By added does that mean they bought cingular and added the cingular accounts?

@darkened:

Many of AT&T's newly found customers seem to have come at Sprint's expense.

So...no, they came from Sprint.

well with the iPhone sales, we're not really surprised are we. Obviously some people were already with AT&T, but a lot came from elsewhere.

I bet the iphone had something to do with it, given the iphone is exclusive to AT&T for 5 years. (yeah I know it can be unlocked, at least if you're willing to find one with obsolete firmware on it).

But I'm sure it's also due to Sprint's atrocious service.

I guess a lot of people desire a contract with a company that has poor service and coverage. Ya never know what will sell.

With 4M iphones sold, the iPhone alone could easily be responsible for almost all those wireless customer acquisitions.

Assume that only 3M end up as AT&T subscribers. If AT&T had 25% market share, and AT&T customers were no more likely to sign up, the iPhone alone would be responsible for 2.2M customers right there.

@headon: It's not the worst company depending on where you are. Cell service is the ultimate in "your mileage may vary" scenarios.
I'm pleased with my coverage, I just wish their data plans were cheaper.

*raises hand*
2 ex-sprint customers that switched for the iphone right here. so far, so good.

@Honus: stop pandering C'mon you know they suck. Customer service etc,

I would like to add my 2 cents. I work for AT&T Mobility (Wireless Division) and I wanted everyone to know that although our company is posting these enormous numbers, the employees are not being taken care of. I work in Austin, TX call center (i do not take calls from customer's though) and I sit in a location with a giant hole in the wall with a 20 inch diameter pipe coming in from outside. This pipe is not covered and it blows in cold air all the time. Its 37 degrees in Austin right now, and the guy in front of me sits directly under this pipe. The company refuses to remedy this, and oh yeah, they even took away paper towels, plates, plastic utensils and free coffee. Way to go AT&T, freeze us out, make us eat like animals, and take away the last of the perks. I hate you!

Actually this is somewhat interesting to me. I know that Sprint somehow inked a deal with IBM to be their exclusive wireless provider. I wonder if Sprint is trying to concentrate more on business accounts? In theory these would be more lucrative as they would include Blackberry/data plans that are more profitable to them.

I mean isn't it better to have say 500,000 people on $100 data plans than 1,000,000 people on $30 ones?

I joined AT&T in December, but only because it was the only way I could get a precious IPhone.

Sadly, I'm an AT&T customer but only on the high speed internet front. My only other option is Charter and their high-speed internet is more than twice as much as the AT&T DSL I currently have.

TO the ATT guy in Texas. ATT wireless is covered under a CWA contract in most locations thru Union check off. It is the only wireless company which is unionized.Call your local!! ATT customer service isn't worse than anyone else. Compared to Sprint they are saints. The coverage where I live is the best! I went to Alaska last year, the damn phone worked fabulously in areas where there are only moose! To Clarify, Cingular and ATT mobility are the same company, name changed after SBC bought out ATT and Bell South and took ATT's name. The old ATT wireless was a horrible company not to be confused with the new ATT wireless which was Cingular. Enough said!

If my wife and I both get an iphone with a data plan, about 1200 combined minutes, and a good txt messaging plan, how much should I expect to pay each month? I know the rates are posted, but I'd like to hear from someone that's got their hands dirty.

sorry in ohio here and have at&t for home phone, wireless, internet, and uverse. customer service has been the best for me. Better then verizon and friends, but could just be my luck...

@Meg Marco: "adding a record 2.7 million new wireless customers"

...and only losing 2.5 million customers...

@dgcaste: My husband and I have a similar plan (but with less shared minutes, I think only 500) and we pay about $120 for two phones every month (including all taxes and fees). Hope this helps!

@stpauliegirl: should be only a bit more for 700 more minutes. what kind of data and txt message plan do you have?

ok, why can't I get a straight rate for iphone plans? I can get them for any other kind, but to see the iphone ones it looks like I have to pay for the phone first, then look at the plans during activation..

Verizon dodged the iPhone bullet. How did they do it?

Never mind. Too bad I can't erase posts.

I'm one of em. I switched from Verizon to at&t for mobile use and went from Comcast to Dry Loop DSL. I would have been paying 60-70 bucks a month for internet and 80-90 bucks a month for wireless. Now, I have rollover minutes, decent broadband speed, a great HTC smartphone with unlimited txting (plus, its only 15 bucks more a month for unlimited data) that only cost me around 75 bucks out of pocket, and my new bills are 60 dollars and 30 dollars respectively.

Yay At&T for being awesome.

p.s. The HTC phone for 75 bucks happened when I got 175 bucks knocked off the price of a Curve to offset my Verizon ETF. I used the get out of contract free txting plan increase, and still got the phone for 25 bones. Flipped it on ebay for 300, bought the 8525 for 350, shipped.

@dgcaste: We have unlimited data and share 200 text messages a month. I think the text message part was, like, $5.

If you can swing it financially, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you and your wife get iPhones. We both love ours and don't regret them at all!

Part of their increase in numbers is finally adding service to Alaska. They have been advertising heavily here for about a year now and just recently (November?) began providing service. I know we aren't a populated state, but adding an entire state must boost their numbers. (I admit I am one of their new customers.)

When did you grow a beard Meg?

Expect AT&T to win some additional high speed internet customers unless Time Warner pulls its head out of its butt and cancels its plans to extort its customers.

And here I was , thinking I was the only one who dumped Sprint for AT&T.
What a change,too. I went to the AT&T store and paid my bill.
Me: "So this payment is for my current bill, right?"
ATT dude:"Yes"
Me: "So,how long will it take to post to my account?"
ATT dude: "Right away."
Me:"So I don't have to call anyone to confirm that its paid,right?"
ATT dude: " Nope, its paid right now."
Me:......(speechless)...

Its not paranoia. Im just a former Sprint customer :-).

I am a new AT&T customer.

@aaron8301: You do know that that 2.7 million number is net right? They have over 70.1 million wireless customers now which is nearly 25 million more than they had 3 years ago when Cingular and AT&T wireless merged. which is huge considering everyone expected Verizon to be #1 by now.

I left T-Mobile for AT&T a few months ago. Found the Blackberry Curve on Amazon for $0.01 and I have no complaints with AT&T. I'm not too surprised about them having so many customers. Here in D.C. if you want GREAT call quality I would go with Verizon, but if you want decent call quality with the BEST phones available, AT&T would be the choice. I love technology and that was my main reason for choosing AT&T. I just wish we had all the cool phones ASIA has.

That 2.7 net number is right. But of all those customers most are from pre pay which is not profitable and also has high churn. A good bulk of those pre pay customers are customers that don't even realize they have AT&T Service like go phone, Virgin Mobile, etc. Look at post-pay numbers and AT&T is hurting