Apple stands by AT&T as an iPhone partner

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
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.
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Comments

  • Reply 2 of 108
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr Underhill View Post


    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.
  • Reply 3 of 108
    mactrippermactripper Posts: 1,328member
    Quote:

    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*
  • Reply 4 of 108
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacTripper View Post


    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?
  • Reply 5 of 108
    Why are t-mobile and verizon the only ones in the running?



    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.
  • Reply 6 of 108
    bdkennedy1bdkennedy1 Posts: 1,459member
    Nice try of smoothing it over, Tim.



    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.
  • Reply 7 of 108
    Tim Cook is going to say that right up until Apple's contract with AT&T ends. Then he might start saying something else. For all you know, positive promotion is part of the contract.



    As for the tablet, required wireless contract = no sale.
  • Reply 8 of 108
    "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.
  • Reply 9 of 108
    aaarrrggghaaarrrgggh Posts: 1,609member
    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...
  • Reply 10 of 108
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    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.
  • Reply 11 of 108
    The New York Post ran a story this morning saying the iPhone is coming to Verizon. The story is titled Apple Turn Over.



    Which would be a great name for the up coming tablet by the way.
  • Reply 12 of 108
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by libertyforall View Post


    "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.
  • Reply 13 of 108
    Verizon is the company, wireless is a division...



    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!





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aaarrrgggh View Post


    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...



  • Reply 14 of 108
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by danbirchall View Post


    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.
  • Reply 15 of 108
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    I am surprised no one asked about Google!
  • Reply 16 of 108
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NasserAE View Post


    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.
  • Reply 17 of 108
    They would need to add another band for T-Mobile, but that's fairly trivial.



    It's NOT just GSM, by the way, it's UMTS which is a bit different:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Univers...cations_System



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by danbirchall View Post


    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.



  • Reply 18 of 108
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    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
  • Reply 19 of 108
    srangersranger Posts: 473member
    Well,



    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...
  • Reply 20 of 108
    One would think that the radios on existing iPhones could be firmware updateable to enable the extra frequency, but that would be too much forward thinking, huh?! :-(



    THIS is what I hate about Apple planned obsolescence...





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    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.



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