The reason why AT&T won’t support MMS with the iPhone until “late Summer”, tethering info!
We were just told the real reason why AT&T won’t be supporting MMS on the iPhone 3G or iPhone 3G S at launch, and you’re going to laugh… Technically it will work right away our ninja tells us. The are no extra plans or higher fees we’ve just learned (the unlimited $20 package covers unlimited SMS and MMS), and the reason it’s not good to go right away is because AT&T has to manually remove all the “Opt Out MMS codes” on each account. Basically, if we were to summarize this, and we’re going out a little bit of a limb, remove the Opt Out MMS code, and MMS will work with the final OS 3.0 build right away. Who wants to try it with the GM 3.0 build just released?
We’ve also just heard that tethering will be 100% locked out at launch, but AT&T’s in the process of putting together a $70/mo unlimited data and tethering plan. SMS and MMS will not be included in that plan, we’re told.
Nope nothing special and I made no call to ATT. My speculation is as you alluded, is the fact that I had a Blackberry until I bought the Iphone a couple of months ago. Guessing since I had MMS on the BB, it remained active on the account/number when the change occurred. The MMS’s I’ve sent/received are reflected on my online activity. BTW, tethering also works great although I’m wondering about the potential billing issues with that yet to come. Also don’t know what’s going to happen when I activate the new 3GS that I’m getting next week. Guessing it’s gonna come with ATT Carrier 4.0 and I’ll need to update it to the 5.0 to keep MMS and tethering.
So in other words… The last time ATT did the carrier update I ignored the first few prompts and phone continued to work as always. Ignored the sw udates too since my phone was jailbroken to take advantage of tethering with third party apps. If ATT tries to send another carrier update, ignore it until a new .ipcc file is created or do the same thing that was done with this one, edit it yourself.
Thanks for the info. That’s what I thought but wanted confirmation macjeff.
Well. Let me say this. In America, were are already getting ROYALLY SCREWED on cell service. I recently went to Japan and saw people performing video conferencing on their phone… These were Americans who lived in Japan, so I asked them how much the “feature” cost them… The answer (and you wont believe this)= nothing, 0, notta!!! It was part of their REGULAR plan which incidentally was only about $45/month.
So, we can all cry, bitch, moan about ATT/SPRINT/VERIZON/ALLTEL and their “individual” lacks in service and outrageous cost while the Japanese ENJOY and rely on their OUTSTNADING services. Oh, and the iPhone in Japan is not nearly as expensive to have as it is in the states… the cost of the phone is comparible, but the sevice is all part and parcel…
US Cellphone Services SUCK!!!!!
If this rumor is correct – $70 may not be that far out of line.
Currently AT&T’s deal is phone plan + $30 for data + whatever for SMS = your bill.
If the the rumor is true $70 for tethering and unlimited data the calculus becomes: your phone plan + $70 unlimited data and tethering + whatever SMS/MMS = your bill.
If this is all true that would put me in ~$100 a month, which – if they truly include unlimited tethering – is quit a deal. When I left Verizon I was paying about that amount for my Treo, with unlimited data tethering. Right now, AFAIK, there is no unlimited tethering plans from any of the major carriers. Being that they charge ~$60 for a 5GB limited over the air card now, ~$70 for unlimited would be a good deal.
AT&T is very capable of handling MMS on the iPhone even now. I have been using the beta versions of the 3.0 OS for a couple of months now, and I called AT&T and “told” them I was switching back to an older phone and so I needed to activate MMS. I simply put that card back in my iPhone and have been using the new MMS on my iPhone without any issues since then. So WHATEVER their reasons are, it is a big load, because if they want they can allow MMS on launch day since technically you can already use it.
Brett,
Yes the way you did it works but they had to switch you off an iphone plan. Unlimited data on plans other then iphone does not really mean unlimited. There are caps. If you hit them as some of my friends did you will have a very bad day when you open your bill. That is why I turned down the opportunity to do what you did.
AT&T can handle MMS now but they cant handle the qty of people who changed from other networks to get the iphone. Once they upgrade their network to handle the bulk MMS, they will give it for free to everyone on an iphone plan who has text messaging in place on an iphone plan the day it comes out. They also promised if the plan goes up for new iphone users that they would keep those on iphone text plans now at the same price with the free MMS. So I am waiting.
Its not like we cant send an MMS message in other ways. We can email it to someone (even their cell number if they have MMS) and we can receive a link to view MMS. So at this point I dont see it worth the risk to change phones (Which costs and $18 activation fee on your next bill) and then change back )which is another $18 activation fee on your next bill) to possibly get a huge bill or end up not getting the free MMS on the iphone.
