AT&T Comments on Apple's 3G iPhone

A quick tidbit for Apple (AAPL) watchers -- here are the key metions of the iPhone from AT&T's (T) conference call:

The third part of our data strategy is to drive adoption and usage growth through breakthrough devices, the most notable being the iPhone 3G, which was launched just 12 days ago. We’ve had a great success with a number of exclusives in recent years and we are thrilled with the initial customer response to the latest iPhone. The response and the store traffic have been tremendous. Sales so far are nearly double what we achieved in the first days of the 2G iPhone launch last year. And in the first 12 days, approximately 40% of iPhone 3G sales had been to customers that are new to AT&T.

Offsetting these positive factors in the second quarter were strong growth add flow share and the fact that more of our subscribers are opting for advanced, higher cost devices. We had a very good wireless margin quarter and while the 3G iPhone will have an impact on margins going forward, we remain comfortable with our outlook for a full year wireless service EBITDA margin in the 39% to 40% range.

We continued to expect strong growth in wireless and we expect to see some of that growth certainly strengthened by and supported by the iPhone launch.

The quotes are taken from the full AT&T transcript. For something more interesting, try searching for "iPhone" in the search box top right of this page, and filtering the results by "Transcripts", and you'll see every company that has mentioned the iPhone on its conference call -- Apple, its competitors, suppliers and partners.

Comments

[jmmx:]

Hmmm -

Is that TOTAL sales or IN-STORE sales? It is difficult to judge from the context.

If it means in-store sales, this would be expected given that iPhones can no longer e purchased online.

In the end, the no on-line sales is going to be a big win for Apple. It will drive an awful lot of new customers into their stores who might not have gone otherwise. There they will see the other products and be able to question the sales folks. You can't help but be curious about the iMac the first time you see one.

2008 Jul 23 04:24 PM

[User 231701:]

jmmx, this article is clearly about iPhone sales through AT&T stores, not Apple stores

2008 Jul 23 04:34 PM

[John Adams:]

What does this sentence say? "Offsetting these positive factors in the second quarter were strong growth add flow share and the fact that more of our subscribers are opting for advanced, higher cost devices."

Overall it sounds like a positive statement, so how can strong growth offset a positive? I have no idea what "strong growth add flow share is. Should "add" have been "ad?"

2008 Jul 23 04:56 PM

[taojones:]

hell at&t towed my car out of the lot while i used a bathroom next door (the at&t store was not open yet) the tow cost me 300 dollars and when i complained to corporate they said because i did not shop there THAT DAY i was not a customer! any corporation who could show up in small claims court with an argument like that (i won) cant reason worth a darn

2008 Jul 23 05:22 PM

[Jared:]

They didn't have enough inventory to meet demand when the original iPhone launched. It's not surprising that they doubled the volume in the first 12 days this year. They probably would've have sold double what they did last year if the supply had existed.

My only point is that you should not take the comments at face value.

2008 Jul 23 05:23 PM

[mollytjm:]

the apps store is amazing. as long as the lines were for people waiting to buy the iphone on the first day, that's the line for apps developers. gone are the days when no one wanted to develop for apple.
to the guy who's car was towed...um, i don't actually know a nice phone company...they aren't exactly known for heart. Apple, on the other hand, treats it's customers very well. and their 'exclusive' with AT & T isn't forever.

2008 Jul 24 11:20 AM

[Swampthing:]

What no Neoreader? Why doesn't AT&T and Apple offer consumers and web users the ability to get information from products or objects in one click?

2008 Jul 24 12:37 PM

[atldiamondn...:]

I think it is a travesty that Apple will not provide "quality" insurance on the IPhone while blocking a quality company like "Safeware" from providing quality "full coverage" insurance for IPhone users.What that tells me is you want me to drop my phone,or my phone get stolen so I will have to pay $600.00 instead of the $299.00 I just paid...if I want a replacement.If I had known that apple was not going to provide or allow anyone else the ability to providing "quality full coverage" insurance at a reasonably price with an reasonable deductible I would have gone to Sprint and bought the "Instinct" which has coverage.Apple,you should be ashamed of yourselves !!!! I know....it's all about your profits...right???????...

2008 Jul 30 06:45 PM

[User 276939:]

Hello. I unlocked my iphone 3G with this website, www.iphoneunlockfast.c... . Now i want to update my iphone 2G to iphone 3G version...is this possible?? ps: sorry for my English

2008 Oct 10 01:07 PM

[User 327699:]

Just bought the iphone G from ATT it seems that they are Not offering insurance for this phone. If I new this I wouldn't of bought this phone> You might be better off when the phone gets released to to other resellers like Best Buy and take the insurance out through them...

2008 Dec 29 06:34 PM