Led by Apple's iPhone 4S, AT&T expects record quarter for smartphones
AT&T announced on Wednesday that it is on track to have its best quarter ever for smartphone sales, led by continued "strong" performance of the iPhone 4S.
Apple's latest iPhone was the only smartphone specifically cited in the press release issued by AT&T, which noted that its network is the only where iPhone 4S users "download three times faster and talk and surf at the same time." The carrier announced in October that it activated more than 1 million of the iPhone 4S in its first five days of availability, but declined to reveal specific sales figures on Wednesday.
In all, AT&T sold about 6 million smartphones in the first two months of its fourth quarter, including the 1 million iPhone 4S units sold in just a five-day span. December is usually one of AT&T's strongest months for smartphone sales, which puts the carrier on track to easily best its previous sales record of 6.1 million smartphones in one quarter.
AT&T's smartphone success was first revealed by the company's senior vice president and chief financial officer, John Stephens, in a speech at the UBS 39th Annual Global media and Communications Conference in New York.
Though AT&T declined to reveal full sales of the iPhone 4S thus far, it's likely the lion's share of the company's smartphone sales thus far this quarter were represented by Apple. Even before the launch of the iPhone 4S, Apple's iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS were the top-selling handsets at AT&T throughout all of 2011.
Last quarter, the iPhone represented 56 percent of AT&T's smartphone activations with 2.7 million units. AT&T's iPhone numbers bested rival Verizon by 700,000.
Stephens also announced on Wednesday that AT&T remains on track to have its high-speed 4G long-term evolution network available to 70 million people by the end of 2011. The company plans to expand its LTE coverage to New York City this month.
Reports have suggested that Apple plans to launch an LTE-capable iPhone in 2012. Apple executives said earlier this year that they looked into LTE technology, but they felt poor battery life and other current issues with 4G were reason enough to hold off.
Apple's latest iPhone was the only smartphone specifically cited in the press release issued by AT&T, which noted that its network is the only where iPhone 4S users "download three times faster and talk and surf at the same time." The carrier announced in October that it activated more than 1 million of the iPhone 4S in its first five days of availability, but declined to reveal specific sales figures on Wednesday.
In all, AT&T sold about 6 million smartphones in the first two months of its fourth quarter, including the 1 million iPhone 4S units sold in just a five-day span. December is usually one of AT&T's strongest months for smartphone sales, which puts the carrier on track to easily best its previous sales record of 6.1 million smartphones in one quarter.
AT&T's smartphone success was first revealed by the company's senior vice president and chief financial officer, John Stephens, in a speech at the UBS 39th Annual Global media and Communications Conference in New York.
Though AT&T declined to reveal full sales of the iPhone 4S thus far, it's likely the lion's share of the company's smartphone sales thus far this quarter were represented by Apple. Even before the launch of the iPhone 4S, Apple's iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS were the top-selling handsets at AT&T throughout all of 2011.
Last quarter, the iPhone represented 56 percent of AT&T's smartphone activations with 2.7 million units. AT&T's iPhone numbers bested rival Verizon by 700,000.
Stephens also announced on Wednesday that AT&T remains on track to have its high-speed 4G long-term evolution network available to 70 million people by the end of 2011. The company plans to expand its LTE coverage to New York City this month.
Reports have suggested that Apple plans to launch an LTE-capable iPhone in 2012. Apple executives said earlier this year that they looked into LTE technology, but they felt poor battery life and other current issues with 4G were reason enough to hold off.
Comments
/s
wasn't everyone supposed to leave AT&T by now and go to verizon?
"When Verizon gets the iPhone you'l see an exodus to Verizon. Just you wait."
(Verizon get the iPhone 4. No exodus)
"That's because it's using last year's components. When Verizon gets the next iPhone alongside AT&T you'll see an exodus to Verizon. Just you wait."
(Verizon and AT&T (and Sprint) get iPhone 4S. No exodus)
That's because many are still on contract. When those contracts are up the will all move from AT&T to Verizon. Just your wait."
You ever notice how Verizon and Android fanboys are aways telling you it'll be soon and to just wait? What bout having a good experience today not some assumed timeframe in the distant future.
what a disappointment the 4S is.
/s
Sarcasm aside, you can understand people wanting a physically new iPhone because the same shape for nearly 2.5 years (which it will be) can get boring. It's selling well because it improved upon the iPhone 4 in many ways, most other phones are shit, Android is ugly and sluggish, and Windows phone is just a baby.
