If you're interested in American progress toward an i-Mode-style model,
Verizon announced its "Express Network" launched on Jan-28.
"...1XRTT network capabilities are already available in more than 20 percent
of the Verizon Wireless footprint, reaching more than 53 million Americans."
As a wireless app developer, I was wishing for an announcement involving
app-capable handsets, packet data, billing-on-behalf, over-the-air download,
etc. Thus I was, well, surprised by these points:
[] No mention of any on-phone data benefits (it's all about connecting your
laptop)
[] They're billing by the minute, not by the packet.
The cost: $30/mo plus usage of your normal plan's minutes. This is similar to
the current model for WAP billing: SPrint charges $5/mo plus minutes from your
plan; however, Sprint's WAP service is circuit-switched, so a per-minute
charge makes sense.
The full announcement is at
http://news.verizonwireless.com/proactive/newsroom/release.vtml?id=69834
"Business customers and individual consumers in Express Network markets may
take advantage of high wireless data speeds and robust Internet access by
using the new Verizon Wireless 2235 handset from Kyocera with a compatible
Mobile Office kit as a modem for their laptops, or by using the AirCard 555 PC
card from Sierra Wireless, for their laptops and select PDAs."
-Josh
PS - I continue to search for a more relevant moderated public list than
keitai for US-centric discussion. I've even started browsing Usenet out of
sheer desperation. Anyone with suggestions, send 'em my way. Thanks.
Received on Wed Jan 30 05:51:15 2002