More clarity on AT&T exclusivity with iPhone

[uncrules]

It has been discussed here about how long AT&T's exclusivity deal with the iPhone runs. Articles from legitimate places (USA Today for one) said the deal ran through 2012. But now it appears that it was 2010 after all, like some people thought. However, AT&T is trying to extend the deal through 2011.

AT&T Chief Presses to Keep iPhone, Deepen Wireless Push - WSJ.com

But AT&T's exclusive deal to carry the iPhone in the U.S. expires next year, according to people familiar with the matter, and Mr. Stephenson is now in discussions with Apple Inc. to get an extension until 2011.

An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment, saying only, "We have a great relationship with AT&T."

Keeping the iPhone away from rivals and finding the next hit devices, such as smart phones and multimedia handheld tablets, are among the challenges the 48-year-old CEO faces as he shifts AT&T's energy away from the crumbling U.S. landline phone business and into the wireless market, where technologies evolve quickly and hit products don't last long.

Mr. Stephenson also is seeking to overhaul AT&T's marketing to make wireless the priority. The next step, he said, is to do away with a requirement that customers have AT&T's home-phone service to qualify for discounts on TV or broadband Internet services. Being a wireless customer should be enough, he said.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

If it was not for the iPhone I would not be with AT&T.

I would rather be with Verizon.

 

[TheForce]

Scott- help me understand.

The issues you have stated in the past with your iphone all related to being resolved with jail breaking and that allows you to add the applications you want to use. In my Opinion, this would be more of an Apple restriction than an AT&T one. What in your experience have you had issues with AT&T that caused you to make a statement you did? I know Verizon is good and it doesn't collapse being CDMA in high population density increases like GSM technology, BUT, Verizon is more expensive. I would guess the foot print is the same, so by your opinion, what is it about AT&T you don't like, or Verizon you like better?

 

[uncrules]

I have AT&T and like it fine. When I switched from Alltel to AT&T, my bill went down plus I got more minutes, not to mention the rollover minutes feature that Alltel didn't have. I found in some places I get better signal with AT&T than Alltel and in other places worse single with AT&T than Alltel.

 

[darrencp22]

I'm trying yo figure out who i hate more.. Verizon or Apple.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Scott- help me understand.

The issues you have stated in the past with your iphone all related to being resolved with jail breaking and that allows you to add the applications you want to use. In my Opinion, this would be more of an Apple restriction than an AT&T one. What in your experience have you had issues with AT&T that caused you to make a statement you did? I know Verizon is good and it doesn't collapse being CDMA in high population density increases like GSM technology, BUT, Verizon is more expensive. I would guess the foot print is the same, so by your opinion, what is it about AT&T you don't like, or Verizon you like better?

My iphone is not jailbroken and hasn't been for awhile.

As far as AT&T goes the network stinks, for an advertised fast network this is like having a 2400 baud modem when you know others have a 56k modem.

Over here in Connecticut the past few weekend we have been getting NO SIGNAL issues. AT&T says its because they are doing work. I have never had the issue with any other provider.

And while I say I would go back to Verizon, I say that because how big their network is, it really does seem to work and work good everywhere. I have also had Sprint whos speed of their network is the best of the three, but their coverage and customer service is a big limitation.

 

[goaliebob99]

If it was not for the iPhone I would not be with AT&T.

I would rather be with Verizon.

same here

 

[uncrules]

Well one of the many rumors surrounding the next iPhone hardware supposedly coming out this summer is that there will be faster speeds on the network

UPDATED: Next Gen iPhone to be an Internet Screamer? (802.11n? 3.5G HSPDA+?) | The iPhone Blog

UPDATE: Apple Insider points out this could also refer to an AT&T network upgrade to 3.5G HSPDA+ type cell speeds. Or maybe both?

New iPhone hardware rumors are coming our way fast and furiously now, what with new device numbers, OLED screens, and… faster Internet speeds?

That’s what Silicone Alley Insider is saying:

our source has heard rumors that the next iPhone will have a significantly faster Internet connection.

