Apple could be missing out on corporate America by forcing users onto AT&T.
I have been talking to many CIOs in the last two weeks who have expressed a concern that the iPad 3G version will fail and their workers with it. Concerns are growing over the AT&T network with the upcoming release of the 3G version of the iPad.
I can relate to the worries of these CIO’s has I have had my own problems with the AT&T 3G network (My misadventures with an AT&T 3G card in New York) and it has not got any better. I still get horrible service in Chicago and New York and AT&T is no help at all. Calling technical support is a waste of time as it seems that I always get a different story as to the problem (what’s the truth?). Not to mention the many times I get disconnected and have to call back to explain to another person. I would love it if they refunded my two years of payment since I I feel I haven’t got the required use from the service. Fat chance.
My contract is up in two months and I cannot wait to cancel. Interestingly, cancel is what I would be doing if I purchased an iPad with the AT&T 3G service.
But I’m not sure. If AT&T has problems with iPhone and 3G cards, how can they make the iPad work? I fear they won’t and it is going to fail miserably.
Many CIOs that have spoken with me said if Apple would have made a different version to work with Sprint or Verizon, they would have taken a hard look at buying. But none of them were convinced that AT&T could handle the bandwidth and many have moved already from AT&T to other carriers.
So did Apple lose corporate customers by going with AT&T again?
Would they have been better served by going with Verizon or Sprint?
Only time will tell but by the number of people who have purchas a 3G iPad. It does make me wonder if there will be much for the iPad by corporate America if CIOs are locked into using AT&T.
