Technology Liberation Front - Latest Comments in Cartefone for wireless?

Re: Cartefone for wireless?

David Sickmiller — Sun, 20 May 2007 22:57:50 -0000

You wrote: "You can always buy an unlocked phone for a premium."

If Tim Wu's paper is correct, most of the major wireless carriers will not let you use that unlocked phone on their networks.

Re: Cartefone for wireless?

fprefect — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 10:58:21 -0000

It's true that in Europe phones are generally more expensive, but I would say this is canceled out by the fact that plans are better than what you get in the US (and you're not stuck in a contract either.) Also, you can get cutting-edge phones in Europe long before their US release, because the manufacturers aren't dependent on getting a contract with one carrier or another to have their phones sold (and of course, phones aren't locked down either.)

Re: Cartefone for wireless?

BubbaDude — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 20:30:26 -0000

It's official: Tim Wu is a communist.

Seriously, however, the net neutrality activists who over-sold their cause so egregiously in the last session of Congress seem to feel compelled to over-sell the over-sold fears by taking it into areas where they don't have a shred of a case. The "Save The Internet" coalition funded by Google (by way of Moveon) is now demanding free broadband for everybody, and here we have Prof. Wu, who actually should know better, taking on the highly-competitive cell phone market.

I suppose this indicates that it's even easier to commit adultery the second time.

Re: Cartefone for wireless?

Jamie — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:45:26 -0000

I live in New Zealand, and we've only really got 2 cellular networks - Vodafone and Telecom NZ. The prices we pay aren't going to rival landlines, but they're not too bad either.

I'm using a Vodafone "You Choose" plan. This gives me 20 anytime minutes per month for $NZ 19.95. I can then bolt on additional packages, such as off-peak minutes and text messaging, for an additional fee per month.

See the following sites for cellular pricing:

Vodafone

Telecom NZ

Note: $NZ 1.00 is roughly $US 0.70 at the moment.

Re: Cartefone for wireless?

Tim Wu — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 11:05:04 -0000

Thanks for the shout-out -- but the presentation is on Wednesday, not tomorrow!

tw