> > As a parent, one of my great angers with the cellular industry is that > NO-ONE has offered a pre-paid plan that limits the child's monthly use of > the air-time resource by cutting it off once the minute limit is exceeded > for the month. Calls FROM and TO the parent account would still go through > and be billed to the parent account.
Alan, Totally incorrect, this was one of the main themes behind the Disney MVNO and I also think Verizon or cingular have this option as well (I know I saw a tv ad for one of them a few months ago but cant remember which one) Regards, Dean Collins Cognation Pty Ltd [EMAIL PROTECTED] +1-212-203-4357 Ph +1-917-207-3420 Mb +61-2-9016-5642 (Sydney in-dial). > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:community- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Monday, 26 February 2007 2:27 PM > To: community@lists.openmoko.org > Subject: RE: Locked phones (was Re: A timely rant: Time for SIM-free phones.) > > Sam... > > Thanks for posting that link. A great write up on the "Fundamentally > Immoral" business practices in the cellullar communications industry today. > > What I expect from the "Operators" or "Carriers" (depending on which oceans > are nearby) is that they cease and desist using obfuscation and bundling to > hide the true cost of their services. Ala-carte pricing that can be > compared business to business. > > Another Mini-Rant of my own: > > Cell Plans That Help Parents Teach Responsibility > > As a parent, one of my great angers with the cellular industry is that > NO-ONE has offered a pre-paid plan that limits the child's monthly use of > the air-time resource by cutting it off once the minute limit is exceeded > for the month. Calls FROM and TO the parent account would still go through > and be billed to the parent account. > > But the cell industry in not interested in what is best for Society as a > whole, namely young people who can demonstrate the ability to conserve and > manage resources. Thanks for being such good citizens, guys. (<< Sarcasm) > > Alan McSwain > > Original Message: > ----------------- > From: Sam Kome [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 13:18:59 -0500 > To: community@lists.openmoko.org > Subject: RE: Locked phones (was Re: A timely rant: Time for SIM-free > phones.) > > > > I think that the article I linked to really clearly covers all of the > issues presented in the email responses. The price subsidies, the > locked/unlocked, the SIM buying, the phone w/o SIM buying, etc. > > That's why I brought it to this group, because I respect the > intelligence of the folks here, and I think they care about furthering > the efficacy and usability of mobile computing and communication. > > I took it for granted that everyone on the list, including myself, knows > the difference between T/CDMA (also available with SIMs, but nevermind) > and GSM devices in terms of subscriber identity management. > > I _don't_ take for granted that anyone not working in or around the cell > phone industry can even spell SIM, let alone understand the implications > of whether or not their phone has a removable chip, or if that chip will > work in another device, let alone with another carrier. > > When my mother/brother/friend in the US wants to buy a phone, they are > very likely to go to one or two cell phone outlet stores, RTFMA, and see > a plethora of plans with minutes and calling circles and > free-after-x-o'clock. They will not be able to reasonably compare these > to each other without performing sophisticated systems analysis on the > fly. They will and do sign up for 2 year contracts _and/or_ locked > devices. > > This by the way, makes my job (creating mobile content) more difficult, > so I have both the philosphical and selfish professional incentives to > try to both educate the general public and solve the core problem as I > see it, which is a sea of proprietary devices that have lousy software > and worse user interfaces. > > How'd I do? Still childish boring bullshit? > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Shawn > Rutledge > Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 12:51 PM > To: community@lists.openmoko.org > Subject: Locked phones (was Re: A timely rant: Time for SIM-free > phones.) > > SIMs are great - I don't like SIM-free phones like Verizon ones that > require somebody at Verizon to switch the service to a different > phone. With GSM you just switch the SIM yourself. Of course it would > also be nice to be able to use different devices without having to > physically switch the SIM (like use the GPRS connection in a laptop or > PDA). Anyway "SIM-free" is misleading as you are using it, because > you are actually complaining about locked phones that will only work > on one network. And BTW it's not so hard to buy new unlocked phones > on the net if you are willing to pay unsubsidized prices for them. > > As for Jobs, I think he negotiated a lot of unique stuff that cannot > typically be negotiated with a carrier. It's too bad the phone still > costs $500-600 even with a contract. Makes me wonder what the real > manufacturing cost is; is the hardware that super-duper or are they > just wanting to have even better margins than they get on ipods? > > On 2/26/07, Sam Kome <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > We should paper the world with (something like) this rant ahead of the > wide release of Neo1973. > > > > The fettered masses really don't get it yet. > > > > > > > > Covers 8 myths which drive folks to buy locked phones and/or 2yr > contracts: > > > > > http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/features/item/Its_time_to_buy_SIM-free_ph > ones.php > > > > > > > > "How would Apple fans react if the latest Mac computer was exclusively > locked to a particular ISP, was only available to people who live in > that ISP's service area, and people had to sign up to a 2 year contract > with that ISP? The Apple fans would be mad as hell, so why on earth are > they having to put up with exactly the same restrictions on a portable, > pocket-sized Mac computer called the iPhone?" > > > > > > > > "How is it that Finland, a poorer, lower-density country without phone > contracts, and with a law banning locked phones, developed far better > phone coverage than America, the land of locked phones and 2 year > contracts?" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sam Kome > > UX Team Member > > > > www.motricity.com > > view corporate video > > > > > > > > NOTICE: This e-mail message is for the sole use of the intended > recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information of > Motricity. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is > prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the > sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. > > _______________________________________________ > > OpenMoko community mailing list > > community@lists.openmoko.org > > http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > OpenMoko community mailing list > community@lists.openmoko.org > http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community > > NOTICE: This e-mail message is for the sole use of the intended > recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information of > Motricity. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is > prohibited. 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