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Content Providers and App Developers to Subsidize LTE/3G Bandwidth Costs?

Wirelessly posted

Didn't we just read that 70% of iOS data bandwidth is ads?

So to pay for increased data there's going to be more ads which in turn will create more data?

Catch 23!? And I thought they said Americans don't get irony? ;)

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Does the increase in data actually cost the networks more? I'd have thought it was the bandwidth that costs, not the amount of data?
 
Let's give more advantages to companies that have money and squeeze out the little upstart app developers! What a terrible idea.
 
bottom line is data plans are a joke and the carriers are screwing us all big time.

I'll most likely turn off the data plan on my iPad after the novelty of having fast LTE speeds wears off. You get so little for what you pay.

Eventually we'll see more people just switching the LTE off and saying F' this to the carriers.
 
Chumburro2U said:
Let the carriers up the data limits by at least double the current rates. And, get this everyone, have the carriers lower the prices of their current data plans by half. How does that sound? :rolleyes:
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Imagine if The government helped ATT build a road.

Now, imagine if a whole bunch of companies, like Netflix, google, Facebook,,
Etc, built businesses on that road.

Now imagine if you had access to that road for a reasonable price, $30 for unlimited access.

Now imagine that AT&T decides they're only going to let you visit some shops, some of the time for more money, and shops that pay THEM more money will get to provide you their services, instead of actually competing against each Other. Not because they can't afford to keep the road open, but because they just want to help themselves and their friends get extort more money from you.

If you for a second think that this kind of practice isn't anti-competitive or honest in any way you should really, really reevaluate your moral compass.
 
Funny

Really funny, the future goes to cheap bandwidth, but they wanna profite with lte, moneyhungry providers. Cant give up old manners. People will probably not use lte that much, if the cost is so high, not even if people had to pay such apps for movies!
 
This sets a very bad precedent, because it opens the door for ISPs (wireless in this case) to lower data caps even more, and creating an environment where only the big companies can get their content to wireless users, because they are the only ones who can afford the subscriber base large enough to get a big discount on their streaming bandwidth.

This is exactly why we need net neutrality.
 
Seriously!?

How ridiculous is it that we get hit with bandwidth usage from things we BUY from Apple? iTunes, App Store and in-app purchases should not count towards usage.

J
 
Wag that Dog. Nothing but a giant scam designed to squeeze more money out of us. Take a look at Europe to know just how much you're being taken to the cleaners. What's sad is so many of us buy into it.
 
Another problem with the LTE data / streaming video issue is that I think some content providers detect your bandwidth capability in order to maximize video quality. Thus, those with high bandwidth (LTE) devices would get a higher quality video. The problem with this model, however, is that watching a 10 minute video would consume more data on LTE as opposed to 3G or Edge.
 
The service providers should just man up and provide reasonable data plans and let unlimited data plans be literally unlimited, as the name implies.

Can't help but feel for those living in the United States getting the short end of the stick.
 
AppleDroid said:
It's just going to make those content providers raise their prices elsewhere (online content, cable costs etc) so the consumer will end up paying for it somehow.
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Ultimately, the consumer pays for everything, even if it is indirectly or intentionally hidden.

We pay for shoplifting, for example, by the price including a loss fee for the seller. For better or worse, how can it be otherwise. If the seller, or manufacturer pays, they lose revenue and close down. In some situations, the government gives support - but guess who pays for that.

Someone once said that companies don't pay taxes, they collect them.

I realize these are just examples, not direct comment on the issue of bandwidth.

But it comes down to TANSTAAFL.:D
 
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Are you KIDDING ME???
Maybe developers should pay for the electricity for charging the device and provide warranty for hardware damage?
 
I don't see this being a big issue. People are burning through their plans on the ipad 3 because its new and they're seeing what they can do with 20Mb down. When more devices come on stream like the iphone etc, you won't still get 20Mb down, you'll more likely get what 3G speeds were promised to be.
 
JangoFett124 said:
This is just a variation of getting around net neutrality, and puts the smaller shops at a huge disadvantage against the big guys. Don't think that this will stop at being an optional service for developers. And don't think the costs won't be passed back on to the user, anyway.
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Exactly. AT&T will do anything to avoid the "dumb pipes" concept of internet access.
 
Ok, so who is in charge of expanding band width for cellular devices?
What has to be done to expand bw?
How much would that cost?
 
mrklaw said:
I don't see this being a big issue. People are burning through their plans on the ipad 3 because its new and they're seeing what they can do with 20Mb down. When more devices come on stream like the iphone etc, you won't still get 20Mb down, you'll more likely get what 3G speeds were promised to be.
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Even if that's the case, its still a ridiculous concept.
 
pat park said:
bottom line is data plans are a joke and the carriers are screwing us all big time.

I'll most likely turn off the data plan on my iPad after the novelty of having fast LTE speeds wears off. You get so little for what you pay.

Eventually we'll see more people just switching the LTE off and saying F' this to the carriers.
Click to expand...

Hopefully enough people cancel their service for the carriers to make a change.

I never thought I'd say this but I'd rather them allow us to slow it down. Chose how fast we want the speed to go.

I use to watch Netflix on hspa+ for hours on 3 gigs and it was no problem. On Lte it's HD streams, I'm scared to watch anything, lol it's crazy.
 
Dionte said:
Hopefully enough people cancel their service for the carriers to make a change.

I never thought I'd say this but I'd rather them allow us to slow it down. Chose how fast we want the speed to go.

I use to watch Netflix on hspa+ for hours on 3 gigs and it was no problem. On Lte it's HD streams, I'm scared to watch anything, lol it's crazy.
Click to expand...

Hmm. As far as I was aware the Netflix app didn't stream HD content. And Netflix allows you the option of not streaming HD content.
 
MacRumors said:
carriers are beginning to consider other ways to help shift the bandwidth cost away from the consumer.
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I hate this type of thinking. Nothing is or would be shifted from the consumer - the consumer would still pay, just via the app purchase price.

It's the same way nothing is "free" from the government - taxpayers pay through taxes, others pay through lost opportunities, etc. There's a great quote about the government bribing people with their own money to get votes.

And as an employee, no taxes associated with your employment are paid by your employer. The so-called portion of payroll taxes "paid by employers" is just paid by the employee through lower wages than he would otherwise get, or lower raises.

I realize I went a little afield from the AT&T news, so forgive me.
 
Maybe Apple could kick in too to help with this. They're the one's making the Lions share of the profits. Get it, Lions? :D:D
 
I pray that this never goes past 'rumors', if this catches on, how soon before our cable connections try to do this same thing.. This is a horrifying bad thing. It makes the cell companies look great because they wont charge (as much) for users.. However the users will still get screwed..

Todays scheme.. User pays data fee..
This scheme.. User still pays for some amount of data + subscription fee for app a + fee for app b + ...

It still doesn't take into consideration that the infrastructure still needs to be upgrade, it still needs to expand..
 
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