Based on the consumer perspective, these companies are allowing them to save a few cents here and there, but to give up quality. That's not very compelling. |
I'd look for it to happen this summer. In terms of the way the company functions, it's been splitting for the last year. |
It was a hobbyist pursuit that served a much narrower niche. |
It's getting competitive with some of the quality you get on cell phones. It isn't likely to rival what you have on the standard telephone today. |
The last thing carriers want to see is something that can increase churn when they're desperately trying to drive it down. |
There's a pretty dramatic innovation rate enabled by these fully functioning chipsets. That kind of integration -- the better use of battery power, the lower cost, and tighter integration -- will let manufacturers roll out product that is technology-agnostic. |
Whatever profit you're making on those customers, getting that extra year or so out of them can make the difference between profitability or not. A lot of carriers are toeing a fine line. |
Whether the companies really follow through on some of the things they are outlining is the real question. It's about price and it's about timing. |