Will 'unlocked' cellphones free consumers?
Will 'unlocked' cellphones free consumers?
Posted 1/24/2007 8:43 AM ET
Marguerite Reardon for News.com
The major cellphone operators' hold on which devices U.S. consumers can use on their networks may be slipping as large manufacturers like Motorola and Nokia dabble in selling "unlocked" phones.
Up until recently, unlocked phones — handsets that can be used on multiple carrier networks — have been available only in "gray" markets where Americans have bought phones from overseas. Now manufacturers are selling them on their websites and through certain retail channels.
"Cellphones rank just behind keys when it comes to items that Americans don't leave home without," said Albert Lin, an analyst with American Technology Research. "And a...
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Posted 1/24/2007 8:43 AM ET
Marguerite Reardon for News.com
The major cellphone operators' hold on which devices U.S. consumers can use on their networks may be slipping as large manufacturers like Motorola and Nokia dabble in selling "unlocked" phones.
Up until recently, unlocked phones — handsets that can be used on multiple carrier networks — have been available only in "gray" markets where Americans have bought phones from overseas. Now manufacturers are selling them on their websites and through certain retail channels.
"Cellphones rank just behind keys when it comes to items that Americans don't leave home without," said Albert Lin, an analyst with American Technology Research. "And a...
(continues)
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Great article. So true:
Walk into any supermarket in the U.S. and it's easy to see that Americans have more choices in terms of products they can buy than most people in the world. But when it comes to choosing a cellphone, consumers in the U.S. are limited to a handful of devices offered by a few manufacturers, and those devices are sold solely through a single service provider.
Walk into any supermarket in the U.S. and it's easy to see that Americans have more choices in terms of products they can buy than most people in the world. But when it comes to choosing a cellphone, consumers in the U.S. are limited to a handful of devices offered by a few manufacturers, and those devices are sold solely through a single service provider.
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Carriers will just use the sevice plans to keep customers in contract. If you want free nights and weekends or in calling or my circle or my favs, etc. Carriers will likely give you a choice between a plan with no perks and no contract or a plan with a lot of free minutes but require a contract.
This could be a losing matter if the phone subsidy goes away, the carriers will charge full price for the phone and still get people on the contract based off of the rate plan. This goes on in home phones, I have at&t and have a contract based of my DSL pricing which is cheaper based off of the agreement however I didn't get any pricey equipment for free or at a low discount.
Those who are crying about unlocked phones could be ruining the days of...
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This could be a losing matter if the phone subsidy goes away, the carriers will charge full price for the phone and still get people on the contract based off of the rate plan. This goes on in home phones, I have at&t and have a contract based of my DSL pricing which is cheaper based off of the agreement however I didn't get any pricey equipment for free or at a low discount.
Those who are crying about unlocked phones could be ruining the days of...
(continues)
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bigdaddyjay said:
Carriers will likely give you a choice between a plan with no perks and no contract or a plan with a lot of free minutes but require a contract.
This could be a losing matter if the phone subsidy goes away.
The phone subsidy will never go away. The unlocked phone will arrive though. Take it or leave it.
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Unlocked phones have arrived, but only to people on GSM networks. Cdma phones have esn numbers which are on a database w/ the carrier. Foreign esn's or ones from another carrier won't be activated by the carrier. That and America is one of the few, if not the only country that uses cdma. So where would one even get a foreign cdma phone? So if you want to change phones every month go with a gsm provider. Or enjoy better voice coverage in the US with a cdma carrier.
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paddyoc said:
Foreign esn's or ones from another carrier won't be activated by the carrier. That and America is one of the few, if not the only country that uses cdma. So where would one even get a foreign cdma phone? So if you want to change phones every month go with a gsm provider. Or enjoy better voice coverage in the US with a cdma carrier.
The article isn't taking about foreign phones, unless you call factory direct OEM sales to end users foreign.
Quick CDMA Market Facts
189 commercial operators
81 countries
185 commercial 1X networks
38 1X networks in deployment
53 commercial 1xEV-DO networks
57 1xEV-DO networks in deployment
3 commercial 1xEV-DO Rev. A network
6 1xEV-DO Rev. A...
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No kidding. I brought it up. It doesn't really change the fact that for you to get another phone, you must use a verizon branded phone. 😲
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paddyoc said:
No kidding. I brought it up. It doesn't really change the fact that for you to get another phone, you must use a verizon branded phone. 😲
Just for now. Only for a little while longer.
http://www.canyouhearusnow.net/Wireless%20Telecommun ... »
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