Pixel being sold by ATT FYI

[ajb1965]

Now if it would show up on T-Mobile...

This^^^

 

[pounder001]

Features like HD Voice, VoLTE, WI-FI calling are not available on unlocked phones

Absolutely correct! I use my phone for personal and work and all of these features are key for me as I travel in a predominantly AT&T LTE area

 

[Law2138]

I was thinking about a prior discussion on the AC boards about purchasing unlocked online vs carrier retail locations. I think there is good amount of people who prefer to walk in, sign an agreement, enroll in insurance, and walk out with a flagship device. If they have any problems or accidents, they file a claim, pay the deductible and receive a replacement next day. It's a win for the carrier, and insurance company. To customers, this is getting the phone they want, with a no-hassle replacement plan. They're paying a premium for the convenience.

AT&T will do whatever it can so people buy phones through them on a plan. If you're not on an agreement, they can't classify you as a "guaranteed" subscriber, which means you can leave anytime.

My point is, that the Pixel is becoming very popular. It would be in AT&T's best interest to carry the device, especially before the holidays.

Holiday shopper: "I'm looking for the Google Pixel"
AT&T rep: "We don't sell that phone, but it works on our network."
Holiday shopper: "Where can I get one?"
AT&T rep: "Directly from Google or Verizon."

 

[TheDonJ77]

I was thinking about a prior discussion on the AC boards about purchasing unlocked online vs carrier retail locations. I think there is good amount of people who prefer to walk in, sign an agreement, enroll in insurance, and walk out with a flagship device. If they have any problems or accidents, they file a claim, pay the deductible and receive a replacement next day. It's a win for the carrier, and insurance company. To customers, this is getting the phone they want, with a no-hassle replacement plan. They're paying a premium for the convenience.

AT&T will do whatever it can so people buy phones through them on a plan. If you're not on an agreement, they can't classify you as a "guaranteed" subscriber, which means you can leave anytime.

My point is, that the Pixel is becoming very popular. It would be in AT&T's best interest to carry the device, especially before the holidays.

Holiday shopper: "I'm looking for the Google Pixel"
AT&T rep: "We don't sell that phone, but it works on our network."
Holiday shopper: "Where can I get one?"
AT&T rep: "Directly from Google or Verizon."

Agreed, this is the "Average" consumer not tech nerds or those who know more about a phone than the average. The more stores this phone will be sold in, it's better for everyone.

 

[ajb1965]

Agreed, this is the "Average" consumer not tech nerds or those who know more about a phone than the average. The more stores this phone will be sold in, it's better for everyone.

I second this! I'm sure Google wanted to test the waters first, and in their eyes scoring Verizon was a win. Right or wrong, VZW is heralded as the premier US network so what better place to offer their premium entry into the smartphone market.

Now that it's generated hype and demand and become the critic's darling, it makes sense for Google to broaden the distribution channels. Fingers crossed for more carrier availability in the future.

 

[Brandwin]

Nothing

=/

 

[Jeremy8000]

I second this! I'm sure Google wanted to test the waters first, and in their eyes scoring Verizon was a win. Right or wrong, VZW is heralded as the premier US network so what better place to offer their premium entry into the smartphone market.

Now that it's generated hype and demand and become the critic's darling, it makes sense for Google to broaden the distribution channels. Fingers crossed for more carrier availability in the future.

^^

Google and Verizon both took a little bit of a gamble here - Google in placing limitations on its brick and mortar distribution that they hadn't done with their Nexus products in many years, and Verizon in commitments to product placement, advertising, etc. Pretty sure they're both pleased.

The question that remains is the duration of exclusivity - is it a relatively short term, such as 3- or 6-months, or for the normal life cycle of the models. My guess would be the former, probably 6 months, giving Verizon the benefit of retail exclusivity through the holiday season, tax refunds, and up until the anticipated launch of Samsung's S8-series.

I do think that if the Pixels continue to remain as well-received with no major hiccups down the line, Google will open it up to all carriers with the next generation (or otherwise Verizon would have to pay the proverbial arm and a leg for exclusivity).

 

[ohnanaotter]

John Legere would want that. I am guessing if AT&T will start selling, then that means whatever agreement Google had with Verizon ends in November. So it would be surprising if T-Mobile did not get it soon after.

 

[Dante087]

What I got as an update today... so hopefully it is actually coming and sooner rather than later

 

[Jeremy8000]

View attachment 245865

What I got as an update today... so hopefully it is actually coming and sooner rather than later

I'd love to see it made available through all the carriers, but I would take these comments from "Steve" with a healthy tablespoon of salt.

"Steve" says it will be, and that Google and AT&T are negotiating. First off, AT&T isn't likely to send out internal memos keeping service reps up to date on the existence and status of external negotiations that are not publicly disclosed (and likely under some form of NDA). Second, conversation from another rep was screenshotted earlier in this thread giving what looks much more like an official 'canned' AT&T response - that AT&T doesn't sell it, but that customers can buy it directly from Google and they'd activate it. Not saying Steve couldn't be correct, but it seems unlikely, and more like hearsay.

The real reason I find it highly unlikely to come to AT&T by end of this month/beginning of next is that it just makes no sense that Verizon would have entered into an exclusivity deal and pushed the 'only on' so much if it were only to last 30-45 days, letting it expire before the holidays and at such a point where someone could go and get it from another carrier while those they sold for Black Friday would still be under the return period.

