Loss of iPhone exclusivity will cause 'rocky' time for AT&T, CEO says - Computerworld

Loss of iPhone exclusivity will cause 'rocky' time for AT&T, CEO says - Computerworld

AT&T's loss of its exclusive hold on Apple's iPhone will make early 2011 "rocky, volatile and hard to predict" for the carrier, CEO Randall Stephenson said in a conference call with analysts on Thursday...

How Much Will It Cost To Switch To A Verizon iPhone From AT&T

There will be an estimated 2.5 million customers wanting to switch from AT&T to the Verizon iPhone when it comes out. And there's no doubt that those people are trying to figure out exactly how much that will cost.

There are a number of factors that can influence the cost of change. Things like data usage and when you bought your iPhone are things that can have an impact on how much you have to shell out.

First off, if you don't want to buy a new iPhone then you won't be able to switch. Because of technical differences between the two networks, any current iPhone out there will not work on Verizons network. Do right off the bat, it'll cost ya $200 for a new iPhone.

How much data do you use? Depending on how much you use per month means you could pay less, or more, with Verizon. Customers with AT&T pay $15 a month for 200 MB of data, or $25 for 2 GB, plus an additional $10 for each GB of monthly data usage that goes over the allotted 2 GB limit.

Verizon is offering unlimited data for $30 a month, but there are loopholes you have to jump through to get it. The major one being that you have to already have had unlimited data with Verizon previously.

Believe it or not, if your old iPhone is in good condition it may cost you less. If you trade in, for example, a 32GB iPhone 4 it could get you a $285 Verizon gift card. Even older iPhones can get you a little cash. A 16GB 3GS could get you upwards of $116.

The bottom line is that it's going to cost you to switch. It's just a matter of what kind of deal you can get.

Verizon Could See 25 Million iPhone Subscribers In 2011

With Verizon coming out with the iPhone just around the corner it will be interesting to see what kind of chunk they take out of the pie. Some seem to think it will be fairly large.

William Power, an analyst with RW Baird & Co., has said he figures that the potential number of Verizon iPhone users could reach 25 million in 2011. Those numbers aren't a prediction as much as they are a directional number, based on eligibility and would be constrained by Apple's ability to produce enough handsets.

Another number that is a bit of a surprise is that only 5.6 percent of AT&Ts existing customers said they'd be interested in switching over to Verizon. Many thought that a good chunk of Verizons customers would be former AT&T customers jumping ship.

AT&T Gives Some Unlimited Data

Verizon is releasing the iPhone 4 very soon to it's customers and this will no doubt strike fear in AT&T. For a while, AT&T was the only show in town as far as iPhone 4 carriers went. But now that there's a new gun in town, AT&T has to up the ante.

In a move that signals AT&Ts fears, the company is allowing those who had unlimited data plans in the past to be able to have them again. The policy is no good for new AT&T customers who have never had the unlimited data plan.

AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel wouldn't confirm the option to return to an unlimited plan. "We handle customers and their situations individually, and we're not going to discuss specifics," he said.

Regardless of what the reasoning is for AT&T to make this possible, the bottom line is that the consumer wins. This gives customers much more leverage than they had before. And this, my friends, is why monopolies are no good for anyone but the person that is doing the monopolizing.

2GB Teathering For $20 On Verizon iPhone

So it looks like Verizon is offering the same deal to it's iPhone subscribers as it does to it's other smartphone subscribers.

Yesterday, Brenda Raney, who is executive director of corporate communications for Verizon Wireless, told MacWorld that there will be a $20 a month plan for 2GB of data. Anything over that amount will cost an additional $20 per GB.

Something that sets Verizon apart from AT&T is the "Personal Hotspot". The "Personal Hotspot" allows the user to connect with up to 5 WiFi devices.

The Verizon iPhone will also feature a revamped antenna, which will no doubt help it avoid the major reception problem the AT&T iPhone had.

AT&T Says iPhone Subscriber Growth Missed Expectations

During the final quarter, AT&T activated 4.1 million iPhones. And believe it or not, that didn't meet expectations.

The fact that Verizon is planning it's iPhone launch is said to be part of the lower than expected subscribers. The company reported a $1.09 billion profit for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2010, which was short of its $2.7 billion profit from the same quarter last year.

The result was 400,000 new contract customers during the quarter, 100,000 subscribers short of Wall Street's consensus view.

AT&T now has to sit back and see how many customers jump into Verizon contracts. It now becomes a waiting game.