CLONMEL -- No more than 30% of multimedia degree students in Tipperary Institute have mobile phones with Bluetooth. But those who do can show others how to construct a personal entertainment network that quickly results in revenue leakage for network operators. A little Bluetooth goes a long way in sharing MP3 tracks. I watched most of Encore download across a canteen table with no operator or owner interaction. "Mosh" landed on my Sony Ericsson S700i. The S700i's earbuds give it a subwoofer bassline.
There's a strong fan base for Slim Shady in Ireland, and a proud cluster who use their pocket money to buy tickets, CDs and clothing from the grand master of rap. Having a current track or two in the pocket helps keep alive the burning desire to buy Eminem as a lifestyle item.
In the States, Verizon instructed Motorola to cripple the Bluetooth functionality on the V710 by disabling OBEX (Object Exchange) and OPP (Object Push Profile) so students there wouldn't be able to snag MP3 tracks over Bluetooth. Verizon sees Bluetooth connectivity as the equivalent to revenue leakage. No mobile phone operator wants revenue leakage.
Verizon thinks revenue leakage is occurring around my canteen tables when people send pictures or files to other Bluetooth devices. Sending pictures across the mobile phone network could cost 25ยข per transmission.
If the mobile telephone operator neuters Bluetooth on the Motorola V710, it means the phone won't work with BMW, Acura, or Lexus automobiles. Those vehicles are intelligent enough to populate in-dash systems with calling information, contact books and calendar alarms from the phone. But if OPP is disabled, those technologies don't exist.
In the meantime, easly adopters of Bluetooth phones on Irish college campuses will be very vocal if they lose the capability. Knowing you're going to get a disabled phone is all it takes to ease the switch to another network provider. These twentysomethings need their personal entertainment networks. And they need to use the social skills they've learned by reading their "Toothing Guide".
Also seen by Irish Eyes -- "Toothing Guide"
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