CTIA: Verizon COO Says Walled Garden About The User Experience, Not The Money

from the pshaw-right dept

Wed, Sep 13th 2006 3:09pm — Carlo Longino

This morning's keynote at the CTIA wireless trade show featured a discussion moderated by The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg, who's never minced words when it comes to expressing his displeasure with the way US mobile operators lock down handsets to outside content and services, referring to them as "Soviet ministries" for the way they stand as gatekeepers determining what services can reach their customers. He asked Verizon Wireless' COO, who was on the panel, why its ecosystem remained locked down, and why only those companies that set up some sort of commercial arrangement can reach the companies' users -- a contrast to the openness of the internet. The exec responded "it's called capitalism", inferring that the company was embracing the free market, whereas Mossberg is some sort of communist that wants everything to be free (that line of reasoning sounds sort of familiar). He then went on to explain that, despite the capitalism comment, Verizon keeps everything locked down because that if people downloaded a third-party application, or accessed an outside service, and it didn't work or they were unhappy, they'd call Verizon, not the third-party provider, and complain. So now they're concerned about the user experience? This doesn't make sense at all. Mobile operators are pretty notorious for failing to satisfy their customers, and furthermore, if Verizon was really interested in providing a better user experience, they'd tear down their walled garden and choose partners based on how well they serve users, rather than how much they can pay.

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23 Comments

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Anonymous of Course, 13 Sep 2006 @ 3:19pm

Re-inventing stupidity
The walled garden worked well for AOL
Oh, wait... AOL used to be one of the
Three largest Internet providers and now
they're in a tail spin.

Maybe Verizon can profit from the lesson
AOL has learned but I doubt it.

This Verizon COO sounds like another
pompous jackass who proves the Peter
Principle.
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anon cow, 13 Sep 2006 @ 3:20pm

that would be like M$ staying out the browser business because they don't want support calls when gmail doesn't work.

at least make up a lie that makes a LITTLE sense
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- Monarch, 13 Sep 2006 @ 3:56pm
  
  Re:
  Anon Cow,
  No it would be more like Verizon knowing from their ISP experience, people calling Verizon DSL Support complaining that Gmail is not working.
  Beleive me, I've worked in Technical Support for an ISP, I know the stupid calls!!! Especially back in the day of Windows95. For example, as you'd get this one at least once a day:
  "You're internet is broken, I clicked connect, it made a bunch of squealing noises and now the only thing on my screen, is a timer that says connected!"
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shawn mccollum, 13 Sep 2006 @ 3:33pm

this was longer with word set on fire, but alas all i really can say is, "true, true"
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Pikey, 13 Sep 2006 @ 3:43pm

Can you buy a phone separately and then sign up with Verizon? If so, is this still an issue? Or are there network limitations as well?
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- PHoney, 13 Sep 2006 @ 5:02pm
  
  Re:
  Pikey,
  
  It's a network limitation so it doesn't matter what phone you use. With Sprint, Cingular and T-Mobile data services you can enter a URL or create a bookmark of your choice, not so with Verizon.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 13 Sep 2006 @ 6:22pm
    
    Re: PHoney
    You said:
    > It's a network limitation so it doesn't matter what phone you use.
    And then you said:
    > With Sprint, Cingular and T-Mobile data services you can enter a URL or create a bookmark of your choice, not so with Verizon.
    
    So it does matter what phone you use. So there.
    
    Open the net, providers.
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    - etrik, 13 Sep 2006 @ 6:49pm
      
      Re: Re: PHoney
      No, Mr.Coward, it matters what NETWORK you use. Get a clue.
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  - Chris Maresca, 13 Sep 2006 @ 6:26pm
    
    Re: Re:
    I had no idea. Sure am glad I'm not a Verizon customer and, with those policies, it's unlikely I would ever become one.
    
    Chris.
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Adam_v1, 13 Sep 2006 @ 6:55pm

Verizon also makes sure all its phones have crippled bleutooth so you have to send any pictures you take with your phone over their network instead of say transfering them to your desktop.

Verizon is dead set on controlling as much as they can about how their service can be used.
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- claire rand, 14 Sep 2006 @ 7:42am
  
  Re: something rotten in the firmware.
  bizzare as it may seem its possible this is the phone. I (in the UK) have two mobiles, one for me and one for other other half, both with O2, both on the same contract. my k800i has no trouble taking a picture and bluetoothing it to my pc. the other half's samsung D_something_ however cannot. i can connect via blue tooth, but while the phone 'sees' files stored within it.. the pc sees an empty directory.
  
  i uploaded a few mp3's to both. the k800i works, well like a flash drive really. the samsung however.. the mp3 file appears in the file transfer window until that window is refreshed, at which point its gone.
  
  strangly anything uploaded to it appears to be 'locked' to that phone as well.
  
  I'd say this could be something in the phones firmware to prevent stuff being sent out.
  
  naturally i can send a picture from the phone via the network, just not over bluetooth, which is annoying.
  
  i think i can get at stuff via the wires that came with it and plugging directly, just not via bluetooth, (or I.R.)
  
  given two phones on the same network and tarrif act differently... well my finger points to the phones maker.
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syntax, 13 Sep 2006 @ 7:27pm

wrong...
...I am adding this comment from my verizon cell phone. I have yet to see a blocked site. also, I can transfer anything I want over usb, bluetooth and even email - all on my verizon phone.

treo700w
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- obilesk, 13 Sep 2006 @ 7:38pm
  
  Re: wrong...
  And how much did it cost? just wondering...
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- monkeyPox, 14 Sep 2006 @ 1:25pm
  
  Re: wrong...
  Get bitPIM, it'll let you copy picture files & sound files from your Verizon phone to your computer. Works via Bluetooth too.
  
