This... is really frickin cool. This is really exciting - if I'm thinking ahead correctly, it'll be very nice to be able to purchase an unlocked phone and EASILY be able to choose which carrier I would like to go with.
For example, if this were done overnight, an iPhone with Verizon, or a Motorola Droid with AT&T. Or even a Palm Pre with... oh wait, Sprint is doing it's own thing?
Sprint sealed its fate the minute it adopted WiMax for 4G. Its only hope is to rebrand itself as the premiere mobile broadband carrier in the US. Deploy like crazy, and make all-you-can-eat mobile broadband cheaper than hell. It's the only way they won't crumble into obscurity.
I wonder what this means for roaming agreements - if AT&T and T-Mobile users will be able to use Verizon towers, or if Verizon will keep banking on their excellent coverage. I would expect the latter, but since Verizon needs to roll out new equipment, they may be interested in reciprocal agreements to save money.
I've been watching LTE like a hawk since I heard about it, and was giddy as all heck when it turned out Verizon was coming onboard, because it meant the biggest carriers in the US would actually be taking steps that would ACTUALLY be good for the consumer.
The news about VoLTE is just even more icing on an already delicious cake.
Thrax
🐌Austin, TX Icrontian
Comments
For example, if this were done overnight, an iPhone with Verizon, or a Motorola Droid with AT&T. Or even a Palm Pre with... oh wait, Sprint is doing it's own thing?
...that's kind of dumb, don't you think?
The news about VoLTE is just even more icing on an already delicious cake.