> Potentially, an Android device could rely on TCP/IP for all
> communications, including telephony. For consumers that could be a
> great benefit. Today cell/mobile phone service providers charge a lot
> of money for just the telephony service including SMS. In fact, they
> make HUGE amounts of money on SMS messages alone. Imagine an e-mail
> application where each e-mail was very limited and that you had to pay
> for each e-mail you want to send. That's how SMS works today!

> New technologies could bring very cost-effective wireless TCP/IP to
> all people. Then the traditional type of cell/mobile phones would in
> theory not be needed any more. Instead of phone numbers people could
> have URLs to their Voice over IP accounts or both.

> The same wireless TCP/IP that Android devices use can be used by
> laptop computers and even stationary computers when (and if) wireless
> TCP/IP will be able to compete not only with current cell/mobile phone
> carrier technologies but also with ordinary cable Internet connections.

> Anders,
> I see you live in Sweden. You should have UMTS, right?
> So... what you describe is not far from reality... or should I say
> it's the closest shot that's out there right now that I am aware of.
> Get an VoIP capable phone like a Nokia E60 and see if you can set up a
> SIP call over UMTS. Unless your wireless Telco block port 5060 you
> should be good to go.
> The cost side of things might be a different story altogether, and
> that's where things get interesting. The traditional nickle-and-dime
> approach isn't going to fly if Android is supposed to work as
> envisioned (or... how I understand the vision or perhaps hope it to
> be).
> Just ask the poor people who signed up for an iPhone how their AT&T
> Wireless phone bill looks like... or those who took their iPhone
> outside the country (US, that is).
> Long way to go....
> Joa