Thursday, April 16, 2009

iPhone on the Verizon network?

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal at the CTIA Wireless 2009 tradeshow, Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg said his company's new 4G network could bring wireless internet to the entire country.

He also said it could bring Apple's iPhone, currently only available from AT&T, to that new network.

He said Apple never seriously considered making a version of the phone for his company's current network because of limitations. Verizon currently uses something called CDMA and would've required Apple to make a modified iPhone. He said it was more likely Verizon and Apple might work together once the new network launches in 2010, about the same time that Apple's current exclusive contract with AT&T would end.

Verizon's new 4G network could bring broadband services to rural areas that previously couldn't get it. Less than 40 percent of rural American homes can get high speed currently versus nearly 60 percent of city and suburban homes.

Verizon senior VP Tony Melone gave Cnet a preview of what could be coming.

"I can't pre-announce any products or services," Melone told Cnet. "But I can envision offering devices that are geared toward putting wireless broadband in the home. And then people could use Wi-Fi to share the connection with multiple devices like they do today with router connected to their DSL or cable modem service."

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

ummm...sure


http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1671670/att_seeks_to_extend_iphone_contract/

Wade said...

iPhone on Verizon? Not a chance. Although Apple, like Verizon, loves to overcharge people, Apple likes exclusivity even more. I would love to build my own computer with OS-X in it instead of Windows, but Apple won't allow that. Therefore, Apple will only be on one network. AT&T knows they have a good thing going, which is why they will bend over backwards to keep the iPhone. Already Apple and AT&T have talked about extending their exclusive rights contract to 2011.

So, iPhone on Verizon? You would have a better chance of Verizon not ripping you off. (Although, Verizon does provide the best service.)

One quick note, how many people actually know what 3G and 4G mean? Not what the acronym means.

Anonymous said...

Verizon is years away from deploying 4G LTE service. Sprint via the Clearwire partnership already has 4G Wi-Max in several cities and it will be here in Charlotte later this year. Not 2014 like Verizon but 2009. If you want to talk 4G you need to talk Sprint.

Anonymous said...

Actually Wade you can run OSX on a PC if you know what you are doing. People have been doing it for the last few years. I agree with most of your post about the exclusivity, but i disagree Apple overcharges people. I believe, personally, their technology is better, more stable, more diverse, and you also get some quality apps on every Mac (imovie, iDVD, iPhoto, etc,) Those would cost thousands of dollars for comparable PC software packages. Not to mention Apple resell value is much, much better.

Anonymous said...

Verizon missed that boat three years ago and won't get a chance at the iPhone until 2011. A little homework will show that Jobs originally offered them the exclusive rights to the iPhone. When they pushed for exclusive control over distribution, advertising and branding, Jobs backed out and went to AT&T who agreed - sight (iPhone) unseen - to be the exclusive carrier for the iPhone until 2011.

4G or not, you're not going to get a legal iPhone on Verizon until 2011.

Wait until June. All of the early-adopters' contracts are up for renewal. A new iPhone model will come out to lock them in for another two years which will then be... (2011)

Anonymous said...

My wife and I had Verizon until we bought our iPhones in 2007. Our bill with AT&T was half that of Verizon.

Steve said...

Several years back when I was going to get a RAZR phone, I looked into Verizon and found that they did lobotomies on them so that you had to use pricey services just to transfer files to your computer, rather than just sending them via Bluetooth or USB.

I figured that Verizon balked at working with Apple in part because of their not wanting to give Apple full control over the software on the phone.

Anonymous said...

HERE IS ALITTLE SECRET, THE IPHONE ALREADY WORKS ON SPRINT, T-MOBILEAND VERIZIONS NETWORK. FOR PEOPLE WHPO TRAVEL ALOT YOU CAN BUY AND I PHONE OR ANY PHONE IN THE MIDDLE EAST OR EUROPE WHICH COMES UNLOCKED. THE PHONE THEN CAN BE PUT ON TO ALMOST ANY US CELLUAR NETWORK THAT USES SIMS CARDS. PEOPLE IN THE MILITARY HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS. I HAVE 3 PHONES THAT ARE NOT EVEN OUT IN THE US.

The Small Biz. Guru said...

Never seriously considered Verizon?

Puhhhlease!

Mr Seidenberg "scoffs at suggestions that the iPhone is about to become a mass-market handset because Apple has accepted mobile operators' pleas to subsidise it.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/607f36b0-43df-11dd-842e-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1

The Verizon CEO is a joke. Please write an article worth reading next time.

Anonymous said...

Sprint is the 1st 4G.
Verizon is not near that al all!!!

Anonymous said...

To the guy who claims the iPhone runs on Sprint, how's that working out for you? Granted it can on T-Mobile since they use the same technology as AT&T, a Sprint iPhone would entail a complete revamp of the phone since its a GSM phone.

Anonymous said...

HEARS A LITTLE SECRET FRPOM SOMEOPNE WHO KNOWAS WHAT THERE TAKLING ABOUT:

SIM CARDS DO NOT WORK ON CDMA NETWROKS

Anonymous said...

Verizon has a terrible habit of taking a piece of hardware, locking it down to the point of instability and then nickel and diming for each feature to make more money.

What a travesty that would be for the iPhone...

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Unknown said...
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Unlock iPhone 4G said...

Dude everyone i know would get the phone if it came to verizon
this at t loyalty thing has been a big mistake plus it the only edge at and t has over verizon