Record AT&T Smartphone Sales Bode Well for iPhone in 4Q 2012

att logoCNET reports on comments from AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega today revealing that the carrier has experienced record-breaking smartphone sales through the first two months of the fourth quarter of 2012.

The wireless carrier is selling smartphones at a record pace -- 6.4 million already in the first two months of the quarter, according to Ralph de la Vega, CEO of AT&T's mobility arm. De la Vega, speaking at an investor conference today, said he now expects to sell 26 million smartphones this year, 1 million more than previously expected.

The current record for the carrier was set in the fourth quarter of 2011 with 9.4 million smartphone activations on the strength of the iPhone 4S launch.

Given that the iPhone typically represents 70-80% of AT&T's smartphones, the carrier's record numbers for the quarter so far bode well for Apple. Apple will likely also see a boost from its rapid rollout of the iPhone 5, which is already offered in nearly 50 countries and will be available in more than 50 additional countries by the end of the month.

Apple is clearly expecting a blockbuster quarter, having issued guidance for a record $52 billion in revenue on the strength of not only the iPhone 5 but also the new iPad mini and the just-updated full-size iPad, as well as recent updates to most of the company's Mac and iPod lines.

Related Forum: iPhone

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Top Rated Comments

henrystar Avatar
162 months ago
Great news!

Presumably the stock will fall still further on this wonderful news.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
napabar Avatar
162 months ago
Maybe the Nokia Lumia 920 raised their sales since its a new phone and it was sold at $99 with a charging plate.

Nokia who?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NIKKG Avatar
162 months ago
Maybe the Nokia Lumia 920 raised their sales since its a new phone and it was sold at $99 with a charging plate.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jim.bright17 Avatar
162 months ago
That's what i'm saying!

It's not even close.

I mean look at the stock. In the last 2.5 months
AAPL - Down 24%
RIMM - Up 85%

:cool:

Or in the last year...
AAPL - Up 37%
RIMM - Down -30%

...depends how you look at it i guess.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rdlink Avatar
162 months ago


Jeez man - stop being such a hater.

Where do u come up with this crap?

I think he was being sarcastic.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TennisandMusic Avatar
162 months ago
Yeah, AT&T's stock gets hit every time they mention huge smartphone sales, especially subsidy-heavy iPhones.

It's partly because it means they'll have a ton of money tied up paying up front for those phones, each of which takes an average of 20 months for AT&T to get repaid from the monthly phone bill.

He was talking about Apple's stock. It took a huge hit, getting knocked down 37 points for a 6.5% loss.

AT&T's stock dropped 1 penny today.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)