  Solutions are out there for most problems with Verizon phones. www.bitpim.org and www.howardforums.com are two of my favories for finding answers.
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Lonny Paul, 13 Sep 2006 @ 7:36pm

Then Buy an Unlocked Phone and Stop Bitching
There are a myriad of CDMA and GSM devices available that will work across any network in the US and abroad. Although Verizon would like to tell you otherwise, pretty much any non-stolen, non-duplicate ESN cellular phone will work.

In my previous life at http://ww.tigerdirect.com, I started obtaining and selling both CDMA and GSM devices. Verizon and Sprint would get mad all the time, but turn them on none the less. All with a single phone call and a 16 digit number. Not so shabby when we were offering consumers $39.99 and $49.99 refurb PDAs - this isn't something that applies only to new phones.

They work. The cellphone companies get more in funding for the promotion of any phone from the manufacturers. Why would they stop since they are already hooked on the money drug?

Lonny Paul
http://www.lonnypaul.com

CDMA: VERIZON / SPRINT
IDEN: NEXTEL
GSM: T-MOBILE / CINGULAR / AT&T / EDGE
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Krum, 13 Sep 2006 @ 8:24pm

T-Mobile
I've had no prblem installing and using 3rd party apps on my MDA. Skype works great and so does Slingbox for mobile. f something doesn't work, I don't call T-Mobile, I figure my device doesn't support it or I call for support from the 3rd Party. VZW seems to be saying their customers are stupid and have the same attitude as AOL with the limited portal idea. Mr. Treo fan should consider himself lucky. On Verizon's website it specifically states that most of their data devices have the BT Object Transfer (OBEX) crippled and I know this is true of my dad's pda he has with Verizon. As far as I know, no other American provider does this so I've no idea where VZW is going with this.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Sep 2006 @ 6:27am

I have a Verizon VX6700 and a data plan. I can go to pretty much any website I want to visit, I can use Bluetooth, there really isn't much I can't do with it.

I bought a program for instant messaging, as I didn't want to pay Verizon a nickel for every message I sent, which uses my data plan.

There are a lot more things the phone will do, but I have to go in and change some of the Verizon settings. To get the data network to connect while on the phone, you have to make changes.
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Steve, 14 Sep 2006 @ 6:39am

Only being able to transfer pictures over there network and not my own is not about money? Disabling the phone to computer link is not about money? Disabling Bluetooth is not about money?

This guy really takes the cake. Who is the guy trying to kid, it is about money. Innovation is being grind to a halt due to crap like this.
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Xenohacker@hotmail.com, 14 Sep 2006 @ 8:30am

Honest Buisness
I am in favor of honest buisness... a company provides good service for money... if their service sucks they do what is possible to fix it... honest buisness... Verizon is a corporate entity... they will never be honest... they can't be because they don't provide good services :-)
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roamer1, 14 Sep 2006 @ 9:23am

VZW arrogant as usual
PHoney: when exactly did VZW take away the ability to enter URLs in WAP browsers? That must be very recent -- I had a V710 (dumped it and VZW over the BT crippling) and certainly could enter URLs.

Lonny: Sprint will not allow phones not sold for use on their network (and Sprint doesn't consider MVNOs that use their network, such as Virgin Mobile, to be their network!) on their network, and never has. Same goes for a few other carriers, namely US Cellular and some of the "unlimited" carriers (Cricket/Metro/etc.) VZW and Alltel technically don't anymore either because of E911 requirements, but they don't enforce the rule with an iron fist like Sprint does.

GSM carriers are not the angels some make them out to be; some T-Mobile phones have WAP settings locked down and won't run Java applets that didn't come from / aren't signed by T-Mobile.
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Trip, 14 Sep 2006 @ 11:40am

It is Capitalism
One has to appreciate that building networks cost money to build and maintain. Lots of it. Everyone wants fast speeds and a huge service area. These companies are building the very networks that enable the destruction of their traditional businesses.

I don't find it surprising they are looking for ways to make up those profits by looking for a piece of the action for the services that run on their network. It is the most efficient path to innovation? No. Is it the best deal for the customer? No. But it does finance the continued build-out of converged networks for which there seems to be a lot of end user demand.
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Deathwish, 2 Dec 2006 @ 7:30am

Sooo
Okay so Im signing up with Verizon because my family has a plan so I'd rather get on that than have to pay for my plan monthly... I'm wondering if I purchase the O2 Atom XDA Exec (GSM Triband Phone) - will it work on the Verizon network without any extra charges? I know they wont activate me with that phone but if I use it after I get my service and put my sim in, will it work? Thanks!
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Phatman, 26 Mar 2007 @ 11:34pm

Verizon blocks specific content only
I work at a large commercial digital audio site (www.AudioSparx.com). There's a mobile version of the site also at AudioSparx.net. Verizon permits clients to fully surf the site and do everything *except* actually download an MP3 or other audio file. When Verizon clients get to the specific point on the mobile site where the ringtone is to download to their phone, they consistently get a 406 error at that point and only at that point. Verizon blocks the audio file download. No other carriers in the U.S. do that. Come on Verizon....wake the hell up and focus on providing mobile billing services to the content providers of the world. You'll make a lot more money and your clients will be a lot happier. As it is now, your clients spend quite a bit of time searching and finding just the right ringtones they want external from the Verizon site, then work through it all to get to the point to where they can download the ringtone, then YOU BLOCK THEM AT THE LAST STEP!! Of course they are going to call you then, but not because our service does not work but because you are blocking it, effectively making it not work for them!! America....time to boycott Verizon Wireless until they open up!!
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