Verizon Wireless said yesterday that it'll open its network to any phone, device or software application by the end of 2008. It's a move that surprised many wireless industry watchers because of Verizon's voracious opposition to "open" access.

The company said they'll publish the technical standards for developers to meet for access to its network, sometime in early 2008. Any device meeting its standards would work on its network and any application the customer chooses will be allowed on these devices.

Some (like Reuters) might assume that this is some sort of reaction to Google's plans for buying up spectrum (not to mention their common wireless operating system). But this likely has been in the works for sometime.

"We as Verizon Wireless place our bets on what applications and devices will be a hit," Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam said during yesterday's conference call.

"At the same time, customers' needs are increasing and diverging. Soon Verizon Wireless will not be able to meet every customer's needs with our specific portfolio of devices and applications," he said.

The #2 wireless carrier said devices would be tested and approved in a lab, which received additional investment of $20 million this year in anticipation of increasing demand. This allows Verizon to still maintain control over what devices are permitted to access its network, but the intention is to ensure manufacturers have some level of standards to comply to.

And then there's this piece of info from McAdam [via Gizmodo]:

"This isn't just phones - it could be a very small module in a gaming station, a home appliance, something that goes into your car. It doesn't have to have the traditional distribution or volumes. [Traditionally] if a device is not going to sell hundreds of thousands, it's hard to decide because of our scale. But now, if something only sells five, now it can be on our network."

This "opening up" of their network to small players reduces the barrier to entry. If your device tests out, you can go to market. Folks in the satellite radio biz better be watching this, and watching it closely.

It's always better to manage change, than to react to it once it's too late. Verizon seems to be recognizing that by fostering an environment for development and innovation. If the gates are truly opened, then we could be on the cusp on revolutionary change.

[more on the New York Times]