[noaim]

personally, I think there's a link between forced data plans and no wifi in a blackberry. Even though a data plan will be requirded across smart phone lines, it all started with blackberries first! And of course, blackberries miraculously are the ones with no wifi so you do the math. Also, I think VZW loves making money off their global plans and with wifi in their traveling blackberries, they know we would never get them and just receive data whenever a wifi signal was available overseas; which in most travel spots (hotels/resorts/big cities) is usually available.

So if you add a free way to get data, then VZW can't justify their forced data plan and global plan to their customers. As for why all CDMA carriers are wifiless.... I think once the biggest CDMA carrier required a blackberry designed from the ground up without wifi, it would of cost too much for them to redesign and make the various models needed to satisfy this feature.

Its speculation but since the only argument to my line of thought is "then why do all CDMA carriers not have it" this is the logical reasoning. Because as we know already, we've already debunked the idea of the wifi chip not fitting as well as the idea that it does not work with CDMA radios.... So if you follow the reasoning, you end up with my opinion above

I feel that this statement stands true..


having a forced data plan is all more reason to have wi-fi

because now everyone with a bb will be using the data network and wi-fi could potentially lower network strain

[richro]

one of the things I dont understand is pretty simple....


you have people say why put wi-fi who cares about wi-fi..


Depending on what you do wi-fi can be very useful

my question is

If there is room for it and its feasible WHY LIMIT IT!

its easy for someone to just not use it but its impossible for someone to use it if its not there

I my big reason would be to remote control servers and such which over current cell networks is not the greatest experience

just my 2 cents

Well, I think CX had explained (or least alluded to the idea) that adding in a WiFi radio would significantly decrease battery life. I don't think he explicitly stated whether that's true even if the WiFi is disabled in the OS, but it sounded like it still would regardless. If that's the case I would argue that it's actually a good thing that it's not included as I would think a majority of users would be satisfied using the EVDO network for data. I've had WiFi on my WinMo device for the past 1.5 years and can probably count the number of times I've connected to WiFi for significant sessions on my two hands.

[xxandres1126xx]

for people that belive erizon is the one that takes wifi out of their blackberries, look at the cma blackberries from telus and bell, they dont have wifi either either do the cdma blackberries from sprint, so its not verizon that decides wether their blackberries get wifi, the only cdma backberry wih wifi is the 8350i which technically has a different antenna than other cdma devices becasue of the walkie talkie tye fuction so maybe its just a problem with the cdma antenna thats preventing rim from including wifi

[patrick.butler]

Your right about the voice/data part, not sure why they would restrict wifi. It seems like it would decrease data usage on the network, it's probably a decision that was made by corporate suits.

The thing that confuses me about Verizon and Sprint is they offer Wifi on some of the WinMo phones......

[noaim]

Well, I think CX had explained (or least alluded to the idea) that adding in a WiFi radio would significantly decrease battery life. I don't think he explicitly stated whether that's true even if the WiFi is disabled in the OS, but it sounded like it still would regardless. If that's the case I would argue that it's actually a good thing that it's not included as I would think a majority of users would be satisfied using the EVDO network for data. I've had WiFi on my WinMo device for the past 1.5 years and can probably count the number of times I've connected to WiFi for significant sessions on my two hands.

if you turn the wi-fi radio off it doesn't have any effect on the battery...

besides just look at the bold doesnt seeem to be a problem...