The lack of competition in this industry in the US is shocking. Even in "socialist" France there are three alternatives for the iPhone with another coming in to the fold soon. What ever happened to the old fashioned America idea of competition? Business doesn't like it but that's their problem to deal with. In my own business I have faced competition my entire life and managed to do just fine even when the competition was a global household name and I was with a startup. Without it, fewer options are there and technology and business models become stagnant. Good to see the Senate looking into this problem and dragging the US mobile industry into the modern world. If they can't handle competition, maybe they ought to quit the business.
Lawmakers yesterday waded into a growing debate on whether the practice of locking in cellphones to exclusive contracts with only one carrier has led to higher prices and fewer choices for consumers and stifled competition in one of the economy's brightest spots -- the wireless industry.Consumers make up two thirds of the US economy so how about treating them accordingly?
The Senate Commerce Committee met ahead of Apple's debut tomorrow of its latest version of the iPhone. Critics say the company will once again irritate people who want the gadget but are not subscribers of the company's exclusive partner, AT&T. A similar fate awaits those who want the Palm Pre phone but don't subscribe to Sprint Nextel service, or the new phone running Google Android software and don't get T-Mobile service.
