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Verizon Says You Can Port From Sprint, Build Your Own Phone
We just got the juicy details on Verizon's Any App, Any Device initiative going live in the second half of next year. The big answers, from the company heads:
• Yes, you will be able to port existing CDMA phones from Sprint—or Korea—to Verizon, provided they operate on the correct frequencies.
• The cost of certification for BYO phones will be "very reasonable", and that even an at-home tinkerer could feasibly submit a device for approval.
• Previously Verizon only tested phones that could sell in the hundreds of thousands of units; now it will be happy to approve devices that require much lower volume.
• This is for CDMA products only. The iPhone ain't gonna port, even though several reporters seemed to not understand why. Here are more details:
• There will be no problem with Java-powered CDMA phones running on VZW.
• The testing process will involve than basic network interactivity and a simple security screen so that devices that could upload malware to the network won't get through.
CTO Dick Lynch on homemade devices:
If somebody has the technical capability of building a device on a breadboard and they want to bring it to be tested, the philosophy of this program says "Have at it!" If it is tested and passes, it can get on the network. Does it make it hard to be the small guy on the block? Not now, with availability of components, etc. The provider of the device would have some fee that they would pay. I think it's going to be surprisingly reasonable - it's not gonna have many many zeroes on the back. They will be very reasonable fees for professional services rendered.CEO Lowell McAdam on what might turn up:
This isn't just phones—it could be a very small module in a gaming station, a home appliance, something that goes into your car. It doesn't have to have the traditional distribution or volumes. [Traditionally] if a device is not going to sell hundreds of thousands, it's hard to decide because of our scale. But now, if something only sells five, now it can be on our network.McAdam on porting from other carriers:
If somebody wants to bring a device over from any other CDMA carrier or somewhere else, if it passes the test and operates on our frequencies, they can. [Can someone move from Sprint to Verizon?] The short answer is "Yes."Of course, this is all about device availability, not about the services and fees for service. The honchos admit that there will have to be new plans and open discussion of bandwidth caps.
Depending on the type of device, different usage models will apply. If there's a device that only access network once a month to update, the idea of a utility meter reading comes to mind. If it's doing video download, something else makes sense.The topic of Google's Open Handset Alliance came up, but the response was fairly boilerplate, and indicated that Verizon was more likely to test popular Android models on its standard service offering, a la Treos, BlackBerrys and Windows Mobile devices. Verizon reminded reporters constantly that BYO was, after all, just augmentation of its standard business model, not a total change. I for one am happy about it, but this is too early to know what will come about. [Press Release]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
tande
Posted 3:31 PM 27/11/07
Its interesting that, what, a month ago Sprint said they'd start unlocking phones to which everyone said, "who cares I still can't take it to another carrier". Now the other carrier has stepped up.
I wonder if helio is going to jump on this. You'd think they could just mark up phones to a point where they could turn a nice little profit and start heading in that direction.
tande
Kendra
Posted 2:56 PM 27/11/07
Those "shove off" letters that Sprint delivered to long standing customers that called in a little too much? All gearing up for handing their customerbase over to the lowest bidder.
Many people were blocked from Sprint service, despite their paying their bill in full every month, as a big "thank you" to its loyal customers.
Sprint has bad customer retention these days.
Kendra
Noobs-R-Us
Posted 2:52 PM 27/11/07
About time one of the carriers admitted that they're just a "dumb pipe" company. 0 value add.
Noobs-R-Us
raven1
Posted 2:38 PM 27/11/07
Well I Live In Arizona + Cold Enough To Wear A Jacket = Hell Has Frozen Over!
The Apocalypse Grows Near!!!
raven1
Soulxside
Posted 1:15 PM 27/11/07
ahh yes... now i'm off to cetizen.com to choose my next phone (after I learn how to read korean)
Soulxside
Guizzy
Posted 12:54 PM 27/11/07
@Monty: Yeah, Google should tell them!
Guizzy
thejrah
Posted 12:44 PM 27/11/07
My only question is this: Can I take a Sprint Blackberry Pearl with the full GPS and port it over to Verizon? Because I'm willing to pay the full retail costs to use the Pearl on Verizon's network as long as I can have the real GPS, and not that VZNav crap.
thejrah
Monty
Posted 12:28 PM 27/11/07
What the heck are the folks at Verizon drinking these days? Are they actually trying to become a nice wireless phone company? Someone better explain to them that they will never make money being the nice guy.
