Verizon to prospective iPhone buyers: 'Stay near a plug'
Like other AT&T rivals, Verizon Wireless has issued a list of talking points to help its employees encourage customers not to drop their service plans and switch to iPhone. "Stay near a plug," reads one of the points to be conveyed to potential switchers. "The iPhone battery can't be removed or swapped for a spare."
The multi-page document, labeled "Proprietary & Confidential. For Internal Use Only," offers Verizon's take on why it "more than holds its own" against Apple, AT&T and the iPhone.
"Sorry, iPhone can't send picture or video message -- only e-mail," the carrier wrote. "No over-the-air downloads. You have to connect to a PC to load music." For its part, Verizon offers both features through certain of its service plans.
In the documents, the AT&T rival also suggests that employees tell prospective iPhone buyers to "watch their wallets," as the "cheapest iPhone is $499."
OK, but what about customers who talk about iPhone's "cool features" like Wi-Fi access and the touch screen?
"Wi-Fi is not a mobile technology," Verizon explains. "You have to be in a fixed location to use it -- and that's if you know where to find it. And some Wi-Fi hotspots make you pay to use them. There're also those pesky concerns about security of Wi-Fi."
As for the Apple handset's touch screen, "it sounds cool," claims Verizon, "but if you're a heavy text or email user, it could be challenging not being able to feel the keys as you press them."
"And how are you going to type without looking with a keyboard you can't even feel," the carrier adds.
For those interested, both Verizon documents can been seen after the jump. Slightly more entertaining talking points issued by Sprint were covered on Monday.
The multi-page document, labeled "Proprietary & Confidential. For Internal Use Only," offers Verizon's take on why it "more than holds its own" against Apple, AT&T and the iPhone.
"Sorry, iPhone can't send picture or video message -- only e-mail," the carrier wrote. "No over-the-air downloads. You have to connect to a PC to load music." For its part, Verizon offers both features through certain of its service plans.
In the documents, the AT&T rival also suggests that employees tell prospective iPhone buyers to "watch their wallets," as the "cheapest iPhone is $499."
OK, but what about customers who talk about iPhone's "cool features" like Wi-Fi access and the touch screen?
"Wi-Fi is not a mobile technology," Verizon explains. "You have to be in a fixed location to use it -- and that's if you know where to find it. And some Wi-Fi hotspots make you pay to use them. There're also those pesky concerns about security of Wi-Fi."
As for the Apple handset's touch screen, "it sounds cool," claims Verizon, "but if you're a heavy text or email user, it could be challenging not being able to feel the keys as you press them."
"And how are you going to type without looking with a keyboard you can't even feel," the carrier adds.
For those interested, both Verizon documents can been seen after the jump. Slightly more entertaining talking points issued by Sprint were covered on Monday.
Comments
"Wi-Fi is not a mobile technology," Verizon explains. "You have to be in a fixed location to use it -- and that's if you know where to find it. And some Wi-Fi hotspots make you pay to use them. There're also those pesky concerns about security of Wi-Fi."
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
So I guess all of those "Business People" using Wi-Fi with their laptops this whole time have been doing so with little or no security. Interesting . . . . .
Love seeing the last-minute scrambles by Verizon and Sprint.
"And how are you going to type without looking with a keyboard you can't even feel," the carrier adds.
It sounds like Verizon are encouraging people to send text messages
while driving. This seems like a risky thing to do, liability wise.
I just got my new AT&T W810i and my Apple Macbook recognized it, and isync loaded up my contacts, calendar, and retrieved photos without a hitch. I can't believe I've been with Verizon all these years. I even loaded 2 GB worth of music onto my free W810i and I didn't have to buy a PC-Kit like I would have from Verizon. (they don't allow file exchange over bluetooth with their similar phones)
Now I have a free pocket sized phone from AT&T to use on the weekends when I don't feel like luggin' around my iPhone.
I am so excited to be done with Verizon forever. Many of my friends and coworkers are doing the same.
I personally think that the battery not being swappable sounds like a big deal, until I realize that I have never needed to swap the batteries in either my phone or iPod.
Yes, but we both likely know how to take care of a lithium ion battery. LOTS of people out there still think that they're supposed to use their cell phones or iPods until the battery dies to avoid the battery getting a "memory." Some have even told me that the cell phone store told them to do that!
There's a lot of bad information out there and I imagine we're going to have the iPod battery effect all over again in about a year because the Josephine Schmoes of the world abused their batteries.
The sad thing is, this might just keep some people from switching. Some people are so non-technical, something like this could scare them away from the iPhone.
So I guess all of those "Business People" using Wi-Fi with their laptops this whole time have been doing so with little or no security. Interesting . . . . .
Love seeing the last-minute scrambles by Verizon and Sprint.
you can't send picture text messages? that's lame.
I still want to know can the camera be used to record video.
Damn, it must be a bitch having a phone that you have to stare at for the visual cue that someone is calling. A lot of missed calls, I'd assume.
What a bunch of pansies.
-Clive
you can't send picture text messages? that's lame.
You can just email pictures instead, which is much more useful.
I'm hoping that the iPhone will basically remove all the annoying TXT variants we have now ("TXT, PIX, FLIX etc..") with standard email that works on all phones. Sure the birthing pains may be hard, and we can't give up SMS just yet, but eventually we'll be free from those annoying 50cents a go multi-media messages.
But, if you still need a replacement battery you can always get a universal USB charger such as this one:
http://www.radioshack.com/sm-lenmar-...sb-powerport-b...
This is even better than a standard battery as you don't need to bring the device down (when you are taking the current battery out). It may even cost you less than buying a replacement battery at premium price on the carrier store.
you can't send picture text messages? that's lame.
Just curious, but what is the advantage of MMS over sending the same picture via regular email?
you can't send picture text messages? that's lame.
I thought so too until I realized that I rarely send them.
and can't you send an email to phonenumber@mobile.att.net? Does that work with pictures?