Oddly, that doesn't seem to prevent the inhabitants from being happy:
http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/14/world-happiest-countries-lifestyle-realestate-gallup.html
Perhaps they're happy because their iPhones are on a decent network. ;-)
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iPhone Coming to T-Mobile in U.S. This Quarter?
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http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/14/world-happiest-countries-lifestyle-realestate-gallup.html
Perhaps they're happy because their iPhones are on a decent network. ;-)
You see, everybody has their saint and satan in terms of wireless carriers don't they. One man's crappy network is another man's perfect network. At&t sucks, no Verizon sucks, no T-Mobile sucks, and on it goes.
In September, Tracfone will get the iPhone. You'll find it hanging in a blister pack at WalMart for $9.99. 
Switching from T-Mobile to AT&T has been a huge step up in terms of service. With all these people complaining about AT&T service its hard for me to imagine why.
Wait. Hasn't the iPhone only been around 3 years.
Hope this happens, BTW.
The one carrier I still haven't seen rumors on is metro pcs. C'mon, people... let the rumors fly.
I would tend to agree. The two companies seem to have like polarities and therefore repel each other. The below the belt kicks by Verizon can't possibly have set well with Steve Jobs either. Time will tell but my money is on not seeing a Verizon iPhone anytime soon.
Makes sense, it'd be the easiest company to take on the iphone as well, slap in a sim card baby.
T-mobile has the best rate plans and unlimited data and free texting... I wonder if that will change if they do get the iPhone? I know that their coverage area is not that strong though, I had T-mobile a few years ago before I got my 3G, I wonder if they have improved this any?
Did everyone here forget the recent past? Don't you remember Verizon was the FIRST cell provider in the U.S.A and Verizon REJECTED it outright! Then Steve took the idea to Cingular (Now AT&T Wireless) and they accepted Steve's terms. So IMHO the iPhone will never go to Verizon while Steve is still running Apple.
Verizon turned down something apple didn't have a prototype for. Can't say I blame them. The first motorola with itunes didn't turn out to well. No history to base it on.
If Steve's still at the helm in 2015ish, he won't have much of a choice. But I don't think he'd mind if he truly did have a vendetta against them, because Verizon'd be almost totally marginalized by then. LTE should theoretically be widespread enough, and it won't matter that Verizon wants to lock down their devices, as the provider will just be one step closer to nothing but a data pipe. Why should Apple waste time, effort, and money right now to bargain with Verizon and build a special phone for a completely dead-end network? Verizon's busy promoting their Android handsets, anyway. Let them roll around in it.
Yes, that's what I heard. I just wonder what Sprint is going to do with all of their CDMA/GSM/WiMax/LTE goodness.
If the two do merge, it'd be nice to see the Sprint icon in the iPhone, and the iPhone in my hands.
In September, Tracfone will get the iPhone. You'll find it hanging in a blister pack at WalMart for $9.99.
Next to the prepaid cards with flags from different 3rd world countries!
Great post, I LOL'ed for a while on that one.
Exactly! Generally whatever network you're currently with sucks since the grass is always greener on the other side. Personally I like T-Mobile and always thought they had good pricing.
Buying T-Mobile outright wouldn't make a lot of sense as regulators would probably not a approve if they were only planning on offering the iPhone. What I could see is Apple taking a stake in T-Mobile and offering a MVNO apple wireless through their network.
I tend to agree, but some carriers do suck more than others. I was with AT&T almost 10 years ago now. They sucked then and they suck now . . . (IMHO of course)
I switched to Sprint about 5 years ago, and they haven't sucked that much at all.
T-Mobile Germany has been doing pretty well as the sole carrier for the iPhone 3G, 3GS, and iPhone 4. They gained quite a few new customers over the past 2 years. T-Mobile US on the other hand didn't increase their customer base over the past year. I would guess that Apple gets a pretty good deal if the allow T-Mobile US to become an iPhone carrier. The addition of a 2nd carrier on different frequency bands should also help to alleviate the data bottlenecks currently experienced in some metropolitan areas with ATT.
Both WiMax and LTE(3.9) are 4G in that they are Internet protocol based. Both CDMA and classic GSM are "arcane", legacy stuff that is going away. Going to an internet protocol based set up will allow more commonality of much of the backend technology. The radios between the towers and handset/modems are a different story. LTE is a technology bridge between going completely IP based and leaving the legacy telephony stuff behind.
Several of the infrastructure vendors for WiMax (e.g., Motorola now Nokia/Siemens , etc.) equipment does WiMax or LTE with some slight updates. (http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-20004468-266.html I think this is what spawned the chatter. Clear has an option to switch if makes sense long term. However, that doesn't mean they will switch. If their adoption rate over next two years is high enough and get IEEE P802.16m update to 1Gbit they could keep going with WiMax in most locations or at least for some aspects of the backend. )
There are three pragmatic problems. One is spectrum. Second is tower placement. WiMax is different than classic CDMA which is different classic GSM. Wouldn't have to buy all new equipment but coverage would need tweaks which does mean new equipment. Third, is that have to keep around legacy networks for long time. A significant fraction of users have "older" phones. Folks concentrate on the folks who churn them every year, but they are small fraction of the headset userbase for any carrier. The deployed networks are designed to run for 8-10 years before the start dropping folks. LTE is so that you can run "Legacy + IP " networks to transition (that's why it is " long term evolution" ). It isn't the end state. It is the transition state where dump a huge chunk of legacy stuff: CDMA and GSM baggage.
if "doom and gloom" WiMAX stories becomes the biggest problem Clear faces then they'll probably switch. If they can roll in enough customers to pay the bills and make a profit they'll probably stick with WiMAX. All they are trying to say is that they could switch if "had to". It is not at the "want to" stage right now.
The Contract?
Unless Apple can get out of the exclusivity agreement with AT&T, they're not going to be able to release their phone to other carriers without inviting a huge lawsuit.
I read another post which talks about the AT&T-Apple relationship. In one word, it's a soap opera. In any case, Steve Jobs wanted to switch to someone like Verizon but he dropped the idea after learning that he would have to redesign the whole iPhone in order to accommodate the CDMA chip.
However, I can tell you that it's in Apple's best interests to open itself up to other carriers. However, as long as the exclusivity contract is in force, that's not happening.
Unless Apple can get out of the exclusivity agreement with AT&T, they're not going to be able to release their phone to other carriers without inviting a huge lawsuit.
I read another post which talks about the AT&T-Apple relationship. In one word, it's a soap opera. In any case, Steve Jobs wanted to switch to someone like Verizon but he dropped the idea after learning that he would have to redesign the whole iPhone in order to accommodate the CDMA chip.
However, I can tell you that it's in Apple's best interests to open itself up to other carriers. However, as long as the exclusivity contract is in force, that's not happening.
Why doesn't apple just create a mobile service (iMobile) and just use everyone's network.
So, make iphone available on all networks. Apple contracts with the carriers to use their network. Then when you buy an iPhone you contract with Apple directly.
Just like how BoostMobile sells their services but uses Sprints network in the back.
http://www.boostmobile.com/
So, make iphone available on all networks. Apple contracts with the carriers to use their network. Then when you buy an iPhone you contract with Apple directly.
Just like how BoostMobile sells their services but uses Sprints network in the back.
http://www.boostmobile.com/
