The iPod Touch is the real "trojan horse" here. It won't be long - several years perhaps - when the carrier will be inconsequential as long as one has high speed wireless internet access. Phone and all other features (hmm, like video conferencing from handset when apple includes iSight on the front of the Touch, and anything else developers can dream-up) will be carrier independent at that point.

They are just biding their time until someone can deliver the goods on a ubiquitous high speed wireless technology. The traditional wireless telephone carrier services (and their control) will be a thing of the past sooner rather than later.

Agreed, they won't die but I believe they will be forced to change their traditional models or go the way of the dinosaur.

Love the Ovaltine decoder ring ... What was the decoded secret on "A Christmas Story"? ... something like "buy Ovaltine" (I mean, buy iPhone).