According to Gearlog, PriceGrabber, which operates a price-comparison site for online shopping, conducted a poll of 2,411 respondents between June 12 and July 10, asking them about why those consumers have chosen to wait to buy the iPhone 3GS. About a third of those who responded said they won't buy an iPhone 3GS because of AT&T. AT&T has been criticized for dropped calls and spotty coverage. We've previously reported that AT&T has also been lagging in iPhone feature deployment. They have also been criticized for its iPhone upgrade policy, which they later revised.

Despite all of this, AT&T sold out of iPhone 3GS launch day pre-orders, and on launch day, it was AT&T's best ever sales. The iPhone has also contributed to another record quarter for Apple, and in a conference call, Apple said that the supply of the iPhone 3GS is constrained.

Below is the survey conducted by PriceGrabber and the responses:

When, if at all, are you planning to purchase the new Apple iPhone 3GS available in US stores on June 19, 2009?

80.84% I am not planning to purchase the Apple iPhone 3GS
13.73% I plan to purchase the iPhone 3GS sometime in the next 12 months
1.66% As soon as it is available

Why are you WAITING to purchase the Apple iPhone 3GS? (Select all that apply)

60.60% I am waiting for the price to come down
44.64% I want to be sure there are no iPhone 3GS hardware problems
29.93% I want to be sure there are no 3.0 software problems
21.95% I do not want to deal with the crowds at the stores

Why are you NOT purchasing the iPhone 3GS? (Select all that apply)

53.45% I am satisfied with the phone I currently own
34.32% I do not want to switch to the AT&T service provider
31.47% It is still too expensive
19.49% I am not interested in the features or applications
12.80% If other reason, please specify here:

Source: http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/07/22/survey-says-34-wont-buy-the-iphone-3gs-because-of-att

Unlock it and use T-Mobile?

Sucks to be in America since pretty much all carriers are CDMA or some other network, bar AT&T and T-mo

It's about an equal spilt:

1. Verizon - CDMA
2. AT&T - GSM
3. Sprint Nextel - CDMA
4. T-Mobile - GSM

The rest of the smaller carriers (with the exception of SouthernLINC & maybe a few others) lease or piggyback on either Verizon or Sprint Nextel's network. So if you're Boost, Qwest, or Virgin Mobile, you're still either Verizon or Sprint.

I've had both AT&T & Verizon and they're both about equal coverage-wise, depending on your area, but many times their rates and customer treatment is deploarble.

I've got several friends with T-Mobile and they seem to have many good things to say about their service. I can't speak for Sprint Nextel.

Meh, ATT is fine. I don't see why they get a bunch of crap. Its always worked fine for me. Sure I don't go tethering or use a data plan but I get 3G signal everwhere I go on my Blackjack. Personally I'm waiting for their Android phones (HTC Lancaster, among others) rather than selling my soul to them for another $40 a month for data.

I'm currently on AT&T and so far so good. I've had a couple of data issues sometimes [as I have Unlimited] but I'm sure all phone providers deal with this. In terms of innovation, AT&T is definitely coming back into the market with better phones. For a while there, the only Messaging phones on the market were Business-oriented or those with Windows Mobile. Finally, they have more than just the iPhone with QWERTY keyboards.

Most of my co-workers have Sprint. They like the LG Rumor a lot and text all the time. They say that Sprint's customer service is also very nice.

My friends have Verizon and I guess they like them alright.

Personally, I find that Sprint is a better service, but my family plan is on AT&T. I believe I could get a better price for the options I want with Sprint, as we pay WAY too much with AT&T in my opinion.

I have AT&T and I'm liking it. I have a few friends with Verizon and their bill is more than mine with the same types of features. I would buy an iPhone right now if they weren't enforcing a data plan. What's the point of having wifi if you have a forced unlimited data plan? If they kill the data-plan thing, they surely get more sales.

That's why I don't have the iPhone right now. It doesn't match my family plan. Also, I have an iPod touch with Wi-Fi...so really there is no point. lol.

When they say 3G service is "everywhere" and such, it isn't there's a giant gaping hole right over the American Midwest. That's why I can't use an iphone.

Here they generally say "our network covers xx% of the Australian population. The middle of Australia pretty much has no communications whatsoever

I have a 3G phone and I've gotten the 3G to show up once in Manhattan. Otherwise, it says there is no 3G available. The 3G thing is a lie. There is no 3G everywhere!

Buy "xx% of the population", they mean xx% of all the people in Australia will be able to use 3G.

The nation's "Best Coverage" can only happen in urban cities. Because I live near Detroit, 3G and HSDPA is pretty much guaranteed [even in basements I can get it]. However, as I travel up north near Houghton Lake [which is a pretty popular area], I'm lucky if I can get 2G or Edge connections. And as I continue into more rural areas, I find it hard to just get a signal period.

The fine print at the bottom of the screen reads: "Best coverage worldwide: The most phones that work in the most countries."

Key word being MOST. lol

http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/ has a viewer for the United States of areas with GSM coverage and if you zoom in, you can get an in-depth view of areas with the best signal and areas with 3G support. In other words, large cities. Most of Mountain and Central America doesn't have 3G or Best coverage.

I guess its bad in Canada as well, Rogers overcharges everything for the Iphone because its the only carrier that can support it, people here go to the states for plans as its cheaper down there to run stuff for their Iphones.

Mountainous areas will always have suckish coverage

No 3G here... I've an iPod touch but no iPhone due to that. I rely on my "trusty" Sony Ericsson W910i, does the job.

It would be great if Apple made a deal with Verison. If I get the money, I'm probably going to get an unlocked iPhone with Skype.