Leaked AT&T Memo: iPhone 3GS launch broke all sorts of records
Multiple sources have provided MacDailyNews with an internal AT&T memo that highlights the company's recent milestones and successes:
1. Fact of the Week: On June 25, the day Michael Jackson died, text messages sent on our network spiked at 65,000 messages per second — the largest volume ever recorded — surpassing events like American Idol voting and New Year's Eve, when millions of our customers wish their friends and family a happy new year via text."
2. "iLaunch day 2009 was one for the record books, as AT∓T customers scrambled to get their hands on the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet.
Here's a look at some of the milestones we achieved:
* Best-ever sales day in our retail stores
* Second-largest traffic day in our retail stores
* Most transactions processed via our IT systems in a single day
* Most upgrade eligibility checks in a single day
* Largest order day in att.com history
* Largest features sales day in att.com history
On this year's launch day, iPhone sales exceeded sales recorded on 2008's iPhone launch day, Black Friday 2008 and Dec. 26, 2008 — all heavy-volume sales days. In fact, this year we surpassed 2008's launch day sales at about noon Central time, and sustained our previous peak hour record, also set in 2008, for 11 straight hours.
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Comments (25)
somehow i doubt they mind having this "leaked"
Great to see AT&T squeeze more money out of people.
No MMS & they still want to charge on teathering on top of the supposed "unlimted data plan." They killed sling box. The overall price plan is the worst in the world compared to other telecoms.
Man...sheesh, I'll have three please.
Exactly which other plan is a better deal? I pay $70 a month for 450 minutes and unlimited internet, no tethering.
Are you saying there are better deals out there in the US? Details, please! I am not wed to the iPhone! Which plan do you speak of?????
I need to post this: here in Europe I pay approx. 35$ for 3000min (no typo, threethousand minutes) and 3GB data (which is more than I can ever use with my iPhone). MMS & tethering included (there is no difference in having a data plan for the phone or use this plan for tethering, btw).
It's unbelievable how much they charge in the US. And it's a shame how they treat the customers (no MMS, no tethering).
Well it's not the same around Europe! I pay 58 bucks and get 100min and 1GB. 50 free SMS, tethering up to the included 1 GB and 100 WLAN minutes, for the iphone 3gs 16GB i payed around 120 bucks.
Remember that the devil is in the details. In the US we get low minutes, but it is expected that we get unlimited night and weekend minutes, zero toll charges for all outbound calls to anywhere in the US, free mobile-to-mobile calls, free voicemail, call waiting, forwarding, and call id.
For instance, I have the 450 plan, but I average over 4000 minutes a month with no additional fees of any kind.
There is no US provider that gives you unlimited tethering on top of any smartphone voice plus unlimited internet plan for under $100/month. None.
Prove me wrong.
You're a dreamer.
Great to see AT&T squeeze more money out of people.
No MMS & they still want to charge on tethering on top of the supposed "unlimted data plan." They killed sling box. The overall price plan is the worst in the world compared to other telecoms.
Man...sheesh, I'll have three please
Why do you care enough to post this? Buy a different phone with a different plan by a different provider. Complaining about it here makes no difference.
So tired of hearing folks complain about AT&T. I have been very happy with there service and plans. I have the 900 rollover with iPhone data and 200 txt cost is 50.99 + 30.00 + 5.00 =$85.99
My minutes I don't use roll over and are useable for a year.
I just went to the Verizon site and looked at their smartphone (?) data unlimited text and it would cost me $99.00 and that's only for 450 phone minutes. (On a Blackberry!)
You know everytime I have had to call AT&T support I was always connected to someone who sounded like a professional and not some bimbo right out of HS. Fair to say I have never spoken with support personnel from the other carriers except Sprint (poor service).
I am happy with AT&T and would expect MMS service is closer than most naysayers believe. 3.1 is coming.......
Wow really i pay 59.99 for the same plan + 30.00 for data + 5.00 text bundle and i pay 94.99 plus tax. how did you get $10 off.
Ask for a discount.
Discount of 15% for retired military, also discounts for major company employees such as FEDEX.....
Seek and you shall find
65,000 messages a second, wowzas. .
65,000 text messages sent in a second ... hmmm, how much is THAT worth?
Let's say that 50% of people subscribed to a texting plan and lots don't.
