AU Mobile Operator Optus Blocking Paid Android Apps

APC Magazine details how Optus, an Australian mobile phone operator, has for months been deliberately blocking access to Android paid apps. "Optus is the exclusive Australian mobile carrier for the HTC Dream and Samsung Galaxy Android phones, and yet people who signed a long-term contract for these phones have to date been blocked from buying paid Android apps and getting the full Android experience. ... APC found many angry and frustrated comments on the Whirlpool community forums by Optus & Virgin Mobile customers." The article speculates, reading between the lines of the opaque comments offered by both Optus and Google, that the carrier is "demanding a cut of the sales revenue from Android apps if it is to remove its restriction on accessing them."

Comments

This should be interesting

[rastoboy29]

I bet I know who wins this battle.

The question here is who is more powerful--the phone company or its customers.  To date, the phone company has become accustomed to overwhelming advantages, born of its original monopoly status.

For the first time, I believe they shall find that their customer's have more power, and Google understands this, which is why they will continue to tell them to stick their shakedown where the sun don't shine.

It won't look good to the Board of Directors when customers flee to the competition in droves the minute their contracts are up.