I’m an Apple fan, user, and occasionally an apologist. I love my Mac(s).
On the other hand, let’s just say I’m something less than a fan of AT&T wireless. So much so that I will not be laying down the plastic for a new iPhone. As much as the iPhone is designed to be the prima donna of mobile connectivity, I bet it’s going to be like driving a Ferrari in NJ at rush hour. I hope I’m wrong, but I’m willing to wait until I’m proved wrong or the next generation is running on Verizon Wireless. Scott Karp at Publishing 2.0 got me thinking about my reasons for not getting an iPhone (it’s funny how we’re all coming up with reasons for not getting one, a defensive consumer posture; Apple’s marketing ju jitsu is strong).
The most important thing in mobile connectivity is the network infrastructure. AT&T can boast all it wants about having the largest digital whatever, it doesn’t mean squat if the coverage is lousy. My unscientific survey of Cingular/AT&T users in cell-phone saturated NJ gives it the big thumbs down. I’ve heard more complaints about Cingular/AT&T than I have about Sprint. And that’s an accomplishment.
The customer review metrics at online cell phone clearinghouse Let’s Talk.com bear out my impressions:
Cingular/AT&T gets an overall 2.7 rating (out of a possible 5) at Let’s Talk, with 2.9 for coverage, and for 2.8 quality (amazingly, a horrible 2.4 for customer service is what really drags them down). Compared with Verizon Wireless’s overall 3.3, with 3.7 for coverage and 3.5 for quality, you know Steve Jobs blew it when he argued over customer service issues with Verizon. I know the CW is that Verizon was the chump for not letting Jobs have his way with them, but unless they’re locked out of iPhone forever, and I doubt that will be the case, it’s AT&T who will take all the knocks (and rightly so). Then, when the second and third generation iPhones are released, customers will flock to Verizon, especially if the cost of breaking your contract is less than the cost of the new phone (there’s no real monetary connection there, it’s a psychological one, I’m man-facting, but I bet I’m accurate).
When you look at the other numbers at Let’s Talk, it affirms what everyone knows: Verizon is the most popular carrier. What it also shows is that Cingular/AT&T is the least-liked of the big ones. T-Mobile gets an overall 3.1, with 2.8 for coverage and 3.0 for quality. Sprint gets an overall 2.8 with 3.0 for coverage and 3.1 for quality, and Nextel is about tied with Cingular/AT&T with 2.7 overall, but 2.8 coverage and 2.9 quality.
Those numbers make it clear why AT&T let Jobs dictate the terms; they’re betting the iPhone will put them back in the game. But sorry Charlie, what will put you on top is better service overall. Because as much as the iPhone is more than just a phone, it has to be a phone first. To be a wireless phone it has to work almost everywhere and sound good on both ends. All of those things are network issues, and they aren’t Apple’s responsibility. AT&T probably won’t kill the iPhone, but it won’t help it.
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