The last time we heard from Ivan Seidenberg, he was letting Sprint know precisely what he thought of it. This go 'round, in a new 'Charlie Rose' interview, the Verizon chief is being entirely more coy. In speaking to recent political happenings, he mentions that the communication coming from the citizens of Iran is "a great thing," and he also notes that attempts to block internet use "can't work long term" as the "power of the people will override that without any question." Sort of comical given VZW's prior persistence to cripple phones in spite of consumer backlash, but we digress. He also dodged (with great skill, might we add) questions on whether Verizon Wireless would carry the iPhone, noting that it was "Apple's decision" on whether it would build one to support the company's forthcoming LTE network. As for Android? He did confess that recent reports of a Motorola handset coming its way "might be true," which is CEO speak for "oh, that's absolutely happening." Hop on past the break for a video of the whole shakedown.
Agree with that but I will also be waiting to see if Verizon cripples the iphone (if they ever get it), knowing Verizon, the "jailbreaking" of it would be an interesting process.
@Cedrock They did promise they would unlock the GPS on 3 phones this 1st quarter and they already came out with the Touch Pro release, the Samsung Saga release came out last night finally and there are already leaked ROM's for the Omnia. I still don't agree with gimping the processor and RAM at all but at least stuff blocked with software can be hacked. I have 5 Saga's to update today now :)
"In 2007, President George W. Bush named Seidenberg to the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee, which advises the president on communications issues related to national security, emergency preparedness and the protection of critical infrastructure."
Seems he is a guy with contacts and pull.
(Incidentally, that sounds bad that bush approved of him, but there's good things to say about him too that I didn't mention. And I guess he's the must have been involved in making it mandatory for cellphone transmitters to have emergency power, which is a smart and useful thing I think.)
I think you guys linked the wrong video. I watched that whole 2:38 video and it didn't have one peep of info about any iPhone, Android phone, or Motorola phone. He talked about roaming internationally with his BlackBerry, about why they built a CDMA network, then answering a lame question about what more he wants to do.
For the sake of engadget, I hope it's the wrong video. If not, posters may easily claim another bit of Apple/AT&T bias. Regardless, I don't understand why one would expect him to drop news like that in a serious interview setting like that. He isn't going to go on television and upset manufacturers and other companies by releasing information too soon. If he did say anything, some engadget writer would also needlessly blast him like Ballmer.
the problem is that these new phones take away from the pay to play features of the telecom guys. If Apple was wishy washy you couldn't even turn on the damn thing without ponying up a monthly fee instituted by them telecomm fucks. My girl gave me the iphone 3GS the other day and I love it. Now, if at&t fucks me, I'm going back to verizon.
I dont think Verizon would let the iPhone out on their network. buying music/games on iTunes directly competes with thier VCast music and application store. So i agree with you completely. Verizon is BIG on the pay to play thing.
I'm with Verizon and have been very happy with phone service, and customer service. However all the really cool phones seem to be on other networks... if they get one or both of these phones they could really gain market share. And I could gain a cooler phone than my LG Dare!
oh so true... when I first got my Dare it was like a Godsend compared to all the other shitty products/kid phones they try to push down our throats. now its even more painfully outdated and outclassed compared to what other carriers have.
"Adding their own software layer" is Verizon speak for crippling the phone to prevent you from downloading a 3rd party app, then forcing you to pay for their made up service.
How about this Ivan Seinfeld, why don't you guys just roll out LTE then just get the hell out of the way and become the dumb datapipes we all want you to be?
Made up service? Come on now. I disagree with crippling phones as much as the next guy, but Verizon's Get It Now service is just as legitimate as any other app store. Throwing around hyperbole like that doesn't help the cause.
So, I need Get It Now to install (and pay for) one of Verizon's chosen ringtones on my phone?
You can understand why these guys will be one of the last to the Android party.
In five years Verizon will be a dumb LTE datapipe to the Internet, and all the rest of the nonsense they're either pushing or locking down will be free and available elsewhere. The sooner they realize that, the better positioned they'll be.
@Phineas "get the hell out of the way and become the dumb datapipes we all want you to be"
Thank you and well said! Carriers just need to become the dumb ISP and GET OUT OF THE WAY. People want to "own" their own content - videos, music, apps, etc. Verizon wants to take all that control away, make us bend over and pay for it.
Full Disclosure: I came from Verizon and switched to ATT for the iPhone 2 years ago. I was hesitant because of Verizons great service. But now, I haven't looked back. I have access to over 50,000 3rd party apps. I have all my OWN music on my phone. I can make any ringtone I want for FREE from my OWN music. They [Verizon] need to realize this and get with the program. The consumer wants more control over their service/media. And, lets be quite honest here: "Get It Now" can't even light a candle to the App Store - it's pathetic, not to mention expensive.
