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Cell-Phone Bills: Is Text-Messaging Too Expensive? - TIME
From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:04:42 -0400
Begin forwarded message:
From: Andrew C Burnette <acb () acb net> Date: September 16, 2009 17:09:05 EDT To: David Farber <dave () farber net>, brett () lariat netSubject: Re: [IP] Re: Cell-Phone Bills: Is Text-Messaging Too Expensive? - TIME
Dave, For IP if you wish. I might disagree a good bit. well, 160 bytes to be exact. SMS is leftover space from the SS7 signaling protocol (thus the 160 character limit when texting between carriers) that has simply been co'opted foradditional monetization. It would be today's equivalent of re-using theexp bits in IPv6 headers for small set data. What costs carriers "too much" are the numerous (and inefficient) T1'srequired to service cell sites. As we move to 4G and fiber to the tower(mixed up with femto's and point to point wireless between towers) thecost should come down a good bit. Brett has the same high bandwidth costissues in his WISP. The "exclusive" nature of handsets, deals, and software among each of the US carriers is hardly economical. Buy a handset in the EU, and you'll see the exact same handset in nearly every wireless provider's store. Compete on services and tailored bundles, not forcing handset manufacturers to limit their market, or design/support yet another 90% identical handset for wireles carrier A, B and C....It's vicious, and for lack of a better term, somewhat artificial in nature.Best regards, Andy Burnette David Farber wrote:Begin forwarded message: From: Brett Glass <brett () lariat net> Date: September 14, 2009 11:56:54 AM EDT To: dave () farber net, "ip" <ip () v2 listbox com>Subject: Re: [IP] Cell-Phone Bills: Is Text-Messaging Too Expensive? - TIMEAt 01:50 PM 9/13/2009, David Farber wrote:Summing up, Keshav found that a text message doesn't cost providers more than 0.3 cent."This isn't accurate. The cost of building out, operating, and maintaining the cellular network is tremendous (and is inflated by problems such as overcharges by the ILECs for leased lines to connectthe towers -- also known as "special access"). What's more, due to theadvent of cut rate and unlimited calling plans (in which the carriers actually lose money on some voice customers), this cost can't be supported by voice service alone.Without SMS charges, all of the major cellular carriers would lose moneyunless they substantially raised rates for other services. --Brett Glass ------------------------------------------- Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/ Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com
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Current thread:
- Cell-Phone Bills: Is Text-Messaging Too Expensive? - TIME David Farber (Sep 13)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: Cell-Phone Bills: Is Text-Messaging Too Expensive? - TIME David Farber (Sep 13)
- Re: Cell-Phone Bills: Is Text-Messaging Too Expensive? - TIME David Farber (Sep 13)
- Cell-Phone Bills: Is Text-Messaging Too Expensive? - TIME Dave Farber (Sep 14)
- Re: Cell-Phone Bills: Is Text-Messaging Too Expensive? - TIME David Farber (Sep 15)
- Re: Cell-Phone Bills: Is Text-Messaging Too Expensive? - TIME David Farber (Sep 15)
- Cell-Phone Bills: Is Text-Messaging Too Expensive? - TIME Dave Farber (Sep 16)