Why AT&T won't support MMS until late summer, plus tethering plan rumours
The Boy Genius Report digs up the reason why the iPhone 3G and 3GS won't get MMS support in the States for several months.
Sources close to TBGR indicate that enabling MMS support for iPhone 3Gs at the June 17 launch of the iPhone OS 3.0 or for the iPhone 3GS at its launch June 19 would require AT&T to "manually remove all the “Opt Out MMS codes” on each account." In other words, it sounds like more of an administrative issue than a technical one that will prevent iPhone 3G users from sending and receiving MMS until the "late summer" date AT&T has promised to provide support by. That... sorta stings. Surely the carrier head some heads up this was coming, right? Maybe they didn't watch the March 17 announcement event...
BGR also received word that the data tethering plan AT&T is working to put together to support, you know, one of the other major new features in iPhone OS 3.0 besides MMS they won't be supporting out of the gate, is being considered at a price point of $70 per month. Which might seem reasonable if it also included SMS and MMS and yet, it apparently would not include them. In other words, in order to send these small packets of data over a different protocol, you would have to pay AT&T an extra $20 per month on top of the $70 they think normal people might shell out just to tether their phone on an arguably craptastic 3G network.
AT&T, if you're listening — please see reason. There's no reason tethering should cost $70 a month when a decent 3G card plan on a better network (cough Verizon cough) goes for $60 and gets you a nice USB adapter you can use on a range of devices, all the while still allowing you to use your phone as, well, a phone. Like, to make calls and stuff. Crazy!
Would you pay $70 to tether your iPhone on top of a $20 SMS/MMS data plan?
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- MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service), tethering, 3G, SMS (Short Message Service)
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- Apple iPhone 3G, iPhone OS 3.1.2, Apple iPhone 3GS
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Comments (6)
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SAMUEL CABALLERO (5:50 AM on Tue Jun 16, 2009)
I'm a RSC i can confirm that when you activate an iphone there is a mms opt out code. So its not just an easy switch of a button to fix. The system we use doesnt give us the ability to remove that code unless they add in a new code for us to "add" manually or a new messaging plan for the iphones. They will have to do numerous system sweeps to correct the issue for all existing iphone customers. I'm sure moving fwd all new activations could have it mms ready from the get go. But from a customer service stand point they would want to take care of existing iphone users then roll out fresh from there for everyone buying new ones in order to "try" and keep everyone happy
Brandon
(1:50 PM on Thu Jun 18, 2009)
I would certainly not pay $70 a month for tethering features as I would likely not even pay $60...... per month. I don't find myself in too many places needing Internet access that I can't already get through Wi-Fi or directly on my iPhone. As for the traveling types out there, you're right, it would be much more feasible to just get a separate USB device and a $60...... plan to not only save money, but also be able to use the phone as a phone--that is if the new iPhone can still even make phone calls. :)
Laura (10:14 AM on Fri Jun 19, 2009)
I will be irate if AT&T decides to charge their users for use of the additional features the 3.0 upgrade offers. If they want to loose a customer who has stood up for them up till now, try me. I find it beyond unacceptable. I had warning about he upgrade & they may have had more. I'm going to say for certian that it would take one IT tech to figure out a plan to make this transition smooth. It's not a customer service nightmare, as the PP had mentioned, until you ask customers to dish out more cash. Check your self AT&T or you bound to loose a good portion of your network, contract or no contract.
Dan O'Brien (2:53 AM on Sat Jun 20, 2009)
Screw AT&T. Greedy a-holes. Apple should have never signed with them. Tethering and MMS were huge selling points for apple and the fact that AT&T is trying to cash in on what Apple is providing free of charge already is BAIT AND SWITCH, to be blunt. This is outrageous. I'm tired of AT&T's BS and will probably drop them if my phone doesn't have MMS and Internet Tethering (FREE OF CHARGE) within the next month.
Don't settle for this. THis is not the quality customers come to expect from an Apple product and AT&T better realize that people aren't stupid and expect Apple level service from Apple products and their business partners. This is not Apple level service, this is greed, plane and simple. We already pay an extra $30 a month, and in these economic times I'd say we deserve internet tethering, at the very least.
Brian (7:38 PM on Sat Jun 20, 2009)
This is unbelievable! As much as they charge for all the "EXTRAS", they should have these features NOW! ATT will be driving away all kinds of business if they choose to charge for these features. They already charge too much for both their iPhone minute plans and data package and Text options. I am only with ATT because they are the only ones with iPhone, as soon as Verizon picks up iPhone, buh bye ATT!!! I have Verizon USB mobile broadband for $59 bucks and it rocks, network is always up and reliable and much faster than ATT 3G! I would never pay any more money to get features that are supposed to be included in the enormous fees I already pay for the existing features. HEY, AT&T, DROP THE ADDITIONAL TEXT CHARGE, add MMS and tethering to existing customer and you may retain some customers when other carriers get the iPhone, cause they'll fix your mess! GUARANTEED!
Kacy (2:28 PM on Mon Jun 22, 2009)
I just called AT&T because I get the camera icon now on my phone, but when I try and send a message, it goes 90% through and then sends an error message. They said that AT&T won't support MMS for the iPhone until "later this summer." ARG!!! Why did I pay so much for the new iPhone when what I consider to be the greatest upgrade doesn't even work?!? I feel like I was seriously misled as a customer of both Apple and AT&T. If AT&T didn't disclose this information, I think Apple should have.