Sprint to Join AT&T and Verizon in Offering iPhone 5 at 'Mid-October' Launch

[unlimitedx]

I have no idea what your reasoning is for the above comment, its in AT&T's best interest for Tmobile to get the iPhone, otherwise Tmobile is likely to lose more customers when all the other major providers have the iPhone except them. Thats bad for AT&T and lessens the value of a company they are trying to pay $39B for, so thats not a great idea. In addition, since the iPhone is going to be one phone for all networks its in AT&Ts best interest to get as many Tmobile customers on a phone that will run on there network as possible, because if the deal goes through the FTC, the FTC have already made comments that the customer should not be financially effected (ie have to buy a new phone) for moving to AT&T's network, so either they get a bunch of Tmobile's users to buy a phone that can be made to work on AT&Ts network with a chip swap or software upgrade, or they end of replacing all the phones when they swap happens, or they lose all the Tmobile customers with the swap and they go elsewhere, I dont think thats the AT&T plan forward, I'm not sure why you think it is?

tmobile is only losing subscribers on a magnitude of several hundred thousand subscribers, that is not going to dent the value of the purchase, when both company combined will be well over 100 million subscribers. by purchasing t-mobile, what should concern consumers is the likelihood of higher plan rates. at&t will be the only GSM provider in the U.S.

at&t already has the audacity to "simplify" their texting plan to either an all or nothing offering, forcing users to pay text at 20 cents (both sending AND receiving) or $20 for unlimited. who know's how much higher rates and simplifications at&t will make to their prices if the tmobile deal goes through

 

[gpat]

I actually think that Sprint will keep the unlimited plans for at least some time after the iPhone launch. They are in a strong need for customers.

 

[malcolmffc]

How many times do people need to be told this?

The iPhone 5 will NOT support LTE. Apple effectively said so themselves in their last conference call, because the chips are currently too big and suck too much battery. Of course it would be TECHNICALLY possible to put LTE in the iPhone 5, but Apple is not in the business of making bulky phones that run out of battery in half an hour. If you want one of those there are plenty of crappy handsets made by the likes of Motorola.

Quite aside from the fact that LTE is hardly available anywhere, and idiotic American carriers keep labeling it "4G" when it's really 3.75G (LTE Advanced is proper 4G.) iPhone 6 will be the time that LTE comes to the iPhone

 

[bigpics]

Didn't see this commented on on the first page, but if the story's correct, that just about locks down any possibility the iP5 will have 4G.

(oops but it is in the post just before mine on page 9!)

 

[Mr. Gates]

But Here is the REAL question ....

When is the iPhone coming to Boost Mobile ?

 

[Marlon_JBT]

Ugh! It's not mid-October yet?

My phone has had it and I've only had it a few months. I hope it can last until mid-October.

Been waiting for quite a while for this moment. Really hope it comes true. I will be one of the FIRST in line.

 

[lacosner]

It's about TIME!

I have been waiting for this since the first iPhone. I could have switched multiple times, but it never made sense. I was just in the Sprint store last night looking at all the lame Android devices. There just isn't anything out there that compares to the iPhone. Keep up the good work Apple!

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I have been waiting for this since the first iPhone. I could have switched multiple times, but it never made sense. I was just in the Sprint store last night looking at all the lame Android devices. There just isn't anything out there that compares to the iPhone. Keep up the good work Apple!

I think that pretty much sums up the effect this is going to have on Android. It's true the Android OS, in all its iterations, has a greater market share than iPhone, but it's mostly because ATT has had exclusivity for so long. Now, with this news + Google entering the hardware realm, we will witness a true Android vs iPhone battle on an even playing field.

Personally, I think Google is about to get bloodied because for all the good ideas packed into Android, it's implementation is 2nd rate compared to the iPhone.

 

[dexthageek]

Spring may be unlimited but it goes down to 2G speeds after two gigabytes of use each month.

That is better then charging extra for consumption over the cap.

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you are both wrong. Yes it is unlimited if you don't call land lines... 450 minutes a month of land line calling? I would be over my limit in 3 days - my clients are hospitals and the like - they don't call from cell phones. Plan fail.

