Comments on: The Carrier, the Phone Maker & the Customer http://gigaom.com/2007/05/24/the-carrier-the-phone-maker-the-customer/ The Business of Technology Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:39:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: luis http://gigaom.com/2007/05/24/the-carrier-the-phone-maker-the-customer/#comment-104052 luis Fri, 25 May 2007 04:39:20 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/05/24/the-carrier-the-phone-maker-the-customer/#comment-104052 <p>It really depends how much R&D the carriers are willing to spend to make the handsets more interesting.</p> <p>Unfortunately its not in Vodafones DNA to make the user/handset experience better, to them its just a cheaper handset period and to put pressure on the manufactures to come up with better pricing.</p> <p>In asia on the other hand there are huge R&D investments by the carriers to get a real new and better handset/user experience. Vodafone is not near that and probably never will.</p> It really depends how much R&D the carriers are willing to spend to make the handsets more interesting.

Unfortunately its not in Vodafones DNA to make the user/handset experience better, to them its just a cheaper handset period and to put pressure on the manufactures to come up with better pricing.

In asia on the other hand there are huge R&D investments by the carriers to get a real new and better handset/user experience. Vodafone is not near that and probably never will.

]]> By: Katie Fehrenbacher http://gigaom.com/2007/05/24/the-carrier-the-phone-maker-the-customer/#comment-104062 Katie Fehrenbacher Thu, 24 May 2007 20:47:04 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/05/24/the-carrier-the-phone-maker-the-customer/#comment-104062 <p>Herman, for clarifications sake, I added in the USA Today link.</p> Herman, for clarifications sake, I added in the USA Today link.

]]> By: Shun http://gigaom.com/2007/05/24/the-carrier-the-phone-maker-the-customer/#comment-104064 Shun Thu, 24 May 2007 20:46:04 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/05/24/the-carrier-the-phone-maker-the-customer/#comment-104064 <p>I call shenanigans! Seriously, if telecoms companies want customers, then why on earth would these companies be engaging in corporate hi-jinks such as vendor lock in, disabled features, long term contracts, and the ubiquitous worthless customer service?</p> <p>Is there anyone out there offering cheap VOIP/Wifi enabled phones which are vendor neutral, work on a variety of networks, is impervious to heat/frost/water up to 100m in depth?</p> <p>You know what would impress me? A phone with a NIC and an ethernet jack. Yeah, that would just say : screw you telecom, I was created to empower the customer.</p> <p>Anyway, guess we'll have to roll our own, or buy on the cheap if we want price/performance.</p> I call shenanigans! Seriously, if telecoms companies want customers, then why on earth would these companies be engaging in corporate hi-jinks such as vendor lock in, disabled features, long term contracts, and the ubiquitous worthless customer service?

Is there anyone out there offering cheap VOIP/Wifi enabled phones which are vendor neutral, work on a variety of networks, is impervious to heat/frost/water up to 100m in depth?

You know what would impress me? A phone with a NIC and an ethernet jack. Yeah, that would just say : screw you telecom, I was created to empower the customer.

Anyway, guess we’ll have to roll our own, or buy on the cheap if we want price/performance.

]]> By: Om Malik http://gigaom.com/2007/05/24/the-carrier-the-phone-maker-the-customer/#comment-104060 Om Malik Thu, 24 May 2007 20:44:19 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/05/24/the-carrier-the-phone-maker-the-customer/#comment-104060 <p>Herman,</p> <p>USA Today is a pretty credible source and they won't print it without checking. Secondly, if that wasn't the case, we would have heard a denial from Apple by now. Regardless, you do bring up good point about ONE source.</p> Herman,

USA Today is a pretty credible source and they won’t print it without checking. Secondly, if that wasn’t the case, we would have heard a denial from Apple by now. Regardless, you do bring up good point about ONE source.

]]> By: herman manfred http://gigaom.com/2007/05/24/the-carrier-the-phone-maker-the-customer/#comment-104054 herman manfred Thu, 24 May 2007 20:36:08 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/05/24/the-carrier-the-phone-maker-the-customer/#comment-104054 <p>I haven't seen any proof anywhere (other than plenty of sites such as your own repeating what ONE source, USA Today of all things, said) that the iPhone is a =5 year= exclusive to AT&T (Cingular).</p> I haven’t seen any proof anywhere (other than plenty of sites such as your own repeating what ONE source, USA Today of all things, said) that the iPhone is a =5 year= exclusive to AT&T (Cingular).

]]> By: TP http://gigaom.com/2007/05/24/the-carrier-the-phone-maker-the-customer/#comment-104058 TP Thu, 24 May 2007 19:50:42 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/05/24/the-carrier-the-phone-maker-the-customer/#comment-104058 <p>I think the handset guys need to be independent and innovate on their own.</p> <p>The providers can do this as well, but not in handsets.</p> I think the handset guys need to be independent and innovate on their own.

The providers can do this as well, but not in handsets.

]]> By: Chris http://gigaom.com/2007/05/24/the-carrier-the-phone-maker-the-customer/#comment-104056 Chris Thu, 24 May 2007 19:41:38 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/05/24/the-carrier-the-phone-maker-the-customer/#comment-104056 <p>The carriers and manufacturers can only dream that they owned the customer. The reality in the wireless industry - there is no loyalty. With regard to the iPhone - if successful - other manufacturers will look for "applesque" conditions in negotiations that have typically favored the carrier.</p> The carriers and manufacturers can only dream that they owned the customer. The reality in the wireless industry - there is no loyalty. With regard to the iPhone - if successful - other manufacturers will look for “applesque” conditions in negotiations that have typically favored the carrier.

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