IMHO too bad they didn't go this route - the iPhone would be a much more attractive device to me (and I bet a lot of other people as well) if I wouldn't have to be tied to AT&T.
This would have been nearly worthless in the United States, as Tmobile is the only other GSM carrier.
Apple could have made a dual-mode phone that runs on both CDMA and GSM like the Blackberry WorldPhone, but that would have been impractical, expensive, and only applicable to the US and Canadian market.
Also, as much as I have derided Apple for this GSM-only and AT&T-exclusive nonsense, there was a big hole in my criticism. If Apple had launched both unlocked GSM and CDMA models, they would have NEVER been able to get the great unlimited-data rate plans that they get with AT&T. As great as an unlocked GSM phone or Verizon 3G/EVDO iPhone would have been, paying $40-50+ for unlimited data in adddition to a standard plan would not have been fun, and Apple NEEDED cheap unlimited data to really be able to take the iPhone to a different level.
Perhaps when Verizon and AT&T are both running LTE on 700mhz would this sort of MVNO option be feasbile.
The new 900mhz (er, is that the right frequency? Whatever all the recent C and D Block auction business was about) with it's regulated openness might give some breathing room for new players, but we'll see.
Unlike some other more progressive countries, the FCC did NOT have any restrictions on the
700mhz auction relating to limiting the major incumbents domination of the new spectrum. They should have at least set aside some regional and/or national spectrum in one of the blocks that could only be bid-on by new players AKA companies with less than x% of marketshare. This would have spurred on new compeition and investments into the wireless arena.
Instead, AT&T and Verizon pretty much picked up all the goods, so we'll be stuck with that oligopoly for the forseeable future.
Interesting but irrelevant. Apple and the iPhone are locked to AT&T until 2012 here in the U.S. Keep on hacking!
AT&T eager to wield its iWeapon
AT&T has exclusive U.S. distribution rights for five years — an eternity in the go-go cellphone world. And Apple is barred for that time from developing a version of the iPhone for CDMA wireless networks. Bottom line: If you want an iPhone anytime soon, you'll have to take your business to AT&T.
AFAIK, that is all speculation and NO one actually knows the terms outside of Apple and AT&T. I have yet to read the article, who does USA today cite as a source?
The only way the iPhone was going to be successful was as a GSM product. GSM for better or worse is the open world standard and has long been my choice for cellular technology that keeps your options open. Verizon's technology ultimately brings nothing to the table except lock-in.
Well as of today, Verizon certainly has a much more extensive and robust 3G (EV-DO) network than AT&T has. As i went into above, I agree with you that it would have been impractical for Apple to launch GSM and CDMA variant iPhones. If they had done so, which would remove the exclusivity, iPhone customers would have never been able to get a decent rate on unlimited data plans.
Isn't Verizon's CDMA technology rather small in regards to the rest of the world? Don't they have plans to transition to GSM anyway?
Yes, CDMA is a minor player compared to GSM, although there are MANY more modern CDMA networks that people realize.. It is NOT just limited to the USA and Canada. Everyone from Brazil to Iceland to Japan has EVDO/3G CDMA networks, But most european and asian countries have more GSM networks, and in many places, GSM is the ONLY standard. The benefits of CDMA in the USA at least, is that Verizon has a much wider rollout of their 3G service compared to AT&T's 3G service.
And yes, Verizon is joing AT&T in moving to HSOPA/LTE for their next-gen 700mhz networks..
see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDMA2000
That's what I hear. Especially if WiMax falls through. Currently the fastest networks in the states are Sprints EVDO and Verizon's but when 3G gets here they will be matched. I am hoping that either WiMax takes off and beats the snot out of 3G keeping Sprint and Verizon on top of the speed bracket, or all cell companies go to 3G and Apple gets smart and puts the phone out on other slightly more robust networks.
I have no hope for Sprint's Wimax even compared to regular HSDPA/HSUPA rollouts. When LTE/HSOPA get's launched, it will probably be much faster, if more expensive than Wimax. And Verizon is also transistioning to a LTE/HSOPA 4G network and NOT wimax.
This at least gives us hope that we'll be able to roam and/or switch future iPhones among AT&T and Verizon.
I love Sprints quote for the Instinct: "Slow ends this June..." it's funny because it's true.
Indeed it IS true.. the iPhone 3G will be out in June!
I have Verizon and every phone I've used has the same menu.
Plus, I used to have the RZR and my friend has the RZR too but on AT&T and the AT&T RZR menu was completely different. We got them about a month apart too...
Verizon has always been known to put their customized POS BREW interface on all their phones. This is so they can embed their proprietary rip-off game/ringtone/mp3 services and block you from fully utilizing your bluetooth functionality for things such as moving pics to your computer.. again so you have to use some paid BS service... AHH I HATE verizon!
but alas, AT&T doesn't have coverage along a major highway that I drive routinely between two cities.... besides of course the fact that I'm on a Verizon Corporate account. * tears *
edit: By the way, I created this for a different thread , but I thought why not include it here if some people who would want the info missed it. Feel free to copy/edit/send/etc :