I would be very surprised if exclusivity were less than a minimum of 90 days, carrying them through the full holiday season, or more likely 6 months, providing them the benefit through to about the time of the launch of Samsung's new S8-series.

Could be wrong - and honestly, hope I am. I'd love to see this phone become more widely available through retail distributions as it would greatly enhance Google's growth with it and help incentivize Google and its competitors to leapfrog one another in advancing technologies.

 

[CrackBud]

December 7 now and still no news... I think best case AT&T might sell starting in January? Just speculation though...

 

[popkurn611]

I'd love to see it made available through all the carriers, but I would take these comments from "Steve" with a healthy tablespoon of salt.

"Steve" says it will be, and that Google and AT&T are negotiating. First off, AT&T isn't likely to send out internal memos keeping service reps up to date on the existence and status of external negotiations that are not publicly disclosed (and likely under some form of NDA). Second, conversation from another rep was screenshotted earlier in this thread giving what looks much more like an official 'canned' AT&T response - that AT&T doesn't sell it, but that customers can buy it directly from Google and they'd activate it. Not saying Steve couldn't be correct, but it seems unlikely, and more like hearsay.

The real reason I find it highly unlikely to come to AT&T by end of this month/beginning of next is that it just makes no sense that Verizon would have entered into an exclusivity deal and pushed the 'only on' so much if it were only to last 30-45 days, letting it expire before the holidays and at such a point where someone could go and get it from another carrier while those they sold for Black Friday would still be under the return period.

I would be very surprised if exclusivity were less than a minimum of 90 days, carrying them through the full holiday season, or more likely 6 months, providing them the benefit through to about the time of the launch of Samsung's new S8-series.

Could be wrong - and honestly, hope I am. I'd love to see this phone become more widely available through retail distributions as it would greatly enhance Google's growth with it and help incentivize Google and its competitors to leapfrog one another in advancing technologies.

Now since I have at&t and already have an unlocked pixel, will they give the HD voice and WiFi calling options to the unlocked version or will I have to go and buy the AT&T pixel?

 

[Lilybell2]

Now since I have at&t and already have an unlocked pixel, will they give the HD voice and WiFi calling options to the unlocked version or will I have to go and buy the AT&T pixel?

Neither a word, nor even a hint of a rumor, regarding the possibility of AT&T carrying the Pixel and/or Pixel XL has surfaced on AT&T's forums. I very much doubt, based on AT&T's propensity for keeping a tight control over the phones they carry, that Google would be amenable to AT&T's methodology.

Personally, I don't care for AT&T's policy of dumbing down the features permitted on BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) phones, which is why I selected to use Project Fi for my Pixel XL rather than my longtime carrier, AT&T.

 

[popkurn611]

Neither a word, nor even a hint of a rumor, regarding the possibility of AT&T carrying the Pixel and/or Pixel XL has surfaced on AT&T's forums. I very much doubt, based on AT&T's propensity for keeping a tight control over the phones they carry, that Google would be amenable to AT&T's methodology.

Personally, I don't care for AT&T's policy of dumbing down the features permitted on BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) phones, which is why I selected to use Project Fi for my Pixel XL rather than my longtime carrier, AT&T.

I'm suckered in with a device payment plan with at&t so I can't even go to fi

 

[sulla1965]

Just want to point out that AT&T most definitely sold the Nexus 6. Remember how the AT&T version had its own custom boot up sound?

Yes all the carriers sold the nexus 6 Motorola made the 6 available to all unlocked, and could be used on any network. Just like the Moto x line of phones

 

[Lilybell2]

I'm suckered in with a device payment plan with at&t so I can't even go to fi

That's the objective of carrier branded phones and/or carrier payment plans... they keep the customer tied to the carrier.

 

[planoman]

Now since I have at&t and already have an unlocked pixel, will they give the HD voice and WiFi calling options to the unlocked version or will I have to go and buy the AT&T pixel?

They should work once and if they ever enable it for the pixel. My iPhone 7+ was purchased unlocked and HD voice and wifi call work as well as my S7 active which was an att device but is unlocked.

That would make my pixel xl even better although is is already pretty good!

 

[popkurn611]

They should work once and if they ever enable it for the pixel. My iPhone 7+ was purchased unlocked and HD voice and wifi call work as well as my S7 active which was an att device but is unlocked.

All the iPhones will work with HD voice on at&t but not the pixel.

 

[planoman]

All the iPhones will work with HD voice on at&t but not the pixel.

I know that. I have a pixel xl on att. The question was if att ever sold the Pixel and enabled HD voice and wifi calling for it, would the unlocked version bought from Google still get those features. I was saying that yes I believed once they activiate it for the pixel even the model bought from google would work. We already know it has the capability since verizon and tmobile activated the features and they work for google purchased pixels.

 

[popkurn611]

I know that. I have a pixel xl on att. The question was if att ever sold the Pixel and enabled HD voice and wifi calling for it, would the unlocked version bought from Google still get those features. I was saying that yes I believed once they activiate it for the pixel even the model bought from google would work. We already know it has the capability since verizon and tmobile activated the features and they work for google purchased pixels.

Yeah that's what I am hoping for. What I'm saying is why just because it's an "iphone" does it get to have HD voice despite what carrier or unlocked version you have.