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"  The big move by Verizon Wireless to open up its cellphone network to devices not sold by the company came as a shock to many, but given consumer demand, it was probably inevitable. Just as live TV is becoming a thing of the past as audiences shift to online and digitally recorded offerings, mobile users are becoming more agitated over rules that enrich the coffers of carriers while restricting the freedom of customers. Last month, Congress began debating the Cell Phone Consumer Empowerment Act, a bill of rights of sorts that would protect users from unnecessary fees and limitations. Long contracts, early termination fees, locked phones and crippled devices are frustrating owners so much that the Federal Communications Commission recently mandated that companies who bid on the 700-MHz wireless spectrum must set aside space for an open wireless network void of any restrictions. In a recent PM online poll, eight out of 10 respondents said most cellphone contracts and terms were unclear, and that carriers should bear the brunt of the costs associated with increased regulation. Nine out of 10 respondents said that mobile companies should let users out of their contracts early and prorate the cancellation fees. (Nearly 30 percent of readers who responded claimed Verizon as their provider.) It&amp;#039;s clear that others are seeing the tide turn away from carriers and toward consumers. Google&amp;#039;s Android, an open software platform for mobile developers, is a move by the Web giant to give users access to innovative features that simply can&amp;#039;t exist on mobile carriers with closed networks. And within the next decade, phones that utilize VoIP and WiMax services might give traditional mobile carriers a run for their money. Technology is advancing faster than the cellphone carriers can anticipate. By opening up its network, Verizon is signaling that it&amp;#039;s ready to adapt to a market that increasingly is being dictated by consumers. \u2014Wayne Ma "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/a2322/4234207/>