New rules could rock wireless world
New rules could rock wireless world
By Leslie Cauley, USA TODAY
NEW YORK â Coming soon could be a wireless broadband world in which consumers get to pick any smartphone or other device and load any software on it â not have to take what the wireless carrier wants to sell.
That's the goal of Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin, who will propose sweeping new rules for wireless airwaves the government is auctioning early next year. The 700 MHz spectrum, being vacated by TV stations as they go digital, is coveted for its ability to penetrate walls and other obstacles.
Under Martin's proposal, to be circulated in the agency as early as Tuesday, mobile services in these airwaves would have to allow consumer choice.
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By Leslie Cauley, USA TODAY
NEW YORK â Coming soon could be a wireless broadband world in which consumers get to pick any smartphone or other device and load any software on it â not have to take what the wireless carrier wants to sell.
That's the goal of Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin, who will propose sweeping new rules for wireless airwaves the government is auctioning early next year. The 700 MHz spectrum, being vacated by TV stations as they go digital, is coveted for its ability to penetrate walls and other obstacles.
Under Martin's proposal, to be circulated in the agency as early as Tuesday, mobile services in these airwaves would have to allow consumer choice.
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One problem with this. We still have the CDMA vs GSM debate here. That's not an issue in the European Union, where GSM is the standard. Unless the FCC mandates a standard, this proposal won't work between GSM & CDMA carriers, unless both standards are implemented into phones with the US frequencies. As it stands, neither the GSM carriers nor the CDMA carriers (AT&T & Verizon as prime examples) want phones that can work on a competitor's network, especially on a different digital standard.
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unless they use a technology of something everyone can use... wifi or some 3G network convergence
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LordObento said:
unless they use a technology of something everyone can use... wifi or some 3G network convergence
Like a so called "World" or "Global" phone? Verizon already has a few of them but does not actively market them.
Get Global Phone Service
Simply purchase a Global Phone and a Verizon Wireless all digital calling plan. When using your phone in CDMA mode in the U.S. and within your calling plan's home airtime rate and coverage area, your calls are applied towards your plan's allowance minutes. When using your phone in GSM mode when traveling abroad in over 140 countries, calls are billed at flat, per minute, rates.
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wnrussell said:LordObento said:
unless they use a technology of something everyone can use... wifi or some 3G network convergence
Like a so called "World" or "Global" phone? Verizon already has a few of them but does not actively market them.
Get Global Phone Service
Simply purchase a Global Phone and a Verizon Wireless all digital calling plan. When using your phone in CDMA mode in the U.S. and within your calling plan's home airtime rate and coverage area, your calls are applied towards your plan's allowance minutes. When using your phone in GSM mode when traveling abroad in over 140 countries, calls are billed at flat, per minute, rates.
That's not what I m...
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Since broadband technologies of GSM and CDMA are both based on a CDMA platform... maybe they should consider a 3 or 4G platform that is new but uses CDMA that can some how handoff to EVDO and UMTS
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GSM is based on TDMA unless you were talking about UMTS/HSDPA which IS based on a different type of CDMA interface
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sangyup81 said:
GSM is based on TDMA unless you were talking about UMTS/HSDPA which IS based on a different type of CDMA interface
Yep, true.
And I don't see there bein' a 'convergence' of the two technology camps down the road either... the CDMA side is roadmapped to go to Rev C EVDO/UMB (UltraMobile Broadband), and on the GSM side they're supposed to go to LTE (UMTS rev đ eventually.
Be nice if the two roads become one at some point, but there doesn't seem to be the will to do it. Any ideas why? (hint: I'm sure it involves money). âšī¸
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SystemShock said:sangyup81 said:
GSM is based on TDMA unless you were talking about UMTS/HSDPA which IS based on a different type of CDMA interface
Yep, true.
And I don't see there bein' a 'convergence' of the two technology camps down the road either... the CDMA side is roadmapped to go to Rev C EVDO/UMB (UltraMobile Broadband), and on the GSM side they're supposed to go to LTE (UMTS rev đ eventually.
Be nice if the two roads become one at some point, but there doesn't seem to be the will to do it. Any ideas why? (hint: I'm sure it involves money). âšī¸
How much more does a World Phone cost than a regular CDMA phone?
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dave73 said:
One problem with this. We still have the CDMA vs GSM debate here. That's not an issue in the European Union, where GSM is the standard. Unless the FCC mandates a standard, this proposal won't work between GSM & CDMA carriers, unless both standards are implemented into phones with the US frequencies. As it stands, neither the GSM carriers nor the CDMA carriers (AT&T & Verizon as prime examples) want phones that can work on a competitor's network, especially on a different digital standard.
Even if there were different CDMA and GSM sandboxes, the policy changes would still be very nice for the customer.
Don't like Sprint? Take your same phone over to Verizon or Alltel or US Cellular, no ...
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Disregarding GSM and CDMA, this would disallow VZW to cripple phones. I'm all for it!
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if those rules are implemented, I'm not sure the major players will rush in and buy the new freq.
Nothing in it for them.
Nothing in it for them.
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Nothing in it for them, accept an incredibly reliable frequency.
I wouldn't assume anything.
I wouldn't assume anything.
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sharing equipment isn't a big deal. as long as they got the two year contracts and the cancellation fee. Just means that companies that make phones will make just two phones: GSM and CDMA. I like this idea. Just buy the phone from the company, and pick a plan. We're behind in the cell phone industry. The rest of the world basically runs like this.
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