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Comments on news posted 2009-10-06 17:34:11: If you recall, AT&T and Apple caused waves back in March for crippling Skype for the iPhone so that it would only work via Wi-Fi. ..

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flyingjoey
join:2005-11-07
Jersey City, NJ

flyingjoey

Member

So where's the Update!

Where's the update to Skype?

shaner
Premium Member
join:2000-10-04
Calgary, AB

shaner

Premium Member

I dont get it

Why isn't AT&T (or any other carrier) allowed to restrict what applications access their network? I mean sure, be honest about it, but why should they be forced to carry a semi-competitive service which has the possibility to eat into their revenues? Maybe AT&T should bill Skype for the data traffice their "free" service uses.

digiblur
Premium Member
join:2002-06-03
Louisiana

digiblur

Premium Member

Sticking with WinMo

One of the many reasons I love my WinMo phones. No one telling you what you can and can't do with the phone and service you pay/paid for.

Z80
1 point 77
Premium Member
join:2009-08-31
Amerika

Z80

Premium Member

This will simply lead to data caps

Much more of this and AT&T will just put the same 5GB monthly cap they have on LaptopConnect plans on the iPhone plans.
Z80

Z80 to shaner

Premium Member

to shaner

Re: I dont get it

said by shaner:

Maybe AT&T should bill Skype for the data traffice their "free" service uses.
The CUSTOMER pays for the traffic Skype uses when they cut their monthly check to AT&T.
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx to shaner

Member

to shaner
They do. $30 per month.
iansltx

iansltx to Z80

Member

to Z80

Re: This will simply lead to data caps

iPhone users, unless they're tethering, don't hit 5GB anyway, and won't even with Skype.

shaner
Premium Member
join:2000-10-04
Calgary, AB

1 recommendation

shaner to Z80

Premium Member

to Z80

Re: I dont get it

Yeah, good point.

I dunno, it just seems like this:

Imagine your neighbour asks if you can give her a lift to the store. She'll pay you $30 to provide this service. When you pull up, she loads your back seat with a huge slobbering, shedding dog. She also lights up a smoke all the way to the store. Coming back, she loads your trunk full of groceries, and manages to strap some patio furniture to your roof.

It's your car. It's your gas. You laid out all the capital costs. But as long as she pays you that $30, she can do with your investment all she wants.
jjeffeory
jjeffeory
join:2002-12-04
Bloomington, IN

jjeffeory

Member

What does this have to do with anything?
Creepy imagery though...

Phil
Rojo Sol
Premium Member
join:2001-06-11
Downers Grove, IL

Phil

Premium Member

Google Voice...

...approve it now!

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

IPPlanMan

Member

Slingbox... What about 3G Support for that app?

And yet, the Slingbox App remains crippled to Wifi on the iPhone while Blackberry devices can use it over 3G.

shaner
Premium Member
join:2000-10-04
Calgary, AB

shaner to jjeffeory

Premium Member

to jjeffeory

Re: I dont get it

Well AT&T sells you access to their network which they paid for. AT&T should be able to reserve the right to restrict anything they might feel impedes the performance of their network. Whether that means impeding the physical or financial performance, that decision should be up to them. Whether you agree with that decision is not the issue here. Just because they sell access does not mean the users have the right to do whatever they want.

I know it's fashionable to bash telcos and large corporations, but there really are 2 sides to every story.

Z80
1 point 77
Premium Member
join:2009-08-31
Amerika

1 edit

Z80 to shaner

Premium Member

to shaner
It's their network and they should have final say as to what apps run so long as it is made clear before people sign up, but them saying "skype is getting a free ride", if the ever did say such a thing is bogus. Customer are footing the bill for their data plans.

But it is certain that apps like skype would cannibalize their voice revenues and those revenues are in part necessary to build, expand and/or maintain the network. So if voice revenues drop, data revenues will have to go up. People will pay for all of this one way or another.

openupshop
join:2000-11-25
Chandler, AZ

openupshop

Member

I Love This New Administration

At least they are tackling issues, instead of going around them.
cough cough GW Bush
Jim_in_VA (banned)
join:2004-07-11
Cobbs Creek, VA

Jim_in_VA (banned)

Member

Slingbox...

yeah I love that app on my Sprint Touch Pro. Works great. I do wish Sprint would sign on with ESPN360 though ...

cowboyro
Premium Member
join:2000-10-11
CT

cowboyro to IPPlanMan

Premium Member

to IPPlanMan

Re: Slingbox... What about 3G Support for that app?

said by IPPlanMan:

And yet, the Slingbox App remains crippled to Wifi on the iPhone while Blackberry devices can use it over 3G.
Because iphone users tend to be suckers. After all they bought an iphone

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

IPPlanMan

Member

And how is this Apple's fault?

fifty nine
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ

fifty nine to shaner

Member

to shaner

Re: I dont get it

First of all, what you are describing here is illegal. You cannot operate for hire unless you are licensed as a taxicab driver and your car is licensed as a taxicab.

