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  • Dominoes Continue to Fall on iPhone Carrier Exclusivity
    by
    Michael Essany
    Published on 10-05-2009 08:55 PM
    68 Comments Comments

    Image via Geek.com


    The news out of Canada tonight suggests the extinction of Apple's exclusive carrier contracts has never been closer to US borders. The latest example? Apple Insider is reporting that two new carriers in Canada will now offer the handset.

    Citing sources within both companies, The Globe and Mail reported that Bell Canada and Telus Corp. will begin selling the iPhone in November, bringing the previously exclusive contract held by Rogers Communications for more than a year to an end.
    This development out of Canada is rehashing speculation about whether Apple will stay with AT&T or include other carriers after the their exclusive deal expires next year. Many agree with the projections put out by Morgan Stanley's Kathryn Huberty, an analyst who recently articulated that Apple's handset market share in the U.S. could double if, for example, it brought the likes of a Verizon Wireless into the fold.

    But even as the dominoes continue to fall on exclusivity, neither Apple or AT&T will speak a word as to whether the current exclusivity carrier agreement will stay in place beyond 2010.

    The news comes just weeks after both Vodafone and Orange announced they will carry the iPhone in the U.K. in the coming months. Until now, Apple's smartphone has been exclusive to O2 in Great Britain.
    As we know, Apple recently signed a three-year deal with China Unicom to sell the handset in Asia's largest mobile community.
    But even in China there will be no such thing as exclusivity with the iPhone.

    The iPhone went on sale in the country [China] on Oct. 1. Now, Apple has turned its attention to competitor China Mobile, the world's largest wireless carrier.
    As Europe, Asia, and North America all usher in the era of non-exclusive carrier agreements with the iPhone, how could it be anything but just a matter of time before the same transpires in the US?
    This article was originally published in forum thread: Dominoes Continue to Fall on iPhone Carrier Exclusivity started by Michael Essany View original post
    Comments 68 Comments
    1. jdm.accord's Avatar
      jdm.accord - 10-05-2009, 09:04 PM
      Again with the Verizon speculation? We've been hearing about this since before the OG iphone came out in '07. Give it a rest. Verizon has to have their vcast or VZWireless shite on all their phones. I don't see that changing and I don't see Apple compromising either.

      I see how their deals in other countries would promote speculation of their deal with AT&T only being done, but its not gonna be with Verizon.
    1. Hyperextension's Avatar
      Hyperextension - 10-05-2009, 09:07 PM
      I am in Canada and have not heard anything. What a surprise. As far as I know thought, both Telus and Bell and CDMA carriers (no SIM card). Is Apple making a change to the iPhone or are these carriers going the way of the SIM card?
    1. staterunner180's Avatar
      staterunner180 - 10-05-2009, 09:08 PM
      To Verizon I hope. They are most likely because of the amount of subscribers they have, also their excellent 3G coverage. The only thing that might hold them back though is Apple will have to make an iPhone with different hardware from the current one, since Verizon phones are CDMA and AT&T is GSM SIM. I think anyway. I might have heard something about how the Blackberry Storm has a SIM card and I know that phone is exclusive to Verizon... hmm intresting...
    1. whatheck6's Avatar
      whatheck6 - 10-05-2009, 09:12 PM
      I heard about this a while ago when i was debating on switching to Rogers from Telus to get the iPhone. Telus rep. told me that they are switching the systems or something like that.
      Thank god i stayed with Telus
    1. Luppin's Avatar
      Luppin - 10-05-2009, 09:19 PM
      Honestly I don't think any other network is ready to handle the immense stresses an absolute explosion of iPhone users would bring. Sure the gradual growth of the iPhone userbase has caused some serious strain to be put on AT&t's network, but its been somewhat steady. Seeing as how people on other networks (Verizon for example) desperately await the option of the iPhone on their network, there would be an IMMENSE increase in data usage, very likely causing widespread problems for that network unless they prepare for months and months in advance.
    1. nappyreddz's Avatar
      nappyreddz - 10-05-2009, 09:27 PM
      i think apple should do away with the exclusivity contract with AT&T cause it will make AT&T more competitive with their pricing plans, they know people love their iphones and will not leave them just because of their iphone.
    1. one1's Avatar
      one1 - 10-05-2009, 09:38 PM
      Going across the border to Kan-A-Duh for a hardware unlocked phone would be easy as hell so let's skip the carrier exclusive deal and go like china.
    1. CaptainChaos's Avatar
      CaptainChaos - 10-05-2009, 09:50 PM
      Exclusivity doesn't matter anymore. It used to be rare to see an iPhone. It was a big deal then. Now they are everywhere. To me it is more about customizing mine to where it is one of a kind in a sea of iPhones.

