USA Today rumors hope for the US’ largest network:
Verizon (VZ) and Apple (AAPL) are discussing the possible development of an iPhone for Verizon, with the goal of introducing it next year, people familiar with the situation say.
Talks, claim their unnamed sources, began before Steve Jobs’ leave of absence. How would this effect the major players:
Verizon would get the iPhone. Give Apple’s disinterest in CDMA, it would more likely be 4G LTE device, which Verizon has already been sniffing around. Given less than spectacular competitive launches of the Instinct and BlackBerry Storm, Verizon would get the highest profile smartphone on the fastest next-generation 4G LTE technology. Would it be ready by 2010? Either way, it would be a monstrous marketing coup that would prevent users from leaving the network for AT&T and may bring many who’d previously left running right back.
AT&T last quarter had the iPhone to thank for a large part of their results. 40% of iPhone activations went to new customers and 75% of net new bill-paying customers were iPhone users. If Verizon were to get the iPhone, even if non-exclusively, it would likely be a huge roshambo to AT&T’s bottom line. (Like why AT&T is trying to extend it’s deal with Apple).
Apple would gain access to Verizon’s monstrous user pool — people unwilling or unable to switch to AT&T for the iPhone. No carrier has complete coverage, after all, and Apple likely doesn’t want to see that large a group of customers left lying on the table.
We know many of you want to see your iPhone on Verizon, is 2010 soon enough for you? Or don’t you see AT&T giving up their golden exclusivity any time soon?
According to the Wall Street Journal (via Apple Insider), Verizon thinks that technology may finally give them a chance for a second bite at this not-at-all proverbial Apple after all. At least CEO Ivan Seidenberg really, really thinks so.
Ah, Verizon. First you said, “no thanks!” when Apple offered you the original iPhone. Then you thought you’d just wait for Steve Jobs to disappear and take his iPhone with him. Despite a huge segment of your users still clamoring for the iPhone, you gave them the BlackBerry Storm instead. When that fizzled, you looked to Nokia for an “iPhone Killah“, but ultimately asked your customers if they would have stayed for the iPhone you first rejected.
Now you see a chance for redemption in the next generation 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) network technology that GSM carriers like AT&T and CDMA carriers like Verizon are both racing towards.
Will Apple end exclusivity with AT&T to grow into other user bases? Will Verizon get its second chance? Hey, if all else fails, at least domestic unlockers may appreciate an option other than T-Mobile for future generation US iPhones, right?
So yesterday we linked to Zach Epstein’s story over at BGR, the one about an internal Rogers briefing call that claimed Vancouver would be enjoying some 4G LTE at 50Mbps+ just in time for the Winter Olympics.
Rogers contacted us almost immediately to say the story was inaccurate and the call never happened, and we contacted Zach who was gracious enough to get back to us, reaffirming the story. Now the BGR has kicked it up another notch, posting audio from the supposed call online.
Real? Fake? A “leak it so we sound innovative but deny it so if it doesn’t launch we had coverage” tactic? Take a listen to the recording and tell us what you think…
UPDATED AGAIN: BGR is sticking by their story. Interesting times, eh?
UPDATE: We just received an email from Rogers stating:
“While we generally don’t comment on speculation or rumour, this posting is not accurate. Rogers was involved in no such call.”
ORIGINAL: So we’ve heard about AT&T and the EU, and we’ve heard about Verizon. Now it’s Canadian iPhone carrier, Rogers’ turn. The BGR brings word they’re pouring on the 4G LTE in hopes of launching in Vancouver in time for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in February.
Reportedly 50Mbps (un-optimized) is already a go on tests, and while no handsets will be available until mid-2010, USB dongles should launch sooner. Following Vancouver, Rogers plans to expand the network, and vows they’ll have less problems than their 3G HSPA launch. (We all hope!)
In the mixed bag-of-hurt department, it sounds like Rogers is also going to try to help out their over-strained cable business by merging it with 4G and Portable Internet.
