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South Korea introduces universal basic mobile data access

theregister.com

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Re: South Korea introduces universal basic mobile data access

#61

Post by TingPing »

morkalork wrote: post #46
edent wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At the height of the pandemic, the UK mandated zero-rating data for mobile connection to .gov.uk and .NHS.uk domains, along with several other charitable sites. (I was part of the team working on that proposal.)

This is... Shockingly reasonable. Would be perfect if it included other essential services e.g. domains used for online banking.

It’s technically problematic. The ISP should have little idea of domains you visit. And they can’t already when everything works.

Re: South Korea introduces universal basic mobile data access

#62

Post by Cider9986 »

everdrive wrote: post #52
HarHarVeryFunny wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's like saying that using tax dollars to pay for roads assumes that everyone has a car. MOST people do use things like government/taxpayer funded roads, public transportation, water, healthcare, etc that are considered as basic necessities. As far as everyone needing a smartphone, or e-mail address, that ship has already sailed. Here in the US, try using "Parkmobile" without a mobile phone.

> That's like saying that using tax dollars to pay for roads assumes that everyone has a car. Well once the government subsidizes roads they proliferate it and becomes more difficult to exist without a car. Your example supports my argument. >try using "Parkmobile" without a mobile phone. I would never, ever try using "parkmobile"

That's a good call. They had a databreach[1]—and paid out 4x 25 cent in-app credits to the affected people.

[1]https://haveibeenpwned.com/breach/ParkMobile

Re: South Korea introduces universal basic mobile data access

#63

Post by sdfjkhdfjkdhs »

HarHarVeryFunny wrote: post #20
everdrive wrote: post #11

Seems nice but is actually a terrible move. It's another step towards the presumption that everyone should have a smartphone.

That's like saying that using tax dollars to pay for roads assumes that everyone has a car. MOST people do use things like government/taxpayer funded roads, public transportation, water, healthcare, etc that are considered as basic necessities. As far as everyone needing a smartphone, or e-mail address, that ship has already sailed. Here in the US, try using "Parkmobile" without a mobile phone.

[dead]

Re: South Korea introduces universal basic mobile data access

#64

Post by sdfjkhdfjkdhs »

hoppyhoppy2 wrote: post #54
everdrive wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> That's like saying that using tax dollars to pay for roads assumes that everyone has a car. Well once the government subsidizes roads they proliferate it and becomes more difficult to exist without a car. Your example supports my argument. >try using "Parkmobile" without a mobile phone. I would never, ever try using "parkmobile"

My city's public parking lots, garages, and street parking use Parkmobile to collect payment, and AFAICT that kind of arrangement is not terribly unusual. I suppose anti-parkmobile drivers could stick to the few overpriced privately-owned lots in town, though. If you're saying that you don't drive, then congrats, and I hope to catch up to you soon.

[dead]

Re: South Korea introduces universal basic mobile data access

#65

Post by pyreko »

cwillu wrote: post #7
Leomuck wrote: post #4

Crazy, I've never heard of such a plan anywhere. But given how essential the internet is to everything we do on a daily basis, that makes a lot of sense. However, I would like to see the existing situation that lead to this decision. Were there many people who couldn't do things anymore due to lacking internet access? Was there public pressure to do this or did they just think it a good idea? My assumption so far was…

Canada requires mobile service providers to have a 35$ a month data plan, and the low-income support payments will add 35$ a month to the base rate if you provide a cell phone bill.

TIL, it's not a perfect solution but given how rough telecoms are here it's at least something I guess.

Re: South Korea introduces universal basic mobile data access

#66

Post by Terr_ »

smugma wrote: post #41
KellyCriterion wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But to really reach the poor people, you would also need to deploy phones, not only data/traffic/WiFi: For sure for lot of people 10-20 USD monthly bill is already too high, but buying a phone that is somehow not outdated and capable of running all the apps needed, this is a much higher barrier (of lets say 200-300 USD for a somehow solid phone that will last some time9

In SF, I commonly see homeless people with cell phones

That may say more about needs than affordability.

Re: South Korea introduces universal basic mobile data access

#67

Post by Terr_ »

To quote something from a favorite fiction-series, where someone is visiting a relatively backwards planet:

> "Poor?" said Cordelia, bewildered. "No electricity? How can it be on the comm network?"

> "It's not, of course," answered Vorkosigan.

> "Then how can anybody get their schooling?"

> "They don't."

> Cordelia stared. "I don't understand. How do they get their jobs?"

> "A few escape to the Service. The rest prey on each other, mostly." Vorkosigan regarded her face uneasily. "Have you no poverty on Beta Colony?"

> "Poverty? Well, some people have more money than others, of course, but... no comconsoles?"

> Vorkosigan was diverted from his interrogation. "Is not owning a comconsole the lowest standard of living you can imagine?" he said in wonder.

> "It's the first article in the constitution. 'Access to information shall not be abridged.' "

-- Shards of Honor (1986) by Lois McMaster Bujold

Re: South Korea introduces universal basic mobile data access

#68

Post by foldr »

hamdingers wrote: post #50
daveoc64 wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The UK does have net neutrality, and it's quite strictly regulated by Ofcom, which produces an annual report showing compliance and highlighting any issues it has investigated: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/internet-based-services/network-neu... Things like restrictions on tethering and using a SIM in a router are forbidden. Unlike most countries, net neutrality has never been a political football in the UK. Ofcom groups…

This is not net neutrality, all network traffic is not treated equally. Ofcom seems to have invented their own definition of net neutrality and placed it on that website, but calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg. This is tiered access.

It doesn't meet a perfect theoretical definition of net neutrality, but it's a set of defined legal limits on the extent to which providers can treat different kinds of traffic differently.

Re: South Korea introduces universal basic mobile data access

#69

Post by throwawayk7h »

HarHarVeryFunny wrote: post #20
everdrive wrote: post #11

Seems nice but is actually a terrible move. It's another step towards the presumption that everyone should have a smartphone.

That's like saying that using tax dollars to pay for roads assumes that everyone has a car. MOST people do use things like government/taxpayer funded roads, public transportation, water, healthcare, etc that are considered as basic necessities. As far as everyone needing a smartphone, or e-mail address, that ship has already sailed. Here in the US, try using "Parkmobile" without a mobile phone.

> Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Science and ICT Bae Kyunghoon said the scheme is needed because citizens can’t do without access to online services

So indeed it actually is intended to make online services necessary.

Re: South Korea introduces universal basic mobile data access

#70

Post by throwawayk7h »

anthk wrote: post #22

I'd perfectly live with a forever free connection with about 16/32 KBPS. It can do lots of stuff in text mode. Not for video or big files, but enough to fill some pages. That would mean accesible web pages, and forget about JS based captchas and the like.

It'd be great if this moves developers to consider optimizing for lower-end connections.
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