The agreement between Apple and AT&T is set in stone until the contract runs out sometime in 2012. Petition such as this one will fall on deaf ears. So why bother with it? I think it helps to build awareness and prevent it from happening again in the future.
Freepress announced their own advocacy campaign to Free the iPhone. The site list basic information surrounding the issue including several videos, social networking profiles and a petition demanding both Congress and the FCC take action so customers can use any phones on any network carriers.
The petition:
Dear FCC and Congress,
The iPhone has set the stage for the future of mobile Internet–but bad policies allow companies like AT&T and Verizon to shackle great gadgets to their closed networks.
To free wireless Internet, the FCC and Congress must use the 700MHz spectrum auction to create an open network that gives consumers:
1. The freedom to use whatever device we want on any network.
2. The freedom to choose among many providers in a competitive wholesale marketplace.
3. The freedom to access any content or services we want through our devices.
Head on over and add your name to the petition if you believe the iPhone ought to be free from AT&T’s ball-and-chain.
I’m sorry but I don’t need Congress to help me make retail decisions. Grow a pair of balls you spineless sheeple and learn how to…
1. stand up for yourself and
2. Vote with you wallet.
I wanted an iPhone, I bought an iPhone. If there were no such thing as exclusive agreements, innovation would come screeching to a halt. How the hell would Apple have worked out Visual Voicemail without carrier support? Why don’t you people use your heads for once.
I agree with both the substance of the article and (the idea behind) what Rhett said. Consumers need a market that has its best interests in mind (which usually means less profit for the company), while still being profitable for companies (two conflicting concepts). This is why patents exist. The companies involved get a period of time to profit on innovation they delivered to the market, and after the patent expires, the open market can take advantage of the innovation. I see no difference between the definition of “a patent” and the exclusive contract between att and apple. Both companies took a risk and had a part to delivering the iPhone. If I’m wrong stop me. But since iPhone requires special Apple servers on the carrier’s side, to take advantage of all of iPhone’s functionality, att is playing a part to the birth of the iPhone. If there was nothing innovative about the iPhone and it was just another standard phone that works on any network, I can understand the question of “why?” but since it’s not the case, i believe it is only fair to lwt the two companies benefit from iphone so that they may invest in future innovations or better network.
Now if you don’t care about the innovations that att helped deliver (voice mail) and still wanted the cool touch-screen phone on a different network, well att might not mind if you have a half-disabled iphone on other networks (but I’m sure Apple might :)
Very good points from Rhett & J.Moore. Everyone who wants the iPhone should be able to get one but like with all good things there’s a price for it – you have to switch. How many previously kick-butt cellphones were locked to Sprint or Verizon and were never usable on any other network? Where was this petition then? How many other consumer products used proprietary parts and were only upgradeable/seviceable from a specific vendor? The iPhone is no different in that sense. I’m currently a T-Mobile user but as soon a my iPhone arrives so-long T-Mobile. I get great service from TMo but I’m willing to switch in order to use the iPhone. Will the services be worse, I’ll know soon enough and will have 2 years to live with that decision. The FCC can regulate the airwaves but it shouldn’t be able to dictate how a company sells it’s products. Verizon had a chance at the iPhone (passed on it) now everyone is crying sour grapes. ATT took the chance, now they’re reaping the benefits from it. Get over it and wait in line like everyone else for your iPhone or use a different phone and service.