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Crostel forum / Verizon / VERIZON Phones - Read if you have one! |
| Author | Message |
| Drummerdude82 Member |
# Posted: 19 Dec 2007 15:26:14 http://www.phonescoop.com/news/item.php?n=2552 Go there and check it out. What that means, is Verizon is opening up their network to allow other non-verizon cdma devices to operate on it. This, in turn, means they will no longer be blocking over the air content from sites such as this. If you've used this site before, I'm sure you've experienced delayed delivery of tones, if you got them at all. I've tested this in the last couple of days, and now ringtones are showing up with no problem. Christmas present for Verzion customers? Maybe? |
| doug Admin |
# Posted: 19 Dec 2007 21:48:06 Drummerdude, Glad to see you picked up on this story. I commented about this very topic just yesterday :) I am actually pretty skeptical- this could be the Grinch, trying to put on a nice face before the holiday. (I hope they prove me wrong). My comments are at the bottom of this article by Oreilly: http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2007/12/verizon_vs_open_handset_alliance_nyt.html |
| doug Admin |
# Posted: 19 Dec 2007 21:58:41 [Here is a commentary from Oreilly about the Verizon announcement and my comment below.] 'Verizon announced last month that it will open its network to “any application and any device†by the end of next year. But while Verizon’s pledge sounds promising, the language in which it is couched makes me wonder whether Verizon understands what a true open platform looks like. The announcement states that ... “devices will be tested and approved in a $20 million state-of-the-art testing lab.†...Tim Berners-Lee did not have to submit his idea for the World Wide Web in 1991 to a “state-of-the-art testing lab.†All that he needed to unleash a revolution was a single other user willing to install his new Web server software. And the Web spread organically from there.' I agree. The idea that a mobile carrier should lab test every webpage that gets through to a phone is absurd. Just like it would have been absurd for the Internet providers in the early days to try that. Of course, building a big testing center is just a pretext to further restricting mobile content trade. The social networking site crostel.com is dedicated to helping people share mobile content for free and, of course, we often find our service blocked by one or another carrier. I have heard every excuse in the call center from carriers like Verizon to justify why they are blocking content from their network. The excuse is usually that they are "protecting thier subscribers" from mobile viruses or an untested web page that could hypothetically break the phone. More times than not, the block is caused by a bug or delay in their system that they do not ever seem to fix. The real solution I see is to begin educating consumers about phone capabilities and carrier practices so they can make informed decisions when it comes to buying a phone and signing up with a new carrier. Too many people now get locked into contracts with a phone that looks cool but has bluetooth disabled or the 'save as ringtone' button only works with carrier provided ringtones. There are quite a few phone models that are not locked down and there are good carriers out there. I think we just need to find a way to highlight the good and the bad and then let the market sort them out. |
| Drummerdude82 Member |
# Posted: 20 Dec 2007 10:59:36 I think it's interesting that cell phone companies are going through a major conversion as I'm typing this. If you look back over the course of time that cell phones have been out, what you actually pay "per minute" to use the phone on a phone call - that cost has gone down. Now, providers have to push content (ringtones, games, etc) to make up revenue. We will see the day where 40 bucks gets you unlimited talk time - anytime. No more nights and weekends are free, free after 7 or 9 pm (depending on carrier) - all of that will dissappear. Another point that no one has touched on - with phones becoming more and more capable of browsing the internet, and basically being a really small laptop with the convience of a microphone and a speaker that fits in your pocket, one has to wonder when the cell phone carriers will implement VOIP technology - as it stands now, if you have a computer and a phone line, you can make a phone call for free using the internet. If the phones are capable of accessing the internet the same way a computer is, you have to wonder how carriers will charge for air time usage, considering you could tell the phone to place the call over the net. Granted they'll be able to charge you wireless web access fee's, but I'm sure a way around that will come to light eventually. Most interesting point of all - is no one actually needs a cell phone. Hell 10 years ago I'm sure you remembered everyone's number - where as now it's Hey what's John's number - and you think it's #2, send (speed dial). I used to work as a tech for Verizon - you have no idea how many people with PDA's would come in after dropping it in the pool or something all upset because all of the numbers in the phone are critical and can't be lost. Being the smart alec I am, I often asked well what did you do before you had the phone? Oh wait, you used your head, and figured it was important information, and you WROTE IT DOWN! Then, of course, I did everything in my power to try to help the person, but I tried to make the point that you shouldn't rely solely on technology - or if you do, make sure you have enough common sense to have a back up plan when the technology fails. You would think someone important enough to have over 100 numbers in their phone would contain this level of common sense, but sadly that was rarely the case. End rant. |
