OT - Wireless phone providers - WAS: [Cialug]ssh for cell phones

[Nathan Stien]

On Nov 15, 2007 8:58 AM, Nathan C. Smith <nathan.smith at ipmvs.com> wrote:
> Is it a  @#$% Verizon contract or a @#$% contract with Verizon?
>
> What I am asking, is would you choose Verizon again or go with a different
> provider?

Unless Verizon changes direction, they are unlikely to favor any kind
of open phone platform.  They contract with OEMs to make sure phones
for their network are crippled.  I had to do some dirty things to make
my Moto e815 support bluetooth OBEX file transfers.

Verizon is probably not unique in having generally terrible and
incompetent phone support.  Yay for oligopolistic pseudo-cartels.
Large fixed costs + high regulatory barriers to entry favoring
incumbents -> generally dickish industry.

The grass on the GSM side seems somewhat greener to me at the moment,
but I haven't really tried it.

> What other providers are represented on the list.  Personally I have an
> ancient Sprint phone that is PCS/Dual mode.  For work we use Nextel with
> Blackberries, I have always thought they had a good network, although the
> prices seem higher.

I would pay a somewhat higher price if it really gave me more freedom
in terms of what devices I could use, especially if it's some kind of
wet-dream user-modifiable linux phone.  I want to be able to ssh
*into* my phone

- Nathan