Monty
weatherman
Posted 11:58 AM 27/11/07
I think this may be the first time I've felt warm-n-fuzzies for Verizon. As a customer who is off-contract, this might actually keep me with them. I'm sure the Devil's in the details and that when confronted with the reality there will probably be some adjustments, but I like what they're saying so far. Let's see if they can walk the walk.
weatherman
hypnotik_jello
Posted 11:44 AM 27/11/07
@raulr: Softbank and NTT Docomo are on 2100mhz WCDMA UTMS
hypnotik_jello
raulr
Posted 11:38 AM 27/11/07
I thought Japan was W-CDMA/HSxPA. At least it is with NTT Docomo. That would not be compatible with Verizon as it's more of a GSM flavored 3G. Not sure about KDDI.
raulr
raulr
Posted 11:35 AM 27/11/07
@JJ910:
Not really, because they don't operate on CDMA. Very few countries actually do. The one country you can get very high-end CDMA phones would be S. Korea. They have some of the most advanced phones on the planet.
raulr
frigg
Posted 11:33 AM 27/11/07
do you think Apple has secretly simultaneously co-developed a CDMA iPhone, just as they secretly simultaneously co-developed OSX to run on intel, and at some point down the road the CEO of Verizon will trot onto the stage at Macworld, man-hug Steve Jobs, and they will announce that a CDMA iPhone now works on Verizon?
frigg
JoeKing
Posted 11:33 AM 27/11/07
For someone like me who is preparing for a degree in mechatronics engineering, this is huge!
The cost to bring a telecom device to market is huge, but this could actually make it feasible for someone with technical knowledge to develop the hardware, run google's Android software, and put a device out there without needing to sell 100,000 units.
To say I am excited about the possibilities is an understatement.
JoeKing
nachobel
Posted 11:31 AM 27/11/07
Japan is CDMA, but they use the 2k frequency. (US is 800/1900), so, not likely unless I'm missing something, but they are CDMA.
nachobel
hypnotik_jello
Posted 11:30 AM 27/11/07
@Falconfire: Actually that's not quite true. KDDI's au service using CDMA2000 EVDO revA, though I'm not sure that they use the same frequency as verizon.
hypnotik_jello
ryetronics
Posted 11:28 AM 27/11/07
This is a great leap forward for wireless carriers, but why do I get the feeling that not much will change initially? I can see it now. I purchase a Sprint phone at FULL PRICE since I'm not getting Sprint service, then am forced to sign a new 2-year plan with Verizon b/c of the new hardware.
ryetronics
Falconfire
Posted 11:26 AM 27/11/07
@JJ910: Nope since neither uses CDMA.
Falconfire
JJ910
Posted 11:11 AM 27/11/07
So can I GO TO Japan and German and bring those phones here? Maybe there's hope for us to be in sync with the technology available in Europe & Asia. This is the biggest question if you ask me.
JJ910
utube2007
Posted 4:45 PM 27/11/07
come on meizu now just release a unlocked cdma minione that works on the 800/1900 MHZ bandwidth
utube2007
2-7offsuit
Posted 4:43 PM 27/11/07
@frigg: I don't think so. I'm pretty sure Apple signed a contract with AT&T to keep the iPhone GSM only for a few years. Can anyone else confirm this?
I would really like to find someway to use the iPhone with Verizon, or at least some kind of hope before I just break my contract and jump ship.
2-7offsuit
Shuft
Posted 4:07 PM 27/11/07
You may be able to use Helio phones with Sprint service already as it is a Sprint MVNO.
Can someone who can answer for us if Korea uses the same CDMA frequencies as the US carriers do?
Shuft
chametner
Posted 6:21 PM 27/11/07
The release says any app, any device. Are there any details on applications? Will we finally be able to download any BREW application, click on live links in the WAP browser? If so this is a step in the right direction.
As for CDMA phones in other countries China also has CDMA.
I look forward to seeing other devices using this network, including tracking for pets and real-time displays of traffic and weather, the ability to make reservations, buy movie tickets etc. in my car. (Not while driving of course).
chametner
jamar0303
Posted 4:50 AM 28/11/07
@raulr: Japan does indeed run CDMA (KDDI does it) but EVDO runs on 2100MHz, so you're not getting anything better than 1xRTT (and even then, except on a couple of phone models, the Tx/Rx is reversed so they're incompatible; as well, Japanese ESNs are different from US ESNs- Japanese ESNs use 5 A-Z letters followed by 6 numbers).
And for Chametner- China has CDMA, but it uses R-UIMs. Phone's not going to work unless it's been flashed with Korean or US firmware because it will look for the R-UIM upon bootup and not boot when it can't find one.
And in general- hallelujah. Motorola makes some great phones in Korea that they absolutely refuse to release in the US (StarTAC III for one), and this would fix that little issue.
jamar0303
hughjass
Posted 8:18 AM 28/11/07
@jamar0303:
Who wants a StarTAC III? No camera, no external LCD. Sure, it has a 240×320 screen and GPS, but that's not going to make up for it.
Anyway, well I'm just happy to hear this news. With both Sprint and VZW on board with this, we'll finally be getting somewhere.
hughjass
jamar0303
Posted 7:56 PM 28/11/07
@hughjass: Well, if your place of employment doesn't allow cameras the StarTAC III's going to be the best phone you'll be able to bring in.
jamar0303