Why AT&T Fails as a Company…
At the WWDC keynote today, Apple announced a slew of new features (most of which were already documented) for the iPhone 3G, in the form of an update to firmware 3.0. A few of which, cell phones (not just “smart” ones) have had for years, ie. MMS. Apple also announced a new version of the iPhone 3G named, iPhone 3G S (you think the fellas in cupertino could’ve come up with something a little better than that). The S stands for speed and that is delivered in a few nice hardware upgrades and ultimately the “iPhone 3G S will be compatible with High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 technology, which offers theoretical peak download speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps, though actual speeds will vary as these capabilities become available.” Which sounds great…faster processing speed on the phone, faster data rates…until you read the next line; “AT&T plans to begin deploying HSPA 7.2 later this year, with completion expected in 2011.”
OK - so just to make sure everyone’s still following, The faster data rates won’t be available throughout our country until 2011. Call me crazy, but I’d say it’s a safe bet that Apple will have released yet another version of the iPhone by then, maybe two. So what’s the incentive to get this new phone?
It must be the discounted price that AT&T’s offering to their longstanding customers in order for them to mass exodus their current contracts and sign up for 2 more years of paying AT&T (extremely high rates) monthly.
Wait? What’s that? You’re Kidding me….”Upgrade eligibility varies with each customer, but in general you will become upgrade-eligible the further you are into your service agreement,” AT&T spokesperson Seth Bloom told ARS. Typically AT&T will let you get a discount on pricing after about 18 months. Last year when the iPhone 3G came out they waived the time frame for people who were current iPhone owners who wanted to upgrade. I’ve been with AT&T since 1999, when they were Ameritech, and then Cingular and now their current incarnation of AT&T. I’m not eligible for an upgrade until January of 2010 (six months later will be a year from now (where apple will probably release the next version of the iPhone).
Lucky for me there is an option. I can get an “early upgrade” to the iPhone 3G S for $399 for a 16GB model or $499 for a 32GB model. Are you Joking? Seriously? 1/2 my Rent payment for a Single Shiny Super Speedy iPhone 3G SSSS. Oh and it will also include a new two-year contract and an $18 upgrade fee.
Well then, if I do pay that money and become the first on my block to get the hottest, coolest new iPhone with the extra letter, all the features are available at least, MMS, Tethering, all the things that were mentioned today, Right? Nope, MMS won’t be available until “late summer” and tethering is completely up in the air, with no set date or even estimate on when it will be implemented. It blows my mind that I could use MMS on my Razr 5 years ago, and nearly every “smart” phone has the ability to tether, yet AT&T, which currently holds the most innovative, unique, genre-defining phone to come out in years, right there in its hands, can’t produce on time, can’t keep up with technology and hasn’t delivered near the level of service that this phone deserves.
I guess I shouldn’t have expected much from a company who just released their own app “myWireless Mobile” on May 1st, 2009; 10 MONTHS after the App Store came online. Maybe it’s me, but I think that this app should’ve been released with the app store.
I’m not canceling my contract, or selling my iPhone. I’m just upset that there are 2 companies in this partnership and one clearly can’t keep up with the other. It’s completely unacceptable.
