On 2008-04-07, Larry <noone@home.com> wrote:
> Todd Allcock <elecconnec@AmericaOnLine.com> wrote in
> news:ftcrdi$por$3@aioe.org:
>
>>> EVERY device must be COMPANY CONTROLLED, at all costs.
>>
>> Give it a rest, Lar- just because you've only used Verizon and Alltel
>> doesn't mean every carrier acts like them.
>>
>> So ditch the loony conspiracy theories, or at least tell us how they
>> faked the Moon landing again- at least that one is funny...
>
> My statement above stands, Verizon or no Verizon. Verizon is just the
> worst case scenario. EVERY device MUST be COMPANY CONTROLLED or it will
> never see the light of day.
>
> Why do you think your iPhone has no external memory card slot and doesn't
> run freeware off the net? COMPANY CONTROL at its worst.

I still don't get how you think the GSM carriers control the devices
on their networks. I've had several lines of GSM service for 7 or 8
years now but have only bought two phones from the carriers in that
time, one from T-Mobile and one from Cingular. Virtually all the
rest of the GSM phones I've had have been unbranded phones purchased
in Asia. I bring the phone back, put the US company SIM in the phone,
turn it on and use it. How does the US carrier get to edit the features
in my phone?

I don't buy smart phones with a lot of features since I'm stuck travelling
with a laptop regardless, but I'm curious to know how you think the
US GSM carriers control the selection of phones and features available
at the manufacturers' stores in Hong Kong, where most of the phones
I use come from.

Dennis Ferguson