[gator352]

If a carrier designed,engineered,manufactured, and sold it's own branded phone, then yeah. That phone should be exclusive to itself, but that isn't the case. Most of the manufacturers design a phone and sell that design to the carriers. Then they come up with key differences to make it unique. Such as the TP, Diamond, etc. But it is soley up to that carrier to buy and sell that phone. They don't have too though. That's what makes competition and a free market.

In cases such as the Pre and Iphone, they shouldn't be able to hold onto the rights for x amount of time. Maybe the rights to release it first for say a month or two, but not a year or even exclusively. Technology changes way to fast and a year can be eternity in this market.

In apples case, I blame AT&T more than I do apple. It would be better for business as they would or could triple thier revenue. Look at the Ipod, it's open and readily available. But on the other hand, I think they are doing shady business.

My two cents is that NO carrier should be able to sell a phone exclusively unless they design and manufacture it themselves. If the carrier chooses not to sell a particular phone you want, then change carriers to get that phone. But holding exclusive rights to 1 phone and 1 carrier is indeed a monopoly FORCING you to be on a specific carrier and not one of your choosing.