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They probably couldn't get carriers to agree to a iPad-like 3g plan for a laptop.

• malandrew 16y ago
  Do they even have to get carrier permission to include a sim card slot for GSM systems? The only reason I can see them leaving this out is because unsuspecting users will end up with a horrible user experience when they get their first month's bill at the end of the month. Apple would have to create a user interface to protect users from themselves by blocking a lot of unnecessary inbound and outbound network access when on 3G and also showing them how much of their monthly bandwidth they have used so far.
  • thenduks 16y ago
    I'm with ya, and I don't think they'd need 'permission'... but usually Apple announces a deal to go along with stuff like that, you know, $15/month 3g plans on iPads. Basically what I'm saying is that the carriers will be super pissed if all the sudden all of their users are using all of their purchased bandwidth because they can shove a card into their laptop. It's like ketchup, the majority of people don't use all 500mb/1gb/whatever of data per month, but they still pay for it. The telecoms want to keep it that way.
    • malandrew 16y ago
      True. True. However something tells me Steve doesn't care what the carriers think or feel. I know I don't care what they think. In fact, putting more stress on the digital networks may give the carriers in the U.S. the ammunition they need to get the FCC to let them abandon POTS. The truth is that money going to support legacy POTS is taking money away from digital network investment. The FCC should allow common carriers to abandon POTS on the condition that all that money get poured back into digital network bandwidth and rural network expansion.