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AT&T subscribers will abandon ship if Verizon gets iPhone

latimesblogs.latimes.com — If Pali Research were to pick its favorite wireless carrier, it wouldn't be AT&T. The market research firm believes that despite the huge success of the AT&T's exclusive iPhone, its monopoly on the device won't last forever, and as soon as it expires, the beleaguered telco should prepare for slowed growth and defections.

Who dugg this? Made popular Jul 16, 2009

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  • ptcfast2, on 07/16/2009, -6/+283***** you AT&T.

    Sincerely,
    Every iPhone user on your network.

    PS: T-Mobile has specialized Tier 3 iPhone tech support....for a phone they don't even carry. You guys suck that badly.
  • spanky6256000, on 07/15/2009, -8/+231PLEASE come to Verizon, iPhone. We'll love you long time.
  • lotus22, on 07/15/2009, -8/+223The iPhone on Verizon would be a huge hit.
  • BxBoy, on 07/15/2009, -4/+148I'm barely hanging on right now.
  • redfox2600, on 07/16/2009, -1/+87So long as Verizon stop crippling their phones. They promised they would but we'll see.
  • smacksaw, on 07/15/2009, -6/+85As a Verizon rep pointed out to me the other day, they are likely getting Android phones and are expanding into GSM. The point being that Apple still has to fight Android phones and having the iPhone might change Verizon's mind about which handsets with Android they order. The other is that they are adding GSM to their towers so there will be both GSM and CDMA. With the...I want to say Curve, it already uses GSM and CDMA and there are more Verizon phones to follow that conform to either standard...or both. iPhone would have a GSM network from Verizon to hook onto.

    While AT&T cashed in quickly and got off to a good start, the money they bribed Apple with wasn't enough to give people the experience they wanted. Verizon kept their money and focus on building the type of network that Apple wanted, and SURPRISE, by the time they get it done, Apple's contract with AT&T will be expiring. How convenient. AT&T needs to vastly improve service to keep their customers. Verizon could care less if you use your phone for internet. They're going to sell you FIOS anyway. But AT&T just can't get past the idea of competing with it's own cable internet offerings, IMO. And that's why these companies should not only be broken up, but not allowed to cross over. It's anti-competitive and monopolistic. It's not like AT&T are jerks, it's that they are conflicted and it's all they can do to satisfy their investors. I think that corporate responsibility is bigger than donating money and cutting back paper usage. It's also providing the best experience, something that AT&T makes more money NOT DOING.
  • Barackalypse, on 07/16/2009, -1/+77I look forward to the day when they have to compete based on price, service, and customer service to stay alive, rather than riding the success of someone else's innovation that they bought exclusive rights to.
  • inactive, on 07/16/2009, -2/+51bastard verizon promised to unlock GPS on phones like the omina after they got their ass SUED. i still haven't seen any results. HATE VERIZON.
  • inactive, on 07/16/2009, -4/+50In other news, the sky is blue.
  • idc5, on 07/16/2009, -12/+54***** Verizon ***** ATT

    great American oligopoly
  • therippa, on 07/16/2009, -2/+38I had Verizon, but switched over to AT&T for the iPhone. Big. *****. Mistake. Verizon has WAY better coverage in San Francisco. I wait for the day the femtocell for AT&T comes out, so then I can shell out about another hundred bucks to get reliable coverage in my home. Also, this being a big tech savvy city, whatever they had setup for the 3G network could not handle everyone and their mother getting one. When I travel back home to a little town in Pennsylvania, I get better download speeds using Edge than 3G here because the network is so damn saturated.

