p2pnet - rss feed: Motorola C116: ‘Too cheap’
p2p news / p2pnet: Is Motorola’s C116 cell phone simply the best?
MSNBC columnist Gary Krakow thinks it might be. So, he’s wondering, why you can’t get one in the US.
"A very, very basic GSM handset that handles incoming and outgoing calls as well as SMS messages, the C116 is sold all over the world," he says, "except for the United States."
Why’s that?
Because, "it’s too cheap!"
C116 phones are being targeted at emerging markets, "areas that have no phone service of any kind," says the column. "Instead of spending billions to run wires everywhere in the world, cellular phones are now seen as the solution to bringing telephone communications to everyone on the planet - and at prices they can afford.
"The candy bar-sized handsets are currently being sold in places like Algeria and India. Prices run approximately $39 for the phone with no service contract needed to subsidize paying for the phone - or any obligation to buy minutes.
"I got to see the C113 and C113a handsets in Barcelona. Very small and very cute. They work in nearly every country on the planet - except for the United States. Our GSM phones use different frequencies."
The C116 isn’t sold by either Cingular or T-Mobile, the two big GSM-based cell phone providers in the United States, says Krakow, adding:
"That’s a shame. They’re missing out on letting us have access to a terrific handset."
Also See:
MSNBC - Is this the world’s best cell phone?, March 17, 2006
March 20th, 2006 at 7:32 pm
Sounds like a nasty bit of industry collusion to me.
March 20th, 2006 at 7:54 pm
Why are the inexpensive deals not available in this vast, free society? Well it starts with the CEO club. They need 100s of million a year to support their lifestyle. Why? It’s the American way. Oh yes do throw in a few dictators in white robes.
You don’t get the inexpensive stuff at home because this club and wannabies won’t sell it to you.
How about HDTV conversion boxes so all these HDTV free over air signals can be see on your “analogue” TV. Where are they. Did you know you can get the signal with that tiny antenna almost all over? No! You must pay cable and dish because they are the big customers for the boxes. You wouldn’t buy cable or dish at their prices if you knew you could get a conversion box for ALL YOUR TVs. (Not a box for each). You can but when.
Keep paying, someone out their needs a bigger fuel hog of a yacht.
Do not buy the crap in 2006! Save your money. Enjoy less more.
March 21st, 2006 at 5:50 am
Yes,why?. A corporation or just a person that does things like this, to make money, but at the broad expense of society, takes the life out of that culture or civilization. It is a beheavior just as sociopathic as a murder of an individual. Think about it. How many ways do they lie cheat steal at your expense.
This is not the American way! This is only their way, but it has gone on perhaps longer than you have been alive so it seems to be the way America operates. When critical mass of awake citizens comes so will change.
Sociopathic action in the pursuit of bling and power must be stopped. Your art is correct; the first defense is to buy nothing you can do with out.
March 21st, 2006 at 7:29 am
“This is not the American way!”
Then why do Americans keep electing only wealthy lobby purchased politicians? Why a no freedom of choice two party system?
It is the American way! Will be as long as Americans are patsies of the cartels and lobbies who have control of government. Bush is their leader.
March 25th, 2006 at 7:31 am
You are correct as you see it but it is the core of the idology that I speak about when I say that it is not the American way.