Rumors we reported that Apple was ready to invite Verizon into the iPhone party during the iPad unveiling proved to be false.  Disgruntled AT&T customers have grumbled over the exclusive arrangement between Apple and AT&T.  Apple chose to take the high road and continue the monopoly. This could be simply because Steve Jobs did not want to distract from iPad’s thunder, it could be as silly as a personality conflict between him and Verizon’s head honchos.  There has to be more to this story…

Wired has written a thoughtful little piece on why Verizon has been frozen out.  Yes, AT&T’s network has been overworked by the iPhone which was not forseen, but to their credit they have been working to build out more coverage and taking the blame for the problems.  It is likely that AT&T has bent over backwards to keep Apple happy, and the fact that they provided a $30 unlimited plan for the iPad demonstrates just that.  And you can buy the iPad unlocked so it will run on any GSM network, with a few caveats.  You don’t have to sign a contract with AT&T, you can activate the iPad at home.  Unfortunately Verizon runs on CDMA not GSM and therefore only works in the US.  This could present difficulties for the iPad which definitely is aimed at stunning the world with it’s “magical and revolutionary” technology.

Ultimately however, Apple would naturally seem to want to increase the number of carriers they deal with in the US.  They deal with multiple carriers in other countries, Canada being a good example where Telus and Bell were added to the original carrier Rogers.  Telus and Bell added HSPA (a GSM technology) this year.  If Verizon actually gets it’s plan to leapfrog to LTE going, then there would seem to be no reason for Apple to keep the clubhouse door shut.  Unless Apple and AT&T really are monogamous.

This is an AT&T article by the Apps Machine.

Apple COO Tim Cook reaffirmed their allegiance to AT&T on Monday during a quarterly earnings conference call.  Apple Insider is reporting he went so far as to downplay multiple carriers.  “First of all, AT&T is a great partner,” Cook said. “We’ve been working with them since well before we announced the first iPhone. It’s important to note they have more mobile broadband usage than any carrier in the world.”
“We think iPhone customers are having a great experience from the research we’ve done,” Cook added.
“AT&T has acknowledged they’re having a few issues in a few cities and they’re making plans to address these.  We’ve reviewed these plans and we’re confident they’ll make significant progress towards fixing them.”  Legions of disgruntled iPhone customers would probably protest these remarks vociferously.  To the point that AT&T has taken a hit on their image.

However a new rumour has surfaced via Hot Hardware that the exclusivity will indeed be broken on Wednesday, January 27.  Apparently the contract was up January 1, 2010.  Interestingly it is not so much Apple, as it is AT&T wanting to let in another provider so as to preserve their image as a reliable carrier.  The iPhone is triggering network overloads for AT&T now.  Just imagine what kind of overload the New Creation will generate once it hits the ground in March.  AT&T could use this offloading as time for damage control within their own network.  Indeed, there are rumblings that Verizon has been called to arms and will announce a partnership with Apple at a webcast for Verizon dealers which will run simultaneously with Apple’s big announcement tomorrow.  Maybe even an exclusive agreement which will see only Verizon handle the Latest Creation.  Tomorrow is shaping up to be a big big day for mobile tech fans everywhere!

This is an article by The Apps Machine.

AT&T suffered a legal defeat over its attempt to remove Verizon’s ad featuring maps that compare 3G coverage in the U.S.  However at the same time, AT&T also launched a new ad that tries to send the message that AT&T’s 3G service is faster than Verizon’s 3G service.

A judge ruled on Wednesday that while the ads may be “sneaky,” but they are not misleading.  Thus, the Verizon commercials will be allowed to stay on the air.  The Atlanta federal judge also stated that most TV watchers are “semi-catatonic,” and misinterpreting information in a commercial commonly occurs. AT&T was given a chance to appeal their case on December 16th.

AT&T took Verizon to court over commercials that depict its 3G coverage as minimal when compared to Verizon’s network. AT&T claims that the Verizon ads are misleading, making some viewers believe that AT&T has little or no wireless coverage in most of the U.S. Verizon had responded very recently that their ads are telling the truth, and AT&T is afraid that the truth is out.

Since AT&T lost on the legal front, they are striking back with TV commercials of its own.  The new AT&T’s ad compares the 3G networks of AT&T and Verizon.  AT&T claims a better 3G experience, talk and surf at the same time, and access to popular smart phones along with over 100,000 apps to choose from.  The ad also points viewers to the TruthAbout3G.com.   TruthAbout3G.com basically redirects visitors to AT&T’s website that contains its official response to Verizon Ads.

It looks like AT&T lost a battle today, but the war will continue.  As we approach the holiday season, will we see even more vicious and satirical ads on television from both sides?  Let’s watch and see.

Here’s The AT&T commercial.

This is a post by The Apps Machine

After AT&T’s court filings over recent Verizon ads, Verizon responded with its own legal response. 

"AT&T did not file this lawsuit because Verizon’s ‘There’s A Map For That’ advertisements are untrue; AT&T sued because Verizon’s ads are true and the truth hurts."

Just like its ads, Verizon is being aggressive in upholding its stance that their ads are factually correct.  This legal response contains some strong words toward AT&T’s complaint.  The introductory statement even sounds like a PR attempt to further attack and mock AT&T’s wireless network capabilities. 

