On Fri, 29 Jun 2007 03:16:34 -0700, Jeff wrote
(in article <Y4FN5BZJ39262.1781712963@anonymous.poster>):

> http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-973...?tag=cnetfd.mt
>
> With the iPhone completely dominating cell phone news this week, it's easy
> to forget that other cell phones exist. Crave wonders why any manufacturer
> or service provider would see the PR benefit in making an announcement this
> week, but that hasn't stopped T-Mobile from unveiling its Hotspot @Home and
> Sprint from taking the wraps off its new LG Muziq phone.
>
> But today Verizon Wireless revealed that it was hosting its own party to
> match the Apple and AT&T events on the iPhone launch day. In a press
> release, the carrier invites shoppers to test-drive "the leading wireless
> company with the most reliable voice and data network". Meow.
>
> The carrier also invites shoppers to check out its selection of music cell
> phones, including the LG VX9400, which is on sale for $99.99. That's a good
> deal for a cool phone, but the keep in mind that the spiffy V Cast Mobile
> TV service (something the VX9400 supports) is available only in a few
> cities. Yet unlike the iPhone, the LG handset does offer 3G.
>
> Buyers will also be able to download songs wirelessly at the stores from
> Verizon's V Cast Music service. As everyone knows, the iPhone will not
> support tune downloads over the air. But the best news is that customers
> will get a free Music Essentials kit, which normally sets you back $30.
> That's exceedingly generous of Verizon, considering the kit is needed to
> even sync a phone with a PC. We don't know why Verizon just doesn't give
> you the kit in the first place, but that another story.
>
> So if you've decided you're too cool for the iPhone, or you refuse to leave
> Verizon for AT&T, you'll be pleased to know that Verizon has you covered.
> Verizon stores and kiosks will stay open until 9 p.m. And you can be sure
> these stores won't have a line.
>
>
>

Is the iPhone locked? If it isn't, why wouldn't any GSM - based phone/data
system's SIM card work? I have a Blackberry 7100 that I don't use any more
for various reasons, but mostly due to it's lousy reception. When I bought
it, it came with T-Mobile service. After six months I got them to give me the
code to unlock the phone so that I could use pay-as-you-go phone service in
Europe (T-Mobile's roam charges overseas were outrageous - over a dollar a
minute at that time as I recall while TIM (Telecom Italia Mobilare) charged
less than US$0.30/min domestically). In an effort to get better coverage, I
switched from T-Mobile to Cingular after my service contract period was up.
All I had to do was remove the T-Moble SIM card and replace it with a
Cingular card and Voila! I had a Cingular Blackberry. It was then that I
found that it wasn't the service that had lousy coverage, it was the phone
itself, so I went down to the Cingular store and found a tiny blister-packed
'Go-Phone' (Motorola V190) for $30. I popped my SIM card out of the
Blackberry and into the Moto, and I've never looked back. The Blackberry now
resides in a bureau drawer, and Moto gives me 4-bars here at home where the
Blackberry barely gave one.

My point is that if GSM phones are unlocked, it looks as if you can use
anybody's service (as long as they are GSM).