AT&T Gears Up for the iPhone

ElvaWSJ writes "In preparation for its exclusive launch of the cellphone industry's most anticipated device, AT&T is pulling out all the stops. It is adding about 2,000 temporary employees to cope with the influx of shoppers in the first few months. And it is planning for enhanced security to control the potentially large crowds and avoid theft of the phones, which will go for a steep $499 or $599, depending on memory capacity. Some sales agents expect to see people camping outside the night before. 'Apple, which plans to start selling the phone in all of its 162 retail stores on June 29, did not disclose any plans around training or staffing for the launch. Apple will also start selling the phone online on the launch date, but AT&T will first launch only in its stores ... AT&T, which is requiring iPhone shoppers to sign up for a 2-year contract, has not yet revealed the service fees it will charge iPhone customers.'"

Comments

thank the Steve there is only another week of this

[SatanMat]

I'm a fan boy, I'll drink the Kool-Aid and ask for seconds but WE KNOW this... Let me know when we are going to get the pricing info.
tell me when we get the contract terms, and let me know if I can get it pre-paid.

please give me some real info, Mr. Ramero.

why is service fee unknown?

[1800maxim]

What is so special about the Apple phone that it needs "special" service fee? If it's a phone, and if it's using the same GSM spectrum in the same way as any other cellular GSM phone, it should cost the same as plans for their existing phones.

Is data going to cost more? Again, will there be something different in the way this iPhone sends/receives data for such things as mobile internet? If not, why does it need special pricing?

Just a reminder...

[Anonymous Coward]

AT&T is the same company that cooperates with the government, installing multiple secret rooms used to filter (and store?) your Internet communications. Unfortunately, this isn't some kind of big-brother schizophrenic paranoia.. it's real.

I'm an Apple fanboy myself, but for this reason I canceled my AT&T service and will not purchase an iPhone until they can be unlocked or subscribed with another provider.

More here and here. If you want to watch a Frontline about the domestic survellience program, check it out here.

Re:I just don't get one thing...

[gosand]

I don't know what you do - but I feel sorry for you if you are that tethered to your digital leash.

Really, I don't mean that as an insult, I used to be that way too... carried a cellphone and pager, was constantly "tied" to something. Then I just got away from it. I don't think I could go back. I see people with all this gear strapped to them, and I feel sorry for them. Pagers, multiple phones, blackberries, etc. I see people sending emails while driving... saw a guy the other day - while driving - talking on one phone and sending a text message on another phone.

I think a lot of people want to seem important. Put it down. Walk away. You'll feel better. I know I sure as hell do.