I'm part of 2 tiny businesses who create web based business applications (bonded indebtedness; tying property addresses & data/legal descriptions to Google Maps [hopefully Apple Maps also]; and all sorts of different information in the public health area). Many, many places (business, education, even some local governments) are moving from legacy client/server based systems (bulky, clumsy, and costly) to acquiring and using web based biz applications that they can either run on their smartphones, or tablets.
Why? Because most of the time, they are working in a 'movement based' environment. These users are all about flexibility, because that's what their work requires.
But imagine you are running on Smartphones and Tablets, and all the sudden your designated provider decides to play with your data plan. If you want to change, you can't just unlock your Smartphones and move to some other vendor who will work with you, it's got to be "changeout all your hardware" as part of any move. Tends to end up being a costly situation.
If you are moving from legacy client/server based system to a different one, you usually don't have to changeout all your hardware. But if you are using web based productivity apps through Smartphones, you would have to change all your hardware and move to a different Smartphone, or even from/to the same exact model of Smartphone, just from different carriers? Where's the fairness in that?
In all honesty, the carriers are being stupid and shortsighted. Because the future growth in going to be in web based productivity applications, and as a result, they're going to be leaving more and more money on the table (marketplace won't grow as fast). So much for the carriers supporting 'innovation'.....
The real question is going to be "who are the carriers who will be smart enough to support this 'unlocking' legislation, and end up seeing more future growth as a result".
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Here's why....
Why? Because most of the time, they are working in a 'movement based' environment. These users are all about flexibility, because that's what their work requires.
But imagine you are running on Smartphones and Tablets, and all the sudden your designated provider decides to play with your data plan. If you want to change, you can't just unlock your Smartphones and move to some other vendor who will work with you, it's got to be "changeout all your hardware" as part of any move. Tends to end up being a costly situation.
If you are moving from legacy client/server based system to a different one, you usually don't have to changeout all your hardware. But if you are using web based productivity apps through Smartphones, you would have to change all your hardware and move to a different Smartphone, or even from/to the same exact model of Smartphone, just from different carriers? Where's the fairness in that?
In all honesty, the carriers are being stupid and shortsighted. Because the future growth in going to be in web based productivity applications, and as a result, they're going to be leaving more and more money on the table (marketplace won't grow as fast). So much for the carriers supporting 'innovation'.....
The real question is going to be "who are the carriers who will be smart enough to support this 'unlocking' legislation, and end up seeing more future growth as a result".
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by small.biz.guy.1.
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