For me, the idea that I would scrap my AT&T service on my iPad for Verizon is a bad joke. I have lots of issues with my Verizon cell service, and decent service with my iPad on AT&T. And to go to Verizon web service would cost me over twice as much, with limited service. If I lived somewher else, I might have a different perspective, but that is the big issue with deciding on carriers.

Even though I have a 3G iPad I use my Verizon MiFi device. Size of a credit
card and I can connect up to 5 devices. It connects and speeds are
excellent even at 6500' while flying. I have never had a problem. I use a
Droid for my smart phone but then I am on Verizon. Would I like an iPhone..
not so sure now that I have been using my Droid. But I would like the option.

Originally Posted by PhotoJim

Apple sells unlocked iPhones here.

.

They do? So you can just go in and purchase an iPhone and its already JB? Why would they do that? Ipads too?

Originally Posted by SweetPoison

They do? So you can just go in and purchase an iPhone and its already JB? Why would they do that? Ipads too?

Unlocked is slightly different to being jail broken; but anyhow....

Rather ironically, the US, the home of freedom, capitalism and consumerism is one of the few countries on the planet where the consumer gets utterly shafted due to apples insistence on tying in with only one network provider.

I could walk into any Apple Store in the UK and buy an iPhone - unlocked, and put any carriers SIM into it I want - and in the vast majority of cases that is a far cheaper option for most users than having a contract which 'subsidises' the handset.

As a point - All ipads are unlocked, but for whatever reason US consumers have very little choice of supporting carriers. But in the UK I can pick and choose (and change at will) between anyone of 4 different networks.

With regards to the article referred to in the original post though; it's a load of rubbish. Reason? The article is entirely US-centric. If the US was the only country in the world with mobile phones it might have a point, but it's not. No handset maker produces a handset range, as far as I know, *just* to sell in the US - competition will always be there simply because some people just want something different to an iPhone - for whatever reason.

The only two things Apples continual relationship with AT&T does is hurt the American consumer, and Apples sales figures. Any suggestion that this benefits the consumer is nonsense.

Wrong on several accounts. First, Apple tried to sell the iPhone to all the major carriers. Their attitude was that Apple had to do everything their way. Only AT&T would agree to Apple's terms, but with the provision that it was exclusive. Even if you buy an unlocked iPhone, it would not be practical because Verizon uses a totally different system. And some companies use the same system, but different frequencies. If Verizon wanted the iPhone, they would be able to get it. They just do not want to let Apple dictate the terms. It could be compared to a car maker with a car they cannot build fast enough, being told that Avis wants a whole bunch of that car. Only it has to be at below what every one else is paying, and they want a different engine in it.

Originally Posted by Seadog

Wrong on several accounts.

How was I wrong? I said that Apple insistence on being tied into one provider only hurts the consumer and Apples sales figures. Even I remember there being more than one GSM carrier in the US!

The relationship, for whatever reason it exists, hurts any consumer who wishes to have an iPhone in the US. Thats all there is to it.

Either way, the lack of a verizon iPhone has no impact on wider competition between handset makers globally. I just have sympathy for those in the US for still having to endure the dark ages of a single carrier, as we did in the UK until about 18 moths ago..

Originally Posted by Seadog

. If Verizon wanted the iPhone, they would be able to get it. They just do not want to let Apple dictate the terms.

I didn't know this. Interesting! Thanks ~ I learned a lot from your post.


Providing you are not mistaken.

Originally Posted by Prasius

Originally Posted by SweetPoison

They do? So you can just go in and purchase an iPhone and its already JB? Why would they do that? Ipads too?

Unlocked is slightly different to being jail broken; but anyhow....

Rather ironically, the US, the home of freedom, capitalism and consumerism is one of the few countries on the planet where the consumer gets utterly shafted due to apples insistence on tying in with only one network provider.

I could walk into any Apple Store in the UK and buy an iPhone - unlocked, and put any carriers SIM into it I want - and in the vast majority of cases that is a far cheaper option for most users than having a contract which 'subsidises' the handset.

As a point - All ipads are unlocked, but for whatever reason US consumers have very little choice of supporting carriers. But in the UK I can pick and choose (and change at will) between anyone of 4 different networks.

With regards to the article referred to in the original post though; it's a load of rubbish. Reason? The article is entirely US-centric. If the US was the only country in the world with mobile phones it might have a point, but it's not. No handset maker produces a handset range, as far as I know, *just* to sell in the US - competition will always be there simply because some people just want something different to an iPhone - for whatever reason.

The only two things Apples continual relationship with AT&T does is hurt the American consumer, and Apples sales figures. Any suggestion that this benefits the consumer is nonsense.

It also helps that in the UK there is only one radio standard for cell phone communications....GSM.....in the US we have GSM, CDMA, and PCM......iPhone is GSM, so you can only use AT&T or T-Mobile.

[quote=gentlefury;76756][quote=Prasius;76421]

Originally Posted by SweetPoison

It also helps that in the UK there is only one radio standard for cell phone communications....GSM.....in the US we have GSM, CDMA, and PCM......iPhone is GSM, so you can only use AT&T or T-Mobile.

This was true in Canada, up until last year. Bell and Telus migrated from CDMA to 3G GSM in November, 2009 (their CDMA networks remain running but will be shut down once customers are migrated in a few years). SaskTel in Saskatchewan migrated similarly in August, 2010. MTS in Manitoba is migrating later this year. TBayTel has already migrated. There may be one or two very tiny regional carriers still remaining.

One tiny new carrier with spectrum in the 1700 MHz band has elected to use CDMA (for really peculiar reasons; why would you want to embrace a dead-end technology on a new network when you could use 3G GSM and have roaming capability worldwide?), but the other two that have launched on that band are using 3G GSM.

Fido was the first GSM network in Canada (1900 MHz); Rogers converted to 850/1900 MHz GSM in about 2002 and bought Fido a few years later. Some coverage is still 2G, but much is 3G.

So, in a few months, all Canadian networks except for one unimportant one will be 2G or 3G GSM No wonder Fido sells unlocked iPhones here! If a future iPhone supports 3G 1700 MHz, all carriers but one will be able to use iPhones here.

The US, for whatever reason, is different. I understand that it would be a lot more work to convert a huge network like Verizon's to 3G GSM, but if Verizon did, it would have a lot more choices for phones and Apple would surely end the exclusive arrangement with AT&T. If T-Mobile deployed 3G service at 1900 MHz (it's currently 2G-only on that band), the same might happen.

Nowhere else on Earth is this is an issue.

It is curious how many Americans don't see the lack of international roaming to be an issue on non-GSM networks. Carriers in the UK would get laughed at now if they even tried to offer a less-than tri-band handset, let alone a system utterly incompatable with the rest of the planet. I spent two and a half months in the US, and while I bought a cheap $20 PAYG US handset for 'in country' comms and use international phone cards with, I entirely took for granted that my UK handset would work as soon as I landed in the states and switched it on.

I wonder if Verizon, Virgin, etc customers are shocked when they visit europe and their handsets are useless?