# Clarifying the RIL issues



## Dalladubb (Oct 6, 2011)

People seem to be confused about who owns and controls the RIL for this phone. Technically speaking, Samsung owns the RIL to the phone, however, VZW owns a lot of what's in it. Samsung won't release the RIL, not because it's proprietary to them (They could easily release a binary for it to plug into other ROM's like CM7), it's because it has trade secrets belonging to VZW about their network in it. Samsung isn't the problem here, VZW is, and we ALL know how controlling they can be.

I just wanted to make this clear as many of you think jumping Samsung about it will get something done. It won't. Even if Sammy wanted to drop the RIL, VZW would sue them into oblivion just for having the audacity to consider it. Now, I'm not saying to petition VZW, this post has much more negative connotations than that. This post is to say, don't bother. Sadly, we all know how VZW is, they truly don't give a damn what you want. If you don't believe me, think about the intense backlash of the limited data plan, then them giving us the finger and saying "You don't like it? Here's a ridiculously expensive, limited, data sharing plan. Suck that lemon, bitch."

LTE was their way of regaining nearly full control over their phones again, and believe me, that phone you bought, yeah, not yours until you upgrade or leave VZW as far as VZW is concerned.

Sorry to be the Debbie Downer, but this pretty much how it's going to go.


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

> People seem to be confused about who owns and controls the RIL for this phone.


1) There's more to network communication than some java files and a few c/c++ binaries. The radio software one also flashes matters for compatibility's sake and is subject to change between Android versions as much as an RIL is.

2) Who owns the RIL? That's a complicated question. Most likely any of the following have some say so:

a) Samsung as it's their phone and they own 13% of LTE patents








Qualcomm, because they own even more LTE patents than Samsung as well as many CDMA patents

c) Google, because well, they released the initial RIL its based on, but they're free of liabilities due to Apache 2.0 Licensing.

3) Who doesn't own it?

a) Verizon, because they just test, sign and release the said OS after it's given to them by Samsung. How long it takes Verizon to get around to testing is a while (see 2-3 months for just a Nexus update).








The community (obviously)



> Samsung isn't the problem here, VZW is, and we ALL know how controlling they can be.


No, the problem is Samsung. If Samsung does not release an update for Verizon to test and push out, then there is nothing for Verizon to do. Verizon is not going to withhold updates. They might be slower than hell to test and release them, but they're not sadistically sitting on them while gloating at how people on forums are suffering over it.



> I just wanted to make this clear as many of you think jumping Samsung about it will get something done.


Complaining to Samsung will do more good most likely than complaining to anyone else for the above reasons.



> Samsung won't release the RIL, not because it's proprietary to them


Incorrect, see above (and below).



> Even if Sammy wanted to drop the RIL, VZW would sue them into oblivion just for having the audacity to consider it.


Again, Verizon does not care, it's not their code, not their IP, and not their patents/licenses. However, Samsung does have licenses of their own and those of partners they license LTE/CDMA tech from (such as Qualcomm) who would possibly sue over it. Besides the fact they're not going to dump out some Android OS source to anyone in the community. Besides, it takes way more than some radio interface code to build a ROM and if it weren't this, someone would be complaining about the Camera not working (which they rarely do without updates from the the OEM) or whatever else.

tl;dr: people like to complain about whatever.

Lessons to learn: don't buy a phone with Android 2.3 in October 2011 and expect a lot of modding to happen for it. Especially not with an upcoming Galaxy Nexus by Samsung, followed by the SGS3.

*--EDIT:*

If one cares about updates, take the following into consideration on one's next phone (in order of which gets the most/fastest updates):

1) Is it a GSM Nexus?
2) CDMA Nexus?
3) If not a Nexus, are major developers buying this device that know how to actually develop (like members of Cyanogen, BAMF and AOKP)?
4) For OEM updates, did it come out early in the life of the current minor Android OS version (like 2.1 or 2.2 or 4.0 to 4.1)?
5) For OEM updates, did it come with the last major Android update and not the previous version (like Android 4.0 and not 2.3)?
6) Hardware is similar to a Nexus (like the Galaxy S and Nexus S, or the International S2 and Galaxy Nexus)
7) Lots of similar phones with similar hardware (HTC Desire/Inspire/EVO/Thunderbolt/Incredible 2)
8) CPU is OMAP (most open architecture there is)
9) Hardware (mainly the camera) is not qualcomm made as they do not release specs on their hardware really other than their modem chipsets.


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