Verizon to Open Wireless Network to Any App or Device

[TurboSC]

AT&T and the cable companies sitting on their asses doing the absolute minimum amount of work possible and spanking users for using their networks more than casually.

China has better networks than we do. CHINA.

lol that's right. us Asians need to be connected to the internet no matter where we are.

America is just, *sigh* there are no words. At least the iPhone was a big slap in the face to all the competitors out there.

 

[asphalt-proof]

Say what you want about Google's privacy issues and Apple's closed platform mentality, but I am REALLY excited to see they are making other get uncomfortable and do things that are PRO consumer rather than pro-profit.

Its not a PRO consumer vs. PRO-profit construct. Its more, how to get more profit in a way that just happens to be more consumer friendly. Companies have actually gotten sued by shareholders for implementing pro-consumer policies that did not add to the bottom line or adversely affected the bottom-line.

 

[shamino]

GSM is used in 212 countries (which means around 75-80% of the mobile market in terms of population)
in fact 48 countries used GSM already in 1993

And how does this matter to me, the consumer, who can't afford to go globe-trotting? I spend 99% of my time in the US. Technology that is adopted elsewhere doesn't matter at all to me.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/21/verizon-dumps-cdma-for-gsm-based-lte-in-4g-networks/

Given how often business decisions are made and changed, any statement of an action that will take place in 3-4 years falls into the category of "I'll believe it when I see it".

Backward compatibility is achieved by running both networks at the same time in the same spectrum for a period of 12-18 months and offering all customers new handsets. (This is how Telstra did it)

Since handsets are purchased, not rented, I assume this really means "forcing all customers to buy new handsets, whether they want to or not."

 

[unigolyn]

And how does this matter to me, the consumer, who can't afford to go globe-trotting? I spend 99% of my time in the US. Technology that is adopted elsewhere doesn't matter at all to me.

If you're using a cell phone standard that 85% of the rest of the world doesn't, you're eating the cost difference of producing said cell phone. Economies of scale matter. You may think you're only paying so-and-so for your handset, but trust me, CDMA handsets cost more and Verizon is taking that difference from your pocket.

Given how often business decisions are made and changed, any statement of an action that will take place in 3-4 years falls into the category of "I'll believe it when I see it".

This isn't the sort of business decision one can make, back out of, and hope to survive as a company. It's as if Microsoft had said in 2006 - "screw it, we can't make Vista work so it's XP for the next ten years". As big as a turd Vista is, this would have buried Microsoft.

Since handsets are purchased, not rented, I assume this really means "forcing all customers to buy new handsets, whether they want to or not."

It's absolutely necessary for there to be a multi-year period where both networks coexist. Suggesting any kind of overnight switch-over from one standard to another is a strawman at best.

And it doesn't matter whether CDMA is technically superior to GSM (it is). The reason GSM works is because of the SIM and number portability. You don't like your carrier's service or prices? Screw 'em, put a new SIM in your phone and you're no longer indentured to them. This is what it means to PURCHASE a handset. A CDMA phone is pretty much a paperweight if you ever get sick of your carrier. The fact that you pay them for the privilege of "owning" this item is ridiculous.

A phone should not be provided by your carrier. You don't get your TV from your cable company, you don't buy your car from your gas station, you don't buy your furnace from the gas company. And for good reason.

 

[cpatch]

Good grief, people...when discussing change "affect" is a verb (the cold weather affected the crops), "effect" is a noun (the cold weather had an effect on the crops) or a more obscure verb (the cold weather effected a change in the crops). We're intelligent enough to use Macs, let's sound intelligent while discussing them.

Subscribe to the "Grammar Girl" podcast.

 

[FunkyJunk]

ninja edit

 

[shamino]

If you're using a cell phone standard that 85% of the rest of the world doesn't, you're eating the cost difference of producing said cell phone. Economies of scale matter. You may think you're only paying so-and-so for your handset, but trust me, CDMA handsets cost more and Verizon is taking that difference from your pocket.

Considering that my monthly bill is the same as what all the GSM owners in the US pay for a similar contract, and my service is better, it must be coming from somebody else's pocket.

Or maybe the subject isn't as simple as you say it is.

This isn't the sort of business decision one can make, back out of, and hope to survive as a company. It's as if Microsoft had said in 2006 - "screw it, we can't make Vista work so it's XP for the next ten years". As big as a turd Vista is, this would have buried Microsoft.

What business decision? There were some rumors and "forward looking" statements made to the press. Companies say things all the time, and much of it never happens.

It's funny you use Microsoft as an example, considering that they have announced tons of Windows features that have all been dropped and abandoned (except in their press releases, of course.) It doesn't seem to have ruined them.

It's absolutely necessary for there to be a multi-year period where both networks coexist. Suggesting any kind of overnight switch-over from one standard to another is a strawman at best.

Please point out where I was objecting to an transitionary period?

I was pointing out that the original poster is invoking wishful thinking when he claims that the carriers will give you free upgrades to your phone as a part of this transition. It won't happen. They'll announce a cut-off date, and anybody that doesn't pay up for a new phone by then will be cut off.

If you're using one of the cheap-junk phones that tend to break before your contract runs out, then you won't care - you'll have to replace it no matter what they do to the network. But if you've spent a lot of money on something good, you're going to be screwed over.

(BTW, who were you replying to with the rest of your message? It is responding to things I never said. If you were replying to someone else, you really should quote their text or put it in a separate comment.)

 

[840quadra]

For once.

Telco company news that I actually like. I am curious to see what technology the second generation iPhone will utilize, and what Verizon does in the future.

My hatred for most Telco companies is starting to feel a touch more useless now .

 

[websyndicate]

What about an iPod Touch with EVDO?

VERY interesting....

So a internet package for your ipod touch $60 verizon sell internet for. Why not just get the iPhone wouldnt that be smarter

 

[beez1717]

um....

So a internet package for your ipod touch $60 verizon sell internet for. Why not just get the iPhone wouldnt that be smarter

Let's see: as I am a college student, not having this option would mean: having to pay for a cell service by myself, when my family could just have me play the $30 to get unlimited data plan and a one time fee of about $60 for the adaptor and abotu $300 for the ipod touch..... a hella a lot cheeper if you ask me! (I would then use skype which would only cost me $29.95 per year instead of MONTH

That means i would spend $429.95 the first month (included si skype), and then only 30 after that.... That's way cheeper than if I switched to the iphone!

 

[John Musbach]

The big industry news today comes from Verizon when they announced that in 2008 that it would offer wireless service plans open to any application or device.


Verizon expects the new service to open up new services and devices and encourage innovation. The service is also aimed at smaller players who would otherwise be unable to offer similar services. Indeed, per Arstechnica, one Verizon exec claimed that even "if someone builds a device in their basement on a breadboard, Verizon will test it and activate it." Pricing is claimed to be reasonable, with no specific restrictions on usage.

This news comes in the wake of Google's Android wireless platform announcement, but is not associated with that initiative. Meanwhile, Verizon still uses a CDMA network, while the iPhone is a GSM device. As a result, it's unlikely this announcement will necessarily have any affect on Apple's iPhone.


Article Link

This is very good news indeed, I attribute this to their wanting to avoid any possible pressure caused by the release of the Android without prior policy changes. I am very thankful for the upcoming Android platform, I believe that that platform will be the key to finally causing many mobile phone carriers to unlock their networks as so many consumers have been wanting (me included).