pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
 ·Comcast
| reply to benc
Re: Wireless Industry Is Correct
But again, every single idea of yours can be done today without the need for government intervention.
Getting rid of CDMA is nuts. Why deprive customers of an alternative to GSM? If it wasn't for CDMA, GSM customers would never have any hope of getting 3G service anyway.
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. |
benc
Premium
join:2007-06-17
Glen Carbon, IL
·Charter Pipeline
 ·Future Nine Corpor..
·Callcentric
 ·AT&T Midwest
| said by pnh102  :But again, every single idea of yours can be done today without the need for government intervention. Getting rid of CDMA is nuts. Why deprive customers of an alternative to GSM? If it wasn't for CDMA, GSM customers would never have any hope of getting 3G service anyway. Well...most of those things can theoretically be done without government intervention, but who's going to provide the pressure to do so?
I wouldn't count on the consumers because while I don't have numbers, I doubt most even know what a SIM is. It's safe to assume that cell phones are like automobiles to most people, they just care that it works, but not know much about it beyond that. Ask me to locate a carburetor in a car, and I won't be able to tell you. Geek Squad at Best Buy offers a service to install I-Tunes for people (so I've heard...I've never needed them for anything), so what does that tell you? As far as unlocked phones, I doubt many consumers know that it's even possible.
As far as getting rid of CDMA, it seems like a good idea because then there'd be one standard, and if every mobile operator used it then it'd increase consumer choice, because they could use any unlocked phone with any operator. I did suggest an alternative, and that's to eliminate GSM and require the use of RUIM (the CDMA equivalent of the SIM card). However, in my mind that's less ideal since in other countries GSM is the standard, with only a few major countries even having CDMA. China, Canada, and India are the only other countries I'm aware of that even have CDMA. Australia used to, but it's being phased out (no new CDMA subscribers allowed, and CDMA service will be terminated in February). England and European countries have never had CDMA as far as I know. It's like comparing them to power outlets. Do you want two types of power outlets, or just one? I think one type of power outlet is much better.
To have one cellular standard, I think government intervention will be required. I wouldn't count on consumers knowing about unlocked phones and SIMs.
As far as 3G service, government intervention could make that happen too.
I'm reluctant to suggest government intervention, but look at the ISPs. Why is it that to this day, in rural areas, the only choices are dial-up and T1 (and higher)? Because it's not cost-effective in the short term to provide DSL and/or Cable to those people. The demand is there, I know it. Without government intervention, it will be a long time, if they ever get broadband at less than T1 prices. |
