Mobile Carriers Warn About Open Network 'Wild West'After last fall's chatter about truly embracing openness... ( old news - 09:04AM Thursday Sep 11 2008) tags: wireless · hardware · networkingLast fall, Verizon Wireless received oodles of press adoration for their announcement that they'd be opening up their wireless network, though those promises, focused largely on making app/device choice a luxury tier, have yet to materialize. Other carriers wanted in on the media adoration as well, patting themselves on the back for being "open". Despite all this chatter, wireless carriers still make crippled, walled garden devices their primary focus, and this week seemed freshly skeptical about openness, suggesting their fear stemmed from a concern for consumers: They maintained that a completely open environment, often described as a form of "Wild West," would not be good for customers, who depend on quality and reliability in their wireless services. "The true 'Wild West' is not a good customer experience," said Dotson. "When you look at openness, you have to do it with an eye to the customer experience." Are carriers really worried about an open network impacting the customer experience, or are they primarily worried about losing revenue from competing applications, heavy bandwidth users and mobile VoIP? CNET has more on the comments made by wireless execs at the CTIA Fall 2008 trade show in San Francisco this week. It's becoming clear that their definition of network openness may not be the same as yours.
Related:- Palm Unveils 'Pre,' Long Awaited New OS
- AT&T Femtocell Service Website Goes Live
- Comcast Engaged in Free Wi-Fi Trial
- Sprint Not Ruling Out LTE
- Tethering Apps Being Banned From Android Market
- Pay Your 3G Bill Or We Cripple Your Netbook
- New Docs Show FCC Glossed Over BPL Flaws
- Broadband Derailed By Fears Of Mutant Garlic
|
 
pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
 ·Comcast
| How Bad Is VOIP Loss I think potential losses due to VOIP are overstated.
Consider the following. Most consumer phone plans have so many minutes these days that overages are not as big a problem as they used to be. Secondly, using VOIP on a wifi-enabled cell phone requires someone to be in the same general area so that they can persist a network connection. Third, someone who is crazy enough to use VOIP over a cell phone data connection usually ends up paying more for the call by way of data usage than they would if they used minutes.
As for open networks, AT&T and T-Mobile have offered customers the ability to use any number of GSM-based phones for years, so I don't see what the fuss is.
--
"At the moment of conception." | |
|  | Kearnstd
Elf Wizard
Premium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ | Re: How Bad Is VOIP Loss VOIP on a data contract or a normal calls on a voice contract, they will still make money hand over fist.
--
[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports | |
| | |
pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| Re: How Bad Is VOIP Loss said by Kearnstd  :VOIP on a data contract or a normal calls on a voice contract, they will still make money hand over fist. I still don't see how someone who owns a cell phone that works at home actually saves any money by using VOIP... unless they make a lot of international calls... but it seems that even using cheap calling cards can give you a good deal on those.
--
"At the moment of conception." | |
| | | | 
en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
 ·DSL EXTREME
| Re: How Bad Is VOIP Loss Exactly... Internation calling is a HUGE deal.
Also, with unlimited plans (ie Skype or Vonage), people could easily drop their POTS/house line for $25 unlimited package.
I work at home, and use Skpeout a LOT (+3000 minutes/month) for $3/month.
Calling cards are relatively inexpensive, but inconvenient as well.
--
Canada = Hollywood North | |
| | | | | | jvanbrecht
join:2007-01-08
Bowie, MD
| I guess it depends on the plans that people have. My wife and I for example have 500 shared min on our family plan (the rollover crap plan), we rarely use that much, and I have 1000's of rollover min so its not a big deal, we do however use alot of data (why bother with sms anymore when we just use email).
ATT does however make a crapton of money based on the unlimited data plans we both have, but I could in theory drop down to the absolute minimal voice contract with unlimited data, and use voip applications (that permit calls to landline and cell phones) and completely bypass use the carriers network.
One can take that a step further and use voip applications that support end to end encryption between users using the same application (I work in a gov sector and I am a security specialist.... )...
Lets tke it even further, at this point I am wearing my tinfoil hat, all carrier data seems to be sold and or provided freely to various 3 letter agencies to snoop on you. With voip applications (via carrier data using 3g or better networks, or wifi) that support encryption, hell even if they don't do encryption, it makes it more difficult (only slightly more difficult really) for random 3 letter agencies to get that information.
Then there is international calling, but no explanation is needed for that. | |
| chemaupr
join:2005-06-06
Alexandria, VA
| open and line phone "customer experience" I can not disagree more. Ever since the landlines (and long distance) were "opened" to comeptition either by leasing,voip or cable my experience has just improved.
I'm paying 17.95 (all included) for a phone service that 20 yrs ago will have been close or above $100. | |
| 
quetwo
That VoIP Guy
Premium
join:2004-09-04
East Lansing, MI | Heh... Like they really care about reliability and usability of the service? If anything, the cell phone industry has lowered the expectation of the entire industry. When VoIP is considered reliable in comparison, you know you got problems! | |
| | nasadude
join:2001-10-05
Rockville, MD | Re: Heh... this is like the campaign for president - it's not about reality, it's about spin.
if you can fool the people into thinking you have their best interests in mind, when you have no intention of doing what you say, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! | |
| | |
en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME
| Re: Heh... Spin and distracting people from any _real_ issues are what politicians do during election season.
I have yet to hear/see any real debates on:
1. State of the economy.. and no, I don't mean 'drill here, drill now'. I mean U.S. trade deficit with places like China
2. Infrastructure (roads/schools/southern border/Internet even)
3. Getting past the Iraq/911 era and moving forward.
Spin (lipstick on a pig) was what got the attention away from the current deficit. 911 is today, Hurricane Ike is this weekend. --
Canada = Hollywood North | |
| 
Toymaster
Premium
join:2001-12-27
Flint, MI
clubs:
·AT&T Midwest
| Webster definition? I think there definition of open is equal to the door is "ajar". :P One can only hope that these ppl know the definition of the words they are using and not be subject to interpretation. When will the United States companies have customers concerns first, it is all about the bottom line.
--
Join SETI Now! | |
| Stumbles
join:2002-12-17
Port Saint Lucie, FL | Lame at best. Their categorization of openness akin to "The Wild West" is market speak for, We can't stand one bit of competition". | |
| tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Floral Park, NY | free wifi voip get rid of your cell phones... wifi voip is the way to go..
especially if you live in wide open linksys land! | |
| | 
Dr Demento
I Vant Blud
join:2002-01-02
Denville, NJ
| Re: free wifi voip Its statemates like this among, billing overruns, bumping up peoples' plans without consent, then pleading ignorance by stating each division is working totally separate from the other, even though the execs and marketers seem to be looking out for the content or software developing division by never accepting what comes as is with the hardware:
Is what makes me wish XOHM, Clearwire and even other ISPs once they start going into distance wireless broadband crushes these poor excuse of customer extorting companies. | |
| | | |
|
|
·