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MMS has officially been rolled out to a handful of AT&T customers' iPhones. Other customers can access the feature via a modified bundle of carrier software, but the MMS won't work (as seen above). They'll have to wait until the official availability on September 25.  (Source: Apple Insider)
Some customers have already had the feature enabled

The iPhone OS 3.1 added some nice new features, including support for MMS (multimedia messaging service) texts.    However, the feature came with one crucial condition -- the carrier had to enable its support.  Afraid that MMS would cripple its less-endowed 3G network, which has already struggled with iPhone 3G service problems, AT&T opted to disallow the feature until it had completed some upgrades.

Now, users are reporting that AT&T is selectively removing the opt-out codes from a handful of users' iPhones, in a slow rollout of the feature.  AT&T is not rolling the feature out to all of its customers yet -- it will do that on September 25.  The trial deployment appears to be to test the network's ability to handle the upcoming full deployment and to stagger the deployment of the service.

The new service comes via an update to the carrier software.

A modified copy of that update has been released, which allows users who have not received the new permissions access to MMS.  However, the MMS messages will not send, and instead will queue up, waiting for the carrier to remove the block.  Reportedly, there is no clear correlation between the iPhone OS version, carrier bundle version, service plan, or geographic location to what customers have received the update.

AT&T has released a statement to its iPhone customers, describing the process.  It states, "It was important to give our customers a positive experience from day one. We support more iPhone customers than any other carrier in the world so we took the time necessary to make sure our network is ready to handle what we expect will be a record volume of MMS traffic. We truly appreciate our customers’ patience and hope they'll understand our desire to get it right from the start."

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By therealnickdanger on 9/14/2009 11:30:10 AM , Rating: 1
Now I'm hearing that NVIDIA's Tegra-powered devices will be coming to AT&T and T-Mobile by year's end. WTF??? Why cripple outstanding products on such sh*tty service? Verizon and Sprint should have first crack at these devices.

</frustrated>




By quiksilv3r on 9/14/2009 12:18:19 PM , Rating: 5
You talk about not crippling devices and you include VERIZON? Let me put my dumbfounded cap on.


By omnicronx on 9/14/2009 1:15:40 PM , Rating: 1
Ya really.. Aside from BB, I don't think there is a smartphone in their lineup that isnt crippled. I still can't believe how badly they crippled the HTC diamond, it was released after sprint and is less powerful for absolutely no reason.


By TomZ on 9/14/2009 2:18:04 PM , Rating: 2
I wouldn't say "no reason"...profit maximization is clearly the reason.


By FITCamaro on 9/14/2009 4:09:58 PM , Rating: 3
I do agree that Verizon should focus on maintaining full functionality of a phone before saddling a phone with its Verizon image. I like the way Verizon phones work and how the menus are largely the same, but not at the expense of functionality.

That said, the OPs point was valid. AT&T advertises to have the best 3G network out there but then they can't even allow iPhone users to use MMS messaging? How again is their network the best then? This is why I'll never switch back to AT&T. Apparently I'm off contract with Verizon so I'm looking to switch back onto my parents plan for cost reasons. Instead of sending Verizon a check every month, I'll send it to my parents. That way I get a phone with all the features without the $80 cost.


By ElderTech on 9/15/2009 12:44:16 AM , Rating: 3
Hopefully, you'll be paying your fair share of your parent's plan, since if it's like most families out there, you'll be using far more service/minutes than they do. And also in doing so, maybe you'll be using some of your cost savings after the fair share amount to subsidize their usage, to repay them for the privelege of such access.

PS: Nothing wrong with saving money like this, if it's "fair to all concerned", as the Rotary Four Way Test includes. But that said, I always bless the day that my children start(ed) paying their own way in life. It's much better for both of us!


By FITCamaro on 9/15/2009 12:35:57 PM , Rating: 2
Oh I'll be paying a good part of the bill. My parents bill is already over $200 with 3 phones (my brother is still on their plan and doesn't pay anything) and a wireless internet card. As far as minutes, I use like 45 minutes a month because nearly everyone I know has Verizon so that's unlimited calling. So minutes-wise, its insignificant.

But yeah I am extremely independent. This is more of a "why pay $90 a month for a phone if you can pay $50". I currently pay $50 a month so I'll just send that money to them every month instead now which should more than cover the difference. It's only $10 to add a line and I'm sure a few extra fees to add text messaging and internet to it.


By adiposity on 9/17/2009 6:53:29 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
That said, the OPs point was valid. AT&T advertises to have the best 3G network out there but then they can't even allow iPhone users to use MMS messaging? How again is their network the best then?


But the one phone they cripple on their network, isn't available on other networks. Therefore there is no comparison. As far as iPhone users are concerned, iPhone just doesn't support MMS until AT&T says it does.

In reality, AT&T is enforcing it using their network, but in practice it is an iPhone limitation only, not an AT&T network limitation.

-Dan


3.1
By Alphafox78 on 9/15/2009 9:35:12 AM , Rating: 2
3.1 has nothing to do with MMS. mms has been on the phone since 3.0, it just that ATT hadnt turned it on yet. it can be activated in 3.0 using a custom IPCC file. MMS has been working with other carriers on 3.0 just fine.




RE: 3.1
By Chaser on 9/15/2009 5:36:37 PM , Rating: 2
Actually neither have anything to do with MMS functioning. The "custom" IPCC file going around -5.1- does enable the iPhone UI side of MMS functionality but as the poster stated the messages don't go through yet for most iPhone owners until AT&T removes the block. You can have anything on your phone but it won't work until AT&T allows it. Except jail broken phones using a third party app. Some people were able to bypass the block by registering a different model of phone to their accounts.


RE: 3.1
By Chaser on 9/15/2009 5:38:53 PM , Rating: 2
And those using another provider like T-Mobile I might add.


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