How Verizon or AT&T Can Win Me Over
Capitalism and its market forces can finally take its course with the iPhone in the US telecommunications market. Let the competition begin! AT&T no longer has its incompetent exclusivity. We can now choose what works best for us. I hear the sighs of relief and my friends saying, “Finally! I can get the iPhone. I’ve been holding out for it to come to Verizon!” I’m fortunate enough to be living in NYC where although it’s not nearly as good as Verizon, AT&T is bearable here for the most part since 2007. Verizon is considered to be the best here, but they also charge more than other providers.
So in answering the issue of how Verizon or AT&T can win me over, showing off the laurels of being the most reliable network here in NYC isn’t enough to make me leave AT&T. Nor is the fact I can use data while calling good enough for me to stay. I mean it’s really surprising how much I don’t use the iPhone as a phone (by the way, have you heard of Heytell? It’s the best of texting and voice calling put together. There’s no need for a phone call if you use this with a friend.)
And although I am so frustrated with AT&T, their unreliability is not enough for me to leave. I do have a year and a half to go on my contract, and my friend brought up a good point that once people do leave AT&T for greener, Verizon pastures, the user load can lighten up further improving AT&T’s service. And I have to admit, AT&T has had to deal with one of the most insane increases in demands for the past 4 years. In that light, they did a good job, but it still doesn’t mean I want to give them a hug. 4G will definitely make me upgrade, but both Verizon and AT&T are going to have their own versions of it, which won’t be a solid offering for another year or two, and by then my choice would be for the cheaper company.
So how could AT&T keep me as their customer for at least another two years? Or how could Verizon steal me over and make never look back? Nate Anderson, a Senior Editor at Ars Technica said it best (emphasis added by me)
At the moment, our household has four devices with a 3G wireless radio: an iPhone, a Kindle, a Chrome OS Cr-48 laptop, and a Novatel ExpressCard cell modem (many families will have even more). The Kindle’s data service is free, paid for by Amazon, but the other devices can all use consumer data plans—but they each need a separate plan and a separate payment. Even the Cr-48 and the ExpressCard, which both use the Verizon network, can’t pool their data, while AT&T famously refuses to let my laptop sync with my iPhone unless I pay more money.
My dream for 2011 is to see these barriers crumble. I want to buy one package of data, then use it from a phone, a laptop, an e-reader—my choice, so long as I keep it below the agreed-upon quota. Mobile data plans should be linked to users, not devices. It works this way in wireline; let’s get it done in wireless as well.
That’s the answer for me. Because it’s no longer about just mobile phones. It’s about mobile everything. Living and working as a freelancer in NYC, I am constantly on the move. NYC is my office and I want to be connected all the time and as fast and conveniently as I can so that I’m not wasting my time. It’s only a matter of time before there are 3G/4G antennas inside a Macbook Pro, but I don’t want to pay $30/month for data on there, then another $30/month for my iPad then $100/month for my phone. I just want one plan for a reasonable price. Better yet, just let me use the data I’m not using every month on my iPhone to be used on my iPad or computer. Aren’t I paying for services you don’t ever have to provide for me? 2GB is more than enough for me, let me use what I’m paying for.
Yes, I know there’s tethering and that Verizon offered “hotspot” capabilities but does it really have to be that complicated? Do I really have to stop what I’m doing, move to another device, then go back to what I’m doing? Everything is mobile. Everything is connected. So, please one of you guys, AT&T, Verizon, or whoever, please connect the dots for me. If you do and you don’t request an arm and a leg for it, if you really care about the user and not on how to make money off of me, I’m all yours. I’ll be loyal and tell everyone I know why they should be too.
