Who won't be getting the iPhone?

To find out that the Apple iPhone (heard of it?) would roll out locked to Cingular on a multi-year exclusivity agreement was difficult enough for some folks to swallow. Imagine, then, the pain and suffering that'll be experienced by those in areas that Cingular has forsaken. Case in point: the Burlington Free Press has noted that Cingular offers not a sliver of coverage in the quaint state of Vermont, leaving well over half a million good citizens (Ben and Jerry included, we reckon) without their fix. While our initial instinct might be to buy the phone elsewhere and just roam 'til the cows come home (literally -- this is Vermont, after all), Cingular policy states that a customer's address must lie in a directly covered area -- and even for the few that manage to skate by that one, the carrier's known for canceling accounts that roam excessively. Of course, Cingular points out that eager buyers are more than welcome to buy it contract-free without activating an account, but there's not a lot of fun in that; meanwhile, Apple's staying mum on the subject, perhaps for fear of further agitating hundreds of thousands of irate Vermonters. And the problem is by no means limited to Vermont: residents of large parts of Maine, Virginia, West Virginia, New Mexico, the Dakotas, Arizona, Montana, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, and Colorado (among other states) might find that Apple has passed them over come June, unless Cingular goes into turbo mode lighting up new service areas. Anyone out there willing to move for a cellphone?

[Thanks, Craig]

[Andrew Stone @ Jan 17th 2007 2:29PM]

What about all the areas that are highlighted in dark orange BUT DON'T ACTUALLY SEEM TO CARRY CINGULAR?

Perplexing, i know, but its why i switched to Verizion. That, and the Q. Humm... better start talking up my Cingular friends to see if coverage has improved at all.

[Matt @ Jan 17th 2007 2:43PM]

Same reason I bailed on Cingular. My area was in a (supposedly) solid coverage zone, yet I only seemed to be able to connect calls on every 3rd attempt, and even then, Cingy dropped those calls like the Chargers dropped passes on Sunday =P

Even after replacing that phone, my connection still always sucked. I switched to Verizon, and surprisingly, my cell coverage isn't godawful anymore! Haven't had a dropped call or failed connect since, even in the backwoods of New Hampshire!

The iPhone is not nearly enough to make me take the horrible service that comes with it.

[paul34 @ Jan 17th 2007 2:29PM]

"Cingular points out that eager buyers are more than welcome to buy it contract-free without activating an account"

And what will one do then? Cingular is more than happy to sell phones to you at full price, thus negating the excuse of locking phones, but won't give you the unlock code.

Maybe someone will come up with a calculator soon enough and all you non-Cingular folks (which basically, is T-Mobile now, unfortunately... theres no more competition left) might still be in luck... you'll still have the Cingular branding, however.

Anyway, as a Cingular customer, I'd like to have this phone, but am afraid of what ways Cingular will rape (aka, modify) this phone. I used to be such a Cingular fan but all of Cingular's antics have really been bothering me, especially the requirement to get a very expensive internet and text plan with any smartphone purchase - even though just because you buy a smartphone doesn't mean you'll use internet or texting.

Oh, wait, I'm sorry... AT&T!

[RyS @ Jan 17th 2007 2:31PM]

With the recent Bellsouth/At&t buy out, we've got to remember tha At&t (SBC) now owns ALL of Cingular. Considering Cingular is already making the transition from "Cingular" to "Cingular/At&t", I'd expect to see some major increase in coverage. At&t has spoken in the past about starting a new wireless service, but hopefully they'll simply expand the already existing, and fairly extensive Cingular service.

Only time will really tell.

[Jeff Foster @ Jan 17th 2007 3:15PM]

@RyS:

thought i'd point out that i pay $7.50 a month for EV-DO from Sprint.
...granted, i'm on a "high profile" account, and so some may not be able to get the same deal, it still makes Cingular's $19.99 seem expensive to me. (especially for lower speeds.)

[Gary @ Jan 17th 2007 2:33PM]

isn't it AT&T now and not Cingular?

[c_r @ Jan 17th 2007 2:34PM]

Um, according to AT&T's coverage map, Vermont is covered. Am I wrong in thinking that existing AT&T customers in Vermont will have access to the iPhone when it comes out?

