average download speeds.
I always tell people it mostly depends on how you use your phone. If you use a lot of data and don't travel a alot and AT&T is good in your area, AT&T is a no brainer. If you travel a lot or don't really care about data speed or data and talking simultaneously, or are normally on wifi, verizon is a no brainer.
In between it's a tough call.
I absolutely can't think of any reason anybody would sign up with Sprint right now though. Unlimited data is completely pointless unless you're getting over 3 Mbps consistently. It's impossible to use enough data for it to matter at Sprint's speeds.
Think of it this way. If you end up being one of those super users that AT&T throttles their data after they hit like 5 GB, you'd still be twice as fast as being on the Sprint network.
It all depends on your area. Sprint is probably a little different because they have less/worse equipments, but you can get mixed results for Verizon and AT&T.
My girlfriend and I both live in North Carolina, but in different areas. I can get constant 4-5 bars in my area, but can barely hold a signal in my girlfriends. Opposite result for Verizon.
Is it fair to blame AT&T for network congestion? No. Do we owe AT&T an apology? Don't think so. Remember they are a business afterall and their ultimate goal is to earn your money. You don't apologize for paying for sub-par services, no matter the reason.
My girlfriend and I both live in North Carolina, but in different areas. I can get constant 4-5 bars in my area, but can barely hold a signal in my girlfriends. Opposite result for Verizon.
Is it fair to blame AT&T for network congestion? No. Do we owe AT&T an apology? Don't think so. Remember they are a business afterall and their ultimate goal is to earn your money. You don't apologize for paying for sub-par services, no matter the reason.
a.k.a No there not.
But they do have a 10x slower 3G network. Good luck with those 700Kps average download speeds.
a.) they're
b.) I'm getting a Droid RAZR with download speeds that are downright embarrassing for AT&T.
AT&T service WAS terrible. I complained a lot.
It got better. I don't complain so much.
What should I apologize for?
It got better. I don't complain so much.
What should I apologize for?
AT&T service WAS terrible. I complained a lot.
It got better. I don't complain so much.
What should I apologize for?
Exactly. When ATT gives you a refund for the months your service was terrible, then you can apologize.
AT&T service is really not that great.
I live in China and get better reception, data speeds, and service from a communist owned corporation (China Mobile). I've been in the middle of Tibet 1,200 miles from literally any town and have had 4 bars of service. Hell, I've watched Netflix on 3G from Mount Everest base camp, yet I can't get but one bar on AT&T literally a mile away from a cell tower?
AT&T doesn't deserve any sort of apology, they deserve a kick in the proverbial nutts.
I get the feeling that AT&T is stretched to to thin, bit off more than they can chew, and has been putting on a happy face despite internally running around like Chickens with their heads cut off ever since the iPhone landed on their network(s)
Every time I come back to the States I remember how truly thin AT&T's coverage is and how bad their customer service is. It's getting worse, IMHO, not really better. Granted, Im only in the States once a year, so my sample size is quite small, but it's crappy every time I come back.
I live in China and get better reception, data speeds, and service from a communist owned corporation (China Mobile). I've been in the middle of Tibet 1,200 miles from literally any town and have had 4 bars of service. Hell, I've watched Netflix on 3G from Mount Everest base camp, yet I can't get but one bar on AT&T literally a mile away from a cell tower?
AT&T doesn't deserve any sort of apology, they deserve a kick in the proverbial nutts.
I get the feeling that AT&T is stretched to to thin, bit off more than they can chew, and has been putting on a happy face despite internally running around like Chickens with their heads cut off ever since the iPhone landed on their network(s)
Every time I come back to the States I remember how truly thin AT&T's coverage is and how bad their customer service is. It's getting worse, IMHO, not really better. Granted, Im only in the States once a year, so my sample size is quite small, but it's crappy every time I come back.
Everyone was clamouring for iPhone to be sold by Verizon/Sprint, etc because AT&T's network sucks. But now, with the new iPhone, I'm already experiencing much better reception in the same area that my iPhone 3gs used to drop calls and get weak signal. Nothing changed with the carrier in my area, but the reception and speed became better. So, it has to be a better antenna design by Apple. If so, then they're the ones who caused so much grief to AT&T and all the negative coverage they got.
By apology, I don't mean calling the AT&T rep up and apologizing.
By apology, I don't mean calling the AT&T rep up and apologizing.
Everyone was clamouring for iPhone to be sold by Verizon/Sprint, etc because AT&T's network sucks. But now, with the new iPhone, I'm already experiencing much better reception in the same area that my iPhone 3gs used to drop calls and get weak signal. Nothing changed with the carrier in my area, but the reception and speed became better. So, it has to be a better antenna design by Apple. If so, then they're the ones who caused so much grief to AT&T and all the negative coverage they got.
By apology, I don't mean calling the AT&T rep up and apologizing.
No we should not apologize to ATT. Their network coverage sucks. The fact that the other carriers are not better is no excuse. Also the fact that cell phone manufacturers need to improve their antennas to get good reception is no excuse.
Compare ATT to other countries GSM networks and you see that even the old G3 iPhones have never dropped calls, always good data speed and much lower prices.
ATT simply has two problem they refuse to fix: not enough coverage and even with good coverage the network is unreliable and frequently drops calls or has slow internet.