In what sounds like a bid to work together to continue to keep their network and services closed there are rumors online that many of the major European network operators are planning meetings together next week at the 3GSM conference.

The discussions are supposedly around attempting to collaborate on building a mobile phone search engine. If any of this is true it certainly sounds like another way that network operators are searching, no pun intended, to increase their bottom line through limiting the offerings to consumers, developers and potentially advertisers.

It’s not surprising that the carriers are taking proactive steps to attempt to disallow internet search giants from disrupting potential future revenue. Unfortunately, I’m guessing they will do more harm than good to their own cause. Through fighting off threats by keeping their network closed they will eventually turn off consumers who are expecting more choice, higher quality of service, and decreased costs. Worse, they will continue to thwart innovation while others step up and attempt to fill the niché.

I wish the carriers would just play to their strengths and do what they do best (not get into a new market). Furthter, I wish they would be open to adopting innovation in both technology and business practices. In my opinion, if they stopped fighting the change that’s bound to happen they could embrace and support the coming disruption in their industry and benefit the most from it all.