2008 Year in Review: Mobile operators continue to open their networks

For a word with such a relatively simple dictionary definition, it's clear that "open" means many radically different things to U.S. operators. Still, there's little question that carriers nurtured a far more accessible and transparent working environment in 2008 than ever before, unlocking selected platforms, codes and resources to third-party developers in an effort to stimulate the creation of new applications and services. Among the highlights: After promising open access by late 2008, Verizon Wireless joined the LiMo Foundation open handset consortium and promised to introduce phones based on the mobile Linux OS, and later certified the first device to run its Open Development Initiative gauntlet. In addition, T-Mobile USA introduced its T-Mobile devPartner Community program, vowing third-party mobile applications developers would experience an easier and more efficient channel to do business with the operator. And, just this month, Sprint opened up its location services platform .  ... (link)