Apple stands by AT&T as an iPhone partner
Despite a howl of complaints and even lawsuits filed by some disgruntled iPhone users, Apple reiterated that it supports AT&T as a great mobile partner, despite rumored moves to expand its iPhone partnerships in the U.S.
During Monday's quarterly earnings conference call, Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook also downplayed assumptions that Apple would inevitably embrace a multi-carrier business strategy in all countries where the iPhone is available. He said so far Apple has selected countries where the company believes a multi-carrier system would inevitably happen anyhow.
"I don't want to imply that would happen in every market or that we are headed that way in every market," Cook said.
Earlier in the call, analyst Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray inquired about the bad press AT&T has received as of late. "Can you remind us the benefits of sticking with a single carrier in the U.S.?" he asked.
In response, Cook avoided any criticism of its U.S. partner.
"First of all, AT&T is a great partner," Cook said. "We've been working with them since well before we announced the first iPhone. It's important to note they have more mobile broadband usage than any carrier in the world."
"We think iPhone customers are having a great experience from the research we've done," Cook added.
"AT&T has acknowledged they're having a few issues in a few cities and they're making plans to address these.Â*We've reviewed these plans and we're confident they'll make significant progress towards fixing them."
AT&T's exclusive mobile partnership with Apple is expected to end this year, with many observers expecting the company to begin working with Verizon Wireless and/or perhaps T-Mobile, either of which would require new iPhone hardware designed for those company's mobile networks.
AT&T itself has regularly announced mobile infrastructure progress and future plans to improve and expand its mobile network in the US in order to better support new and existing iPhone users. It also plans to eventually roll out its 3G MicroCell appliance which will allow customers to set up their own local 3G hotspots by using their existing Internet access, and has met competitive price cuts set by rivals.
During Monday's quarterly earnings conference call, Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook also downplayed assumptions that Apple would inevitably embrace a multi-carrier business strategy in all countries where the iPhone is available. He said so far Apple has selected countries where the company believes a multi-carrier system would inevitably happen anyhow.
"I don't want to imply that would happen in every market or that we are headed that way in every market," Cook said.
Earlier in the call, analyst Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray inquired about the bad press AT&T has received as of late. "Can you remind us the benefits of sticking with a single carrier in the U.S.?" he asked.
In response, Cook avoided any criticism of its U.S. partner.
"First of all, AT&T is a great partner," Cook said. "We've been working with them since well before we announced the first iPhone. It's important to note they have more mobile broadband usage than any carrier in the world."
"We think iPhone customers are having a great experience from the research we've done," Cook added.
"AT&T has acknowledged they're having a few issues in a few cities and they're making plans to address these.Â*We've reviewed these plans and we're confident they'll make significant progress towards fixing them."
AT&T's exclusive mobile partnership with Apple is expected to end this year, with many observers expecting the company to begin working with Verizon Wireless and/or perhaps T-Mobile, either of which would require new iPhone hardware designed for those company's mobile networks.
AT&T itself has regularly announced mobile infrastructure progress and future plans to improve and expand its mobile network in the US in order to better support new and existing iPhone users. It also plans to eventually roll out its 3G MicroCell appliance which will allow customers to set up their own local 3G hotspots by using their existing Internet access, and has met competitive price cuts set by rivals.
Comments
So the rumours aren't true?
If you are referring to the rumor that Apple will add other US carriers for the iPhone, it is indeterminate from this quote. I don't think anyone expected Apple to stop selling iPhones through AT&T, and this quote seems to verify that.
Can you remind us the benefits of sticking with a single carrier in the US?
Tim Cook didn't have a answer, but I'm sure millions of people sick and tired of AT&T's bullsh*t sure would like to have the choice of another major carrier.
Oh Jesus! I hope this new iPad thingy and the other roll-outs this years isn't going to require more AT&T contracts.
*begin screaming*
Tim Cook didn't have a answer, but I'm sure millions of people sick and tired of AT&T's bullsh*t sure would like to have the choice of another major carrier.
Oh Jesus! I hope this new iPad thingy and the other roll-outs this years isn't going to require more AT&T contracts.
*begin screaming*
millions? you are way off. do you know Verizon sucks in the area I live?
Verizon would never work with an apple device because of the restriction they would want or the control they want with the device. For example, verizon won't let apple make billions of dollars on their itunes app store and not get a cut of it. At&t gets no money of app revenue, verizon would want some.
Has anyone ever talked about t-mobiles internet service??? Everyone has something to say about at&t, do you really think t-mobile is any better, if anything, worse.
Sprint has nationwide coverage, their EVDO internet is very large, and they are the first company with 4G internet that is rolling out nationwide in less than 5 months, and is already in a lot of places currents.