You’ve told us and told us you want the iPhone on Verizon. There’s two reasons that hasn’t happened already. AT&T has exclusive rights in the US (Verizon, stupidly, turned down the iPhone initially), and the iPhone is a GSM device while Verizon runs a CDMA network (think Mac vs. PC). And, hey, Sprint can’t even get simultaneous voice and data going on the Pre with CDMA/EVDO, okay?
However, it seems like Verizon is going to the same LTE standard as AT&T for 4G, and hopes to do Ma Bell one better by bringing it to market by the end of THIS YEAR. (AT&T will be testing this year, rolling out in 2011, and the EU has delayed until 2012!) Gizmodo says it’s already running at 60Mbps, so…
With compatibility hurdles clearing in the future, will exclusivity fall next? Could we see an iPhone on Verizon in 2010 or 2011?
(TUAW has a great write up on that possibility, thanks Brian for the pointer!)
UPDATE: According to Ars, while AT&T is indeed shooting for 2011, the EU might just be delaying until 2012. Snap. Who’s the backwater internet slowpokes now?
ORIGINAL: Ah, it seems like only yesterday when little baby GRPS, barely faster than background radiation, burst on the scene. Then came EDGE, both 2G and 2.5G for our original iPhones, and HSPA up and down for our iPhone 3G. But time flies and yesterdays super fast is tomorrow’s far-too-slow, so it should come as no surprise that AT&T used the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to announce they’ll have their 4G network, known as LTE (Long Term Evolution) zipping along fat 100Mbps in just a couple of years.
Tests should begin in 2010, and deployment in 2011. (Which means customer complaints should follow roughly 30 seconds there after).
So, is AT&T’s roadmap fast enough for you early adopters? Will it keep you on the iPhone network longer? And what are you most looking forward to with that ultra-boardband speed? Playing WoW on your iPhone HD? 4-way Mobile iChat? Or finally being able to load that one Facebook friend’s page with every dang app conceivable jammed on it?
[Via Electronista]
A few weeks back we mentioned a little blurb about 4G and when we may start to see it. Even though AT&T announced its decision to deploy Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology for its 4G network, they are confident they can get more life from their 3G network by tweaking it, and in doing so give them more time to perfect their future network. (I know what you are thinking… maybe they should have taken more time to perfect their current network!)
Yesterday at the 4G Executive Summit in Chicago, AT&T’s VP of Architecture Hank Kafka spoke out and put to rest any perceived urgency on the part of the carrier to push out a 4G network saying:
The introduction of the 3G iPhone at AT&T Mobility has made a huge impact in showing people how to use handsets to connect to the Internet, but it’s just the beginning of wireless broadband. Now we’re on the verge of that creativity being unleashed.
Kafka said he’d be surprised if LTE wasn’t available “within five years”. And within those 5 years, AT&T “has a lot of runway left with HSPA and HSPA-plus.” We can only hope.
So please, I beg of you, unleash that creativity on us all. I’m sure we are all ready for it.
[Via AppleInsider]
Yesterday at Goldman Sachs’ Communacopia XVII conference, AT&T’s chief technical officer John Donovan stated that iPhone 3G users have used much less data on the network than expected.
No explanation was given, but aren’t the reasons pretty obvious? All of the connection issues along with 3G reverting over to the Edge network is what I’m guessing. Donovan later went on to say that the iPhone’s 3g data usage is still “relatively higher than any other phone on the network”. He also went so far as to downplay that AT&T just may have underestimated the network demand following the iPhone 3G launch on July 11th. He did say that improvements made since then were all planned to help meet the anticipated demand. Sorry folks, I’m not buying that one. How about you?
The last good bit of information came regarding AT&T’s plans for 4G: it’s coming and testing will begin sometime in “2010″ with the service following soon there after. AT&T will be not be the first to toy with 4G but rather “leave early adoption to other companies”. (Namely Verizon who has slated launch of their 4G network the same year.)
(Via Electronista.com)
