Re: [Nolug] Verizon high speed wireless

> With newer devices, kids are getting much more proficient at "texting"
> each other, and would actually rather send IM text messages than talk on
> the phone.

They do this in Japan, for instance --- everyone, not just kids.

> Sending a few data packets HAS to be a whole lot cheaper than
> tying up the cell tower for 15 or 20 minutes. As soon as the cell
> providers realize this, we'll see falling data prices... eventually i
> think it'll be cheaper than voice service.

Yes, it's cheaper for them to process SMS traffic. However, marketing dictates
that SMS charges remain high, because they are banking on customer ignorance
and perceived value. "Ooh, shiney" nets them boarloads of cash.

As an aside, rotary phone service is or was marginally cheaper than DTMF
dialing (there used to be an additional charge for pushbotton service), but
in reality users requiring or requesting rotary service meant that the phone
company had to take extra steps per call to interpret the rotary clicks and
translate them into DTMF tones, at least after their network went digital.
Rotary was in fact more expensive for them, but they marketed the perceived
value of convenient pushbutton dialing and charge the customer more for what
actually cost Bell less to provide.
>
> ray
>
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-- 
Joey Kelly
< Minister of the Gospel | Linux Consultant >
http://joeykelly.net
"I may have invented it, but Bill made it famous."
 --- David Bradley, the IBM employee that invented CTRL-ALT-DEL
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