Microsoft files EU Android complaint

[Alejandro Imass]

On Fri, Apr 12, 2013 at 12:36 PM, D. Hugh Redelmeier <hugh-pmF8o41NoarQT0dZR+AlfA at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> | From: Alejandro Imass <aimass-EzYyMjUkBrFWk0Htik3J/w at public.gmane.org>
>
> | On Fri, Apr 12, 2013 at 12:21 AM, D. Hugh Redelmeier <hugh-pmF8o41NoarQT0dZR+AlfA at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> | > | From: Christopher Browne <cbbrowne-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>
>
> | > BTW, I actually think your analogy applies to the compiler world too.
> |
> | Interesting point. Could you expand a little here?
>
> There used to be a lot of compiler vendors.  Ones that hoped to make a
> business of it.  Microsoft on one side and GCC on the other killed
> that business.
>

OK, I see where you're coming from.

> Borland had some good products and went down.  Watcom had some, they
> too augered in.  Etc.
>

Yep, I remember that time clearly.

> | > It appears to me as if it is a sheep / shepherd relationship.  Most
> | > carrier seem to "subsidize" preferred phones.  Consumers are stupid
> | > enough to accept this rather expensive financing.
> | >
> |
> | I find it curious that T-Mobile's incorporation of iPhone on the 1700
> | band is coinciding with the elimination of subsidies on ALL their
> | smart phones: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57557754-94/on-t-mobile-killing-the-subsidy-its-about-time/
>
> Sorry, I don't understand this.  Is this related to 1700 being
> T-Mobile-only or the reverse or something else.  My own ignorance.
>

Up to now Apple had refused to make an iPhone for 1700 HSDPA for some
reason that I still don't understand very well. Smaller vendors such
as Wind here could not provide iPhone until now.

Anyway, the point is that T-Mobile is removing subsidies for ALL their
smartphones almost at the same time it's releasing the iPhone on their
HSDPA networks. Maybe it has something to do with the deal with Apple
and maybe not, but it can be read in many ways.

> On the surface, T-Mobile's move looks to appeal to people being tired
> of the shell game of subsidies.  Maybe some sheep are getting a little
> wiser in the US.  Maybe its just a desperation move.
>

Well, I'm more concerned on the survival of Wind and surely the iPhone
will get a lot of people on their network. Now both Mobilicity and
Wind are up for sale and apparently Mobilicity is already in bed with
Telus.

> | > I guess five years ago "Bring Your Own Device" was not always
> | > possible.  GSM certainly helped (necessary?).
> | >
> | > I don't follow it closely, but "data" has had a bunch of gotchas.
> |
> | For the carriers you mean?
>
> That too: SIP over data can mess up their model.  Messaging over data
> as well.
>
> But what I meant is that the carriers put all sorts of restrictions on
> data.  I don't know them all, but some include caps on data that are
> low, expensive bytes over the cap, forcing proxy use, blocking ports,
> traffic shaping.
>

That seems to be changing. In the U.S. the FCC has acted both in 2010
and 2011 and probably those 'models' are finding their way here little
by little.

> I also don't really understand all the different data standards that
> add to the fragmentation of the market.  All GSM phones work with all
> GSM carriers as long as (1) the frequency bands match, and (2) the
> carrier doesn't intentionally prevent.  With data, I think that there
> are a whole bunch of technologies, with some level of backward
> compatability -- I don't really know the paths through that jungle.
>

I think GSM has two distinct frequency options but are all compatible
at some level. For example a current iPhone will work on Wind but will
get only "Edge" speeds because it's missing the 1700 band. Why Apple
didn't make the iPhone a multi-band device and use HSDPA networks.
Maybe that was part of their deal with AT&T.


> Note: I'm not a cell phone expert.  I may be all wrong.

Neither am I, but I just want Wind to survive to any news on T-Mobile
is relevant to that end.


-- 
Alejandro Imass
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