My AT&T plan offers the same thing. I know have free mobile to mobile calling on any carrier. Sprint service my area believe it or not is worse then AT&T. The only thing Sprint will have going for it is if they continue to offer their unlimited data plan, even if it is throttled after a soft cap.

 

[Digital Skunk]

Everyone knows over 9000 is impossible!

I don't see the point in having a phone at all anymore, especially if WiFi coverage is never an issue. Skype works just fine on WiFi for phone calls, and there are numerous online messaging services. The only thing cellular service has going for it is for remote area's with no WiFi coverage.

I personally think in the near future the iPhone will start functioning like the iPad. Where there is no contract, you just buy a device, and you turn on and off the cellular service with the carrier of your choice whenever you need it.

I would agree but I wouldn't go as far as remote locations. There are many places in major metropolitan areas that don't have free wifi or wifi at all. In the heart of New York . . . sure, Fells Point in Baltimore? . . . maybe. But not every inch of a major city let along a minor one.

Cellular will still be needed most of the time.

I actually think that Sprint will keep the unlimited plans for at least some time after the iPhone launch. They are in a strong need for customers.

Agreed! I doubt the doubters will want to believe it. No company in their right mind ditches one of the major things that have kept them afloat all these years.

AT&T = the iPhone
VZW = coverage
SP = cheap @** plans w/unlimited everything.

I think that pretty much sums up the effect this is going to have on Android. It's true the Android OS, in all its iterations, has a greater market share than iPhone, but it's mostly because ATT has had exclusivity for so long. Now, with this news + Google entering the hardware realm, we will witness a true Android vs iPhone battle on an even playing field.

Personally, I think Google is about to get bloodied because for all the good ideas packed into Android, it's implementation is 2nd rate compared to the iPhone.

I agree with Google about to finally compete toe to toe with Apple now that they're about to get into the hardware game, but I don't think Apple is going to have it easy.

There's still a lot of things in Androids favor, especially in the repair options, that consumers just love. Apple reached deep into Google's and Palm's pockets for feature in iOS5, which is a good thing, so I know there's just going to be stiff competition, and a whole lotta good tech for the consumers.

 

[bearcatrp]

I was hoping for a web OS phone but HP killed that. Cant wait for the iphone now. Getting tired of my crappy evo and android. Seemed cool at first trying android but the security of the android platform is worst than windows. cant wait to switch.

 

[MonsterRain]

That is better then charging extra for consumption over the cap.

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My AT&T plan offers the same thing. I know have free mobile to mobile calling on any carrier. Sprint service my area believe it or not is worse then AT&T. The only thing Sprint will have going for it is if they continue to offer their unlimited data plan, even if it is throttled after a soft cap.

In my area, Sprint has great data coverage, and horrible phone quality, but the unlimited price is reasonable. I've never noticed any "throttling" after 2GB. I regularly pushed almost 6GB a month of usage, streaming music 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.

AT&T has good phone quality, and only drops in "military zones", which unfortunately around here is plentiful. Data capped of course, and paying for unlimited talk/text, with 2GB of data costs an arm and a leg.

Verizon has average phone quality, awesome data, probably capped. Unlimited talk, text, and web costs: arm, leg, first born.

Sprint's most likely the lesser of three evils here, since I don't use my phone for calling much.

All things considered, I'll probably just wait for a decent Straight Talk phone, since at the price I'm paying for unlimited everything...I can deal with the occasional drop-outs. Maybe in 2012 or 2013, they'll let us have the iPhone 3GS. :-/

 

[Tiger8]

When the Virgin Mobile iPhone comes out, the endgame is complete!

Virgin Mobile leases bandwidth from Sprint, has the same coverage, and uses the same technology. So by theory, yes, the iPhone that functions on Sprint will function on Virgin Mobile and Boost.

 

[kazmac]

well if...

Virgin Mobile is Sprint.
"... Sprint Nextel said Tuesday that it will buy Virgin Mobile USA for $5.50 per share in a stock deal valued at $483 million.

