The Future of Mobile Phones........
The Future of Mobile Phones............
Use Any Phone on Any Wireless Network.....
The reason most
cell phones are so cheap is that wireless carriers subsidize them so
you'll sign a long-term contract. Open access could change the economics
of the mobile phone (and mobile data) business dramatically as the
walls preventing certain devices from working on certain networks come
down. We could also see a rapid proliferation of cell phone models, with
smaller companies becoming better able to make headway into formerly
closed phone markets.
What is it? Two years is an eternity in the cellular
world. The original iPhone was announced, introduced, and discontinued
in less than that time, yet carriers routinely ask you to sign up for
two-year contracts if you want access to their discounted phones. (It
could be worse--in other countries, three years is normal.) Verizon
launched the first volley late last year when it promised that "any
device, any application" would soon be allowed on its famously closed network. Meanwhile, AT&T and T-Mobile like to note that their GSM networks have long been "open." When is it coming? Open access is partially here: You can use almost any unlocked GSM handset on AT&T or T-Mobile today, and Verizon Wireless began certifying third-party devices for its network in July (though to date the company has approved only two products). But the future isn't quite so rosy, as Verizon is dragging its feet a bit on the legal requirement that it keep its newly acquired 700-MHz network open to other devices, a mandate that the FCC agreed to after substantial lobbying by Google. Some experts have argued that the FCC provisions aren't wholly enforceable. However, we won't really know how "open" is defined until the new network begins rolli
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