What does that mean exactly? Our bet is on those new 802.11n mobile chipsets we heard about a while back. Pretty much everything else in Apple’s arsenal is now 802.11n fast, and even given those fancy new Airport Extreme and Time Capsules, faster would be better…

and this

AT&T Supercharging Network in Advance of Next Gen iPhone? | The iPhone Blog

Apple Insider reports that AT&T is trying to increase the coverage, reliability, and speed of it’s 3G network in anticipation of Apple’s next gen iPhone hardware coming this summer (perhaps to be introduced, like last year, at WWDC in June?).

AT&T’s current 3G supports up to 3.6Mb/s, though AT&T has said they have the infrastructure to go to 7.2Mb/s, with 14.4 and 20Mb/s feasible within a couple of years. As for the iPhone specifically:

Apple has been evaluating a portion of the network upgrade already accessible to its engineers for testing purposes and is genuinely impressed with its speed. A person familiar with the situation commented that Apple iPhone engineers have “never gotten pages to load as fast as they were loading on the new routers.”

This would follow on AT&T’s EDGE “plus” upgrade before the original iPhone 2G launched, and their acceleration of HSPA last year before the iPhone 3G debuted.

 

[digiblur]

Verizon is a joke here...they are better now since they added in Alltel.

AT&T has good coverage here but there call quality sucks...warble...warble..what did you say?

 

[LER]

I have Sprint, and they are great, I always get real good speeds with my EVDO REVA phone (HTC Touch Pro).

 

[mike1973]

I have great 3G speeds here on AT&T. Coverage is real good and I haven't had any call quality issues either. I'm very happy with the service (and the iPhone is pretty cool too )

 

[DefDude]

I think your coverage and signal will vary depending on the spectrum your on . I read in a few places that 850 is a better spectrum for inside buildings and fringe areas. I think I'm on 850 but have no 3g yet, I never have problems with phone calls just slow internet on the Edge system. here's an article today that mentions this. AT&T unveils Texas wireless, broadband expansion plans | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Technology and Telecom News | Dallas Business News I read one the other day that was more in depth, but I can't find it right now.

 

[JonE]

AT&T Quality is good here. The 3G network is very snappy (I even play Pandora and Slacker over it in the car on a regular basis) and it's the best I've used up to this point. The EDGE coverage is better in my neighborhood than it is with other providers like T-Mobile. Different providers are going to provide different advantages to different people. My bill went up (to about $100 a month between voice, unlimited data and text) but I get what I pay for.

 

[tomcrown1]

Verzion will have the IPHONE as that is when they will launch their 4G network which will be the same as ATT follow the below link for more

The Wall Street Journal reports on comments made by Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg on a broad number of topics surrounding the company.

Of interest to readers, however, is the fact that Seidenberg addressed the possibility of Apple's iPhone coming to the Verizon network.

Mr. Seidenberg also addressed the notion of Apple Inc.'s iPhone ever coming to the Verizon Wireless network, saying it is more likely that Apple would be willing to work with the carrier under the fourth-generation, or 4G, network, which follows the same technology standard as AT&T Inc.'s 4G plans. He said Apple never seriously considered making a CDMA version of the iPhone because it didn't have as wide a distribution opportunity

MacRumors' iPhone Blog: iPhone Apps, News, Rumors, and More...

 

[Randall DBS]

I had a short run with Alltel and never was satisfied, they told me when I signed up they could save me money over AT&T, yea right my bill increased by 50 dollars a month. I got fed up and payed the ETF and went back with AT&T where I sould have stayed to start with. Got a Blackberry Pearl for myself and a Pantech for my wife.

 

[LonghornXP]

I'm in the Tampa Bay Area (Pinellas County) and am lucky enough to have great call quality along with fast 3G speeds. I don't believe I've ever seen my phone switch over to an EDGE network yet. I've been able to play online radio for hours without a stutter over 3G inside several bowling centers. Bowling centers with all those electronics happen to be some of the hardest places to keep good quality 3G networks going. Granted inside the bowling center my signal quality drops to about 3 bars but its still connected to the 3G network and again doesn't suffer from breakups.

