Let me start with why I am pushing on VZ so hard for data at all. Your post is exactly why they have to push it. Your touting alot of voice minutes for a cheap price. this is exactly what their competitors can offer at the same or lower prices. How many years ago did AT&T amortize their licenses and their Capex costs, both by long time revenue and by taking investments from others? AT&T can offer voice minutes and show plans which are very cheap using analog phone systems. But what they can't offer is data. They can't offer consistent network wide data at more than 9.6k at best. They are still 40% CDPD and in their best markets they have spotty coverage. Cingular is about non-existant in data. But in about 18 months I expect that data coverage to expand and then AT&T will be able to offer cheaper minutes on voice and data to match. PCS is starting to get the message, but they are also limiting data usage and now developing it enough to effectively differntiate themselves from the pack. VZ is almost not promoting data at all. So they try to compete in the old world "Gent" thinking of European based more voice and no data. If they stall and take another 18 months to get the message, they will lose. I guarantee if AT&T and Cingular get data capabilites like 1x and DO, they will NOT hesitate to use them to full advantage. Microsoft is hanging out with them and when a good data pipe hits, you think Microsoft will sit back and watch it rot on the vine like VZ? Rather then let Microsoft go off to the competition, why not give them a nationwide data pipe that they can do software and application distribution thru?
In addition to that, I want the latest color phones with web, I want then to stop this insane 6 month or more approval process which is shackling them down and is far out of date, I want them to embrace data as a pipe and let it happen, not chrage $100 a month for data modem use and then slap a limit on data amount. They started this approval process to be stringent because alot of early CDMA phone manufacturers were delivering poor quality phones to try to get to market, but to VZ's credit they took on the task of being the clearing house for phone performance. That era is past and they need to back way off that to allow phones to hit the market faster. It is kinda like someone who has walked with crutches all their life and suddenly they can walk, but are arfiard to let go of the crutches.
In case you were sleeping in my prior posts, the uptake on data offerings is limited by the need for the carrier to control the content, figure a way to charge you for each and every data content action, and to limit your use of data in any other application, then whine that they don;t have data uptake and user minutes. Open the pipe and let it happen. Sell to the high volume applications out there. Automatic meter reading in all cities is a great application that can pay for the entire DO rollout in less than 18 months. High volume data offline, off peak.
I want a selection of phones OTHER than MOT, who makes the worst crap in the industry and the worst user interface by far and claims to be the leader.
I want them to open up the ISP business and let it happen.
Anyone can provide voice and give away alot of off peak minutes. If I wanted that, I would go with Cricket.
If you wondering what I mean, sign on to the PCS web site and browse thru their phone offerings and then come back to the VZ web site and browse thru theirs.
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