    So yes, ***** you AT&T, for a myriad of reasons (insane bills, charging out the ass for texting, ***** customer support, ***** network, and ***** phones, other than the iPhone [I took my girlfriend to upgrade her dead razr a couple weeks ago and was surprised by how low-tech the phones seem to the ones I see on gizmodo and engadget all the time])
  • andreo, on 07/16/2009, -1/+36I'm pretty sure that's why Verizon didn't get the iPhone to begin with. I'm sure they wanted to nerf the hell out of it and Apple told them to piss up a rope. I wonder if the person(s) that made that decision still work for Verizon?
  • SpyCatcher, on 07/16/2009, -1/+34I left verzion for the iPhone, I would go back in a heart beat.
  • SenorCardgage74, on 07/16/2009, -1/+33Well, the Vietnamese whores are on board.
  • hater2win, on 07/15/2009, -7/+36My name is hater2win and as an iPhone user on ATT... I approve this message.
  • ng007, on 07/16/2009, -5/+30I don't know how Verizon's service is, but I saw a video the other day that made me wonder about their billing department. http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1899970

    In Verizon's defense, it must be a challenge for large companies to keep up with every incompetent employee that sneaks in. But this guy had a hard time getting Verizon to admit their mistake and even apply his payments to the correct account. His blog is at http://verizonmath.blogspot.com/
  • JuanBSU, on 07/16/2009, -3/+24Liar. If you actually had AT&T, your message would have cut off halfway through.
  • andyrunner, on 07/16/2009, -0/+18can't wait to get an iPhone from Verizon. My enV2 keeps dialing 911 in my pocket
  • stilesja, on 07/16/2009, -7/+23This is so true, and Apple loves this kind of stuff. Apple practically invented the concept of leaving some key functionality out of a device so that when it is introduced later it is a huge deal. (read: MMS, Copy Paste, etc..)
    In this case, Apple has left out a major thing: A decent 3G network.

    So if you are wondering what the "Next Big Thing" will be for the iPhone you won't have to look far. Apple slaps a CDMA radio in the existing iPhone and BOOM. People flock to verizon in droves. They continue making GSM iPhones for AT&T + the rest of the world. Then when LTE comes out Verizon and the rest of the world will be on the same technology. AT&T will have LTE also but will find a way to screw it up.

    Meanwhile Apple can continue to incrementally improve their software, and probably will add a user facing camera once the phone goes to Verizon and claim that video chat is now possible on a network powerful enough to support it. ZING eat that AT&T....

  • Khast, on 07/16/2009, -0/+16... I had AT&T before the iPhone came out....I dropped them due to crappy customer service, and their way of dealing with me when I had a MAJOR problem.
  • youareretarded, on 07/16/2009, -5/+21Can we create a new sub section on digg called, "Bitch and moan"?

    I love all these, "service is great in my area", "their service sucks in my area", comments! Thanks for your totally useless info.
  • joshefosho, on 07/16/2009, -1/+16Maybe I should rethink renewing my contract and getting the 3G S.
  • ahawks, on 07/16/2009, -0/+14I've gone from Verizon/cheap handset, to Tmobile/cheap handset, to AT&T/iPhone.

    AT&T was the first one to give me rollover minutes, which was a big selling point for me. They haven't done much to piss me off, so far.

    Bottom line... the iPhone is *big*, and it would be good for everyone (except AT&T) if the iPhone were available from another carrier.

    If it doesn't become available, there are alternative phones/platforms, such as Pre and Android.
  • hckynck20, on 07/16/2009, -11/+25yeah if verizon got the iphone it would run that ***** os they put on every phone.
  • iletumi, on 07/16/2009, -2/+16"Sprint, Verizon to Include Wi-Fi in all Future Phones"
    http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/07/sprint-veri ...

  • Michael, on 07/16/2009, -1/+14*sigh. Verizon is NOT going to have a GSM network. Some of their phones, like the new Blackberry Tour DO support GSM, but the purpose is for international roaming.

    Verizon CDMA isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
  • Shiftyeyedgoat, on 07/16/2009, -0/+13I remember when I canceled, the loss-prevention lady was practically begging and crying (seriously) for me to stay and wait for the Storm. I lol'd and told her to just cancel my contract as I already had my superior phone, but that I'd come back if they stopped crippling the hell out of their devices.
  • lateralus, on 07/16/2009, -3/+16Verizon is very anti-Wifi.....I'll be impressed if/when Apple can get that over on them.
  • roxgod666, on 07/16/2009, -0/+12"Plus Verizon said no to Apple already. What's going to make Apple want to go back to them?"

