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Back in November last year, Verizon surprised many by promising it would throw open its network to devices not bought through its own retail channels.  Dubbed "Any Device, Any App", the move was seen as a response to Google's Android platform which had sent analysts and media types giddy with talk of "open access".  Of course, being a CDMA network, the majority of the handsets available in the world - based on rival technology GSM - won't work, so Verizon have decided to set out some guidelines as to what will work best in its ecosystem.  Today they revealed that Version 1.0 of those specs will be announced at the Open Developer Device Conference beginning March 19th in NYC.

"Version 1.0 will provide the roadmap for wireless device visionaries and tinkerers, as well as existing device makers, to create consumer products not offered directly by the company, which can run on the nation’s most reliable network" Anthony A. Lewis, vice president of Open Development, Verizon Wireless

However a date for the grand unlocking of the network is yet to be established, with Verizon sticking to the "later in 2008 ambiguity.  Any device looking to access Verizon will need to be certified, a move which some have claimed rubbishes the carrier's pretensions of openness.

[via Digg]