3, internet access, and what customers want
A few people have noticed the story in New Media Age, based on an interview conducted by them, in which 3 UK COO Gareth Jones apparently rules out open access:
"3G operator 3 has refused to allow its subscribers to access content on the open mobile Internet. The operator has ruled out any change in its walled garden approach to mobile Internet content, despite criticism."
Err well actually, no he doesn't. What he claims in the full interview (in a supplement with that issue of New Media Age) is that it's not a priority for him because his customers don't want it, that he has no problem philosophically with open Internet access, but that he won't do it until there is clear customer demand... all of which sounds very reasonable to me.
Sounds very sensible, and it's worth remembering that most of the news you read is brought to you by (and filtered through the concerns of) industry people, likely to be early adopters and members of that small slice of the public who are rabid about things like open Internet access. To be fair to folks who've posted about this, if you've only read the NMA news article then you've been given an iffy impression...