Carriers Know What's Best

In some relatively recent mobile news, there was a rumor about a soon-to-come device and how one of the wireless carriers said that they would not sell it unless one of its features was scaled back from its original design. Basically, it seems the carrier did not want to cannibalize another product that it was selling and this was the solution. Apparently, things got very heated, but the device maker ended up bowing to the demands of the carrier and so that smartphone will come, just slightly neutered.

In another story, a smaller company wanted to release devices and system updates faster; however, because of the level of carrier customizations, it had to go through several rounds of dealing with the carriers. Many times, updates would be in carrier testing so long that they never made it out. Other times, the carriers would send updates back because it didn't want the users do as much with their devices as the update would allow for. This company, like the other, eventually bowed to the carrier's demands and impending customer/investor pressure.

The Joy of Unlocked Phones

When I talk to people about why I choose to purchase unlocked phones, I tell them that one reason is that I would like to use a device that doesn't have a carrier's fingerprints all over it.

Some phones come from the carrier with so many customizations that the only recourse in getting something fixed is getting a new phone. Which is great for them, but then as a user I have files and media that is a pain to get from one device to the other, not to mention a user experience that seems to have been designed by a 2-year-old.

Do Carriers Have To Be Control Freaks?

Now, if I were in the shoes of a carrier, I'd probably understand. There are some aspects of running a network and service that are a good deal more intricate than just flipping a switch, and ensuring a consistent level of service is paramount. But I often wonder, if this is one of the reasons why the U.S. cellular market is so fragmented and out of order, why not just take the devices out of their hands, and let them work on the making the service top notch?

It's been said that carriers in the U.S. do not want to become dumb pipes -- essentially, the equivalent of a utility company. But if their main purpose is to make sure that my call gets through or my email gets here, why do they have to have their hands on the hardware too? Can't they just let that alone, let alone the web browser, and let me pay for what I am using them for, a pipe to get info that I need?

I remember talking to a representative from a major carrier when I was coming from CES in 2005. I asked him a question about the devices that are on his service and why the carrier is so controlling of what goes on them. His answer was essentially that they knew better than the users what they needed, and needed to ensure that their device and service choices reflected that. I was angry, but couldn't argue. His company has tens of millions of customers and I don't; maybe it's true that the carriers really do know what is best.