AT&T's Network the 'Most Open?' Yeah, 'Most Open' to the U.S. Government

December 6, 2007 at 5:54 am PT

Unlike Verizon, AT&T doesn’t need to open up its wireless network to other wireless devices. Why? According to Ralph de la Vega, CEO of AT&T’s wireless business, the company’s network has always been open. “We are the most open wireless company in the industry. You can use any handset on our network you want,” de la Vega told USA Today. “We don’t prohibit it, or even police it.”

So non-AT&T phones work on AT&T’s network. AT&T just didn’t bother to tell anyone–until all this talk of open-access wireless and Google’s open mobile-software platform, Android, made it a PR talking point. Your turn, T-Mobile.

Tagged with: Android, AT&T, Google, handset, John Paczkowski, network, platform, Ralph de la Vega, software, Verizon, wireless

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Kevin T

I’m not sure what the big deal is here. Cingular and T-Mobile use GSM-network phones, which means you can slip in a SIM card, which is programmed with your Cingular or T-Mobile phone number, into nearly any GSM phone(it has to be quad band capable i.e. 850/900/1800/1900 Mhz) and start making phone calls. Maybe it’s just us tech-types, but that’s been common knowledge since the Stone Age.