    Uh...a huge wad of cash.
  • inactive, on 07/15/2009, -1/+12If they were true - it would be true for non iPhone at&t customers, and there are millions of those. Just sayin'. at&t is still ahead of T-Mobile and Sprint.
  • notphilip, on 07/16/2009, -0/+10Verizon CDMA is getting kicked to the curb soon for LTE (4G). The confusion here came from LTE operating on sim cards like GSM, and less informed people believing it was GSM since it does use sim cards. Switching to or adding GSM to Verizon's network would be the biggest waste of money ever. Who would outfit their network with a technology that's about to get the can?
  • andreo, on 07/16/2009, -1/+11"the beleaguered telco should prepare for slowed growth and defections."

    Try a mass exodus. Their cell signal here in Des Moines Iowa is as reliable as a crackhead showing up for a job interview. The service is horrible. Even in downtown Des Moines. And forget about service if your inside of a building.
    I really really like the iPhone. But ATT is the pits.
    And don't even get me started on the MMS fiasco. What the heck is going on with that. I mean honestly ATT, you want your customers to believe that you:
    1) didn't know about MMS coming to the phone so now you have to make the accounts ready
    2) don't have an automated way of doing this

    It upsets me when companies think they can say anything they want because the assume that their customers are stupid.
  • rkho, on 07/16/2009, -8/+18I'd never leave AT&T for Verizon. Verizon forces handset makers to use a terrible firmware that's the same in each phone and lacks any sort of innovation. They heavily push old, outdated CDMA technology that requires customers to go through a huge hassle whenever switching phones. It's got the worst phones and the worst network available. Why would I abandon ship if Verizon got the iPhone?

    And to all you Verizon customers still "holding out": Don't. Either get it now, or don't get it at all. Don't use "holding out for the iPhone!" as your excuse for staying with Verizon.
  • UltimateCrouton, on 07/16/2009, -0/+10The phone is just worried about the crying children in your basement.
  • ThaDRD, on 07/16/2009, -0/+10I would digg you more if I could. AT&T apparently sells gadgets and doesn't care about their core business which should be their network speed/coverage, customer service, and pricing. All they have is the iPhone and Bold and they lack everywhere else.

    IMHO, devices should work on any carrier. This would force carriers to work on their core business instead of being a device seller who neglects their real purpose.
  • inactive, on 07/16/2009, -3/+12Not allowing SIM cards is because Verizon is CDMA and CDMA doesn't use SIM cards. It has nothing to do with Verizon's policies.
  • amcnair, on 07/16/2009, -0/+9@smacksaw: You misunderstood or the rep was full of *****. Verizon is not going to, nor ever will, deploy GSM on its towers. LTE will replace CDMA. No GSM on Verizon. Period.

    Also, Verizon Fios is a completely different business group from Verizon Wireless.
  • harryterry, on 07/16/2009, -2/+11I'm on AT&T right now and sure there are some downsides with being on their network but that doesn't mean that I'm about to bounce on my plan and join Verizon. And honestly, who says that Verizon won't do this IF they get the iPhone?? Companies are here to make money, and that's exactly what AT&T is doing. There are people buying iPhones and accepting their "*****" service even though they know what's going to come out of it.
    Plus Verizon said no to Apple already. What's going to make Apple want to go back to them?
  • iletumi, on 07/16/2009, -0/+9Being with Verizon for over 6 years now i agree with "They put some crappy OS on their phones that's COMPLETELY different from the manufacturer's OS and it SUCKS."

    Which is why i got a Blackberry.

    Only the ***** phones get the "locked up VOS" Get ANY blackberry and your golden with verizon. Other phones like LG, Nokia, Samsung all get the Verizon OS which forces you to buy the software to put music/ringtones on it from your PC.

