http://un-trusted.net/2009/12/13/mobile-computing-bill-shock-685-are-you-kidding-me/ Exploring what it means to be un-trusted, untrustworthy, insecure Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:17:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ http://un-trusted.net/2009/12/13/mobile-computing-bill-shock-685-are-you-kidding-me/#comment-16 vic Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:17:08 +0000 http://un-trusted.net/?p=347#comment-16 This problem is interesting in a larger sense. Early pre-Internet BBSes overcame long distance expenses by strategically placing forwarding lines in geographical locations that crossed rate zones. VOIP helped to break the long distance pricing model. Countless examples exist. Like other industries, the challenge is one of anti-trust practices. There is no real competition in the sale of airtime, so the mark up is phenomenal. I think it is a true American weakness to seek out technical solutions for regulatory problems. The innovation is nice but we ultimately pay to both retool our technology and ultimately pay out what was intended to be cost savings. This problem is interesting in a larger sense. Early pre-Internet BBSes overcame long distance expenses by strategically placing forwarding lines in geographical locations that crossed rate zones. VOIP helped to break the long distance pricing model. Countless examples exist. Like other industries, the challenge is one of anti-trust practices. There is no real competition in the sale of airtime, so the mark up is phenomenal. I think it is a true American weakness to seek out technical solutions for regulatory problems. The innovation is nice but we ultimately pay to both retool our technology and ultimately pay out what was intended to be cost savings.

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