Ewan McCleod, from SMSTextNews has been putting off writing about the US mobile market. Now based in San Francisco, he's been considering trying to buy a mobile phone like a regular consumer, and he's seriously shocked at what he discovered.
1. Getting DSL broadband Internet access in the US
2. Getting cable broadband Internet access in the US
3. Getting telephone line in the US
4. Getting cable TV in the US
5. Getting satellite TV in the US
*. Getting just about any other utility in the US, where the service provider is a monopoly.
Yeah America has been strangled by the phone companies for too long. It is going to take a much more concerted effort by those of us in the know to fix the mess that holds the USA back.
Mus buy phones directly, not through cell providers
I simply will not buy my phones from my cell provider. I have been a T-mobile user since it was Voicestream but I never accept their upgrade offers. You can not get anything good and if you get a good phone like the Curve or the Pearl they are crippled and work only with their services. I am now using a Nokia E61i which I could easily configure to use Gmail and Gmaps nad Goosync with T-mobile's $5/month t-zones service. I could not do this with a Curve from them, I would have had to buy the $20/ month T-mobile internet.
The E61i is a great phone and having it totally unlocked I can use it as I want. Have used it in Europe with a Vodafone Italy SIM and In Ireland with a Vodafone IRL SIM.
Even if it costs more I strongly recommend not buying phones from US carriers. Being a "tenant at will" with your provider also has its advantages.
Linear Mode
