AT&T Earnings May Represent Carrier's Last Big iPhone Gains

[Michael Essany]

On Thursday, AT&T reported earnings from the forth quarter of 2010, revealing total revenue of $31.4 billion, an increase of just over 2% from one year earlier. The growth was led by the rapid expansion of smartphone ownership and strong sales of the iPhone 4 - the last quarter in which represented AT&T's final stand as the Apple smartphone's exclusive US carrier.

AT&T activated 4.1 million iPhones in Q4. As a result, Randall Stephenson, AT&T chairman and CEO, called the quarterly results "strong" and indicative of how his company's mobile broadband growth "set the pace for the industry." Although Stephenson noted in an earnings conference call that AT&T is poised to grow profits further in the US as the economic turmoil of recent years has faded, AT&T now has more to concern itself with than a recession. The Verizon iPhone is coming. And AT&T will certainly feel the effects.

Ahead of Verizon's long-anticipated launch of the iPhone next week, the nation's largest mobile operator is reportedly angling to lure in some of AT&T's older customers into Verizon territory with a prospective trade-in offer that may be too attractive for many to refuse. As Nick reported this morning on MMi, Verizon is allowing some existing AT&T iPhone customers to trade-in their iPhone for credit when buying a new Verizon iPhone 4. Consequently, the buzz surrounding the Verizon iPhone and the obvious loss of business looming for AT&T has led many Wall Street and tech analysts to believe that AT&T's iPhone sales and rate of iPhone activation will dramatically slow beginning next month.

AT&T

[zeroskater61]

There not luring me in I'll tell you that!! Me and my i4 are staying with AT&T. Plus who knows AT&T might reward some of us iPhone users for staying haha
(not really but would be nice)

[marccarl21]

nothing like a bit of competition

[iPod]

I hate how first everybody's like "Ooh a Verizon iPhone!" for like forever, and then when it's finally here, everybody's like "Oh Verizon is terrible, AT&T FTW!"

[wolverinemarky]

im staying put now AT&T wants to reward that loyalty they can, I recently bought my IP4 in August but i checked my account and Im eligible for an upgrade already again. So AT&T people u might want to check this out maybe they just messed up on my account or maybe their willing to eat the cost of the iPhone and let everyone who has one upgrade early.

[vedavis]

There not luring me in I'll tell you that!! Me and my i4 are staying with AT&T. Plus who knows AT&T might reward some of us iPhone users for staying haha
(not really but would be nice)

They might have already, with the unconfirmed report of the unlimited data plan coming back for past owners.

[boxxa]

I am not leaving for Verizon. I get unlimited data on my ATT plan and push 10+GB without a problem, a 20% discount, and their customer service the last 3 years has been a million times better than Verizon wireless ever was. Where I am ATT is a big carrier so the coverage is never a problem and only one time on vacation in the mountains of Vermont was the only time it frustrated me but my friends VZW phone did not work either.

On top of that, people jumping ship to verizon may allow better bandwidth on ATTs network.

[steve-z17]

Not much they can do about it now except go with it.

[freeze4real]

You guys are lucky. I live in Ireland I'm on a plan for $20 per month and I get free texts and 60minutes calls.

If I wanted data I can get one for $7.60 which is for 500mb.

[Kariodude]

"AT&T Earnings May Represent Carrier's Last Big iPhone Gains"
(We Hate AT&T And Hope Verizon Kills Their Sales)

That's how I read the title of this article.

[mj0528]

I will be going to the motorola atrix as will many others will so I bet AT&T will be fine

[EskimoRuler]

Yea I don't see AT&T putting up the same amount of numbers as last year but I'm sure that theyll do ok

[unison999]

What chairman of a big corporation will say their earnings is weak? Of course they will always say strong, even when it is weak they will blame it on economic condition(s).
I am sure there will be some people switching to Verizon, but most will stay. Part of the reason is I believe iPhone5 will debut on AT&T first, and most people who have iPhone want the latest and the greatest.

[StealthBravo]

They are going to take a hit but their numbers will be ok

[Simon]

Ya, big company like them will be fine

[StealthBravo]

Ya, big company like them will be fine

Yea tell that to GM

[Simon]

No thx

[StealthBravo]

Or many from a few years ago

[DRFP]

This is At&t's chance to prove they are as good as Verizon

Make our service better
Give us decent treatment to stay.