I think Sprint needs to get looked at also.
Just that fact that AT&T has to roll out a microcell system shows that their network is like a dinosaur with a full, shitty diaper dragging behind him.
Even Sprint is rolling out its 4G network and AT&T can't even finish 3G. If AT&T had any vision of the future, they would skip 4G and go to 5, but they don't have any vision which is why they're falling behind the other networks.
You don't have to listen to Tim Cook spout off about how great AT&T is. All you need to do is read blogs of people having actual problems from all over the United States. All TIm sees is a chart with numbers.
As for the tablet, required wireless contract = no sale.
They invest in what infrastructure, dial-up 14.4k lines?
At least Verizon deploys FIBER TO THE HOME!
AT&T refuses to -- kind of like iPhone TETHERING! Yea, EVENTUALLY roll-out Microcells -- WHEN?
AT&T just cannot deliver, due to poor investments in infrastructure, despite their claims to the contrary. They are instead focused on stockholder dividends, apparently.
AT&T actually owns fiber. Verizon Wireless does not. Don't confuse Verizon and Verizon Wireless...
AT&T's exclusive mobile partnership with Apple is expected to end this year, with many observers expecting the company to begin working with Verizon Wireless and/or perhaps T-Mobile, either of which would require new iPhone hardware designed for those company's mobile networks.
T-Mobile is GSM, same as AT&T. Other than SIM-locking phones to one carrier or the other, I can't think of any "new iPhone hardware" that would need to be "designed for" T-Mobile's network.
Which would be a great name for the up coming tablet by the way.
"AT&T is a great (DINOSAUR) partner."
They invest in what infrastructure, dial-up 14.4k lines?
At least Verizon deploys FIBER TO THE HOME!
AT&T refuses to -- kind of like iPhone TETHERING! Yea, EVENTUALLY roll-out Microcells -- WHEN?
AT&T just cannot deliver, due to poor investments in infrastructure, despite their claims to the contrary. They are instead focused on stockholder dividends, apparently.
What you're saying isn't exactly true.
First of all, AT&T does provide fiber to the home in all new developments. They just provide it to the node in areas where it's too expensive to do otherwise.
Verizon has substantially cut its fiber expansion. Why, because it's too expensive. It wants about 45% of all the people where they've placed fiber to sign up before they continue to expand there. They've stated that themselves.
We also don't know if Verizon will spend the money to adopt the new data/voice specs that came out last year for CDMA.
It's not as cut and dry as you want to believe.
Yes Verizon as a company is MUCH more of an innovator than AT&T. I would sign-up for fiber to the home TODAY, if I could. Guess what, AT&T won't do it, even if you pay extra. Verizon does.
Why would I care who owns the fiber, I want the company that will install fiber to my home!
Good luck finding 4G chipsets now... AT&T can't put money into 4G to solve 3G problems. 5G is 5+ years away at best.
AT&T actually owns fiber. Verizon Wireless does not. Don't confuse Verizon and Verizon Wireless...
T-Mobile is GSM, same as AT&T. Other than SIM-locking phones to one carrier or the other, I can't think of any "new iPhone hardware" that would need to be "designed for" T-Mobile's network.
T-Mobile, as is widely known, uses the odd 1700 MHz freq for its 3G service. This is a freq that no one else uses. Apple would have to get a radio that has that frequency. Not that simple. They, like other manufacturers choose the parts they do for various reasons.
Besides, for people who complain about AT&T, T-Mobile is FAR worse. Almost no 2G coverage, and even less 3G.
I am surprised no one asked about Google!
They did.
The answer was that they cooperate on some things and compete on others. That's all you could expect to get out of Cooke.
It's NOT just GSM, by the way, it's UMTS which is a bit different:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Univers...cations_System
T-Mobile is GSM, same as AT&T. Other than SIM-locking phones to one carrier or the other, I can't think of any "new iPhone hardware" that would need to be "designed for" T-Mobile's network.
They did.
The answer was that they cooperate on some things and compete on others. That's all you could expect to get out of Cooke.
That was an expected answer
I have past experience with AT&T and as a result I WILL NOT buy an IPhone until I can get it on another carrier...Period...
THIS is what I hate about Apple planned obsolescence...
T-Mobile, as is widely known, uses the odd 1700 MHz freq for its 3G service. This is a freq that no one else uses. Apple would have to get a radio that has that frequency. Not that simple. They, like other manufacturers choose the parts they do for various reasons.
Besides, for people who complain about AT&T, T-Mobile is FAR worse. Almost no 2G coverage, and even less 3G.