LOS ANGELES -- In the panel discussion with The Wall Street Journal's Personal Technology columnist Walt Mossberg, Verizon Wireless's Chief Operating Officer Lowell McAdam got into a mini-debate about how open carriers are to adopting new technologies.

Typically, carriers have to approve an application before it can be sold on a cellphone's deck or storefront.

Mossberg said because it is not completely open to whoever wants to sell new applications, carriers are like "Soviet ministries," a term he adopted while covering national security at the Journal.

McAdam said he's used to Mossberg's name-calling.

In response, Mossberg said his name for carriers are better than what Steve Jobs calls the four largest wireless operators. He said Jobs calls them the "four orifices."