Verizon CEO comments cast doubt on iPhone

September 23, 2010 By Geoff Duncan

Verizon's CEO's comments to a Goldman Sachs investor conference seem to hold out little hope for the iPhone coming to Verizon Wireless anytime soon.

Consumer surveys might be registering significant pent-up demand for the Apple iPhone to appear on Verizon Wireless—or at least a network that’s not AT&T—but comments from Verizon Communications CEO Ivan Seidenberg to a Goldman Sachs conference this week don’t make a deal seem imminent. Speaking to investors, Seidenberg had nothing to say about bringing the iPhone to Verizon Wireless’s current network, but instead indicated “hope” that Apple would offer a version of the iPhone for Verizon’s forthcoming LTE-based 4G network.

Verizon Wireless says it expects to begin lighting up its LTE networking in as many as two dozen cities by the end of 2010, with significant nationwide coverage coming in 2012. The LTE network will, at least initially, be data-only, since voice standards for LTE networks have not yet been finalized. Initial LTE-capable phones will likely revert to old-school cellular technologies for phone calls; Verizon Wireless plans to sell data modems and hotspots for computers and other mobile Internet devices.

The last year has been dogged by persistent rumors and reports that the iPhone would arrive on Verizon’s wireless network imminently, with various sources citing insider information that Apple was ready to break its exclusivity arrangement with AT&T. However, an iPhone for Verizon Wireless’s CDMA-based network would be a separate device from the iPhones Apple is selling on AT&T—and with international carriers around the world. Apple undoubtedly has the technical capability to make a CDMA iPhone, but differences in the way the technologies operation may not be so favorable to Apple’s iOS, which assumes users can access voice and data services simultaneously. However, various industry reports have Verizon Wireless testing technologies to enable voice-and-data network access as it gears up for its LTE network.

Seidenberg also confirmed he plans to leave Verizon’s CEO position by the end of 2011, with newly-appointed COO (and former Verizon Wireless chief) Lowell McAdam taking over the top spot.

Showing 6 comments

Arcane_Thoughts at 5:38pm 16th October 2010 Probably because the Verizon execs can't make enough profit with their "plan" scams.
SDouglas at 3:54pm 26th September 2010 You get what you pay for. Apple hit a homerun with the iPhone buy gambling that people would pay for a premium product with premium parts even if it cost more than anything else. Android is well poised to dominate the budget smartphone market. Apple is likely to always have a more polished product as Apple will keep putting the money needed into development. Most people are happier to buy a less polished product and save some money. I imagine Android will do better in the future as the iPhone will become less novel. Regardless they are both here to stay.
ThunderMountain at 10:52pm 23rd September 2010 doesn't matter. the iphone is a dying platform, Android is destroying it in sales. don't believe me? bookmark this and come back in 4 years. you'll see I was right.
1. subrand0m at 3:11am 24th September 2010 Oh no, A cellphone OS on around about 10 cellphones is out selling 1 cell phone. NO WAY. OMG CALL THE PAPERS. Please remove your head from your a** and post comments that matter. The iphone is still the biggest cellphone in the market place. Android is a cellphone OS. Please get this straight.
2. Charlie at 8:37am 24th September 2010 You seem confused when it comes to statistics. Android is destroying it in sales, but no single Android phone has touched any single iPhone in sales. Both phones are excellent platforms, it simply depends on your provider and what you're looking for. If anything, Android is going to be hurting in 4 years due to fragmentation and carrier bending.
  1. subrand0m at 2:01pm 24th September 2010 Thank you charlie for understanding how this all really works. I am glad that there are other people in this world that are not complete and total a** hats.