Jeff
I believe someone at the big AT&T could come up with a SQL script to update all accounts. What the hell!!! I’m sure the account info is stored in a database. Any hackers wanna bust in and do AT&T’s work for them?
So lets be clear on this. Someone purchasing an iPhone on Friday, for the first time, won’t be able to send MMS because AT&T is automatically going to add a code that they will have to remove manually later?
What a crock of shit!
AT&T is money hungry and needs to stop being assholes to the public. They want to suck money for anything and everything, why cant you just do tethering from your current 3G unlimited service plan? is it really required to charge an additional amount of $$ to use the feature?
What they have told me is they will make MMS free for everyone who is patient and has a standard text plan in place. They reserve the right to charge extra after that but not to those who already have it. They probably would only remove the code if you turn it off.
Now tethering is a different story. They will charge but they dont have an exact plan in fact. I am hoping the “fix” we have now will be available again after they send the MMS update to phones for tethering.
A couple of years ago I paid 15.00 a month extra to tether my BlackBerry on Verizon.
this coding and crap should have been done months!!! in advance now we have to wait even LONGER AGAIN!
hey seth brundle go eat a fly
“why cant you just do tethering from your current 3G unlimited service plan? is it really required to charge an additional amount of $$ to use the feature?”
Even though this would work, from a business perspective, it makes no sense. They have Laptop Connect cards that they charge $60 per month for a 5GB limit. Why would they allow someone who has a normal phone/smart phone/iphone to get that same benefit for what they pay for the normal internet plans? That would be a spit in the face to everyone who’d bought a laptop card. And why give a phone that already requires a $30 data package the same tethering abilities for the same price as the laptop cards. $70 covers the Laptop Card “tethering” price, plus $10 dollars for the phone data usage. Theoretically, they could have charged $90 for the iphone tethering, just to avoid pissing on their Laptop Connect customers.
Why don’t people just email pics/vids instead of using MMS? Seems simple enough?? Is there a reason people want MMS so badly?
@RK
Not everyone has a SmartPhone that can support email but can support MMS.
This sh$t is freaking ridiculous!!! At&t keeps dragging their feet on the simplest of things like this and their gonna lose alot of customers. I’m seriously thinking of switching back to verizon.
at&t can fucking suck it. this is just ridiculous. and 70 a month???!!!! nobody is going to pay that!
I will pay 70.00 a month. I would pay 300.00 a month for my Iphone … If you are going to roll around in the royals royce of phones you can’t bitch about the price of gas.
The more I pay the more I love the iphone.
Now back to reality. Yeah I hate At&t I cant wait for another company to offer the Iphone. Today I called to add my mother to my plan and I wanted a phone that was listed on AT&T website, but of course she couldnt sell that phone to me because it was discontinued. She also could see the phone on the SAME website… so I emailed her the link! Yeah but the story remained the same.
I tryed ordering three other phones until I finially just told her to send whatever free phone she had. GOD!
I have a buddy that works for AT&T and this is the reason which is still bs but their reasoning behind not launching mms on the 3.0 os
The reason is this: MMS on the iPhone does work a little bit differently than any other phone. Its kinda difficult to explain with out getting to technical. What AT&T wants to do is patch up their network before they enable it for iPhone users. iPhone users typically use 2-3 time more data than other smart phone users (i.e blackberry windows moble smart phones etc).iPhone users are a big hog on the network. AT&T wants to make sure that when its launched it wont fuck up every thing. It’s not just for AT&T. About half the carriers in the foriegn countries aren’t supporting it right away. Some not at all.
This is bullcrap. Apple needs to expand their horizons because at&t are going to start loosing customers.
ATT is already charging more for text plans (which is ridiculous) They don’t even have 3G unless you live in a large city…….. I don’t live in the sticks but it’s a large enough area. I remember a couple years ago that verizon already had their network in beta and then launched a month later. It was great. When iPhone goes to other carriers I will tell ATT to suck it (their SBC service was a joke) and go with another carrier. Oh didn’t Apple have a 3.0 keynote back in march??? Soooooo ATT knew MMS was coming right? Why are they waiting so long? The people in charge aren’t there because they know what they are doing, they just know how to kiss ass, and accomplish things to a minimum standard…..
Oh and BTW, I hate it when people complain about something in the comment section but FAIL when it comes to proper grammar. It makes them look dumb and somewhat counterproductive to their complaint. Douchebags.
thats wrong ATT has said that they didnt get it out imo ATT sux and if i had a choice on a phone service (minor) id be switching the day IPhone isnt just ATT anymore
Wow, are all of you serious? Summer ends August 30th, you guys can’t wait two months? Also, who gives a sh!t abou tethering?
Wow!! Really at&t? U suck!! This is almost enough for me to cancel and shove this phone up your ass!!!