Live data from Hacker News

Uh Oh, Internet: Basic Mobile Video Will be YouTube-Only With MetroPCS Plans

readwriteweb.com

11–20 of 90 posts

Re: Uh Oh, Internet: Basic Mobile Video Will be YouTube-Only With MetroPCS Plans

#11
post #6

This is actually huge news as it marks the beginning of what many of us feared and destroys future entrpeneurship. I have no idea why the FCC decided mobile Internet should allow these practices.

There is competition in mobile internet, whereas for non-mobile many people only have one or two realistic choices. That could be why mobile gets less regulation.

Re: Uh Oh, Internet: Basic Mobile Video Will be YouTube-Only With MetroPCS Plans

#13
Remember the leaked slides for differently priced mobile services that leaked out a few weeks ago? http://blog.grouptexting.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/dip....

That seemed like a worst case scenario that we might expect down the road...not within days of the FCC giving mobile broadband a pass on net neutrality. Hopefully this move backfires and forces the FCC to revisit their ruling (http://gigaom.com/2010/12/28/who-wins-and-loses-under-the-fc...)

Re: Uh Oh, Internet: Basic Mobile Video Will be YouTube-Only With MetroPCS Plans

#14
post #11
post #6

This is actually huge news as it marks the beginning of what many of us feared and destroys future entrpeneurship. I have no idea why the FCC decided mobile Internet should allow these practices.

There is competition in mobile internet, whereas for non-mobile many people only have one or two realistic choices. That could be why mobile gets less regulation.

Sprint usb type mobile broadband plan: $59.99/mo for 5 gigs on 2 year contract.

Verizon usb type mobile broadband plan: $50/mo for 5 gigs on 2 year contract

AT&T usb type mobile broadband plan: $60/mo for 5 gigs on 2 year contract

T-mobile usb type mobile broadband plan: $39.99 for 5 gigs no contract

So yeah, it seems rather unlikely that any cartel like cooperation on tiering would evolve in this market.

(EDIT: Updates, thanks for the pointers. I was cribbing from a dodgy web page it seems http://mobile-broadband-services-review.toptenreviews.com/ )

Re: Uh Oh, Internet: Basic Mobile Video Will be YouTube-Only With MetroPCS Plans

#15
post #6

This is actually huge news as it marks the beginning of what many of us feared and destroys future entrpeneurship. I have no idea why the FCC decided mobile Internet should allow these practices.

Millions of dollars worth of lobbying & Astroturfing.

Check out CTIA's front group 'MyWireless.' They claim to be 'a nonpartisan non-profit advocacy organization, made up of wireless consumers, businesses and community leaders from around the country, supporting reasonable pro-consumer wireless policies.'

In fact they share an office with CTIA and have the same press contact as CTIA. Their net neutrality stance is what you would expect, though the writing is comical: These big online companies - and their blogosphere and celebrity supporters - want to stop wireless carriers from managing their wireless networks - especially wireless Internet...If the FCC and Congress let flashy online companies and their billionaire founders write regulations that favor their businesses, American wireless and Internet consumers will ultimately lose money, choices, security and quality.

Sad, shameless plug - I wrote about this last week. I really didn't expect this to happen so soon: http://blog.grouptexting.com/2010/12/22/lobbyists-astroturfe...

Re: Uh Oh, Internet: Basic Mobile Video Will be YouTube-Only With MetroPCS Plans

#16
post #12

Facebook Fee: $.95 Youtube Surcharge: $1.53 blogging package: $.25 Roaming charge (non approved sites): $5.21 Wikileaks download penalty: $10.00 Destroying net neutrality, killing what made the Internet great in the first place: priceless.

Right. You can effectively censor sites simply by putting subscription charges on them. It's a westernised version of China's Great Firewall.

Re: Uh Oh, Internet: Basic Mobile Video Will be YouTube-Only With MetroPCS Plans

#17
post #2

I'm more stunned by the price: I pay 20€ for unlimited and unrestricted data access with a double SIM (one mobile broadband, other for phone). And they want to charge more for other video access?

Mobile data seems very expensive in the US compared to Europe, but the States seem to be cheaper in most other areas: e.g. Petrol/Gasoline - $3 per gallon in the States, over $8 per gallon in the UK now.

Re: Uh Oh, Internet: Basic Mobile Video Will be YouTube-Only With MetroPCS Plans

#19

And so it begins. The only way this won't run rampant is an immediate consumer backlash.

They already solved that problem. Backlash-ing costs you $250.

Is that the cost of an early termination fee?

Re: Uh Oh, Internet: Basic Mobile Video Will be YouTube-Only With MetroPCS Plans

#20

And so it begins. The only way this won't run rampant is an immediate consumer backlash.

They already solved that problem. Backlash-ing costs you $250.

Unless I read things incorrectly, current contracts are grandfathered in. Just don't renew.
Post reply on HN