iPhone Headed to Verizon?

How far out is LTE?

 

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2010?

 

Yeah.... I can tell you exactly what the announcement will be: in 2009 they'll just announce that Verizon will be carrying the iPhone sometime in 2011 or whenever their LTE network is up and running in a few markets. Maybe 2012 at the earliest. Sorry, I just can't see Verizon having an extensive LTE network in 2010. Not only there's a lot of work, but also there are always delays in deployments and spectrum constraints that slow down expansion.

One thing to consider is that if there are only LTE radios on that iPhone, then it can't fallback on Verizon's CDMA network, therefore leaving lots of uncovered areas. But the solution to that is to build CDMA and LTE radios to it.

 

If you read the article it pointed out that Apple has been hiring people with EVDO experience and that we still don't have details of Apple and AT&T's contract. The contract could have been GSM exclusivity until 2010 and no CDMA model until 2009. We don't know.

Apple was able to build in UMTS and GPS in a year, what makes you think they can't add CDMA support in a years time? And why would ANY company settle for only a portion of the market?

Sprint's Instinct has shown that an iPhone-esque phone can sell.

Don't let your carrier bias trick you into thinking that an exclusivity contract isn't the only reason there isn't a CDMA iPhone right now. If Apple can make a CDMA iPhone without breaking an existing agreement, then there will be one.

All the arguments about the number of CDMA subscribers being too small of a market are bunk. Most iPhones are sold in the US, on AT&T. It would stand to reason that the VZW market is not only bigger, but you would see a higher adoption rate due to ubiquitous EVDO in comparison to UMTS. Adding Sprint would be an even bigger market.

But that's just my two cents. I've already learned that most of the people on this board don't have opinions--they just seem to think they know the future.

 

....and if you read what I posted I mentioned about Verizon building out its LTE network. I made no reference on how long Apple would take to build a CDMA iPhone. So don't let your carrier bias get in the way of what other people write.

An exclusivity contract has nothing to do with the type of network the carrier uses. It has to do with SALES through that carrier regardless of the type of network.

That I can agree on. What bothers me is when someone criticizes the exact same things they do.

 

Why did you assume I was replying to you?

You have no idea what terms are in the undisclosed contract between Apple and AT&T. Don't pretend that you do. You have stated the general understanding of common exclusivity contracts, but that may or may not apply in this case. I am only suggesting the possibility that the contract may have different terms.

What bothers me the most is poor reading comprehension and lack of logic. I don't like people that make bold predictions of the future without any insider information, only their own clouded logic. I in no way said that Apple WILL release a CDMA iPhone, only that they COULD. You however have stated multiple times that they WILL NOT. If you don't understand the difference, then I don't know what else to say.

Why are you so UN-open to possibilities? You hardly ever state things as your opinion, instead suggesting your opinions are unarguable fact.

 

Here's another article that presents a fairly balanced view (except for their view that VZW is "open" and that month-to-month is something special):
Two sides of a rumor: Verizon could get iPhone in 2009

I'll be honest that I'm not going to hold my breath for a CDMA iPhone. The information we have (market, exlusivity, etc) suggests there won't be one, but I'm not going to put any money on it.

 

No I don't, but I was just telling you what an exclusivity contract means in this case. This is not my speculation. It's a matter of understanding what an exclusivity contract actually means in this case. I wish you understood that. I don't have to know the terms of the contract to know that this particular exclusivity contract means that no other carrier can sell the iphone until the contract with AT&T is over. It is an exclusivity contract with the carrier (AT&T Mobility) and NOT with the GSM network. Very simple concept, yet somehow hard to understand for some. If that were the case, what's stopping T-Mobile USA from selling the iPhone?

Exclusivity contracts are made for strategical or competitive reasons and therefore network type has nothing to do here. To make an exclusivity contract for a GSM network would be meaningless and serve no purpose in this business as it gives no competitive advantage to the carrier. Many of us in the forums are well versed on the technicalities of wireless networks which often leads to confusion as to how wireless business is actually conducted and forget that in the wireless business all carriers compete with one another. It is NOT the networks that compete, it's the carriers. If that were the case, then AT&T's only competitor would be T-Mobile. But ironically, we seem to understand that's not the case.

If you are to get along with others here, you're gonna have to accept the fact that people in open forums voice their opinions and "make bold predictions" as you call them. Just because that happens you can't start not liking someone and start flaming them. That's closed mentality in my book. Just don't let your emotions break the forum rules as you're already starting to do that. Learn to respect others and others will respect you!

Also, if you read my other post before (read post #4), I said that the solution to the lack of LTE coverage on Verizon could be solved by adding CDMA radios so the iPhone can fall back on it. But yet somehow, I am the one with lack reading comprehension, clouded logic and UN-open to possibilities. Oh well....

 

You misunderstand what I meant. I was implying that the exclusivity contract may only apply to GSM based iPhones--As in no other GSM carrier (ie T-Mobile) can sell the current iPhone models (which is obviously apparent). It's possible that the exclusivity clauses pertaining to sales of a separate model with CDMA support, or development of such a model, may have different terms. Its not uncommon to separate terms that limit new product development from exclusivity of current products.

Give me a little bit of credit for understanding how contracts work and how the wireless business is structured.

 

wow so this is in the works. That gives me an idea. After the iphone for Verizon comes out in 2009 or 2010 then I'll head over to MetroPCS and let them flash it using Metroflash. and then I'll have unlimited calling and data for 45. bucks on a 3g metropcs network in New York.
I can dream on...

 

That is precisely what I understood from your statement. So I am not sure what you think I misunderstood.

 

I'm sorry that you still don't understand what I'm trying to say. Oh well...

 

Can we get back on topic please?