Verizon Wireless to Open Network

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Verizon Wireless is surprisingly embracing open networks. The nation's second largest cell phone carrier said today that customers will have the option of connecting hardware and software not sold by the company to its network. Verizon Wireless said the initiative will be available nationwide by the end of next year. Large carriers have traditionally resisted the notion of open networks by requiring customers to use phones and software sold only by the company. "This is a transformation point in the 20-year history of mass-market wireless devices—one which we believe will set the table for the next level of innovation and growth," Verizon Wireless President and CEO Lowell McAdam said in a statement.

Early next year, Verizon Wireless plans to publish the technical standards for developers who wish to design products to connect to the company's network. According to company officials, any device or software that meets Verizon Wireless' technical standards will be activated on the network. After the company publishes the standards, Verizon Wireless will host a conference to explain the standards and seek input from the developer community.

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(1 reply) #1 Steven on 27 Nov 2007 - 23:14

iPhone on Verizon? Not unless they are accepting GSM.

#1.1 Danrarbc on 27 Nov 2007 - 23:21

Not possible obviously. But IIRC Sprint recently said they'd unlock phones if a customer wanted it unlocked. So this move means those people can bring their Sprint phone to Verizon.

CDMA iPhone would obviously work, but there isn't one.

#2 naap51stang on 28 Nov 2007 - 02:30

Hopefully a BUNCH of people will flock to Verizon, which which will cause the other carriers to drop the requirement to
"buy a phone from us" mentality. I'm willing to bet a majority of consumers think they HAVE to buy a phone from
a carrier they want to use, because most of them have been told that their old phone won't work on our network.
GSM is GSM, CDMA is CDMA....I've used countless GSM phones which were not bought from at&t. Just swap the
SIM and you are good to go. If I remember right, with CDMA you need to give the carrier the IMEI number to register
it with the network.
It's time for the phone subsidies to end. Give us more choice, and a tiered offering. Discounted phone, and we lock it
to our network. Non discounted phone, you pay full price, but can take it to any network that the phone will work on.

(1 reply) #3 Glen on 28 Nov 2007 - 04:22

Hopefully this means that VW will stop putting their OS on the Motorola phones. I got a great Motorola KRZR phone, but many of the features were crippled when the phone was activated and Version OS was installed. It would be nice to have the manufacturer OS installed on the phone so you can use all the features.

#3.1 SharpGreen on 29 Nov 2007 - 21:33

This is the one thing I dislike about Verizon now.

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