| Author |
Message |
laurah
Posts: 26 |
 
Fri Jul 15, 2005 9:57 am |
Could someone please explain to me how they decide which phones will be available for which markets?
Everytime a new phone is released if seems as if they get it overseas but we in the US are left with a much more limited selection of what I find are much less interesting phones.
Example is the new SE Walkman phones. While the US appears to be set to receive the W600, the (to my mind) nicer W800i is only overseas. Same problem with a number of different phones I've looked at- the US gets a less feature laden version of the foreign market phones.
Is it an FCC thing, do they think we Americans are less technologically capable than Asian and European phone users and will be unable to master the intricacies of the phones?
I realize I can hunt down an unlocked version of the phone I want but I'm still curious what is the decision process? Would it be so difficult to release the phones in both markets?
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elmo01
Posts: 2206
Phone Model:
Samsung SPH-M510
Service Provider:
Bell Canada |
Fri Jul 15, 2005 11:45 am |
| laurah wrote: | Could someone please explain to me how they decide which phones will be available for which markets?
Everytime a new phone is released if seems as if they get it overseas but we in the US are left with a much more limited selection of what I find are much less interesting phones.
Example is the new SE Walkman phones. While the US appears to be set to receive the W600, the (to my mind) nicer W800i is only overseas. Same problem with a number of different phones I've looked at- the US gets a less feature laden version of the foreign market phones.
Is it an FCC thing, do they think we Americans are less technologically capable than Asian and European phone users and will be unable to master the intricacies of the phones?
I realize I can hunt down an unlocked version of the phone I want but I'm still curious what is the decision process? Would it be so difficult to release the phones in both markets? |
the FCC does play a part in the process... emission controls etc......but the service providers bid on the phone models....
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laurah
Posts: 26 |
Fri Jul 15, 2005 12:49 pm |
So it is possible that in a scenario where a phone manuf. has a couple similar models with different levels of features, a US service provider could have bid for the nicer versions but been outbid?
Are the US providers just being cheap and hedging their bets, so if a phone is a flop they don't lose as much money?
All in all, I'm much more impressed by the Asian and European phone options. Current Cingular phones just aren't exciting at the moment.
Does anyone know if anything really good is on the horizon for Cingular (besides the W600 from SE- which I've only heard rumors that it is going to be released by Cingular in 4Q)?
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loki
Posts: 5 |
Fri Jul 15, 2005 1:16 pm |
The US GSM network operates on different frequencies than the rest of the world which is one of the reasons the majority of cool handys don't make it to the States. The US providers have chosen to protect market share and insure lock in at the cost of consumer flexibility and choice. An example would be ATT holding onto the TDMA networks so long, or the carriers as a whole not offering true pay as you go mobile in the US until the last year or two.
Most of the cool handys are designed for the 900/1800 bands first and if there is demand or interest from US carriers only then are they manufactured for the US. Hopefully as GSM penetrates the US market more deeply, the market for unlocked phones sold without being attached to carriers or commitments will make it cost effective for manufacturers to either design US GSM phones or design the high end phones (like the RAZR for example) as a quad band device.
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matty032
Posts: 11
Phone Model:
Blackberry 7520
Service Provider:
Nextel |
Fri Jul 15, 2005 4:43 pm |
Does anyone know if anything really good is on the horizon for Cingular (besides the W600 from SE- which I've only heard rumors that it is going to be released by Cingular in 4Q)?[/quote]
Nokia is going to release the 6102 flip phone.
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lester83
Posts: 59
Phone Model:
Motorola V551
Service Provider:
Cingular |
Sat Jul 16, 2005 3:46 am |
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well i want the mot v635. now.
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Samsung
Posts: 3141
Phone Model:
Motorola RAZR2 V8 |
Sat Jul 16, 2005 5:04 am |
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Then you can buy off ebay unlocked.
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laurah
Posts: 26 |
Sun Jul 17, 2005 10:39 am |
Anyone know if it is true that if I purchase a phone directly from Sony Ericsson it is unlocked?
Someone told me this recently and I am very tempted to purchase the W800i directly when it is available.
If this isn't true, how hard is it to unlock a phone (or get it unlocked)?
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veilfore89
Posts: 1396
Phone Model:
Motorola Q9h(GSM), V551(GSM), T720i(GSM), T720g(GSM)(DEAD
), T730(CDMA), Samsung x427m(GSM), Siemens A56i(GSM), E-815(CDMA)
Service Provider:
AT&T Wireless |
Sun Jul 17, 2005 1:51 pm |
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Well, if you want to know this then you should drop Sony Erricsons customer support department an email and ask, better to get it from the horses mouth than go on a dry guess.
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laurah
Posts: 26 |
Sun Jul 17, 2005 5:04 pm |
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I've tried for a couple days and I can't seem to get an email through. I may try calling them on Monday.
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