I gotta tell ya this is one of the best cell phones I've ever bought and I'm not sure if I could go without my iphone now. After two years though I'm going to get that upgrade to that iphone 4G that is for sure.

 

[hometheaterman]

If it was not for the iPhone I would not be with AT&T.

I would rather be with Verizon.

I'd like to have a iPhone but not if it means being with AT&T. I used them for years back when they were TDMA. However, after the switch to Cingular I started having nothing but problems. Seemed like my bill was wrong almost every month and I'd have to call to get it straightened out. I got lied to about the plans features to start with. Not to mention my phone hardly worked outside of a major city in this area. This started with AT&T when they switched to GSM which was before Cingular to be fair. It just didn't get signal in many towns I traveled to. Some which are small and some which aren't tiny but not huge either. I found it not working in several places. Finally after a little over a year when they were switching back to AT&T I ended up just paying the ETF and going to Alltel. I'm very glad I did. I no longer have my bill messed up and actually have service in quite a few rural areas and smaller towns I travel too a long with many more features that I need and want.

I would love to have a iPhone as I said but not if it means going back to AT&T. If Alltel or Verzion (now the same basically but have each others plans still) had the iPhone I'd probably have one.

 

[uncrules]

More info on AT&T's upgrades to their network in anticipation of the next iPhone hardware.

More Details on AT&T Upgrading Network in Advance of Next Gen iPhone | The iPhone Blog

We’d mentioned previously that AT&T is upgrading the ole rabbit-eared 3G network for Apple’s upcoming next generation iPhone, and WMExperts covered it yesterday, but it’s worth surfacing the details:

AT&T Mobility VP Scott McElroy says software updates will double the downstream speed to 7.2 megabits per second and are already being tested in two markets [...] But AT&T’s looking past that and toward HSPA+, which will increase speeds to 21 Mb/s. And looking even further into the future, tests with the 4G LTE standard should begin sometime next year.

A helpful commenter, Will, gave us the skinny on those phat pipes after the last podcast:

* Plain ‘ol 3G refers to the original WCDMA specs which gives a max throughput of 384 kbps.
* 3.5G in the UMTS world commonly refers to HSDPA which is already up and running.
* “3.75G” - 3GPP Revision 6 - HSDPA (max of 14.4Mbps) and HSUPA (max of 5.76Mbps), known together as HSPA
* “3.9G” - 3GPP Revision 7 - HSDPA (max of 42Mbps) and HSUPA (max of 11Mbps), known as HSPA+

 

[IcEWoLF]

If the Iphone was picked up by Verizon and all I had to do is simply switch providers? Hell yeah I would.
I only get a 7% corporate discount with AT&T.
With Verizon, I would get a 27% corporate discount.
Its a no brainer for me to go with Verizon if they ever get the Iphone coverage.

 

[uncrules]

Some talk today from Apple about their exclusivity with AT&T.

Apple with "No Plans" to Change AT&T iPhone Exclusivity and Other Notes - Mac Rumors

Apple's Tim Cook and Peter Oppenheimer provided some insights behind Apple's iPhone strategy today during the Q2 financial results conference call.

When specifically asked about Apple's long term exclusivity with AT&T, Apple responded that they are very happy with AT&T and feel they have done a very good job promoting the iPhone. Despite some recent hope that Apple might expand the iPhone to other networks, Apple said that they have no plans to change the AT&T exclusivity at this time. Also mentioned was the fact that Verizon currently uses the CDMA network which is incompatible with the current iPhone. Apple stated they wanted the iPhone to be a global hardware device which requires the use of the GSM standard. This may confirm claims by Verizon's CEO that Apple may have never intended to launch a CDMA (Verizon) iPhone. This situation may change when Verizon upgrades their networks.

But from the sound of this it doesn't seem to rule Verizon if they move to a GSM network.