[Ben @ Jan 17th 2007 5:18PM]

Yes, actually you are. I live in Vermont and we have no service when it comes to Cingular or AT&T. Luckily , I'm moving to the Boston area next year, so it doesn't matter. But for the rest half a million staying, it will.

[RyS @ Jan 17th 2007 2:37PM]

They charge 19.99 (I assume dollars, the site webmaster is too lazy to specify) a month for unlimited data transfer with their "Smartphone Connect" plan. I fail to see how that is expensive.
Also, why buy a smartphone if you aren't gonna use some of the most prominent features?

[len @ Jan 17th 2007 3:38PM]

The iPhone is not a smartphone. Until they allow the installation of third-party software, it is a $600 feature phone.

[coldracerx @ Jan 17th 2007 4:05PM]

Not so my friend I have a e62 with the data plan and that $19 plan is a fancy media net plan and not the real internet. It is a waste and is slow. SO I used the pda connect unlimited which is a full fledge but is 49.99 a month. At least my company pays for some of it

[IOTA @ Jan 17th 2007 2:39PM]

Wait a minute. Cingular covers the most populated areas in Colorado (Denver/Boulder, Colorado Spgs, Ft Collins); and doesn't do too bad in some of the rural high country either. The Rocky Mountain states have vast tracts of land with VERY few people living there. The climate and environment are just not suitable for many people to inhabit.

Go check Verizon's wireless coverage:
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/CoverageLocatorController?requesttype=NEWREQUEST

Or whoever you "love" to pay monthly, and you'll find their coverage comparable to Cingular.

[chaser24 @ Jan 17th 2007 2:43PM]

Is anyone else annoyed by the plethora of pointless iPhone stories? Just so everyone knows... the iPhone will not dress you in the morning. It will not cook you dinner (although ordering is possible). It will not bend the physics of the universe to your will (unfortunately). Most Importantly, it won't be here until June! I understand the point of Engadget is to discuss gadgets, and I love the site, but if I read one more time about this phone prior to it actually revolutionizing (or not) the cell phone world, I may just have to take down the whole cell phone grid, just so we can discuss something else.

[Rusty @ Jan 17th 2007 2:48PM]

Amen brother! Really, what's the point of Engadget Mobile if these damn pointless iPhone stories keep popping up. For the record, Cingular has the most populated parts of Arizona covered too, so don't know why all these other states were thrown in there.

[Spartacus @ Jan 17th 2007 2:44PM]

Yeah, so the map they should have posted here is this one... http://www.cingular.com/support/images/maps/payasyougo.gif which is the network cingular OWNS, and therefore you're allowed to live in. 50% of your minutes in an area outside of this map in a month will get you kicked from cingular. EON...

[CharlieX @ Jan 17th 2007 2:45PM]

Luckily, while a seemingly rad device, the iPhone is not going to save the world. And those of us with other cell providers who pay less for better service anyhow - we will sleep soundly.... now more importantly, where's our 8 core Mac Pro's?

[JayZee @ Jan 17th 2007 7:16PM]

"now more importantly, where's our 8 core Mac Pro's?"

I'm sorry, multi-bashing is not enabled at this time. Please limit your Apple criticism to one product at a time. Thank you for choosing Engadget.

Please drive safely. It's easier to stay on-topic with both hands on the wheel.

[mike @ Jan 17th 2007 2:46PM]

looks like most of the places who cant get it don't matter any way.

[BK @ Jan 17th 2007 2:47PM]

That will depend on whether or not I can get out of the Verizon contract based on "material change" due to them increasing the price of text msging by 5 cent (http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/).

[IOTA @ Jan 17th 2007 2:48PM]

If current Cingular subscribers total 53M, and Apple is hoping to sell "only 10M units", then they are trying to garner 18.9% of the addressable market (current). Jobs claimed 1%, but they can't address the whole 1B unit market.

The real question is how many subscribers Cingular acquires after the launch of the ipod-phone.

[Richard @ Jan 17th 2007 2:54PM]

Dude!

Ben and Jerry sold out man!

Sold out!

