While I fully admit that it would be reckless gun-jumping to assume that the Wireless Consumer Protection Bill will become a law any time soon. To assume that it would become a law at any time without significant changes would also be extraordinarily naive. It's just a draft at this point.
However, it's still exciting to me. The stipulations that would allow us, as consumers to a) purchase a phone at full price to avoid a contract and b) to not have to pay anything extra on our monthly bill to avoid a contract are what really float my boat.
This would be a move towards a mobile phone culture like they have in Europe and Asia. I've posted about it in bits and pieces so I'll be brief. You buy a phone, you buy your service and that's it.
What would be so great about the Wireless Consumer Protection Bill is that no one is saying that contracts would be eliminated. You see, it's all about choice. A contract is far less offensive when instead of your being only option it's an option. There are plenty of people who are just fine with signing a contract in order to get a cheaper phone. Especially, if like me, you just bought a phone with a no-contract price tag of $550 a 2-year contract that reduces your price by $300 after mail-in rebates sounds great. A lack of choice is what I feel has held the U.S. mobile phone market back. The lack of choice in handsets has started to be addressed with the iPhone, the Tilt (AT&T's branded HTCH Tytn II) and the Touch (another HTC device for Sprint) and En-V from Verizon. That's a great start, but hardware is only half of the mobile phone equation.
I think that the potential for a hybrid of the Euro/Asian mobile culture and the American contract-based culture is a step towards putting the U.S. in a position to say it's changing the industry.
There's a lot more going on in the WCP bill than just the option to sign up for mobile service sans contract, but it's the part that's most exciting to me. Once it becomes a little more "real" Andrew will get into some of the nitty gritty of translating from Washington-ese to human.
It shows great potential and even the fact that one of the most senior members of Congress would attach his name to it is enormous. Take a sec to read it right here. And I know it's hokey, but if you believe in this contact your representative and let them know that you support Wireless Consumer Protection. Don't know who your rep is? Check out www.house.gov and look towards the upper left. You'll see a tool to find your rep based on ZIP+4. Rep. Michael D. Honda (D-CA), expect an email, sir.
However, it's still exciting to me. The stipulations that would allow us, as consumers to a) purchase a phone at full price to avoid a contract and b) to not have to pay anything extra on our monthly bill to avoid a contract are what really float my boat.
This would be a move towards a mobile phone culture like they have in Europe and Asia. I've posted about it in bits and pieces so I'll be brief. You buy a phone, you buy your service and that's it.
What would be so great about the Wireless Consumer Protection Bill is that no one is saying that contracts would be eliminated. You see, it's all about choice. A contract is far less offensive when instead of your being only option it's an option. There are plenty of people who are just fine with signing a contract in order to get a cheaper phone. Especially, if like me, you just bought a phone with a no-contract price tag of $550 a 2-year contract that reduces your price by $300 after mail-in rebates sounds great. A lack of choice is what I feel has held the U.S. mobile phone market back. The lack of choice in handsets has started to be addressed with the iPhone, the Tilt (AT&T's branded HTCH Tytn II) and the Touch (another HTC device for Sprint) and En-V from Verizon. That's a great start, but hardware is only half of the mobile phone equation.
I think that the potential for a hybrid of the Euro/Asian mobile culture and the American contract-based culture is a step towards putting the U.S. in a position to say it's changing the industry.
There's a lot more going on in the WCP bill than just the option to sign up for mobile service sans contract, but it's the part that's most exciting to me. Once it becomes a little more "real" Andrew will get into some of the nitty gritty of translating from Washington-ese to human.
It shows great potential and even the fact that one of the most senior members of Congress would attach his name to it is enormous. Take a sec to read it right here. And I know it's hokey, but if you believe in this contact your representative and let them know that you support Wireless Consumer Protection. Don't know who your rep is? Check out www.house.gov and look towards the upper left. You'll see a tool to find your rep based on ZIP+4. Rep. Michael D. Honda (D-CA), expect an email, sir.
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