Verizon continues in its court filing:

"In the final analysis, AT&T seeks emergency relief because Verizon’s side-by-side, apples-to-apples comparison of its own 3G coverage with AT&T’s confirms what the marketplace has been saying for months: AT&T failed to invest adequately in the necessary infrastructure to expand its 3G coverage to support its growth in smartphone business and the usefulness of its service to smartphone users has suffered accordingly. AT&T may not like the message that the ads send, but this Court should reject its efforts to silence the messenger." 

AT&T took Verizon to court in recent weeks as a string of commercials featured a side by side 3G coverage of Verizon and AT&T’s wireless network.  AT&T claimed that Verizon played unfair and portrayed AT&T as a wireless network that do not have any wireless coverage in most parts of U.S.  AT&T has since released an official statement to explain the “misleading information” shown on Verizon’s anti-AT&T commercials.    

It looks like that battle between the big 2 Ma Bells will continue to get more interesting.  Now that both sides have made their case, the rest is up to the courts to determine who is right. 

This is a post by The Apps Machine

It looks like AT&T is adding Verizon’s Island of Misfit Toy commercial to its lawsuit against Verizon.  AT&T has previously filed a lawsuit with the courts to have the There’s a Map for that commercial removed.  But, the Verizon’s assault on AT&T and the iPhone continues.

As you may have known, AT&T’s main complaint over Verizon’s There’s a Map for that commercial is not that they attack AT&T and the iPhone directly, but its 3G coverage comparison may mislead potential and existing customers to believe that AT&T has no wireless coverage of any kind in most of the USA.

AT&T has even released a statement,

To Our Customers:
As the U.S. market leader in wireless data service, we typically don’t respond to competitors’ advertising. However, some recent ads from Verizon are so blatantly false and misleading, that we want to set the record straight about AT&T’s wireless data coverage.

The key facts are:

AT&T’s wireless data coverage reaches 303 million people – or 97% of the U.S. population, where they live and work. Our data coverage consists of 3 different types of technology:

3G. 233 million people or 75% of the population are covered by AT&T’s 3G network, the nation’s fastest.

EDGE. 301 million people or more than 96% of the population are covered by EDGE.  With both 3G and EDGE coverage, customers can access the Internet, send e-mail, surf the Web, stream music, download videos, send photos, text, talk and more. The only difference – with some data applications, 3G is faster than EDGE

GPRS. Covers 303 million people, allowing you to talk, text, e-mail and access basic websites optimized for wireless.

AT&T is the #1 network for smartphones, with twice the number of smartphone customers than Verizon, our closest competitor. Some of the reasons include:

Most popular smartphones. Unlike Verizon, AT&T offers the most popular smartphones in the industry.

More wireless apps. Unlike Verizon, AT&T customers have access to more than 100,000 applications, more than with any other wireless company.

Talk and E-mail at the same time. Unlike Verizon, AT&T’s 3G network lets wireless customers simultaneously talk and surf the web or do e-mail.

Fastest 3G in the nation. Unlike Verizon, AT&T has the nation’s fastest 3G network.

Thank you for allowing us to set the record straight. We appreciate your business and will continue to work hard to deliver the best wireless data experience in the industry.
Your AT&T Team

It looks like the battle between the two biggest Ma Bells will continue to intensify.  Honestly other than the PC/Mac commercials, I have rarely seen commercials with one company attacking their competitors as vicious as what Verizon had done.

The Apps Machine

By now you have probably seen the “There’s a Map for That” commercial by Verizon which closely mimics the style of the familiar “There is an App for that” Apple iPhone commercials.  The content of Verizon’s ad is surprisingly cynical and hostile toward AT&T and Apple, starting an all-out-war with its top rivals.

AT&T is not just going to stand around while Verizon attacks AT&T where it hurts the most:  3G coverage and its reliability.  AT&T has taken Verizon to court.  In Atlanta, AT&T filed a suit with the federal court to block Verizon’s “There’s a Map for That” commercial from airing.  AT&T states that the commercial misleads consumers into thinking that AT&T has no wireless coverage at all in most parts of USA.  Indeed, in the commercial, AT&T’s coverage map has a lot of white spaces on the map of United States.  AT&T did a survey that reports 53 percent of those asked believed the white areas to be total gaps in wireless coverage.  But the white spaces are just areas where AT&T does not have 3G coverage.  Edge is still available in most parts of the country.  AT&T is using this survey and others as primary reasons to have the comparative maps removed from the commercial.

Before the lawsuit, AT&T had already tried to negotiate with Verizon on the “There is a Map for that” ad.  Verizon responded by adding “Voice and data services available outside of 3G areas” when displaying the map comparison of the two companies.  Apparently, this still not good enough for AT&T.  They want Verizon to either color in the 2.5 G network on the comparison chart or remove the 3G-only map comparison all together.

Verizon says their comparison is valid and accurate.  Nothing needs to be changed.  This lawsuit is going to be a narrow one.  Arguments from both sides have their merits.  Although Verizon is really throwing in a cheap shot with this commercial if you asked me.  Let’s see how this fight will develop.

If you haven’t seen it already, check out the Verizon commercial below.