Sarcasm aside, you can understand people wanting a physically new iPhone because the same shape for nearly 2.5 years (which it will be) can get boring.
I understand people saying that, but not rational people. It's phone, just another device like your notebook or TV I don't expect those shapes to change every year.
Often I forget if I was using my iPhone or iPad when using a webpage because I get immersed in what the display is showing, not with the design casing the display is in.
I wonder how many of these are existing iPhone customers that are upgrading and how many are new iPhone subs?
My 4S purchase was coming back from the iPhone on Verizon hated Verizon.Plus got my unlimited data back so I guess im staying put now lol
"When Verizon gets the iPhone you'l see an exodus to Verizon. Just you wait."
(Verizon get the iPhone 4. No exodus)
"That's because it's using last year's components. When Verizon gets the next iPhone alongside AT&T you'll see an exodus to Verizon. Just you wait."
(Verizon and AT&T (and Sprint) get iPhone 4S. No exodus)
That's because many are still on contract. When those contracts are up the will all move from AT&T to Verizon. Just your wait."
You ever notice how Verizon and Android fanboys are aways telling you it'll be soon and to just wait? What bout having a good experience today not some assumed timeframe in the distant future.
I just never understood why that even mattered to people. I'm sure some people switched but I never thought it'd be a mass exodus. Tech blog journalists do not speak for the masses.
I just never understood why that even mattered to people. I'm sure some people switched but I never thought it'd be a mass exodus. Tech blog journalists do not speak for the masses.
It should't matter. If a carrier sucks in your area you don't use them. Maybe you have a Verizon phone and an iPod Touch to get the iOS experience, but you just aren't going to get millions of people paying terminations fees to AT&T just to jump ship to another carrier. THe numbers just don't add up.
PS: WIth the AT&T/T-Mobile US deal falling through, Verizon has made an agreement for some AWS spectrum from another carrier. Verizon is doing a great job in setting themselves up to be the best LTE network (by coverage) in the future.
what a disappointment the 4S is.
/s
Don't equate disappointment with failure, yes it was called a disappointment but no one said it wouldn't sell.
What carrier is verizon buying AWS spectrum from as far as I knew T-Mobile owned most of that spectrum.Or was it bought from Qualcomm(Their failed Mobile TV div.)
It should't matter. If a carrier sucks in your area you don't use them. Maybe you have a Verizon phone and an iPod Touch to get the iOS experience, but you just aren't going to get millions of people paying terminations fees to AT&T just to jump ship to another carrier. THe numbers just don't add up.
PS: WIth the AT&T/T-Mobile US deal falling through, Verizon has made an agreement for some AWS spectrum from another carrier. Verizon is doing a great job in setting themselves up to be the best LTE network (by coverage) in the future.
The ETF plus their new capped data effectively killed any potential defectors.
If these figures are right, that means all the people who were disappointed by the iPhone 4S, and Apple haters in general would have to be in the minority and just plain wrong...
ATT didn't quote any iPhone sales numbers. In fact they declined to comment. I'm sure they're pretty good in any case. Not yet mentioned from the ATT article:
"Sales of smartphones, which are typically subsidized by carriers to gain future service revenue, are expected to have a near-term negative impact on margins and earnings, Dallas-based AT&T said in a regulatory filing. Still, the upfront costs are worth the benefits in the future, Stephens said. "
My 4S purchase was coming back from the iPhone on Verizon hated Verizon.Plus got my unlimited data back so I guess im staying put now lol
How did you get your unlimited data back?
What carrier is verizon buying AWS spectrum from as far as I knew T-Mobile owned most of that spectrum.Or was it bought from Qualcomm(Their failed Mobile TV div.)[/QUOTE]
From unlikely places, cable companies. http://www.bna.com/verizon-wireless-...-n12884904947/
What carrier is verizon buying AWS spectrum from as far as I knew T-Mobile owned most of that spectrum.Or was it bought from Qualcomm(Their failed Mobile TV div.)
Cricket Wireless.
Cricket Wireless.
That too
How did you get your unlimited data back?
Pretty funny story I use twitter and decided to ask AT&T customer care via twitter about coming back they then accidentally tweeted my cell phone number,they promised to give back my data but then reneged on that deal.A quick email to the AT&T CEO got my unlimited back.