Sprint already owns 13.1 percent of the prepaid mobile operator
... "
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10297090-94.html

The deal completed that November. Wisely, Sprint uses a separate entity to market the pre-paid plans and phone to get market segmentation, but it is the same infrastructure.

That's one reason Sprint is right in that it will be a mistake to let Verizon and ATT buy a huge of the spectrum. While it looks like there are multiple carriers out there a large fraction of them are just bulk resellers. They can be toasted at any time if the majors change the terms to being unfavorable.


But yes. Sprint getting the iPhone means that the following year or two it can trickle down to Virgin Mobile and the other operators to leverage off of Sprints base network. ( likewise carriers like US Cellular which leverage off of Verizon can get it too). I imagine that Sprint it going to keep it out of Virgin Mobile line up until they make good money off the iPhone on their subscription plans. Besides without a contract "credit payment plan" (subsidy) the iPhone are a bit expensive for contract free ( for the US market conditioned consumers. )

If Apple doesn't shut down the 3GS production line maybe Virgin would get one of those. I still think that Apple will need something like a tweaked 3GS to make headway into the worldwide pre-pay market. Just chopping the 4G down to 8G isn't going to lower the cost that much. The "Retina" screen and some other components are expensive also.

Thank you and Tiger8 for this. I thought Sprint had ties to Virgin Mobile.

If Virgin Mobile gets the iPhone (probably the cheap 4G) I'll gladly switch to Virgin, otherwise I'm staying put. I would need more minutes than texting, data and Sprint's unlimited everything plan is too expensive for me.

 

[DotCom2]

How many times do people need to be told this?

The iPhone 5 will NOT support LTE. Apple effectively said so themselves in their last conference call, because the chips are currently too big and suck too much battery. Of course it would be TECHNICALLY possible to put LTE in the iPhone 5, but Apple is not in the business of making bulky phones that run out of battery in half an hour. If you want one of those there are plenty of crappy handsets made by the likes of Motorola.

Quite aside from the fact that LTE is hardly available anywhere, and idiotic American carriers keep labeling it "4G" when it's really 3.75G (LTE Advanced is proper 4G.) iPhone 6 will be the time that LTE comes to the iPhone

This is quite true IMHO.

 

[foodog]

If they get the iPhone I would expect that to change.

They've had the EVO for a long time and it hasn't changed

 

[robjulo]

Spring may be unlimited but it goes down to 2G speeds after two gigabytes of use each month.

Completely false.

 

[Ugg]

Problem is, the entry price for an 8 GB iPhone 4 would be at least $350-400, as opposed to $150 or less for the low-end Android phones. I guess they could keep the 3GS around and perhaps offer that for ~$250, but I kind of doubt they'll do that in the US...

VM sells the Motorola Triumph for $300 so another $150 isn't an outrageous price. However, VM's smartphone prices are always well above everyone else's and Apple doesn't allow their phones to be sold for more than the official retail so I don't know how well that would play out for VM. Right now, VM's least expensive smartphone plan is $35 a month for 300 minutes and unlimited text and internet. Somehow I doubt that they would keep this low rate for the iPhone. I can hope though I guess!

 

[Tiger8]

VM sells the Motorola Triumph for $300 so another $150 isn't an outrageous price. However, VM's smartphone prices are always well above everyone else's and Apple doesn't allow their phones to be sold for more than the official retail so I don't know how well that would play out for VM. Right now, VM's least expensive smartphone plan is $35 a month for 300 minutes and unlimited text and internet. Somehow I doubt that they would keep this low rate for the iPhone. I can hope though I guess!

True. T-Mobile Prepaid sells the Samsung iPhone wannabe Galaxy for $350 or so, so I don't see a problem in the real deal 'cheap' iPhone 4 being in that price range for Prepaid

 

[mrial]

GSM rules around the world

and second hand sales of GSM iPhone will be better than the Verizon iPhone

huh? China has 600M potential users (CDMA).

 

[GorgonPhone]

Sprint has the best unlimited plan too... I wouldn't mind switching to them for that.

yes but that will change once they have the iphone..