They are on the beach somewhere in, like, Cabo San Lucas, man!

Vermont. Dude!

[Brendna Eaton @ Jan 17th 2007 4:06PM]

Well "Ben and Jerry" Sold out back in the 80's. But relatively recently "Ben and Jerry's Homemade Inc" recently sold the company to Unilever. When I moved to VT from NYC I had to give up Cingular and go Verizon. There is only roaming access through Unicel l up here, no Cingular.

[Will Clifford @ Jan 17th 2007 2:57PM]

Uhm, I visit Vermont frequently and my Cingular service works just fine. I'm not exactly sure what the Burlington Free Press is talking about.

[JP @ Jan 17th 2007 5:46PM]

As a visitor, you are on the extended Cingular network, AKA Unicel. Visit for a month and you will get dropped.

Because Vermont has so many overbearing laws about towers, cell towers are at a premium. Most of the coverage is mounted to buildings (grain silos are popular.) If you want any coverage outside of Burlington, then Unicel is the best option, with Verizon being the only other.

With Unicel not offering any phones/plans I like and Verizon crippling the phones, it is not really worth it out here.

[Devon @ Jan 17th 2007 3:03PM]

Who won't be getting the iPhone? Well, ALL OF CANADA. Why leave us in the dark i wonder? the phone isnt even advertised on the apple website in canada. Im debating buying the phone just for the ipod functionality. I only wish i could use it as a phone.

[Shelterpaw @ Jan 17th 2007 3:04PM]

I am currently a Cingular subscriber, but not after next month. I would stick around for the iPhone, but I don't like cingular enough to forgo the iPhone. Looks like a SideKick III in my future. I think all Apple did by going with Cingular is make a lot of people jealous and unhappy. I dig Apple products too as I'm writing this from one.

[Curt West @ Jan 17th 2007 3:07PM]

What about better mobile content today for the rest of us? People want to do more with their standard web-enabled phones. That’s 90% of the whole mobile market. A few good .mobi sites like http://a1r.mobi (for guys) and http://a1r.mobi/me (for women) work well on all phones, including smartphones like the iPhone. No so for Yahoo! Go 2.0 which is compatible only with a limited number of handsets, and must be downloaded. Better content sites will be welcome by all mobile phone users, including iPhone buyers.

The iPhone market is a subset of the smartphone community, and the smartphone market is just 10% of all mobile phones. It will take 5 years for the smartphone market to even reach 25%. In the meantime, portals and business applications for standard web-enabled phones are at present very limited and ill-conceived.

People are increasingly using their mobile phones to check their e-mail, search Google, and visit engadget or digg because it’s risky to use your company computer due to employer surveillance of all your online activity. Few sites have really done a good job of aggregating mobile-friendly links and business content. This is true for Yahoo!, MSN, and Google, which tend to ignore each other due to competitive reasons. Book marking good sites isn't all that easy on many mobile phones, nor is surfing, so any site that aggregates all the best mobile content and applications will be quite useful for the majority business users having standard web-enabled mobile phones and even those with smartphones like the iPhone.

[b @ Jan 17th 2007 3:58PM]

Curt, spot on - with all this new gadgets we really need better mobile content. Not many sites doing this though. However you might want to check http://www.gamoku.com - they are providing browser-based Flash online games catered for mobile devices such as Windows Mobile phones and PDAs and Nokia 7710, 770 and the new N800 (standard web-enabled phones not supported, but it's a start).

[tf @ Jan 17th 2007 3:12PM]

"If current Cingular subscribers total 53M, and Apple is hoping to sell "only 10M units", then they are trying to garner 18.9% of the addressable market (current). Jobs claimed 1%, but they can't address the whole 1B unit market."

Um, the claim of 1% is for 2008. That is, after they have released the phone in Europe (with different Carriers) and Asia (with different carriers) and probably other countries as well (I would imagine Canada may arrive at the same time or shortly after UK, France, Germany, Spain...)

[Dan @ Jan 17th 2007 3:22PM]

"thought i'd point out that i pay $7.50 a month for EV-DO from Sprint.
...granted, i'm on a "high profile" account, and so some may not be able to get the same deal, it still makes Cingular's $19.99 seem expensive to me. (especially for lower speeds.)"

