vanderwal.net

Real mobile choice

There has been a lot of hype of the mobile phone switch capability, which allows users to switch phone providers and have their phone number come with them. Yes, this is a good thing, but it does not go far enough.

I really would like further commoditization of the whole mobile phonemarket. I want my Verizon phone number, my connectivity from Verizon, T-Mobile's and Cingular's phone options (mostly bluetooth and better functionality), T-Mobile's customer service, and T-Mobile's billing. I really do not want Sprint's customer service, I have been in two different Sprint stores in recent weeks where customers were yelling at the store staff for help and they complained of 2 hour waits on the phone for service. Verizon's customer service is not that bad, but it is close. I like my Verizon Motorola phone for its vibrate, size, and great speaker phone, but it is not the be all and end all.

I keep two mobile phones and two phone plans, which I would love to change, but T-Mobile does not have the coverage in the Washington, DC area for me to give up my Verizon account. Verizon has horrible phone selection (limited, if any, bluetooth offerings) and I want a global phone (GSM based). Price is important too, as I want an all-you-can-eat data account for $20 like T-Mobile offers and nation-wide roaming with no long distance. I really do not need more than 400 or 500 minutes.

I really like the Treo 600, but not having Bluetooth built in is a downside as is the screen size (no I do not find the keyboard cramped as I was able to thumb-fu with out much problem). I am thinking I may replace my Hiptop and Handspring Platnium with a Nokia 3650 or a Sony Ericsson 610 as both have bluetooth and could work to synch with a Palm T3 as well as my TiBook along with providing both of these with Internet connectivity.