Long ago, AT&T and Verizon put their proverbial stakes in the ground as it relates to messaging. Each company chose (smartly) to stick with its network’s strength.
AT&T continues to drive home their message of speed after its “more bars all over the world” campaign did not exactly resonate or keep calls from being dropped and Verizon stresses its network’s reliability while employing the classic “look at the dead bird” trick to distract users from its network’s shortcomings.
But, who is winning the battle in the public’s eye? This question gets even more complicated as iPhone users will get the choice in only a few days to abandon the network who brought them the iPhone in search of greener pastures, the Verizon iPhone. Will people choose speed and occasional dropped calls/service interruptions or a slightly slower network with less capability but more reliable phone service? The number of canceled plans will tell the story.
AT&T is not sitting on the sidelines waiting. They are trying to get out in front of the potential huge loss of customers and the negative PR associated with it by e-mailing its current iPhone users, including me. If the subject line “Feel free to make a call while reading this e-mail” isn’t clear enough, the ad in the body of the e-mail takes care of it (see image below). Verizon’s network limits the functionality of the iPhone and prevents users from a critical benefit, multitasking. AT&T is targeting iPhone data gluttons and rightfully so. Why have an iPhone if you can’t be on the phone with a friend while surfing NYMag.com for the closest critic’s pick restaurant to meet at? Well done, AT&T. This is the first message I’ve received and my guess is that it is the start of a campaign that will run until the iPhone hits Verizon stores on 2/10. Its goal - to retain as many iPhone users as possible.
What do you think? Will AT&T’s network speed and functionality message keep iPhone users on its network and prevent a mass exodus? Or will iPhone users opt for reliability and tear up their AT&T contracts in the street?
*Baguette rating is pending until the numbers are released as to how many AT&T iPhone users switched their service to Verizon.
