Oxford wrote:
> and i don't think you are understanding what is going on here. the
> iPhone could very well be the first mass scale WiFi phone.

> If Apple does free worldwide WiFi the games is basically over for most
> cell carriers.

Have you taken a look at what the mobile carriers are looking at ? I
don't recall the protocol name right now, but it is essentially:

When you phone is outside of GSM (or that CDMA thing) coverage, it looks
for wi-fi signals, if it finds them, it connects via IP to YOUR CELLULAR
NETWORK PROVIDER who will have IP servers. Your phone will still connect
to your mobile carrier and use your mobile phone number and be billed
for usage just as if you were using the normal GSM/CDMA over the air
interface.

Apple's iPhOnE customers are not individuals, it is AT&T in the USA.
Apple caters to AT&T's desires, and Apple isn't about to allow its
iPhOnEs to connect to any SIP voip gateway because it would reduce AT&T
revenus. And since Apple has negotiated a share of the AT&T revenus for
iPhOnE usage, Apple doesn't benefit from allowing iPhOnE users to
bypass AT&T.


> Nah, they still have total flexibility. They have the option to buy part
> of the wireless spectrum, or they can go full WiFi, or WiMax... they can
> also cut deals with other cell carriers, etc. There are no blocks on the
> iPhone which gives Apple plenty of leverage.

Are you aware that Apple has a 5 year exclusivity agreement with AT&T ?
It is not able to sell iPhOnEs to any other USA network for 5 years.

> The iPhone has only been out for 150 days and it's already shook the
> cell industry to its knees, so best to hang tight and see how Apple
> guides the cell industry from here on out.

No, Apple, as expected, has gotten the media's attention for the iPhOnE
because Apple is excellent with marketing. In the big picture, it is
still small numbers, and its exclusivity deals will really limit Apple
sales.