Could Apple Become a Carrier?

This is a discussion thread for the "Could Apple Become a Carrier?" story posted on the front page.

Unless apple has a seriously long term plan for mobile operating systems and mobile devices, i dont think they will open up a network of their own. It costs too much to maintain such a network should the iphone fall during any time. Also coverage would take many years to establish and make reliable, even with wireless network veterans from other companies. and especially with only one phone(besides model years), It is easier for them to lease out to every other carrier, especially considering they wouldnt just open a network in the U.S., they would open a global network, but that would be impossible in places like China where everything is restricted. It would create too many fronts to fight on. Apple already hates samsung, now imagine them trying to compete in ads with verizon and ATT? They would be fighting against microsoft in PC markets, samsung/android(and maybe now BB10?) in mobile, and in the U.S. at least they would be fighting against verizon and ATT. i cant speak for other countries' providers, but i know here these two carriers fight viciously at times via commercials. All this competition could prove to be too much for apple, because they would need to win all of these to sell many iphones after that. And apple's premium prices would explode on a network completely run by them.

I doubt this will happen... If they do anything big, they can't just pull out of every other carrier, it would make them lose too many customers.

Though, they could offer service through all carriers, with specific plans. (Would also make it so the phone could switch between the GSM and CDMA radios depending on the location it is used in/best available data speeds, etc... Which would be completely awesome.)

But I doubt that would happen.

it would be cool to see apple implement a plan to reward customers who buy the iphone year after year. some people bought the original iphone,3g,3gs,4, and 4s off countract for the new phones, if apple could manipulate carriers for a one year contract that didnt cost a million extra dollars im sure many people would bite.

No, they'd have to have the same or better coverage as all the other networks altogether otherwise people just wouldn't be able to use their iPhone's because they have no signal.

I can just imagine that - iPhone 3GS on Apple Network.

It'd look good for Apple, but would take a while if they built the network from scratch. If people don't follow the bandwagon on this one, it would be a loss of money.

Why build a new network when they could buy one? T-Mobile is up for sale. They probably have enough cash to buy BOTH AT&T and Verizon if they wanted to.

Anyone here ever heard of a virtual network?

Basically Apple could buy the airtime of other networks.

In the uk Tesco has a mobile service but it's really using O2's network.

That said, I doubt we will see an Apple network anytime soon.