Reviews:
 ·Optimum Online
 ·Verizon FiOS
| plain & simple, well at least partly. Verizon and AT&T (collectively 75% of marketshare) are going against the grain in wireless because they want to stop the bleeding of value in per minute charges/billing. If there were robust competition rather than sit on the fence moves by both companies unlimited wireless would be in the $20-25 per month (unlimited calling) with the price per minute down to about $.02 per minute (depending upon up much you purchase at a time & the delivery terms) with maybe an extra cent for roaming. Verizon specifically also doesn't want to further cannibalize their dying POTS phone market.
We should also see some sexy new phones for prepaid carriers Net-10/Tracfone soon. Their prices per minute need to come DOWN for the new year.
BTW, google is NOT a significant wireless carrier. The main dispute is about VOIP over wireless broadband and/or WIFI of which they want a tightly locked gate on their phones so subscribers don't downgrade their hefty minute plans in favor of cheap internet calling or even texting. The major carriers want to stop the transitioning of cellular wireless into a wireless broadband business which could mirror wired broadband. In a similar dillema the cable companies have selling cable-tv to internet customers with 20+mbit broadband connections.. the same problems occur selling cellular minute plans if there is a cheaper or virutally free alternative available. I wish the FCC luck in trying to wage an anti-competitive battle with them as they will fight tooth & nail, and dirty to keep the status quo. |
| Verizon and AT&T do not have 75% of the wireless market (»www.circleid.com/posts/20091008_···rs_2009/). The article states that there are 276 million wireless subscribers in the United States. With AT&T and Verizon having roughly 160 million subscribers between them, that only equates to roughly 58%.
Until government officials are prevented from taking any lobbyist money, the American citizen (AKA the consumer) will always end up on the losing end of the equation.
The wireless carriers themselves are turning their situation into a wireless broadband business. Both LTE and WiMax do not have circuit switched networks. Everything will be VoIP.
I completely agree that the cost of wireless telephones should be cheaper. I currently pay $160 per month for 2100 minutes and unlimited texting with Verizon for a family plan (3 lines). If Metro PCS and Cricket can offer $45 unlimited market calling, national calling shouldn't be more than $50-$60 per month. |
