The Anchorage Daily News looks at the possible effects of camera phones on Alaska, where cellular operators are just beginning to offer them.
The newspaper reporter, Richard Richtmyer, takes a more reasoned approach than many other articles, to explain to Alaskans what they might expect. Richtmyer told me (when he interviewed me) that he was trying to understand what's happening with camera phones in the "Lower 48" United States, that often introduces products and services before they are available in Alaska.
So far, only one Alaskan cellular operator, Alaska Communications Systems (ACS), has introduced full camera phone services. According to the company's press release, BREW-based camera phone service was debuted on June 4 with LG Electronics' VX6000 camera phone -- the first camera phone offered by Verizon Wireless last year.
Camera phones with services
Alaska DigiTel has sold about 1,000 camera phones for about a year, but the cellular operator's network doesn't allow subscribers to transmit photos. DigiTel offers three different camera phones, the article reports.
A network upgrade to enable wireless transmission of photos is slated to be available by the end of September, the article says.
Two other operators, Cellular One and MTA Wireless, don't offer camera phones but are expected to begin service by the end of this year, according to the article. ASC has sold about 225 camera phones for $209 with a one-year contract.
Discussing possible guidelines
The Anchorage School District's director of high school education says school officials have been discussing camera phones and don't think they will be a big problem.
Camera phones are allowed in schools, but can't be used in classrooms. That policy also will apply to camera phones.
Alaskan health clubs are thinking about how to deal with camera phones. Some are pondering banning all cellular phones because it's difficult to determine which handsets contain cameras, while other clubs are pondering banning camera phones from certain areas.
Stripping out camera phones
One business that really hates camera phones is the Great Alaskan Bush Company -- a strip club. The club doesn't allow any cameras and now the sign out front has an addendum: "This includes camera phones."
Cellular One has een offering camera phones for about a month now (since July 1, I think) and has more camera-equipped models available than ACS and Alaska Digitel. National no roaming and no LD service is cheaper than ACS and includes full MMS capability for sending photos. CellularOne service is GSM-based Vs CDMA for ACS and Alaska Digitel and operates at 850.
I currently have the Nokia 6820 and am relatively happy with it. Photo quality is nothing close to my Nikon digital but much more convenient than carrying a separate camera.
Posted by: Ron Dike | Friday, July 30, 2004 at 04:40 PM