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Topic: iPhone

Poll: should iPhone be freed up and accessible via any carrier?

Summary: A Free The iPhone Coalition has just been started up with the goal of convincing Congress and the FCC to toss out the five-year exclusivity period between AT&T and the Apple iPhone.Web site visitors are being asked to sign the following petition:Dear FCC and Congress,The iPhone has set the stage for the future of mobile Internet — but bad policies allow companies like AT&T and Verizon to shackle great gadgets to their closed networks.

Russell Shaw

By Russell Shaw for IP Telephony |

freettheiphone.jpg

A Free The iPhone Coalition has just been started up with the goal of convincing Congress and the FCC to toss out the five-year exclusivity period between AT&T and the Apple iPhone.

Web site visitors are being asked to sign the following petition:

Dear FCC and Congress,

The iPhone has set the stage for the future of mobile Internet — but bad policies allow companies like AT&T and Verizon to shackle great gadgets to their closed networks.

To free wireless Internet, the FCC and Congress must use the 700MHz spectrum auction to create an open network that gives consumers:

  1. The freedom to use whatever device we want on any network.
  2. The freedom to choose among many providers in a competitive wholesale marketplace.
  3. The freedom to access any content or services we want through our devices.

My take on this issue may surprise some of you who have come to know that I am often in favor of legislation and regulatory measures to provide greater consumer freedom.

I say let AT&T and Apple keep up their exclusive iPhone carrier contract, but only for one year.

Stop, hey what's that sound?

A poll!

[poll id=97]

Topics: iPhone, Government, Government US, Mobility, AT&T

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Talkback

21 comments
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  • Only in the US ...

    I seriously don't understand why you people allow cellphone carriers to lock you in like that. I thought the US was THE country of free market economy?

    Over here we used to have deals like that, with carriers locking in customers, about 10 years ago. When cellphone market was still the wild west. These days we don't even have to change our phone number anymore to change carrier and can use any device with any carrier whatsoever.
    Sneltrekker
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Only in the US ...

      In your country, cell phones are probably bought at retail price. In the U.S., cell phones are highly subsidized, and often free, if you agree to a two year (or sometimes one year) contract with that carrier. Phones and their prices are used to drive customers to carriers. That is a free market economy.
      stilwebm
      Reply Vote

      • Re: Only in the US.....

        I would agree with you yes the handsets are subsidized to such an extent that the carriers need to make it back, thus the contracts. What i DO FIND wrong is the fact if you're willing to go to the carrier and pay full-retail, they still require a MINIMUM 1 year agreement, thats wrong. The US Consumers need to vote with their wallets; and Congress/FCC needs to step in and free up the wireless networks (espcially on the CDMA side of things) --- I mean look at what Verizon Wireless has done to their handsets, CONSISTANTLY crippled them to virtual paperweights and gave every handset a goofy interface (thats based on LG, bTW..so that snazzy moto phone is now just a shell)..but they blame it on the manufacturer; its not, its the POLICY of the carrier.
        JT82
        Reply Vote

      • Only in the U S ...

        I cannot speak to ALL other countries, but unlocked cell phones ( mobiles :-) ) in the UK are as inexpensive as they are pervasive. When I travelled there regularly, I bought a GSM phone with all the bells and whistles for about $60. Insert one pay-as-you-go-SIM and you're off!

        When consumers can choose ANY phone, competition drives features up and prices down. When consumers can choose ANY carrier, competition drives service and coverage up, and prices down.

        I'm curious what the subsidies actually are. Based on the cost of comparable phones in other countries, I suspect they (the subsidies) are MUCH lower than people think.
        paulbeda@...
        Reply Vote

        • Only in the US

          Yes I would agree, the "subsidy" really should be known to the consumer..because that Early Termination Fee (ETF) of anywhere from $175 to $200 (US) is supposed to help make that up...this is nothing more than Capitialisim at its finest -- drive prices up and features down -- but also the consumer, they dont realize they can vote with their wallet!!

          Everywhere else in the world can "freely" move phones ... the US will hopefully jump on board....i mean like you guys across the way, the cellular phone industry has exploded with features, competitive pricing and YOU own your mobile, not the company.
          JT82
          Reply Vote

      • Except that the iPhone is sold at FULL price.

        No discount from AT&T and yet you STILL have to sign up for a multi-year contract.

        Don't get me wrong. I am still going to get an iPhone (Rev II) I just wish I didn't have to sign a multi-year contract!
        nomorems
        Reply Vote

  • This poll says more about the iPhone than about consumer rights.

    Nobody petitioned to change the law when Chocolates were exclusively sold
    through Verizon.

    Now people want to change the law when it's the iPhone.

    It just shows what a social phenomenon the iPhone really is, that it can change not
    only the expectations of consumers toward cell phones, but the law itself.

    ZDNet ought to rid itself of all the FUD bloggers in its stable who have nothing
    positive or knowledgeable to say about Apple. Obviously, Apple IS the technology
    player of the 21st centry. ZDNet needs to catch up with the times and quit being
    frozen in the class of '95 (Windows '95, that is).
    YinToYourYang-22527499
    Reply Vote

  • Buffalo Springfield

    [i]"you better stop
    hey what's that sound
    everybody look what's going down"[/i]

    The U.S. consumer has been used to being buffaloed right along.

    Maybe laws will change driven by the new 700 MHz spectrum.

    TIME!.....
    TIME!.....
    TIME!.....
    D T Schmitz
    Reply Vote

  • Typical Liberal train of thought.

