Cramer: Cingular to give away 18 months of service with iPhone

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 69
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Porchland View Post


    My guess: The Cingular/AT&T deal is exclusive for two years at most and Apple will eventually roll the the iPhone out to the other GSM carriers and bring out a CDMA iPhone for Verizon.



    There's just no reason for Apple to have given Cingular/AT&T exclusivity beyond two years and limit availability to the 20 percent (or whatever) of American mobile users that are on Cingular/AT&T.



    I think my question was more related to what approach did Verizon have (initially) with Apple? Did they try and work out a deal? or was it the other end (Apple) just picking a carrier with the biggest network?



    When the RAZR came out, it was less than a year before Verizon adopted it's own version. The different story here is a smart phone with a very specific OS interface. I was hoping to find articles that Verizon made some sort of approach/proposal to try and get the iPhone with their network BEFORE it was decided by Apple and Cingular to keep it exclusive for 2 years. Verizon holds a very strong smart phone market, and it confuses me that it seems, from a consumer standpoint, that Verizon just let this slip under the radar...
  • Reply 22 of 69
    19841984 Posts: 955member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Porchland View Post


    My guess: The Cingular/AT&T deal is exclusive for two years at most and Apple will eventually roll the the iPhone out to the other GSM carriers and bring out a CDMA iPhone for Verizon.



    There's just no reason for Apple to have given Cingular/AT&T exclusivity beyond two years and limit availability to the 20 percent (or whatever) of American mobile users that are on Cingular/AT&T.



    It runs out in 2009 at which point the iPhone will be available through other carriers.
  • Reply 23 of 69
    eckingecking Posts: 1,588member
    I just don't want to HAVE to have a data plan with the friggin phone. These are incredibly expensive and gay in canada, I just want the plan I have now but my phone to be an iphone, if I want to use wifi I'll use where ever it's free, like my house or school or somewhere else.



    If I'm forking over 499-599usd on a phone I should be able to use it with any damn plan I want.
  • Reply 24 of 69
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Porchland View Post


    My guess: The Cingular/AT&T deal is exclusive for two years at most and Apple will eventually roll the the iPhone out to the other GSM carriers and bring out a CDMA iPhone for Verizon.



    There's just no reason for Apple to have given Cingular/AT&T exclusivity beyond two years and limit availability to the 20 percent (or whatever) of American mobile users that are on Cingular/AT&T.



    What you refer to as CDMA is actually a standard called IS-95, and it no longer exists aside from legacy support. All 3G standards use one form of CDMA or another, so saying "CDMA" basically is equivalent to saying "3G."



    It's quite likely that Apple is working on a CDMA2000-based EVDO model, to run on Sprint and possibly Verizon networks, as well as the many other Asian and non-EU European EVDO networks.



    It's quite likely that Apple is also working on a WCDMA-based HSDPA model for NTT and EU 3G networks, but EVDO is probably going to come first because it has a greater installed base and because many nations have existing spectrum allocation in the WCDMA range, the USA being one of them.
  • Reply 25 of 69
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 1984 View Post


    It runs out in 2009 at which point the iPhone will be available through other carriers.



    Do we know that for sure? I know that Jobs said the phone will be sold for 499/599 with a 2-year contract for the consumer, but I haven't heard official word about how long Apple's exclusive deal with AT&T lasts.
  • Reply 26 of 69
    cosmonutcosmonut Posts: 4,872member
    Yeah, it sounds like 18 months of free data with paid minutes.
  • Reply 27 of 69
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    I've said this before, but you have to figure the big deal breaker with Verizon is that are unwilling to relinquish control of content.



    They, more than any US carrier, have been completely nuts about making sure you have to use their music, video and image services, as well as their "accessory kits" for various functionality.



    CEO Ivan Seidenberg is kind of a dick about this stuff, and there is no way he's going to make nice with Jobs.
  • Reply 28 of 69
    THey must plan on crippling the wifi. why would anyone need a data plan when wifi if available damn near eveywhere. Shit, Mcdonalds and Krystals offer wifi. Fugg a data plan.
  • Reply 29 of 69
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Kolchak View Post


    Except that 18 months of crap is still crap. I wouldn't deal with Cingular even if it were free.





    Remember this is Bell South, Cingular and AT & T and new animal, or maybe the return of an old one
  • Reply 30 of 69
    nerudaneruda Posts: 439member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Kolchak View Post


    Except that 18 months of crap is still crap. I wouldn't deal with Cingular even if it were free.



    1. Yes, except that free crap (service) is better than the crap you have to pay for. If this is true, then I will definitely consider ditching Verizon since my contract with them ends in another year, therefore, I will only have to pay for one plan. This would be genius and would make the choice for those with existing plans a lot easier.



    2. All this bitching about 3G. For those in the US: a. This is not Europe of Japan where the technology is more widely in use. b. Jobs has stated that 3G support will be implemented when it makes more sense.



