Crossroads

[Mike]

Jonathon Suggs wrote:
> Jonathon Suggs wrote:
>> I HIGHLY doubt (I'd actually be willing to bet) that the Neo is 
>> incapable of working with the US carriers.  Now, that doesn't mean 
>> that it will be easy in the first few weeks/months of the developers 
>> edition of the device, but it is not a hardware limitation.  So, don't 
>> worry about whether or not you will be able to get onto the 
>> network...you will.  

On which plan!??!  Which plan can I get on the network with and which 
can I not?  There's a big different between a $9.99/mo plan and a 
$39.99/mo plan.  I don't want to become a neo developer if it's going to 
cost me an additional $480/year beyond the initial device cost.  This 
whole "don't worry about it, you can get on somehow" crap is absurd!



It just may require a little elbow grease to get
>> it working.  However, if you actually did read the wiki, the 
>> developers edition is NOT meant for non-technical users, or users that 
>> can't handle bugs. 
> Just to clarify, I'm betting that the Neo WILL be able to get onto the 
> networks via GPRS.  I know there is a lot of discussion, but GSM and 
> GPRS are standardized protocols.  Therefore, if the NEO hardware is able 
> to implement these standards, then it WILL be able to get onto the 
> network (which I'm willing to bet that it does).
> 
> Sorry to be condescending, in that last email, but it was written in a 
> somewhat arrogant tone.  So, please no bad blood on the mail list.
> Bottom line, you WILL be able to use the Neo on GPRS networks in the 
> US.  My other email has the plans that will work.  Again, they may take 
> some additional work to get up and running, but eventually it will work 
> and will be a much more user-friendly experience.  But if you want a 
> phone during the developers phase, then don't count on it happening 
> within a specific timetable unless you are willing to do the work yourself.
> 

Johnathan, it's not as simple as just "a GPRS network in the US".  See 
my thread "What mobile service to get".  There are 12 data plans offered 
by cingular. Different prices.  Some of them have "Blackberry" in the 
title.  Can neo work with those?  How do you know?  After all, it's a 
"GPRS network".  As I said in my original response in this thread, the 
sheer volume of information, and the tentative way everyone presented it 
in my thread, indicates that finding a mobile plan is, in fact, not 
simple, and I SHOULD worry about it.

The openmoko people had better provide us some information about what 
will work and what won't, or I'm out and advising others to do the same.