Exactly. I thought this article dealed with a very specific problem in a very specific geographic region.
I’m talking about the issue of “zero rating”: the practice being followed by mobile carriers around the world to provide Web access “for free” to their users to certain chosen services.
But all other OECD countries have some flavor of zero rating in place.
I've never heard of a UK or European carrier implementing "zero rating" services, so I'm not sure how far around the world this occurs and the only concrete examples given are in the US.
I'm with a dinky little PAYG plan in Austria at the moment, and I just pay EUR3.95 for 1GB as I need it, which I never seem to use very fast because the majority of the time I'm connected via WiFi. Even when I was moving house in the UK and tethered my phone, I think I only used about 6GB in the course of a month. Of course I was slightly careful with video streaming and other data heavy activities, but I didn't really restrict my Internet use.
Anyway, my point is, "zero rating" even if it did occur would have very little relevance when data is so cheap anyway. It seems to me that the root of the problem is overpriced data, and not the "zero rating" of some services.
Edit: As for voice and text. I use Telegram for all my heavy "texting" and a SIP provider for all calls. I think my total monthly mobile telephony bill is only about EUR10 with the Austrian PAYG plan and another $10 with the SIP provider.
I used to have massive mobile phone bills, sometimes in excess of £100 per month (average around £70), when I lived in the UK and traveled around Europe a lot. This was all down to charges while abroad, and apart from not accept incoming calls, there wasn't a lot I could do about it if I wanted to continue operating my business.
> I've never heard of a UK or European carrier implementing "zero rating" services, so I'm now sure how far around the world this occurs and the only concrete examples given are in the US.
Historically it has happened in the UK. For example, "daily passes" of data coming with unlimited Facebook (on O2 PayG I believe) and some streaming music all over the place (Orange pre-EE, Virgin, et al).
I don't see anyone doing it currently as frankly data prices have become so inexpensive that it isn't as interesting of an offering. The UK is largely about price wars right now, who can offer the cheapest service. The gimmicks have mostly fallen by the wayside.
I'm talking back when 150 MB was a "lot" of data and 1 GB was over £35/month with a 12 month contract).
> It seems to me that the root of the problem is overpriced data, and not the "zero rating" of some services.
Zero rating facilitates overpriced data, which in turn incentivizes users to stay within the discount/zero web. Without zero rating, a broad consumer base will demand reasonable data rates, encouraging carriers to compete.
If this is the case, and as @Someone1234 recalls the UK used to have zero rating services (I honestly don't remember them), what changed in that landscape to bring data prices to significantly lower points? Surely not just competition on its own. The US mobile market isn't a monopoly (although I stand to be corrected if this is spoken in ignorance).
I’m talking about the issue of “zero rating”: the practice being followed by mobile carriers around the world to provide Web access “for free” to their users to certain chosen services.
But all other OECD countries have some flavor of zero rating in place.
I've never heard of a UK or European carrier implementing "zero rating" services, so I'm not sure how far around the world this occurs and the only concrete examples given are in the US.
I'm with a dinky little PAYG plan in Austria at the moment, and I just pay EUR3.95 for 1GB as I need it, which I never seem to use very fast because the majority of the time I'm connected via WiFi. Even when I was moving house in the UK and tethered my phone, I think I only used about 6GB in the course of a month. Of course I was slightly careful with video streaming and other data heavy activities, but I didn't really restrict my Internet use.
Anyway, my point is, "zero rating" even if it did occur would have very little relevance when data is so cheap anyway. It seems to me that the root of the problem is overpriced data, and not the "zero rating" of some services.
Edit: As for voice and text. I use Telegram for all my heavy "texting" and a SIP provider for all calls. I think my total monthly mobile telephony bill is only about EUR10 with the Austrian PAYG plan and another $10 with the SIP provider.
I used to have massive mobile phone bills, sometimes in excess of £100 per month (average around £70), when I lived in the UK and traveled around Europe a lot. This was all down to charges while abroad, and apart from not accept incoming calls, there wasn't a lot I could do about it if I wanted to continue operating my business.