However, if iPhone was ported to LTE and Verizon carried it, I would definitely consider moving back - that is, only if Verizon models their business more in line with how ATT/Apple did (i.e. unlimited data plan, App Store vs Get It Now, etc)
I think what he meant about not wanting to be a gatekeeper is that they don't want you to use the internet and other programs that they don't provide to you. They want you to pay them for everything you use, even though everyone just wants their internet providers to just give them fast internet and NOTHING else. I don't want software from my cell phone provider. You are not a software company you are a networking company. Let software people make software and you just make your network fast and reliable. We just want dumb pipes.
Verizon will never pay Apple the hoards of cash like AT&T has so you will NEVER see it on Verizon. Pure LTE devices are many years away from full deployment (yah, it will have some "spots" wired but devices will have to fall back on 3G for a long time to come). Look at how long WiMax has taken and that should give you an idea of how long LTE is gonig to take. It's really not in the carriers interest to get it out any sooner as it will hurt their existing 3G product lines.
Gah - I love verizon's service but every time I fire up my phone for a anything other than a call, this magical Verizon Pixie flies down from their massive network to punch my phone in it's phoneballs....but I can hear you now :P
If the iPhone was to come to Verizon, it would have to be on Apple's terms. That's something that Verizon won't budge on partly because they would have to pit their Vcast and Get It Now service against the App Store and iTunes. I don't think Apple wants a Verizon logo all on their hot property either, along with a crippled version of iPhone OS running in the background. This has a lot to do with ego, image and dollars.
" the communication coming from the citizens of Iran is a great thing" statement is breathtaking! Hey Ivan, if Verizon was in Iran the demonstrators would have been CRUSHED a long time ago and there would be a TOTAL news blackout! Why? because they are using BLUETOOTH to pass along images, etc. and you (and your cronies) have a long history of CRIPPLING it! So please spare us your accolades and amazement Ayatollah Ivan! You are no friend of technocracy...
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posted Jun 24th 2009 7:58AM
The minute verizon gets the iPhone, I'll be switching back. AT&T service totally sucks in comparison.
Agree with that but I will also be waiting to see if Verizon cripples the iphone (if they ever get it), knowing Verizon, the "jailbreaking" of it would be an interesting process.
Agreed......
@Cedrock They did promise they would unlock the GPS on 3 phones this 1st quarter and they already came out with the Touch Pro release, the Samsung Saga release came out last night finally and there are already leaked ROM's for the Omnia. I still don't agree with gimping the processor and RAM at all but at least stuff blocked with software can be hacked. I have 5 Saga's to update today now :)
couldn't agree more
AFAIK based on my experience with them, Verizon doesn't cripple Smartphones, and Apple sure as hell wouldn't allow that to happen.
How about he really just doesn't know or care what phones are coming, only that they get your money.
I'm now a Verizon customer.
Weird, considering I started out an Alltel customer.
HAHAH OLD POEOPLSES!!!
Ivan???? Is he Russian?
Maybe he's just terrible.
Mr. Ivan Seidenberg better pick up some black turtle necks if he hopes to get anywhere with Apple.
And he should change his name to st-ivan seidenburg-obs...
"In 2007, President George W. Bush named Seidenberg to the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee, which advises the president on communications issues related to national security, emergency preparedness and the protection of critical infrastructure."
Seems he is a guy with contacts and pull.
(Incidentally, that sounds bad that bush approved of him, but there's good things to say about him too that I didn't mention. And I guess he's the must have been involved in making it mandatory for cellphone transmitters to have emergency power, which is a smart and useful thing I think.)
Excuse the sloppy edit on my post, make that: "And I guess he must have been involved"
I think you guys linked the wrong video. I watched that whole 2:38 video and it didn't have one peep of info about any iPhone, Android phone, or Motorola phone. He talked about roaming internationally with his BlackBerry, about why they built a CDMA network, then answering a lame question about what more he wants to do.
Yeah, i dont think that's the right clip but I looked around and cant seem to find the video the article refers to.
For the sake of engadget, I hope it's the wrong video. If not, posters may easily claim another bit of Apple/AT&T bias. Regardless, I don't understand why one would expect him to drop news like that in a serious interview setting like that. He isn't going to go on television and upset manufacturers and other companies by releasing information too soon. If he did say anything, some engadget writer would also needlessly blast him like Ballmer.
James Caan, what?
the problem is that these new phones take away from the pay to play features of the telecom guys. If Apple was wishy washy you couldn't even turn on the damn thing without ponying up a monthly fee instituted by them telecomm fucks.
My girl gave me the iphone 3GS the other day and I love it. Now, if at&t fucks me, I'm going back to verizon.
