Looks like the enormous feet of AT&T are these days, as people are starting to wonder exactly why we're sending them money every month. Here, at least, the anecdotal evidence really adds up to a great steaming pile of failure to deliver.

But makes it clear they only beat iPhone users because they love them:

AT&T iPhone subscribers, both new customers and upgrades, take two-year contracts with data packages. As a result, robust iPhone demand drives strong recurring revenues and substantial long-term value.

We help AT&T maintain that sweet 40 percent wireless margin and we get . And tethering? It's a nice business if you can get it.

Apple, of course, isn't blameless. It made the deal exclusive--what did they expect the nice gigantic conglomerate with the Death Star logo to do? Plow all those delicious profits back into the network? Are you new in town? (Actually, yes, they were.)