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Is AT&T Angry With Apple?
Or did AT&T CEO just screw up?

This week AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson let it slip that consumers could expect a new iPhone next year that offered HSDPA wireless broadband support. That's not a particularly bright move for the CEO of a massive telecom empire, whose Christmas sales could be impacted by the flood of users that will wait for the new model. The existing phone only works on AT&T's sluggish EDGE network.

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PBS's Bob Cringely doesn't think the CEO's comments were a mistake. He thinks it was a message from AT&T, who is annoyed with Apple for their plan to participate in the upcoming 700Mhz wireless broadband auction.

Apple's five year iPhone exclusive with AT&T apparently doesn't prohibit Apple from operating their own wireless network and providing VoIP via iPhone.

Reports emerged back in September that suggested Apple was at least weighing the possibility of jumping into the 700Mhz auction, though insiders suggested Apple was actually leaning away from participating. Cringely's theory that Stephenson is being clever, not incompetent, will see confirmation soon enough -- the deadline to announce your intent to bid in the upcoming auction is December 3.

Most recommended from 102 comments


BosstonesOwn
join:2002-12-15
Wakefield, MA

5 recommendations

BosstonesOwn

Member

Any one else ?

Really tired of the ihype about ichristmas gifts and icontracts just to buy an iphone for iat&t ?

I mean really this damn thing didn't change the iworld now idid it ? I have iused this thing and it doen's do ianything that my motorola q does. Except cost the iboys and igirls a boat load of imoney for an itoy. Matter of fact these things have been ibanned from my ijob. And the iboys and igirls who have them icomplained.

im isick of all the ihype about this damn itoy.