ON T-MOBILE vs. TWITTER, ANOTHER "OPEN" TUSSLE

TRUE TO FORM

So much for the wireless carriers paying lip-service to being "open".  TechCrunch reports T-mobile apparently has started to block Twitter, the popular messaging application (especially amongst the geek set):

"A T-Mobile representative replied to a customer’s service request with this email:

…Twitter is not an authorized third-party service provider, and therefore you are not able to utilize service from this provide any longer…. T-Mobile is not in violation of any agreement by not providing service to Twitter.

T-Mobile regrets any inconvenience, however please note that if you remain under contract and choose to cancel service, you will be responsible for the $200 early termination fee that would be assessed to the account at cancellation."

It's notable that this is coming from  T-mobile, the one wireless network that has the slowest data network in the U.S., and generally has been relatively open to unlocked phones on it's GSM network, like AT&T.

Fred Wilson, whose VC fund is an investor in Twitter, has long tried to make his iPhone work on T-mobile before finally throwing in the towel and selling his iPhone.

This Twitter/T-mobile episode is another reminder that it's the wireless carriers who are retarding progress in mobile services in the U.S., not necessarily the handset makers.