CTIA: AT&T’s de la Vega now in Android ‘camp’

LAS VEGAS--While stopping short of announcing formal plans to offer Android phones on his company’s network, AT&T Mobility president and CEO Ralph de la Vega said recent talks with Google and demos of its Android operating system convinced him to one day have Android-based phones in the AT&T device portfolio.

“What I’m saying is I like it a lot more than before,” de la Vega said in a press conference at the CTIA show. “We’re now looking to see when it’s ready to be developed. Now I’m in the camp where I’m positive that it’s something I’d want in our portfolio.”

Google released the Android SDK late last year and followed through in recent weeks within an expected upgrade release. But the full Android platform isn’t slated to be available for licensing until the second half of this year, with devices expected to follow quickly.

Today AT&T supports six different mobile operating systems in its device, ranging from Windows Mobile devices to the iPhone and more. For instance, de la Vega said, sounding – in a good way – not unlike a car salesman, “If you want a Symbian device, I can put you in a Symbian device.”

Android and other Linux-based operating systems offer an intriguing alternative for carriers and handset makers due to their liberal and low (or no-cost) licensing terms. That can help drive down the software costs in new devices, driving down costs to consumers and driving up handset and carrier margins.

But with Google’s Android, the twist is in knowing exactly to what degree the search giant aims to leverage Android to help drive its own mobile search ambitions. According to de la Vega, while Google can certainly use Android in that way, it doesn’t appear to be mandatory that Android licensees take the same path.

“When I first looked at the Android OS, I really wanted to know more about it before I could pass judgment,” de la Vega said, noting that after a recent one-on-one meeting with Google Android execs, it became clear the software was open enough to let AT&T “put our own apps and features on an Android device. I’m more impressed than ever that it will be a good option for us and our customers.”