May 9th, 2007
Sun's plans need political help
Sun CEO Jonathan Schwartz has a cunning plan.
He wants to license Java FX to phone companies so they can enable Internet access on phones costing as little as $30.
I like it.
There are only two problems. First, it's phone manufacturers who will license the technology, not phone companies. Second, cellular companies (at least in the U.S.) are not in the least bit interested in delivering real Internet service, let alone at a reasonable price.
Verizon, Cingular, Sprint and T-Mobile have total control over the devices and services that run on their networks. They already cripple services on phones they re-sell (like my Motorola RAZR) in order to force consumers to move files using their networks, rather than with free systems like Bluetooth.
For every file you buy online, on every transaction you make, the cellular companies take a cut, sometimes a huge one. They sell bandwidth with an eye-dropper. Their support is horrible, and it's intentional. They spend as little as possible, forcing consumers to pay as much as possible for as little real service as possible.
This won't change with a software license enabling cheap phones. It will only change with real competition, and with political pressure that forces them to compete.
That's where you can help. Sun has done its bit for open source. Now it's time for you to return the favor.
Support open spectrum. Demand real competition. Ask for investigations of past spectrum auctions, and the return of frequencies obtained through fraud. Demand that systems be built-out.
It will take political pressure to create the kind of competitive wireless market in which something like a $30 Internet phone can be made available. Time to bring it.
Dana Blankenhorn has been a business journalist for 30 years, a tech freelancer since 1983. You can follow Dana on Twitter. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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