Thursday, March 24, 2011

The End of the N900 in the USA

It's been awhile since I blogged about my N900 (even with Nokia kicking FOSS out it is still a solid handset). I like the Maemo operating system, the fact that it is a real Linux based operating system on my handset (not some Java based OS) is the reason I ponied up the 500$ about a year ago for the device. I live in the United States, which means that T-Mobile is the only mobile carrier that provides anything faster than 2g speeds on the N900.

Well that is the case for now anyways.

In case you have been living with your head under a technological rock AT&T is planning on buying T-Mobile. Should the fates allow this to happen (here is to hoping antitrust acts prevent it from happening) AT&T as announced they are planning on taking down T-Mobile's 3g/4g/HSPA+/WhateverYouCall it network due to "upkeep" costs. Never mind the fact that T-Mobile's network blows LTE out of the water - the fact that this network will be going offline means the N900's mobiles speeds will be rendered relatively useless in the Unite States (AT&T's network only gets about 15kb/sec with the N900's radio). Not to mention even if the N900 did get decent speeds on AT&T's network their mobile internet plans are horridly restricted (and priced even worse)!

Now not just the N900 will loose its mobile internet snappyness if this merger happens - all TMO handsets will. AT&T's solution? Get everyone phone upgrades (They factored this cost into their merger). Its a shame that this leaves all of us that purchased our handsets outright (such as the N900) out in the cold, reminds me of the many reasons I left AT&T some time ago. Honestly though, even if they where going to offer everyone a free handset - nothing on the market currently can really measure up to what Maemo does. I had been hoping to get a few good years out of my N900 as it does everything I could ask from a handset and I just recently purchased a second N900 for my girlfriend to use, guess I should have waited on that decision.

If the merger does go through the best I can hope for is a decent handset from the Samsung Linux Platform some time in the next year to replace Nokia before my mobile internet drys up. Anyone else hoping this merger falls through?

~Jeff Hoogland

8 comments:

  1. No man don't jump to Samsung. I heard there is a new N950 coming out before the year end's hang in there!

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  2. Oh telecom gods... please... =[

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  3. As a fellow N900 user, I'm pinning my hopes on an HP/Palm/WebOS phone when the time comes for me and my beloved N900 to part company.

    Nokia have lost me as a customer! (The kicking out FOSS thing...)

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  4. OK, so your gripe is you like a handset that the industry has abandoned, and your upset that carriers will now abandon too?

    Let me guess, you are working on this blog from your Amiga 2000 using a 56Kpbs modem too, right?

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  5. with Samsungs track record related to Android, i would take a wait and see approach.

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  6. Your experience and sentiments with AT&T ring a bell. All those hoping that AT&T will offer a good selection of SmartPhones - including Meego or Maemo based Linux phones, or good service at reasonable prices are living full time under a rock and plain naive/stupid.

    Any good service, with non-Windows or non-iPhone handsets from AT&T is very unlikely. Remember, this is the company that rejected service to Google apps on iPhone. Most wise analyst feel strongly - with good indicators and evidence - that AT&T will do anything to appease Microsoft and Apple in their service, especially very little (presently) or no acceptance of Android and Linux based phones.

    Try subscribing to Maemo phone supported services in UK that partners with AT&T, who will be respected and connect their UK services to work in USA at reasonable rates.

    Good luck anyhow.

    W. Anderson

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  7. Recently I took the dive and bought an unlocked palm pre 2. So far I am loving it, because it keeps me on track, gets all my data from the cloud without any fussing, etc.

    I am also sad/scared about the merger between AT&T and T-Mobile because I use their pay-as-you-go plan with which I can still get internet access for $1.50 for 24 hours. I don't want to have to pay AT&T, so I guess soon I'll have to find another GSM mobile provider.

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  8. If Google was smart they would have bought T-Mobile since it apparently was up for sale. This would give them the fastest mobile internet out there, and a good foothold for their Android market. AT&T blows, and I hope anti-trust blocks this sale.

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