verizon

I've been following the 700MHz spectrum auction for almost a year now, mostly because the potential is huge for the wireless industry to do something amazing with this frequency. It was uplifting to see Google get involved with their petition for openness, and then it was equally depressing when Verizon sued the FCC for taking Google to heart. Now it it is finally over...

We don't know who won yet and I am pretty eager to find out who, but it looks like the FCC have achieved their basest goal of hauling in the cash! I'm really hoping it was Google (good) and not Verizon (evil) who won. Whoever wins, I hope they use this tasty spectrum to enable us wireless consumers to consume lots, quickly, and for not very much money, because I'm pretty sure KoodoMobile isn't going to do it for me.

Read the Engadget and TechCrunch reports for some of the dirty deets.

Update: Verizon won, shoot. 

Chris
EQO Customer Evangelist

Maybe it's because our dollar is doing so well or because hockey is a way better sport than baseball, but it seems that Canada really gets wireless. This Engadget Report inspired my bold and ridiculous statement, that and I like making fun of the American dollar and I hate baseball. Canada is planning to open up a good 40MHz chunk of spectrum to newcomers for the purposes of wireless competition and innovation. Compare this with the FCC's plan to auction off spectrum for many billions of dollars, their inability to adopt Google's pleas for openness, and their concessions to monopolistic carriers like Verizon. Props to the Canadian government on this one; here's hoping this will propel the mobile industry in the Great White North, eh.

Chris
EQO Customer Evangelist

Verizon today announced that they are opening up their wireless network to all compatible CDMA devices, TechCrunch reports. A friend just messaged me citing this as good news, "they are opening up the walled garden, eh?". While this news is encouraging, I tend to think Verizon is still evil.

Firstly, unlike the unlocked GSM phone market, third party sales of CDMA devices aren't exactly flourishing. Where will customers be coming from with their untethered CDMA phones? I'm guessing, and I know Verizon is hoping, that customers will be bringing their Sprint devices right on over. So what appears as a friendly act of openness, could really boil down to a customer grab.

Secondly, I'm guessing that Verizon will be charging some reasonably substantial "service activation" fee to bring devices to their network. Really, they aren't losing anything when compared with selling subsidized phones chock full of Verizon services. What I think this announcement boils down to is a seemingly heroic attempt to sway public opinion towards Verizon with promises of openness. Brilliant, but evil.

Ditch the long contracts, ditch the pricey cancellation fees, and support non-BREW third party software, then I'll be impressed. Long live Googletel!

Chris
EQO Customer Evangelist

I love Engadget for injecting wonderful quotes like that into their mobile news. Indeed, carrier-hate is surely warranted in this case, since the FCC is now fast tracking amendments to their open-access policy for the upcoming 700MHz auction, all thanks to the lawyers on retainer to Verizon Wireless. It had looked like the FCC was going to enforce open-access rules for the tasty 700MHz spectrum, giving innovative companies like Apple and Google a shot at next generation wireless networks and services. However, it seems that Verizon's lawsuit, claiming that open-access is unconstitutional, has the spineless FCC looking to protect its auction windfall (estimated at $15billion). Instead of fighting for what is right, the FCC will likely cave. Does this mean that the Carterphone ruling is unconstitutional? Of course not, it means that innovation will be stifled because Verizon is an evil moneybags corporation.

Chris
EQO Customer Evangelist

If you haven't been following the 700Mhz auction, you can catch up here. Today, Verizon has sued the FCC for adopting Google's petition for open access rules to the spectrum on auction. Basically, Google was trying to prevent carriers such as Verizon from operating closed and/or restricted networks, which they already do now with their cellular network. Verizon is now suing to ensure that if they do win the spectrum they can setup a closed and restricted network. Even if they lose, by winning this suit Verizon could ensure that Google can't release a free and open network that would cut into Verizon's revenues. It boils down to this, Verizon is an evil corporation and their actions are geared towards protecting their revenue stream, not towards the greater consumer good.

Chris
EQO Customer Evangelist

We are looking for pre-beta testers to give EQO a try on a Sprint Nokia 6165i and on a Verizon Motorola RAZR V3c. Email me, chris@eqo.com, if you are interested in becoming the first person to try a non Treo phone on your network. Helpful beta testers will receive not only fame and fortune, but a free EQO T-Shirt. I look forward to hearing from you!

Chris
EQO Customer Evangelist