I think wireless providers should allow interchangeability but I understand why they want to fight it. They would have to work harder to keep consumers. Right now they have a somewhat captive audience that in order to switch faces considerable hassle. Anything that allows consumers more freedom in controlling how they use the expensive devices they purchase I am for it. Too many companies want to force customers to operate in a commune. They are going to have to learn that just because they sell something to someone doesn’t mean they own that person and their future decisions.
Personally I’d like to see more laws prohibiting anticompetitive contracts that interfere with the consumer’s ability to easily switch services when dissatisfied. We see this in all kinds of contracts from rental agreements to cell phone service agreements. Businesses should not be protected from the dissatisfaction of their customers and customers should not have to bear the brunt of financial cost when they decide to break a relationship with a service provider. A consumer driven capitalist engine will drive higher quality, greater freedom, and higher value for all.
I do not think it is a coincidence that in the industries and organizations where consumers have the least real control that the service and the value is the least.
The iPhone uses proprietary AT&T server software for it’s Visual Voicemail, among some of the other features. You won’t see Sprint, Verizon or any of the also-rans allowed to run it any time soon.