    Although this is an overly sweeping generalization, turning to the government to fix every perceived right and wrong is liberalism at its worst. Kinda like running to mommy instead of deciding for yourself if getting an iPhone is worth the attached AT&T contract. If you are that upset about the exclusive, why not let Apple now how disappointed you are by this reprehensible practice and why you won't be buying an iPhone? All the people who decided that having the latest gadget is worth getting into a 2-year contract have absolutely nothing to complain about. Other than that, I really doubt that the exclusive will last anywhere near five year.

    As for me, I went out and bought my first gun for a similar price (minus the 2-year subscription), instead. I already have a phone - I don't need another one.
    johnsmith222
    Reply Vote

    • Typical train of thought..

      for those who don't watch anything by Fox Noise channel.

      In the aftermath of Katrina, an Alabama Senator (Sessions, I think) went on CNN
      and said "we need federal help. We're a low-tax state, and don't have the
      resources."

      Here's a Republican Senator, in a Republican state, stating that they underfund
      their local goverment, and are begging the Feds for help.

      By the way, who pays the most to the Federal Government? The Liberal Northeast.
      Who takes the most from the Federal Goverment? The Conservative Southeast.

      So your generalization is not only overly sweeping, it's really wrong. Conservatives
      want the Federal government in our doctor's offices, listening in on our phone
      calls, paying for bridges to nowhere, and then have the nerve to call Democrats
      "tax and spend."
      msalzberg
      Reply Vote

    • I meant...

      "anything BUT the Faux News channel."
      msalzberg
      Reply Vote

      • Do people watch Fox?

        Do people actually watch that? Fox news is the worst waste of time. It's terrible. It's Fox and you know the news is going to be Bias, I have no issue with as I go in with my eyes wide open there. What's terrible is everything else. It looks like bucktoothed 3rd cousin of news. One thing that drove me nuts about Fox news is how they'd say coming up next and it never came up at all.

        Actually even the Fox TV channel has nose dived. It's not worth watch now either. What happened to Fox? They used to be good back some 10 years ago.
        voska
        Reply Vote

      • Re: I meant...

        Better then Clinton News Network anyday.
        flipicaneze
        Reply Vote

  • Cellular is a commodity

    Cellular phone service is a commodity -- that is to say, there is nothing
    remarkable to distinguish one service from another. Most of these services have
    to rent space on the same cell towers or buildings so their coverage is pretty much
    the same. There might be temporary differences in technology but parity has to
    be quickly maintained to be competitive. Customer service thoughout the
    industry is about the same, relying on a lot of automation and a bare minimum of
    personal service. Consequently, the only way commodity providers can distinguish
    themselves is through the hardware. That's why cell companies form strategic
    alliances with firms like Apple. The only government regulation that's needed
    here a law that prevents carriers from forcing consumers to sign up for long-term
    contracts when there is no premium being offered. It's one thing to demand a
    $175 early termination fee when you're subsidizing a cell phone purchase at $175
    or more, but it's competely in appropriate to ask consumers to pay full freight and
    be forced into a long-term contract. On other phones AT&T/Cingular has offered
    no subsidy (full price for the phone) and no commitment, 1 year with a middle-
    leve subsidy and 2 years with a maximum subsidy. This gives the consumer more
    reasonable choices.
    slemons
    Reply Vote

  • iPhone vulenable 2 more problems later

    Good thought, yet did anyone thought of any consquences? How about hackers and thieves that can steal info from consumers? How about more thieves taking iPhones? Apple will have to make different versions of iPhone to accomdate different carriers to ensure security of users and companies alike. The price increase will pass to you, the consumer. So before thinking about freeing up the iPhone to any carrier, think about the consquences.
    cmegkp@...
    Reply Vote

    • re: iPhone vulenable 2 more problems later

      Well one consequence of TMobile taking my phone is having all this damn extra money in my bank account. I hate it when that happens.
      flipicaneze
      Reply Vote

  • Is it a phone...

    .. or is it more?
    See my small cartoon:
    http://geekandpoke.typepad.com/geekandpoke/2007/07/the-history-o-2.html

    Bye,
    Oliver
    owidder
    Reply Vote

  • UNLOCK the iPhone

    Do not forget that the iPhone is not subsidized by AT&T !
    Even paying AT&T monthly bill for 2 years, it should be ilegal to restrict it to be used
    with other carriers SIM cards, locally or international.
    iPhone should be sold UNLOCKED, carrier FREE and Global.
    jvcas
    Reply Vote

  • Absolutely.

    And I want to buy a Ford from my Buick dealer, I want Cablevision to provide FIOS
    service, I want to buy a Dell from HP, and I'd prefer to fly JetBlue from the USAir
    terminal.

    Please, give me a break.

    If you want cell service, you can go to any provider. No one's stopping you. There's
    nothing that says that a business has to conform to your needs if it doesn't want
    to.
    msalzberg
    Reply Vote

  • Another iPhone Feature - Publicity

    ZDNet is not alone in its "Free the iPhone" commentary but, as others have noted, it isn't about the iPhone. US wireless providers have been crippling phones, handcuffing users, and denying consumers every freedom almost since their inception. Nearly every handset in the US is still imprisoned - if not by locking the handset then by locking the user into a contract with exhorbitant termination fees. Not just the iPhone, but ALL phones should be freed so consumers can choose based on price, service, and coverage (and carriers will be compelled to do better in all three areas!).
    paulbeda@...
    Reply Vote
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