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Makes sense since exclusivity is broken. I doubt we'll see a T-mobile launch ever unless the merger falls through.

no need cause tmobile is at&t.. would be a waste of marketing $$$

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If they keep their low unlimited plans

they wont cause they wont need to.. iphone eliminates need to offer incentives of that type

 

[John.B]

How many times do people need to be told this?

The iPhone 5 will NOT support LTE. Apple effectively said so themselves in their last conference call, because the chips are currently too big and suck too much battery. Of course it would be TECHNICALLY possible to put LTE in the iPhone 5, but Apple is not in the business of making bulky phones that run out of battery in half an hour. If you want one of those there are plenty of crappy handsets made by the likes of Motorola.

Quite aside from the fact that LTE is hardly available anywhere, and idiotic American carriers keep labeling it "4G" when it's really 3.75G (LTE Advanced is proper 4G.) iPhone 6 will be the time that LTE comes to the iPhone

What the *hell* are you talking about?

Verizon LTE 4G is in the midst of a huge rollout as I type this. There's even a map for that (yellow dots for existing coverage, green stars for coverage coming in the next weeks or months). My little hometown burg in flyover country got VZW LTE within the past few weeks, and most metropolitan areas will have it by the end of this year.

It would be a colossal mistake on Apple's part to ignore LTE for an additional model year, considering the number of Android phones that will have it in the interim. This isn't 2007 where Apple had no real competition. The red map/blue map commercials will seem tame by comparison. Remember, your parents may not know anything about spectrum or standards or wireless speeds, but they'll "get" the 10-times-faster-than-3G claims as plain as day.

 

[deconstruct60]

When is the iPhone coming to Boost Mobile ?

Again, like Virgin Mobile, Boost is really just a front for Sprint. Sprint owns Boost (picked up when they acquired Nextel). It is just a mechanism to sell primarily pre-pay plans and different, lower cost, services.

There are several names that front Sprint's Prepaid Group
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprint_Nextel#Sprint_Prepaid_Group

Not sure of the geographic overalap, but once Sprint consolidates its network to get rid of iDen (legacy Nextel) service, they may get rid of one of these "names". Once on same exact network with very similar phones not sure what big difference is going to be.


So when Sprint gets one then probably a year or two down the road Boost/Virgin will get one. However, there is no chance if the parent Sprint doesn't have one.

For pre-pay it is open question Apple is going to get the "lower" offering ( e.g., iPhone 4 8GB or whatever they do) down low enough to be popular on Boost/Virgin. Besides it would be better to work out the kinks on Sprints service and then when running smoothly and can do "better than" the current 3G on Sprints network roll out that iPhone.

I doubt there will every be a WiMax iPhone. If Sprint gets iPhones, they are likely capped to their 3G network for the next couple of years.

 

[steviem]

This is good news for Apple, they will sell 100,000,000 units in the USA alone as that survey found a few weeks ago.

About Sprint, they are the worst carrier. You may think they have cheaper rates, but wait until you get hit with the "premium data surcharge". That's the extra $10 per month fee to use a phone that doesn't suck.

Palm Treo? No surcharge.

Crappy Windows Mobile 6.5 phone? No surcharge.

Android phone? Any android phone? $10 extra per month.

You can count on them charging EVEN MORE for the iPhone. They will call it "deluxe premium data" or some garbage like that, $20 surcharge, and your savings evaporate. And you're stuck on the worst network in the country.

SAY NO TO SPRINT.

You're misinformed.

My wife has a Samsung Replenish (an Android phone) - no $10 surcharge, made her contract a family plan and I got a Samsung Epic 4G (I'm no fan of Samsung, don't like Touchwiz one bit, but rooted it and don't have to deal with that anymore) and had to add the $10 for the 4G connection.

That's all it is.

 

[deconstruct60]

huh? China has 600M potential users (CDMA).

Not at $500+ per phone. But yes .... there are many millions of users on legacy CMDA telephony networks . Also second hand ( sold by the users ) phones sales don't make Apple as much money as new sales. Even if someone leverages into a new iPhone early that person they sold to is now a nonsale (until the phone fails and is retired).