The “Break it Down” Blog

What the what… Verizon Wireless has announced they will open up their wireless network to authorized devices that they don’t sell but have passed tests in their testing lab come 2008.

In early 2008, the company will publish the technical standards the development community will need to design products to interface with the Verizon Wireless network. Any device that meets the minimum technical standard will be activated on the network. Devices will be tested and approved in a $20 million state-of-the-art testing lab which received an additional investment this year to gear up for the anticipated new demand. Any application the customer chooses will be allowed on these devices.

Anyone think this is in response to Google’s Android open platform and maybe a move to become the preferred open appliance/application wireless network? If that’s the case, my guess is that Google had one hell of a advertisement-based-profit talk to give to it’s 30 members of the Open Handset Alliance.