Just cuz it's tomorrow

There's another story on NPR, the day before the FCC makes its announcement. This topic has my attention for two reasons:

1. The mobile carriers are claiming that opening their networks will endanger all users, because of the fragile nature of the networks. While this may be true, it is one hell of a bad excuse. The mobile carriers are essentially saying "We created a crappy network, so please don't open it up." Opening that network is in fact the solution, or at least the driver for forcing the innovation necessary to secure and fortify the network. The fact is that the closed nature of the networks is what's keeping it fragile, and keeping us all in danger of a rogue app bringing the network down. The mobile carriers have a responsibility to their customers to insulate us from danger, and opening the networks is the only solution that will drive them toward fulfilling that responsibility.
2. Google is pointing out the strangle-hold on innovation that the closed networks are keeping. While I don't think Google necessarily needs my sympathy on this point -- they've got $4.6 billion dollars in hand with which to fend for themselves -- I agree whole-heartedly with their claim. No small company can write software for mobile devices in the US and expect to get it onto the majority of devices in the current environment. There are, of course, carriers and devices that have a more open stance, and developers can target those platforms. But to get onto the rest of the platforms (for example, to get software onto any Verizon device), a company must have enough clout and market share to get the attention of the major carriers, and then they must talk those carriers into adopting the software in question. That's no small feat. It's a barrier to entry into the mobile device development market, and it's controlled by a small number of large carriers.

Look for more on this tomorrow.

Ss.