I dont think Verizon would let the iPhone out on their network. buying music/games on iTunes directly competes with thier VCast music and application store. So i agree with you completely. Verizon is BIG on the pay to play thing.
"
which is CEO speak for "oh, that's absolutely happening."
"
Bahhaahahahah
I'm with Verizon and have been very happy with phone service, and customer service. However all the really cool phones seem to be on other networks... if they get one or both of these phones they could really gain market share. And I could gain a cooler phone than my LG Dare!
oh so true... when I first got my Dare it was like a Godsend compared to all the other shitty products/kid phones they try to push down our throats. now its even more painfully outdated and outclassed compared to what other carriers have.
"Adding their own software layer" is Verizon speak for crippling the phone to prevent you from downloading a 3rd party app, then forcing you to pay for their made up service.
How about this Ivan Seinfeld, why don't you guys just roll out LTE then just get the hell out of the way and become the dumb datapipes we all want you to be?
Thanks in advance.
Made up service? Come on now. I disagree with crippling phones as much as the next guy, but Verizon's Get It Now service is just as legitimate as any other app store. Throwing around hyperbole like that doesn't help the cause.
@Jeremy
So, I need Get It Now to install (and pay for) one of Verizon's chosen ringtones on my phone?
You can understand why these guys will be one of the last to the Android party.
In five years Verizon will be a dumb LTE datapipe to the Internet, and all the rest of the nonsense they're either pushing or locking down will be free and available elsewhere. The sooner they realize that, the better positioned they'll be.
@Phineas "get the hell out of the way and become the dumb datapipes we all want you to be"
Thank you and well said! Carriers just need to become the dumb ISP and GET OUT OF THE WAY. People want to "own" their own content - videos, music, apps, etc. Verizon wants to take all that control away, make us bend over and pay for it.
Full Disclosure: I came from Verizon and switched to ATT for the iPhone 2 years ago. I was hesitant because of Verizons great service. But now, I haven't looked back. I have access to over 50,000 3rd party apps. I have all my OWN music on my phone. I can make any ringtone I want for FREE from my OWN music. They [Verizon] need to realize this and get with the program. The consumer wants more control over their service/media. And, lets be quite honest here: "Get It Now" can't even light a candle to the App Store - it's pathetic, not to mention expensive.
However, if iPhone was ported to LTE and Verizon carried it, I would definitely consider moving back - that is, only if Verizon models their business more in line with how ATT/Apple did (i.e. unlimited data plan, App Store vs Get It Now, etc)
@tbehunin99
now, if you could only use your iphone to make calls...
heh I'm in Iran and government censoring and net spying suddenly still works and i don't think that it will go away anytime soon. just look at this:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124562668777335653.html
We don't want to be the gatekeeper?
cough cough chbullshit cough.
I think what he meant about not wanting to be a gatekeeper is that they don't want you to use the internet and other programs that they don't provide to you. They want you to pay them for everything you use, even though everyone just wants their internet providers to just give them fast internet and NOTHING else. I don't want software from my cell phone provider. You are not a software company you are a networking company. Let software people make software and you just make your network fast and reliable. We just want dumb pipes.
Verizon will never pay Apple the hoards of cash like AT&T has so you will NEVER see it on Verizon. Pure LTE devices are many years away from full deployment (yah, it will have some "spots" wired but devices will have to fall back on 3G for a long time to come). Look at how long WiMax has taken and that should give you an idea of how long LTE is gonig to take. It's really not in the carriers interest to get it out any sooner as it will hurt their existing 3G product lines.
Gah - I love verizon's service but every time I fire up my phone for a anything other than a call, this magical Verizon Pixie flies down from their massive network to punch my phone in it's phoneballs....but I can hear you now :P
If the iPhone was to come to Verizon, it would have to be on Apple's terms. That's something that Verizon won't budge on partly because they would have to pit their Vcast and Get It Now service against the App Store and iTunes. I don't think Apple wants a Verizon logo all on their hot property either, along with a crippled version of iPhone OS running in the background. This has a lot to do with ego, image and dollars.
http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10403
2:38 iPhone talk
34:05 Steve Jobs talk
+1
Thanks for the link.
Is the pre the Iphone Killer?
http://www.youcanquotethis.com/archives/902
Seems you keep posting that link, so you are trying to garner business for your site in a cheap and tawdry way, very pitiful that.
Why Verizon doesn't take HTC Magic from Vodafone.
I like my G1 and TMo too.
" the communication coming from the citizens of Iran is a great thing" statement is breathtaking! Hey Ivan, if Verizon was in Iran the demonstrators would have been CRUSHED a long time ago and there would be a TOTAL news blackout! Why? because they are using BLUETOOTH to pass along images, etc. and you (and your cronies) have a long history of CRIPPLING it! So please spare us your accolades and amazement Ayatollah Ivan! You are no friend of technocracy...