Secondly, your example is way out of proportion. A more appropriate analogy would be a licensed taxicab (which is regulated by the Government) denying someone a ride to the airport because they can make more profit with someone who just wants a ride a few blocks away.

AT&T's network used public airwaves and they are supposed to serve the public with reasonable service. If they fail to do so they should have their licenses revoked and someone who can serve the public interest replace them. That is the price they should pay for using public airwaves.
Necronomikro
join:2005-09-01

Necronomikro to shaner

Member

to shaner
said by shaner:

Well AT&T sells you access to their network which they paid for. AT&T should be able to reserve the right to restrict anything they might feel impedes the performance of their network. Whether that means impeding the physical or financial performance, that decision should be up to them. Whether you agree with that decision is not the issue here. Just because they sell access does not mean the users have the right to do whatever they want.

I know it's fashionable to bash telcos and large corporations, but there really are 2 sides to every story.
It's not about impeding the performance of their network.

Analogies suck, but since you insist.

It's more like paying for internet from your cable company, then they refuse to let you watch youtube, because it 'provides a competing service, and a company shouldn't be expected to facilitate their competition'.

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102 to digiblur

Member

to digiblur

Re: Sticking with WinMo

Yup - even though WinMo is far from a perfect platform, it has less restrictions than others. I use PocketPuTTy, Remote Desktop, zmIRC and Skype Mobile on it.

hikes
@teksavvy.com

hikes

Anon

re: skype on iphone

Cue data plan rate hikes in 3....2....1
vp71inet
join:2005-05-12
Englishtown, NJ

1 edit

vp71inet to shaner

Member

to shaner

Re: I dont get it

My professor, from as far back as the 60's, always warned that analogies are dangerous. They are useful to a limited point and rarely fits the analogous situation in its entirety.

You have gone way over and beyond in your rendition of your analogy of a taxi to broadband. I know Taxi's where I am from limit where you can put your groceries, and certainly not in a seat that can be occupied by another paying customer. When I use my broadband connection, no one else can be riding on my bit stream that I have contracted to pay for up to my limit.

This analogy is poor, very ... very poor.
megatron266
Premium Member
join:2007-08-11
Miami, FL

megatron266

Premium Member

LMAO!!!

All I know is my iPhone does what I want it to do. I stream live TV to it from my computer at home without any Slingcrap. I don't do the tethering BS either. I didn't live off of MMS so there goes that. Its fast anywhere I go and I travel on the road a lot. Stop drinking that Haterade!!!!! Lets talk about the root cause of the issue. People can't either afford it or they wouldn't know how to use it.

I have to admit I drank some of that haterade a while back but I have now seen the light and I pay my monthly access. The day I open up a wireless company it will be different.

Work it Bs!!!!

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

IPPlanMan

Member

How do you stream live TV to your iPhone?

shaner
Premium Member
join:2000-10-04
Calgary, AB

shaner to vp71inet

Premium Member

to vp71inet

Re: I dont get it

Meh. It was off the top of my head.

*shrug*
Necronomikro
join:2005-09-01

Necronomikro to Phil

Member

to Phil

Re: Google Voice...

said by Phil:

...approve it now!
Ya know, in light of everything..

There's an app that will sync your contacts to Google.

There's multiple apps that use voice minutes to make calls and use their own dialer interface.

There's multiple apps that provide SMS service.

Yet they deny google voice.

ArrayList
DevOps
Premium Member
join:2005-03-19
Mullica Hill, NJ

ArrayList to megatron266

Premium Member

to megatron266

Re: LMAO!!!

the iphone is only expensive b/c it has been available one one operator. and apple is a greedy piggy.
ricklerre
join:2009-06-22
Brooklyn, NY

ricklerre

Member

What's their new business model?

Begin business model discussion :

at&t's iphone plan is something like this right now:

$30/month data
$40/month for 450 minutes, $100/month for unlimited (with intermediates)
$20/month for unlimited text

now, I assume the sms is not affected in any way,apple already replaced it with free e-mail, and sms will die a long slow death at its current price.

It seems though, that they're going to have to shift the "basic access toll" from charging minutes to charging data.

I would bet that the price will have to move to something like
$70/month for basic access, ~10GB data cap and 1000 minutes voice
+$10/month unlimited voice (SMS?)
+$20/month unlimited data or higher data cap

What do you all think? I figure at the very least this is good for ending the cross-subsidization that was appearing on the wireless networks...
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9 to ArrayList

Premium Member

to ArrayList

Re: LMAO!!!

And large numbers of people are willing to pay up for quality.
openbox9

openbox9 to ricklerre

Premium Member

to ricklerre

Re: What's their new business model?

Metered billing per byte instead of per minute.
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