      Let someone else get a piece of the pie too and hopefully my carrier will lower their plans to stay competitive.
    1. Kickstar133's Avatar
      Kickstar133 - 10-05-2009, 10:09 PM
      How about Apple giving Tmobile USA the iPhone next Summer??
    1. mattharris85's Avatar
      mattharris85 - 10-05-2009, 10:11 PM
      I hope they offer other carriers in the U.S. I'm tired of AT&T.
    1. kaaroFC's Avatar
      kaaroFC - 10-05-2009, 10:31 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by Hyperextension View Post
      I am in Canada and have not heard anything. What a surprise. As far as I know thought, both Telus and Bell and CDMA carriers (no SIM card). Is Apple making a change to the iPhone or are these carriers going the way of the SIM card?
      Lol...someone is lying!
    1. GIRLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL's Avatar
      GIRLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL - 10-05-2009, 11:01 PM
      They're both launching HSPA.

      I'm sick of the responses in these types of threads, it's always the same old misinformation.
    1. V.A.M.P's Avatar
      V.A.M.P - 10-05-2009, 11:13 PM
      I cant wait to see iphone on other carriers. I just HATE AT&T with my whole entire heart and soul. I HATE HATE and HATE AT&T...
    1. dkirchik's Avatar
      dkirchik - 10-05-2009, 11:45 PM
      I know managers and higher ups also a VP for the Verizon wireless Northern California area, with the iPhone VZW wanted full control of the phone, also to have VZW do all customer service and care dealing with the phone not Apple, also VZW didnt want Google maps and mail in the iPhone. VZW wanted to use their services. It goes on and on... I don't ever see VZW and Apple making any compromise.
    1. cbx133's Avatar
      cbx133 - 10-05-2009, 11:56 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by nappyreddz View Post
      i think apple should do away with the exclusivity contract with AT&T cause it will make AT&T more competitive with their pricing plans, they know people love their iphones and will not leave them just because of their iphone.
      AT&T is actually very competitive with the other carriers in the U.S. Check out Verizon and you will see similar or higher pricing. Verizon would be no cheaper with the iPhone than AT&T..
    1. Happy Noodle Boy's Avatar
      Happy Noodle Boy - 10-06-2009, 12:04 AM
      All carriers have similar contracts, and now that AT&T started their A-List service, there's no real difference. As far as seeing the iPhone in other carriers, I don't see the point. Unless Apple makes a hardware change and releases a brand new model for CDMA networks (fat chance of this happening), the iPhone would only work with T-Mobile and even then you would not get 3G (again, unless they change the hardware).

      So yeah it sucks that AT&T is the only one with the iPhone in the US but guess what? There isn't any other choice unless Apple releases a new model. And believe me when I say that if somehow the seas part and the iPhone does go through a hardware revision, expect pricing to be similar if not the same as AT&T's. If it shows up in T-Mobile, they'll probably use the same pricing as the Android data package ($24.99 for data or $34.99 for data and texting). If it shows up on Verizon, it'll use the same pricing as Blackberries ($30, same as AT&T).

      The one and only reason one can argue for the iPhone on another carrier in the US is coverage.
    1. GIRLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL's Avatar
      GIRLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL - 10-06-2009, 12:05 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by cbx133 View Post
      AT&T is actually very competitive with the other carriers in the U.S. Check out Verizon and you will see similar or higher pricing. Verizon would be no cheaper with the iPhone than AT&T..
      AT&T is not competitive at all, having the same price as Verizon for a lot of it's services but having a much smaller network is hardly being competitive. T-Mobile has good pricing, Cricket has Excellent pricing, Sprint has good pricing. AT&T does not. Verizon's pricing represents the quality of service.

      And VZW doesn't lock up it's smartphones anymore so drop that tired arguement.
    1. Happy Noodle Boy's Avatar
      Happy Noodle Boy - 10-06-2009, 12:19 AM
      Saying VZW doesn't lock up it's smartphones anymore implies they have smartphones to begin with.
    1. B19's Avatar
      B19 - 10-06-2009, 01:25 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by one1 View Post
      Going across the border to Kan-A-Duh for a hardware unlocked phone would be easy as hell so let's skip the carrier exclusive deal and go like china.
      rogers is locked and i would assume bell and telus will lock aswell... so go get one from at&t in yankeeland
    1. dale1v's Avatar
      dale1v - 10-06-2009, 01:35 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by Happy Noodle Boy View Post
      Saying VZW doesn't lock up it's smartphones anymore implies they have smartphones to begin with.
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