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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."
Seriously. I've ditched Optus around about 1998, and haven't looked back. Vodafone care a heck of a lot more about their customers; for example, they're just about the only telco I know of that allows tethering on the iPhone. Very handy!
My point is, does anyone expect anything else from the likes of Floptus and Telescum?
http://www.zombieapocalypse.tv/
google can very easily crush Optus by blocking all access from Australia to all google services and just post a "here's why!" link.
Optus is lucky google doesnt play the evil card.
born of its original monopoly status.
That would be an interesting premise, considering that Optus was the first "new" carrier allowed to operate in Australia after the privatisation of Telecom.
Their catchphrase/tagline, by the way, is "Yes". Guess that doesn't apply to Android apps.
You are in a twisty maze of processor lines, all alike.
There is a lot of hype here.
So this is different from how you can't get paid apps from the Android Market in Canada, Sweden and such? Or are the restrictions in those markets the result of malice, too, instead of incompetence or laziness?
--srj/mmv
For an Australian phone company only one thing can haemorrhage money faster then negative publicity and that's a visit from the ACCC.
The question is does the ACCC think this is worth their time.
Telstra was the monopoly, born of Telecom Australia when it was privatised in the 90's. Optus was the first new, entirely private telco, Optus is majority owned by Singtel (Singapore). Our government, when privatising our telecommunication infrastructure had the wisdom and foresight to put in place good regulation to prevent a US style balkanisation.
Not withstanding that there are only three mobile network providers in Australia, Telstra, Optus and Vodafone/Hutchinson Australia. All others are MNVO's and/or subsidiaries using one of the three networks, on the plus side I can get access to all three networks in all major population area's and Australian telco regulations allow me to roam for no cost (calls and texts only).
We've always had a good measure of power, via the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) but the TIO's mandate is they can only act on violations of regulations, codes/standards of practice, laws or terms of service/contacts. It's a black cheque that says to the telco's if you screw with your customers we'll screw with you and good.
Up until Voda/Three released the Magic, the majority of Android handsets came in from overseas using our grey import laws. A lot of them still do given the strength of the AUD vs the EUR and GBP.
Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
It was created by a knave of a Federal Government who thought they could introduce competition into the Australian Telecommunications market (then controlled by Telstra aka Telecom) by regulating to introduce just *one* competitor: Optus. The idea was that Telstra and Optus would fight each other with lower prices and better service. Instead both just sat on their hands and a monopoly became a cozy duopoly. Even though the market was opened up, these two fat, lazy and arrogant companies still dominate the market.
Optus has been a terrible teleco ever since inception. Its broadband packages are amongst the worst in the country. It's offerings are overpriced and plagued with poor service. They're arrogant to boot: Whenever they do screw up their PR is terrible. They're unethical too (which is to say they're criminal, but being a big company with good lawyers mean you can break the law with a slap on the wrist at worst case).
Like this one: Incredible, but Optus conspired to have phone sex calls made by aussies to International Numbers *diverted to their own phone sex partner!* That's right, when you saw Hot Monica advertizing at 2AM on Channel 10 and called, your call was diverted from the advertizer and ended up fattening Optus's profits. Sounds as illegal as hell. Yes: This is Australia's #2 Teleco:
"In an earlier case, Justice Robert McDougall was much harsher with Bragg, saying he had no regard for the truth, except for when it suited him. In this case Optus was forced to pay millions to Gilsan after it was found to have skimmed money from Gilsan by under-reporting the number of minutes porn clients were on the phone so Optus could take home a larger share of the profits."
http://groups.google.com/group/comp.dcom.telecom/browse_thread/thread/37a2629cd46244a0
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/articles/2009/01/05/1231003882552.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
http://www.the-scream.co.uk/forums/t28492.html
Google for "optus sucks" and equally "telsta sucks" and you will see many links.
Wait one freaking minute! That 30% google is so kindly taking off each one of my sales was supposed to go back to the telecommunication company anyways to "pay for the bandwidth required to supply my app".
WTF Slashdot, why do I have to login 50 times to post?
I have Android phone in NZ and the paid apps were unavailable for months on the Vodafone network, even with after market firmware which should have enabled paid apps. For a long while Vodafone could not provide any information when asked about this. This was/has also been occuring in China South Africa, Ireland, Brazil, Israel, Switzerland, and a few other countries. However the reasons vary and one should not attribute to malice what could be attributed to red tape (um.. same thing?).
After logging in slashdot still does not take you back to the page you were on. It's been that way for 20 years.
No. It's a network setting that Optus needs to change. You can get around it by using the "Market Enabler" app that's available on the net, but you need to root your phone* and void your warranty etc to use it.
*and in Australia, this phrase is rather amusing because "rooting" something is usually vernacular for "have sex with"...
I have already blacklisted Optus for other reasons (including their crappy ads and the fact that at the time I was looking, they didnt include data in their caps but Vodafone did) and this block is even more reason not to purchase anything through these idiots (their fixed line and internet services arent any better either)
No. You need a valid SIM in your phone to access the market, and as far as I can tell (with my HTC Magic on Virgin), you can only download apps over 3G. You can queue them up over WiFi, but I've never seen an app start downloading until I've disconnected from WiFi.
I don't know what kind of contract the Optus victims customers have, but if I got an Android phone through Optus and they're intentionally blocking Android services, then I'd definitely consider that breach of contract. In form them of that, get a new sim-only contract elsewhere, and stop paying the old contract.
Or sue them. This sounds deserving of a class action suit.
Huh, I only download apps via wifi on my HTC Hero. Just as well, as I only have a 10MB/month data plan.
Optus is Singtel who was to Singapore what Telecom was to Australia. They do have experience being a monopoly carrier, just not here.
Not only that, but we can root as much as we want without legal troubles (barring void warranties, returns etc.)
Market Enabler allows you to fake your network to the Market (root access required).
I've been buying payed apps in Australia since Cupcake, using Markets in the US and EU.
"What can the Australian populace do about this sort of predatory behaviour?"
Simple. Complain to the ACCC about third-line forcing.
XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
Optus turned to shit when earlier this year they unilaterally decided to start charging $2.20 to mail their bills under the guise of "being green".
Not even the banks I have accounts with are crooked enough to charge for mailing statements.
Take issue with this kind of behaviour and actively seek help from institutions such as th ACCC and the telecommunications ombudsman.
Unless you've been living in a barrel, you will be aware that it has been widely reported that both have received countless complaints against the telcos.
Have those bodies done anything about them?
No. Neither body has sufficient teeth to do so, and the Government has not lifted a finger to change that.
I don't believe this opinion qualifies as arrogance or autism. Try a dictionary.
Just install market-enabler and you can use any paid apps you want