Turns Out Verizon Wireless' Open Pledge Has Meant Almost Nothing
from the open-in-name-only dept
Over the past few years, mobile operators began to get annoyed at being called "soviet ministries" for their preference towards being extremely closed off with high garden walls. So, they suddenly started to claim they were throwing their doors wide open. Verizon Wireless kicked it off in 2007, by declaring a plan to open its network. It got a ton of press attention (especially from Verizon Wireless, who had been more closed than others). However, when the details finally came out, there was little to get excited about.And, indeed, Broadband Reports checks in and notes that for all of the hype surrounding Verizon Wireless' declaration of openness it's meant a whole lot of nothingness in terms of actual products and services. In fact, Verizon's own phones and phone service remain pretty closed. Effectively, Verizon Wireless got a PR coup by suggesting they might possibly allow more open devices on the network -- should there actually be any businesses that wanted to offer that. It did work to stop criticisms and threats of regulatory interference, but it hasn't resulted in much in the way of actual openness.
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Filed Under: open
Companies: verizon wireless
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the Storm is fairly open
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Re: the Storm is fairly open
Verizon will always put greed before device usability. Always.
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Re: Re: the Storm is fairly open
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Re: the Storm is fairly open
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Re: Re: the Storm is fairly open
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What a nice looking garden.
And those walls are constructed very well.
Nice, very nice
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Re: Re: Re: the Storm is fairly open
Fact is Fact, Verizon always cripples its phone's so how.
Look at bluetooth, no file transfer's, mostly hands free only.
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Your Verizon, Your Apple, What's the difference?
As a matter of fact, I would bet most people here who say they are happy with Verizon, are happy with the Mac they are typing on too.
Personally, I still think all cellphones are electronic leashes, and would throw my PC in the garbage for a modernized 2 GHz Amiga... but that's just me. :P
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Re: Re: Re: the Storm is fairly open
My contract is up in June and I'll be moving away from Verizon after 5-6 years.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: the Storm is fairly open
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Another Storm User
Verizon does nickel and dime you for their plans. Charging for visual voicemail, vz navigator, etc. is ridiculous, but I don't use them anyway. Their standard voice and data plan prices are comparable to AT&T, though.
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Another Verizon User
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It'll Come
All due respect, 'how open the Storm is' has nothing (or little) to do with Verizon's Open Device Initiative (ODI). The ODI is about the ability for any real company to bring a device that has the right radio and frequency, and sell it with a Verizon connection - whether Verizon likes it or not.
We're talking about new handset vendors, non-phone devices, cars, cameras, MIDs etc. RIM Storm is absolutely not the subject matter. And, yes, VZW does have a history of crippling their devices, and WiFi IS a great add-on even when you have EV-DO.
What would be on topic is something that competes with the Amazon Kindle - a new competitive eBook reader that used Verizon. BTW, I expect a device like this to be offered on the VZW network in 2009.
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People saying that Verizon Cripples wifi.....
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Wi-Fi phones
I've always had Verizon, and have generally been pleased, but voice signal at my home is lousy. (T-mobile HotSpot@Home would be workable, but their actual signal at my home is absolute zero, though this is irrelevant for HotSpot.) Text messages do fine. The whole structure where we're paying a premium for texting is questionable, since voice uses more bandwidth, but all carriers are currently operating that way.
What I want is to be able to carry ONE smallish device - as PDA, phone, and for web access. It is for this reason I want WiFi for those places where signal strength is low (inside large buildings, primarily). The carriers with WiFi don't have great coverage (I've used Verizon all over national parks and remote areas), and Verizon which has pretty good coverage, doesn't offer WiFi on a device I really want. So I'm still waiting....
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Verizon and WiFi
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Re: Verizon and WiFi
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LG Renoir
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Re: People saying that Verizon Cripples wifi.....
I've been with Verizon since they were Airtouch, but this is getting crazy. Refusing to sell me a phone because I don't want to pay for their additional overpriced features. Think I'm going to have to change networks.
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Blame the Iphone
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: the Storm is fairly open
you must have a NON verizon storm...
or are not giving correct information
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Re: People saying that Verizon Cripples wifi.....
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Re: Re: the Storm is fairly open
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Omnia
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Re: Re: the Storm is fairly open
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Re: People saying that Verizon Cripples wifi.....
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Ofcourse its a closed network!
Its just like how these networks limited the Bluetooth profiles early on so the customer could only use the network data service - now its no wi-fi.
The whole ODI process is expensive! It prevents many applications from emerging and unfair.
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Re: Re: Verizon and WiFi
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Re:
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Re: Re: the Storm is fairly open
... controlling my itunes library from my iphone in another room of the house? controlling movie playback that's on my computer-hooked-up-to-tv without getting up off the couch?
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Re: Another Storm User
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WiFi
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Re: Your Verizon, Your Apple, What's the difference?
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Re: Your Verizon, Your Apple, What's the difference?
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