What's the point to telling us this when most people can't get that same deal?... other than showing off, i mean...

[RyS @ Jan 17th 2007 3:45PM]

Yeah, I take into account that certain people will receive discounts.
For example, I can get that 19.99 charge down to about 10 bucks a month, because I am a "privileged" (that sounds dorky) member.

Most service providers give discounts to their pre-existing, consistant("loyal") members.

[Bob Johnson @ Jan 17th 2007 3:15PM]

I waited years for this and just bought a damn chocolate on verizon because we will never see Cingular coverage in Wyoming. I wonder how many others just bought new phones after realizing they cannot get an iPhone ?

[Matt @ Jan 17th 2007 3:18PM]

Cingular roams on Unicel GSM networks in VT.

[DM @ Jan 17th 2007 3:18PM]

Engadget is assuming that everyone wants one. LOL. Like this phone is affordable. Everyone knows that this phone is targeted to the likes of Ben Affleck and Paris Hilton. Sorry Apple, im fine with my phone. Innovative? Yeah Right. With my samsung phone, i could make a call with just one hand. This phone is gonna be ONE BIG FAILURE, mark my words. Expects LOWEST RATING in 3..2..1...click.

[Bob @ Jan 17th 2007 3:19PM]

I think that for the last 2 years (and the next 6 months) that Apple and Cingular have been/will work to ensure that the network and the iPhone work as flawlessly as possible. SJ wants this thing to fly and being the perfectionist that he is......will be on top of past problems that many have mentioned. Cingular knows this exclusive contract could reap millions of dollars for them.....they saw what the ipod did and want to profit from the same type of phenomenon.

In addition, I think the merger with AT&T will increase the coverage areas. SJ wants to include the most people possible and was sure to look into this problem.

[A.J. @ Jan 17th 2007 3:21PM]

First of all, the iPhone doesn't even keep up with most of the existing smartphones on the market, in terms of features - the only thing it has going is a nifty interface. Secondly, it doesn't do high-speed data, devices over a year old will be trouncing it in the speed department. And to make matters worse, Cingular has the singularly worst coverage I have seen around here. The way they mark their coverage maps really makes you wonder, because I can never get coverage in many areas that they say have full coverage. No thanks, I'm done with Cingular. I'll keep my Verizon Q - which I know will have a signal pretty much anywhere I go. And my little T-mobile phone for when I'm traveling to Europe.

I guess I am jaded against Apple on this one. After seeing the series of bad decisions they have made with this device, and carrier options. I really am starting to hope that the thing fails rather spectacularly. Maybe that will wake Apple up from their self-important slumber. I miss the old Apple.

[Richard @ Jan 17th 2007 3:22PM]

Curt,

Re. bookmarking on mobile: Opera Mini

[Curt West @ Jan 17th 2007 3:40PM]

Thank you Richard. I've got an LG8000, and I read that I'm SOL until I upgrade my phone in order to benefit from your excellent suggestion.

[stephen @ Jan 17th 2007 3:22PM]

the cingular only thing is really a problem. i did a comparison of my current plan on t-mo with an unlocked treo 680 and the same plan (well not the same but i'll get to that) on cingular. cingular charges almost $40 more a month for a comparable plan. the only difference is with cingular i would get 100 less minutes a month then i am getting now. i even have edge with t-mo. so essentially, though i admit it is hyperbolic, i would be getting less but paying more if i switched to cingular...all to own an iphone. after watching the keynote i have to say i am definitely tempted. soooo tempted, but i'm going to hold out and see if cingular lowers their prices.

[number40one @ Jan 17th 2007 3:26PM]

Cingular's coverage is no more scattered in the sparcely populated parts of this country than any other carrier. As far as Vermont goes, well, the commenters on here seem to disagree with the BFP is reporting.

I've been a Cingular customer for seven years now, and I've experienced their service getting better and better over time. It's always fun to find out that a notorious "dead spot" where my service used to cut out no longer exists, and that's been happening frequently since the AT&T Wireless aquisition. I've heard just as many sob stories about Verizon and Sprint as I've heard about Cingular. In my metro area, Cingular cannot be beat for coverage.

