Only Cingular?
- Thread starter MichalLO
- Start date
For the initial release, Cingular has the exclusive. If there becomes a way to unlock the iPhone, then you'd be able to use it with T-Mobile since they share the same wireless technology (GSM). Verizon had a chance at the iPhone, but passed it up.
Cingular gave Apple the flexibility they wanted in developing the iPhone and in return they have exclusivity on what will be a very popular phone.
-Chris
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Cingular signed an exclusive with Apple for 3 years. I just hope that prices with a contract are better than 499 and 599. I wonder what the outright price is going to be if they are infact the contract prices.
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I am almost fearful of the outright price if the price with contract is 600! I just don't think enough people will jump on it at such a high price.
i think that it should be available to verizon, seeing as it's the most reliable and widespread network out there.
people always bash cingular, but they are more reilible then verizon, at least by me. my only complant is that they do not have unlimited text messaging.
Already a Cingular customer...
Wonder if it would cost me an arm and a leg to simply purchase the iPhone and put in my existing SIM card (or if that is even an option) or somehow transfer my services from my existing plan to the iPhone. Otherwise, I would have to wait until my present contract expires before I can get this! That doesn't make much sense.
Wonder if it would cost me an arm and a leg to simply purchase the iPhone and put in my existing SIM card (or if that is even an option) or somehow transfer my services from my existing plan to the iPhone. Otherwise, I would have to wait until my present contract expires before I can get this! That doesn't make much sense.
I have read a lot of speculation on this topic. The general consensus is that existing customers will have to sign a new 2 year contract. IOW, your existing contract is terminated and you are committed to AT&T for 2 years from that date. Hopefully AT&T will announce their official position before the iPhone is available.
Luckily, my contract expires 6/29/07 so even if it ends up that existing customers have to complete their contracts, I won't have to wait too long
.The iPhone price point seems to be set at $499 for the 4 gig and $599 for th 8 gig. There also seems to be quite a lot of talk out there about how Apple will not be allowing Cingular to offer the iPhone at a discounted rate like all cell services do with every other phone.Lets take into consideration the RAZR. A razr with a plan is less than 50 bucks depending on the one you get. Now without a plan it is around 400$ hopefully the iPhone dosn't cost as much as a new home
Apparently a lot of other phone manufacturers are holding their breath HOPING it will work so as to stop that practice from being the norm. (I would think they would want as many people using their product as possible regardless of what the consumer pays, but apparently not.) As I understand it the manufacturers aren't exceited about their phones going for such a low price, such as the razr for $50 as you mentioned.
One rumor I read said that perhaps to counteract this Cingular might give a away a chunk of service (6 months, a year, something) at no cost to compensate not being able to discount the phone.... just a rumor but seems at least semi-reasonable...
That's good news, I certainly wouldn't mind signing another two contract for the iPhone.I have read a lot of speculation on this topic. The general consensus is that existing customers will have to sign a new 2 year contract. IOW, your existing contract is terminated and you are committed to AT&T for 2 years from that date. Hopefully AT&T will announce their official position before the iPhone is available.
Luckily, my contract expires 6/29/07 so even if it ends up that existing customers have to complete their contracts, I won't have to wait too long
I am not clear Chris, but does Verizon do any GSM? Just in case I could get an iPhone and unlock it to use with existing Verizon!
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I believe Verizon has offered GSM variants for customers who travel overseas but obviously those don't work in the US and neither would the iPhone.
Currently there are only two companies in the U.S. that provide GSM service. Cingular / AT&T, and T-Mobile.
Since the iPhone uses a GSM sim chip, those are the only two companies in the U.S. that are capable of connecting the iPhone to their cellular networks. That said, the majority of the UK and other countries are also on GSM. Therefore the potential market is more widespread since the iPhone uses GSM.
However if Apple were to decide that they were going to build another version of the iPhone that worked on the CDMA protocol then that would open it up to other carriers here in the U.S. and in a few other smaller countries. Globally the most popular and largest system is GSM.
With the current exclusivity contract between Apple and Cingular / AT&T, it will be years before there are any other carriers to choose from.
Cheers...
Since the iPhone uses a GSM sim chip, those are the only two companies in the U.S. that are capable of connecting the iPhone to their cellular networks. That said, the majority of the UK and other countries are also on GSM. Therefore the potential market is more widespread since the iPhone uses GSM.
However if Apple were to decide that they were going to build another version of the iPhone that worked on the CDMA protocol then that would open it up to other carriers here in the U.S. and in a few other smaller countries. Globally the most popular and largest system is GSM.
With the current exclusivity contract between Apple and Cingular / AT&T, it will be years before there are any other carriers to choose from.
Cheers...
Thanks Archer for info. I thought that was case but forgot some of the details. I wonder though if the iPhone is successful that after the 2 year exclusivity with ATT if the others will open up sooner than years? Hope so would love to use one when my Verizon contract is up in 1.5 years on my Treo 700p but with me being out west and such (like Rural Utah and Montana) I need reception that ATT/Cingular can not offer. Their web shows coverage to be poor and my friend I work with says Verizon is best for his neck of the woods.
Russ
With mobile phones in general, I always suggest that people choose the carrier first. After all without a good signal being available, the phone is worthless.
Also it's important NOT to rely on the coverage maps as posted on the web or handed out in the store. I have found through personal experience and that of many friends that these maps are only a rough guide. In many cases areas that are indicated as "strong" areas for that carrier are indeed not so good.
The very best way to test, is to use those maps as a starting point, select a carrier sign up for a plan & phone. Then take the phone and drive around the areas that you are normally in to check the coverage for yourself. This way if it doesn't work well you can return if for a full refund. Most carriers will only charge you for the airtime you have used, and recently some have removed that charge as well, as an incentive to get you to try their service. If returned in the alloted time frame, it costs you nothing other than your time, to identify which carrier is best for you.
Using myself as an example, I signed up with one carrier whose map indicated the strongest signal in my area where I live. Upon taking the phone home, it had very poor reception and even dropped calls. This was true in other areas as well that were identified as strong areas. So I called them and they said it must be the phone so I returned it and they "upgraded" me to a more expensive phone - same problem. I returned that phone and terminated the contract within the alloted time and was only charged $10 for the airtime I used.
Went to another carrier with my area indicated as medium coverage, signed up, got the phone and did the same test. This phone performed perfectly at home as well as everywhere else that I go.
While this approach takes some time and patience, I can assure you it will return a great result which will keep you happy and provide maximum value for your cell phone & service investment.
Cheers...
My only problem with Cingular/ATT is that out west and in rural areas away from major interstates they do not have as good as coverage as Verizon or Sprint. For example in Montana where I work with a buddy digging dinosaurs he is uable to get any signal with Cingular, he finds and I have found Verizon works just find out there in the remote areas!