Typically, without a subscription, AT&T charges 20¢ for an inbound message and 20¢ for outbound. But since 50% of the people subscribed to a texting plan, let's say that per-messages fees average only 20¢ per message (instead of 40¢).
So, $0.20 * 65000 * 60 * 60 = $47 million in an hour.
And that's just AT&T.
That's what you call killer profit!
Who cares?!!
I still hate AT&T!
I agree with one of the comments above. AT&T does not deserve all of this hate. I think a lot of people are just jumping on the bandwagon because it's a popular thing to do. Their plans are exactly in line with other carriers in the U.S. offering smartphones. If they don't offer coverage in your area, that's unfortunate, but that's life. Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile have areas where their coverage sucks too. AT&T deserve to be bashed for not having MMS ready right away, but at least we know that's coming soon. Other than that, they've been a solid partner for Apple.
AT&T's trouble is they have worse customer service and serve less areas well then Verizon does. I Agree that there plans are in line with the other carriers though AT&T service here is just plain inferior to Verizon's in my area... and yes I would move on to another carrier, unfortunately, iPhone is available to only one - AT&T (btw, T-Mobile is not a true option... they use the same GSM network that is what is making AT&T inferior in my area)
This story underscores the tidal wave of volume ATT faces every time it does anything iphone related. And each time around, the tsunami grows taller! They're probably afraid of what is going to happen when they add MMS. Personally, I don't think there'll be much difference, but I'm sure their data usage will increase measurably from iphone MMS.
But it wasn't the "largest number of new subscribers" day. I think a lot of folks just upgraded their 1st gen iPhone. Couple that with the fact that people we holding out for the 3GS, and this isn't anything huge.
We can do MMS on the iPhone in Canada. Ha!
how will Apple's iPhone 3G s compare to the Palm Pre? I've put together a chart for a quick glance at how they stack up (see below).
iPhone 3G Vs iPhone 3G S Vs Palm Pre, Which one will you choose
The reason is easy. It is the first time the iPhone actually is in the AT&T stores on launch. Not hard to get record breaking then....
The fact of the matter still remains, we, AT&T customers are left with a crippled tool, it doesn't have basic services...services that I had on my Phone in Europe 7 years ago (MMS). It is unbelievable. The format of an MMS is super simple, it would take me a day to make a program that can do it...but it would not be available.
You can tether other phones on AT&T and have unlimited Internet for $15 a month. The iPhone looks nice, but technologically speaking it is about 3-5 years behind the competition..except for the UI...everything else is marketing.
First of all you have to realize that AT&T didnt design the iphone, apple did. And apple has actually explained in the past that they wanted users to use the email app to send pictures. Most people i know use the email to check for new email but hardly ever compose unless its to send pictures. So if you want to be mad at someone call up steve jobs.
second, no matter where you go in the US youre going to pay extra to tether. blackberries, winMO phones, you pay your data and an additional charge to tether. 15 a month will get you unlimited data on your tiny flip phone but its 30 for a pda and another 30 to use it to tether. Go ask a verizon sales person how much it is to tether on their storm and they will tell you its 60 a month. I find that most people who complain about their carrier just dont know what they are talking about. Bad customer service to people has become you didnt get a free phone when you broke your last phone. Then switch carriers and find their new one does the exact same thing. Only they now have down graded their service for the sake of a freebie. there are companies out there that will give away the house to get you to be their customer, free phones, free first month, waived activation fees, free free free. Desperation. Good luck getting a signal in your house.
Yes I agree. ATT does not need all this hate. I bought a 32 gb Iphone 3Gs and it is great. I originally paid 499 for it because I had a 3g and did not fulfill my contract which I had no issue with, then ATT and Apple decided to change the policy and without me doing anything they gave me a credit for $200.00 has that ever happened to someone who thought they paid too much for a phone from verizon? I doubt it. Anyway I have used Sprint, T-mobile, Verizon, and now AT&T. Sprint and T-mobile had horrible customer service and horrible service even in Downtown San Francisco. I switched to cingular when it was still that and it worked great, now that they are AT&T they work even better and their customer service is top notch. Verizons service worked the same in all places that AT&T does now and is no different but Verizon CS Reps were downright rude and were no help at all. Also Verizon obviously does not know a good business decision when it is staring them in the face or they would have accepted Apple's demands and the Iphone today would be a verzion phone, but I for one am glad that they did not because I think AT&T is the best provider you will find in the United States.