Filed under: Cell Phones, iPhone
Today, cell phone carrier AT&T announced subscribers’ ability to use any phone they like with the company’s network. This is a policy that the company has (quietly) had for years, but apparently never really talked about. However, with Verizon’s announcement last about opening up its network in 2008, it seems AT&T felt the need to be a little more vocal about the option.
Verizon itself was likely spurred on, at least in part, by Google’s new mobile phone operating system announcement, Android. Google has always praised openness in everything it gets involved with, and there’s no doubt the company will be exerting some pressure on wireless providers who use its software to open up their services. Verizon has signed on to be part of the Android party, while AT&T is still standing coyly at the side of the room.
With this new move AT&T is calling itself “the most open wireless company in the industry,” a claim we’d contest, since it’s been rubbing the “if you want an iPhone you can only get it here” policy in our faces since May. Open up the iPhone, AT&T (and Apple), and we’ll be a little more receptive.
From USA Today
Related Links:
- Verizon Wireless To Let You Use Any Phone On Its Network
- Google Announces gPhone? Not Quite.
- Coming Soon — The Fully-Customizable Linux Phone
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