    3. The consensus seems to be that Cingular is crap, but this company will no longer exist in 6 months. What about AT&T's reputation? Cingular is dead.
  • Reply 31 of 69
    1) I wonder what type of deal would existing customers who's contract is up will get.



    2) I would rather use wifi over the 3g features. Those data plans are tricky.



    3) I've had Cingular service for almost 2 years, and it's been nothing short of great.



    People on these threads like to bitch and moan, no matter what the news is.

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Neruda View Post


    1. Yes, except that free crap (service) is better than the crap you have to pay for. If this is true, then I will definitely consider ditching Verizon since my contract with them ends in another year, therefore, I will only have to pay for one plan. This would be genius and would make the choice for those with existing plans a lot easier.



    2. All this bitching about 3G. For those in the US: a. This is not Europe of Japan where the technology is more widely in use. b. Jobs has stated that 3G support will be implemented when it makes more sense.



    3. The consensus seems to be that Cingular is crap, but this company will no longer exist in 6 months. What about AT&T's reputation? Cingular is dead.



  • Reply 32 of 69
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Neruda View Post


    3. The consensus seems to be that Cingular is crap, but this company will no longer exist in 6 months. What about AT&T's reputation? Cingular is dead.



    How often does a merger improve the products and services that new company offers over the old ones? Usually, there's a short term dump, followed by a long term dump if the merger doesn't work.
  • Reply 33 of 69
    csi95csi95 Posts: 38member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    In its call, the company made it very clear that it's going to use Apple's iPhone to get customers from Verizon Wireless by giving away its service for a year and a half to those customers who buy the phone



    I am currently a Verizon customer, and 18 months of ABSOLUTELY FREE service would persuade me to spend $600 on an iPhone.



    I pay about $45 per month now with Verizon, and I spent $50 on the LG phone. That's $860 over an 18 month period with Verizon. Jumping to an iPhone would actually save me over $200. How can you pass that deal up???



    Of course, the catch is what the price for service will be after that initial 18 months. If I have to pay $100 per month to get their phone, and web, and text messaging and enhanced voice mail, blah blah blah, then forget it.
  • Reply 34 of 69
    nerudaneruda Posts: 439member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post


    How often does a merger improve the products and services that new company offers over the old ones?



    IMO, this is the relevant question and answering it involves analysing AT&T's service, not Cingular's. IE, quit bitching about Cingular people! Let the bitching about AT&T begin
  • Reply 35 of 69
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BlackSummerNight View Post


    1) I wonder what type of deal would existing customers who's contract is up will get.



    2) I would rather use wifi over the 3g features. Those data plans are tricky.



    3) I've had Cingular service for almost 2 years, and it's been nothing short of great.



    People on these threads like to bitch and moan, no matter what the news is.



    Yes, what about those of us already using Cingular?
  • Reply 36 of 69
    vineavinea Posts: 5,585member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by irasiegel View Post


    Yes, what about those of us already using Cingular?



    It would be silly of them to not give us this deal. I came from AT&T (and my phone is still badged AT&T even with the Cingular SIM inside) and Cingular had no problems giving us another set of phones to stay even through the contract wasn't up.



    Phone service has been good. Customer service has been fine...which given Cingular's not so hot reputation was more than was expected. All in all just as satisfied with Cingular as my brother in law is with Verizon.



    I also doubt they will mess with WiFi if they are offering free service of some kind...especially for data services. Why would they want folks to tie up their bandwidth if you aren't paying or paying a flat rate for data services?



    Vinea
  • Reply 37 of 69
    I think AT&T's plan here is to get people to buy an iPhone locked to AT&T's network.

    Supposedly the iPhone is going to be nearly impossible to unlock.(We'll see)

    If you buy an AT&T iPhone what are you going to do after your 2 year contract is up?

    Buy a Verizon iPhone or renew your contract with AT&T?



    AT&T will give away 18 months of a 24 month contract and then get you back for another 24 months.
  • Reply 38 of 69
    And what type of upgrade policy will they have. Let's say Apple bumps the storeage up to 18g in a year, and I want the extra storeage.
  • Reply 39 of 69
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Neruda View Post


    2. All this bitching about 3G. For those in the US: a. This is not Europe of Japan where the technology is more widely in use. b. Jobs has stated that 3G support will be implemented when it makes more sense.



    European 3G is shit. Sprint has arguably the biggest and best 3G network in the world.
  • Reply 40 of 69
    gugygugy Posts: 794member
    I am the customer Cingular (ATT) is after. I have Verizon for 4 years and I love the iPhone. BUT:

    • I had Cingular (PacBell) prior to my Verizon and it was sucks, no reception at home and office.

    • I have friends that complain to this day about Cingular reception and they live near to where I live.



    So, I am willing to test the iPhone and see if the Ciingular service is any better now. The plan is very exciting and it would make me buy 2 iPhones. So I hope it's true. The current model just doesn't work. iPhones are expensive and on top of that 2 years contract to a possible suck service is a deal breaker IMHO.

    My Verizon plan expires in March and I'll be paying month by month until the iPhone comes out. Let's see, maybe I'll be a switcher.
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