 |
 |
 |
|
You're Wrong and Right
While generally the carriers are sucky, in this case it's a technology / competitive thing. Verizon and Sprint are one technology (CDMA), while Cingular is a completely different technology, and therefore a different radio inside the device. Palm actually has been good when it comes time to consider GSM phones (ala Cingular, soon to be AT&T). You can get the "tied to Cingular model 650" cheaply 'cause they subsidize it, or you can buy an "unlocked" GSM model for more moolah. eBay is your friend. When I traveled through Africa and Europe last summer, I had the 650 unlocked model, bought specifically for that purpose. I normally use the Sprint version here. In your note to me, you mentioned that carriers are silos. I'd argue that any time you make a choice that isn't interoperable (and having a different radio in your phone, because the technology is different falls directly into that category) you are going to have silos. When it comes to GSM phones, where the radio is the same worldwide (more or less) then carriers do try to create silos. But the customer has the choice in this case to pay more (because he or she isn't being subsidized) and get a phone that isn't locked to a specific carrier. Also, because of government intervention, in this country we have number portability, even if we don't have device portability between carriers. And while I hate stranding my investment in hardware, it's even worse to strand my investment in my telephone numbers. I think, fundamentally, that I want carriers to compete hard to provide the best technology they can. And if that means that I must make a technology choice that strands me if I'm wrong, I think that's worth having the competitive pressure. BTW, I'm on my fourth or fifth Palm cell phone, and I'm anxiously awaiting the newer model. So all of this theoretical stuff aside, have fun with your new phone. Lastly, whether your're a customer or a consumer, remember to do your shopping via iGive.com, where each purchase helps your favorite cause! Rob
|