    The IPhone won't have VOS installed just like the Blackberry it has a proprietary OS from Apple just like RIM. So i belive it would not be "Dumb" to put the Iphone on Verizon as it would be a great addition to an awesome network.

    Note: Verizon wanted Apple to sell them Iphones with out WiFi due to them holding a stance back then about not allowing Wifi on most of their phones. Now that the stance has changed and all new phones capable will have Wifi im sure it would not be a problem for them.
  • Dumbledorito, on 07/16/2009, -0/+9T-Mobile is really cool about that. They have packages ready to d/l to whatever unlocked phone you have.

    That's not saying they'll all work with every feature (I had a very nice HTC that used different frequencies for the data plan) but it'll fix most of the simple stuff like photo messaging and what-not.
  • Kumate, on 07/16/2009, -0/+8Why couldn't they just make the lock a little more complicated than pressing ok twice!?!
  • fandyboy, on 07/16/2009, -1/+9Ten dollar contract?
  • Jerk, on 07/16/2009, -1/+8Digging you up because it's the best laugh I've had all day and I hadn't clicked on the link before (but had seen the story.)
  • JigoroKano, on 07/16/2009, -1/+8Yeah I just switched from Verizon to AT&T and I don't even use or want an iPhone.
    I just want a non-crippled cheap phone and a non-crippled network to go along with it.

    Verizon's connectivity is great, but that's about all I can say in their favor.
  • commyostrich, on 07/16/2009, -2/+9Why the heck are you getting dugg down?? That's exactly the point I've made before on articles about Verizon and the iPhone. They put some crappy OS on their phones that's COMPLETELY different from the manufacturer's OS and it SUCKS. The manufacturer knows the phone a bit better than the phone companies and their OS is MADE to run on that phone vs. Verizon's generic OS for almost all of their phones (aside from touch screens and blackberrys and what not).

    I don't even have an iPhone (Sony Ericcson w760i debranded here) but I think it'd be dumb for the iPhone to be on Verizon.
  • MScrip, on 07/16/2009, -1/+8>> "What's going to make Apple want to go back to them?"

    80,000,000 Verizon customers who are more than happy to buy an iPhone... but won't switch phone companies because of coverage, family plans, etc. And all those people will be more likely to buy apps, music, movies, etc. Apple wants as many customers as it can get.

    The Apple/Verizon talks were about 5 years ago by now... and no one knew what a hit the iPhone would be back then. As Verizon watched tens of millions of people buy iPhones... people who would *never* buy an expensive phone with a data plan... Verizon would be CRAZY to let that slip away again.

    Verizon should just man up... accept whatever Apple demands... and begin selling a V-iPhone as soon as the exclusivity contract is up. They'll be greeted by millions of people who want to pay $100 a month for an iPhone. Verizon can still get their pennies from selling music and apps for dumbphones... but the real money comes from the iPhone and a data plan.

    It might not be until 2011 or when LTE are in most markets... but Verizon needs to do this.

    And so does Apple. Raise your hand if you think Apple will be AT&T exclusive forever? That would be crazy. Let's assume every AT&T customers has an iPhone... then what? Every other manufacturer makes phones for ALL carriers.
  • dukenuk3m, on 07/16/2009, -0/+7I too shared the same experience. I'm switching back to Verizon tomorrow (I switched to get off my parents plan and get the Bold). Man what a nightmare their service is, I will gladly pay $175 dollars so I can stop using at&t
  • SpartanErik, on 07/16/2009, -0/+7Too beaucoup, too beaucoup!
  • darkciti2, on 07/16/2009, -0/+7I did the exact same thing and my reaction was identical. With Verizon I never had dropped calls and I never found myself saying, "Can you hear me? Are you there? Hello? Hello?". Now with AT&T I have to walk around my home to find a signal [lame] and when I'm on the road calls will occasionally drop.

    I'd be one of the first to jump back to Verizon if it works with iPhone (and visual voicemail).
  • Akairenn, on 07/16/2009, -3/+10"at&t is still ahead of T-Mobile"

    Ahead at dropping calls, maybe.
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