Is there something in the air? Verizon has traditionally been the network that tries the hardest to stay closed. They have been downright mean in how they cripple hardware.

new open network:

Beginning early 2008, however, Verizon will open itself to, “[a]ny device that meets the minimum technical standard,” and “[a]ny application the customer chooses will be allowed on these devices.” The company has yet to announce the minimal technical standards that it will set for applicable devices and applications. This is expected to be unveiled during an upcoming developers conference. A Verizon representative stated in a press conference this morning that the minimal standards are in place solely to ensure that devices will work with the network and that applications won’t have adverse effects on network users, such as the spread of malware.

Asked whether the network would be open to potential hardware manufacturers beyond the major players, Verizon CTO Dick Lynch stated, “If someone has the ability to build a phone in their basement on a breadboard, and they want to bring it us, the philosophy says, ‘Have at it.’”

“I think it’s important for us to realize that it’s not just phones that we’re talking about,” Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam added. He stated that the newly opened network would have the potential to cater to new devices that could potentially utilize the network, such as gaming systems. “It doesn’t matter whether it sells five or 5,000 devices,” added McAdam. “This makes it possible for anyone who wants to get into the game to get into the game. It just has to meet the general connectivity standards.”

We haven’t heard the real details, which should be coming at a Verizon developer event, but it seems to be a great time to be a mobile developer, and a consumer!