Oh, and about crippling phones. Just compare the available features in a Cingular RAZR versus a Sprint/Verizon RAZR. One is virtually unemcumbered by any sort of company-branded interface. The other is a love-fest of proprietary BS that hampers even the most basic of features and settings.

[Chris Merchant @ Jan 17th 2007 3:30PM]

I'll second the 'move it to Engadget Mobile, please' argument. Seriously- what's it for if not to discuss 'revolutionary' (notice the quotes) mobile technology.

Maybe a tool to filter out the iPhone related posts? I'm a self-proclaimed Apple fanboy, and I was fed up with iPhone 'news' a long while ago.

The device is NOT revolutionary- it incorporates a LOT of other features, and makes a few of them better- but it doesn't- as someone craftily mentioned - fix breakfast, iron your clothes, or age wine. (All of which are good features.)

It's not a real 'Smartphone' either. No tactile keyboard, and not enough space for all the features it tries to pack in. Don't throw the 'but how many phones have 8 GB of space?' argument, since this is NOT a phone- this device proclaims itself the 'end-all', incorporation of Phone + Video + Music. 8 GB isn't even remotely close to enough. No expandable memory, means I can't even buy 20 billion little cards and switch them out.

Sorry- I was bummed at first about this being Cingy exclusive, since I'm the first one to try out new Sprint phones. But my BlackBerry has the iPhone on lock. Simple, easy to use, combination device.

So, please, please guys- take the MOBILE phone 'news' to Engadget Mobile, please?

Thanks,
Chris

[S.A. @ Jan 17th 2007 3:32PM]

When I was first watching Steve Jobs' keynote I was truly amazed by the iPhone. The way he presented it got everybody excited. I currently have Cingular and I thought about getting the iPhone for awhile, then I decided it was too much money and I didnt want a two-year contract. So then I started looking around for a new phone and I saw some of the i-mate and o2 phones, and I realized that the iPhone is not really that revolutionary. Really the only thing it has over some current phones is 4/8gb flash memory.

[iDean @ Jan 17th 2007 3:38PM]

Yes Canada has been left out, BUT you can buy the phone, unlock it and use it on Rogers or Fido. (what Ill be doing.) Im taking a drive to buffalo to buy it from a Cingular store, or the Apple store there.

[Thomas Trautman @ Jan 17th 2007 3:44PM]

The lower case "i" isn't sending me into a frenzy for a new phone. AT&T/Cingular coverage in North Eastern Ohio is spotty at best.

My son and GF both got ipod nanos for xmas. I had about 30sec of "i"envy. once i started using itunes i was very i-unimpressed.

Apple's becoming the new Microsoft...The student has become the Master!

[Bill Rawlinson @ Jan 17th 2007 3:46PM]

Coverage in the more populous areas of WV with cingular is fine. I have service with them and a blackberry pearl and have no troubles. The only time I run into trouble in WV is when I'm in a very rural area (or a lonesome stretch of highway). Like others have said before me service is slowly, but constantly expanding to cover heretofore uncovered slices of the state.

[GioNYC @ Jan 17th 2007 3:50PM]

So What if theres no service in that coverage area! Switch to another service and dont buy the iPhone. Cingular sucks anyway!

[PEZ @ Jan 17th 2007 3:53PM]

Not only is Apple breaking unreal ground with the technology in the iPhone. It is also breaking new ground with its price point. HAHAHAHAHAHA.

It should be also sold unlocked, though, without certain features (because it is based on Congular technlogy in conjunction with an account). Like the visual voicemail, which I can live without.

[Brad White @ Jan 17th 2007 5:41PM]

Actually its not Cingular technology, its GSM technology, the world standard. I would like to think the WORLD got something right.

[Ben @ Jan 17th 2007 3:57PM]

Cingular works fine in VT... Doesn;t show as roaming...

That is why paper newspapers suck...

They don't even know wha they are talking about...

[Brendor @ Jan 17th 2007 4:08PM]

Where in Vermont are you? I was never able to use cingular anywhere around Montpelier - only in certain section of BIA.