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30 percent of iPhone 3G buyers dump existing carriers
Apple's iPhone 3G apparently created a summertime switch itch: 30 percent of all the smartphone's buyers bailed on their existing carriers in order to purchase the device, according to an NPD Group report released Monday.
AT&T has been the iPhone 3G's exclusive carrier in the U.S. since the smartphone was released in June.
According to the report, which covers June through August, 47 percent of those switching to AT&T to get the iPhone 3G came from Verizon Wireless, 24 percent from T-Mobile, and 19 percent from Sprint.
"While the original iPhone also helped win customers for AT&T, the faster network speeds of the iPhone 3G (have) proven more appealing to customers that already had access to a 3G network," Ross Rubin, NPD director of industry analysis, said in a statement.
By contrast, about 23 percent of consumers overall switched carriers from June through August.
During that same time frame, the smartphones with the highest unit sales were Apple's iPhone 3G, followed by Research In Motion's BlackBerry Curve, RIM's BlackBerry Pearl, and the Palm Centro, according to NPD.
Prior to launching its 3G version, Apple's iPhone accounted for 11 percent of the smartphone market in 2008. But since the 3G's launch, that figure has risen to 17 percent of the market since the start of the year.
"The launch of the lower-priced iPhone 3G was a boon to overall consumer smartphone sales," Rubin said.
Dawn Kawamoto covers enterprise security and financial news relating to technology for CNET News. E-mail Dawn. 
don't really see the joke?
can someone help me find the joke in the article?
is it a knock-knock joke? i like those. they require participation from the joke receiver.
Invention comes out of necessety(sp), and other businesses will have to play catch up.
Could not be happier with my iPhone 3G and AT&T.
The Iphone is the only cellphone which is decent compared to what I've seen on other countries. Even though the Iphone like cellphones existed before without the multi-touch(because it is patented to apple).
In those countries they get these cellphones for free with a monthly contract around 25-40 pound which is around 50 to 80 dollars a month.
Cellphones such as the nokia N96, n95, n82, 5800 XpressMusic or Sony Ericsson c905(8 megapixel camera) or the Samsung SCH-B600 10 megapixel or the G800 with 5 megapixel, nokia 5800 express . All of the above ones have wifi,Gps,GPS,IM,video capture, cut and paste and you name it including a front camera for live video talk and guess what they are given for free with an year contract compared to 2 years here.
These carriers are pretty much ripping us with all those 5 year old mp3 cellhpones.
Those countries are also the size of a medium-sized state in the U.S. When you can cover your entire nation with half a dozen cell towers, it's easy to upgrade.
I find I use my iPhone for so many things in comparison to my BB or Palm Treo and I just haven't seen anything that offers such a compelling user experience.
My wife uses here Iphone about 4 hours a day, more than her computer. She's glued to it. She had a palm for years and never used it.
I shouldn't have to dump the service provider I'm comfortable with just to use an over-hyped tech device.
This is why I hate Apple as much as I hate Microsoft. Greed is Greed.
30% of the people who bought the iPhone did so by terminating contracts with other carriers. I would really think that number should be 80% or higher. How many people keep mulitiple phones from different carriers?
70% of iPhone users keep a second phone with another carrier. Does that mean they have to keep a second phone around as a backup when the iPhone doesn't work? Or that they wanted featuers/price/offerings that other carriers provide but AT&T does not?
It's a number that could be perceived any number of ways.
I think Im gonna go with a htc touch pro running android on sprint sero for 30 bucks a month unlimited everything and 500 mins...
http://www.pikaba.com/c/ContestRules.aspx?m - that's a chance to win a free iPhone 3g.
Good luck to everyone and their cellular service. Why is everybody so angry? Is it jealousy?
I really hope Android turns out to be great. It is going to take it at least a couple years to catch up with Apple though, and just about the time my contract is up, I'll get to buy the best phone (whatever it is) again!
- by ahumanbean October 7, 2008 10:11 PM PDT
- Just wait. The Blackberry Storm will rain on the iPhone parade. It is interesting that RIM market share has risen the whole time the iPhone has been out. Apple made a flashy, but weak product. RIM will do it right.
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