The punch line to the very old joke is, "well then don’t do that…" However, it seems neither Apple nor AT&T are learning from past mistakes.

I saw an interesting article on ZDNet earlier regarding the fiasco and cluster-bump that seems to be iPhone 4 pre-orders and upgrades at AT&T.  It seems that the carrier’s infrastructure AGAIN can’t seem to handle the demand for the flagship Apple device. I can do nothing more than shake my head and chuckle.

Yep, that’s right, kids… I am so NOT surprised.

This has happened with (nearly..?) EVERY iPhone release.  AT&T’s infrastructure simply buckles under the weight of Apple’s customer’s demands, making not only themselves, but Apple look like an idiot…AGAIN… in the process.  Will neither company learn from past mistakes?

Whether the iTunes activation system, AT&T’s internal mainframe or other customer facing system, every time Apple provides their Smartphone partner in the US with a product to sell, AT&T seems hell bent on screwing the experience up. At this point, most everyone (Jason O’Grady as well as myself…and other’s I’m certain) is wondering why Stevie J. sticks with the "Evil Empire." The answer isn’t as complicated as you might think, nor is it as easy as some are making it out to be.

Yes, the answer is the dollar, but is also a technical one, too.

In the US, AT&T is a larger carrier than the other national GSM provider, T-Mobile.  AT&T’s network, though seemingly fragile beyond all comprehension, is larger than T-Mo’s.  Their 3G coverage, though still weak compared to Verizon’s, is larger than T-Mo’s (though comparatively, in Chicago at least, T-Mo’s 3G network is FAR superior and much more stable).

To put it plainly, Apple puts up with AT&T’s crap in the States, because they are really the only choice they have.  Apple is NOT going to make a separate iPhone model capable of running on Verizon’s or Sprint’s CDMA network, just for the States. While T-Mobile can run the iPhone on its network (as many jail breakers can attest to…), and is the heir apparent as some pundits think; they have a smaller network, and I’m not 100% certain (though I have a good idea) how their network would handle an official iPhone rollout.

So… Apple sticks with AT&T and puts up with the mess than they have made of every connected device rollout that Apple has provided, because they kinda have to. Any other cellular alternative in the States would prove (I think) either incompatible or inadequate

I mean, that is, unless Deuche Telkomme and/or Apple want to spend some serious green to build out T-Mobile USA’s network. DT definitely has the capital to do that. However, I don’t know what their long term strategy for T-Mobile USA is.  Getting Apple to let a hand (or a buck or two) may or may not be in their long term interests; but boy… wouldn’t that just turn the cellular world on its ear??

If I were Steve Jobs, I’d think at least twice about that before I dismissed the idea…It could put a serious crimp in Google’s style, give MS some serious WP7S implementation problems, and all but insure that they cemented their place in the Smartphone market (as well as kicking AT&T in the tush to get their network issues worked out…)

What do you think?  Does Apple have an AT&T alternative?  Should they help create one?  Should they partner with Deuche Telekomme to improve the T-Mobile network here in the States (or in any other country for that matter)?  I’d love to hear what everyone else has to say in the comments below.

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