5 ms·

Oh man, AT&T might be rotten, but Verizon is actively evil when it comes to this. Like cackling Emperor Palpatine levels of evil. They heavily modify the softw

by blasdel 17y ago

Oh man, AT&T might be rotten, but Verizon is actively evil when it comes to this. Like cackling Emperor Palpatine levels of evil. They heavily modify the software running on the phones they sell, and they don't allow any others on their network. Modifications include: * Shoving their logo into every orifice * Leasing you access to the GPS chip in your phone (or even the E911 data) * disabling all file transfer methods to try to get you to pay for MMS * disabling native Exchange support to upsell you to enterprise bullshit * blocking any media content that doesn't come through their bizdev * Still pushing motherfucking WAP (Gopher over telegram, I tell you)

siong1987 17y ago
In fact, most of the carriers here are fucked up. Most of the asia carriers would compete over their services(no carrier-locked phone). But, in US, it seems like most of the carriers are competing over what phones they can provide.
- jrockway 17y ago
  Sort of. The GSM providers don't know/care if you use a random GSM phone on their network. Of course, if you rent their GSM phone, they are not going to let you use it on a different GSM network. (People seem to want free phones, and then seem confused when the person that gave you the free phone doesn't want you to use it on the competitor's network. If you buy your own phone, you can use it wherever you want.)
  - siong1987 17y ago
    In Asia, you can get free unlocked phones just by signing up a contract. In US, you get free locked phones and you still have to sign the contract. You see the difference? If you have already signed the contract, why do the carrier still has to lock your phone to its network?
- jcromartie 17y ago
  They're competing over how much they can get away with.
joshu 17y ago
I have a Blackberry 8830 on Verizon. I'm loathe to switch carriers or phones. The customer service is pretty great. I have access to the GPS. I've been able to get media on and off the phone as necessary. It has unlimited network connectivity and tethering. I'm not convinced they're any worse than any other carrier.
- iamwil 17y ago
  I think the OP's points were that they're hostile to developers, and the software that they'd like to deploy.

by blasdel 17y ago

siong1987 17y ago

In fact, most of the carriers here are fucked up. Most of the asia carriers would compete over their services(no carrier-locked phone). But, in US, it seems like most of the carriers are competing over what phones they can provide.

jrockway 17y ago
Sort of. The GSM providers don't know/care if you use a random GSM phone on their network. Of course, if you rent their GSM phone, they are not going to let you use it on a different GSM network. (People seem to want free phones, and then seem confused when the person that gave you the free phone doesn't want you to use it on the competitor's network. If you buy your own phone, you can use it wherever you want.)
- siong1987 17y ago
  In Asia, you can get free unlocked phones just by signing up a contract. In US, you get free locked phones and you still have to sign the contract. You see the difference? If you have already signed the contract, why do the carrier still has to lock your phone to its network?
jcromartie 17y ago
They're competing over how much they can get away with.

joshu 17y ago

I have a Blackberry 8830 on Verizon. I'm loathe to switch carriers or phones. The customer service is pretty great. I have access to the GPS. I've been able to get media on and off the phone as necessary. It has unlimited network connectivity and tethering. I'm not convinced they're any worse than any other carrier.

iamwil 17y ago
I think the OP's points were that they're hostile to developers, and the software that they'd like to deploy.