said by kpfx:said by sonicmerlin:That doesn't make sense. Bits aren't a limited commodity. They're infinite.
Do you have a hard-drive that holds an infinite amount of data? Does your network card transport data at Infinity/Bps?
Bits themselves may be infinite but the infrastructure that stores and transports them is finite. I may be able to create a quadrillion bits of data but if I want to move it from point-A to point-B there's going to be some kind of cost for infrastructure, storage, hardware, electricity, etc...
and thats why you have a BASE fee.. i.e.
Electric Rates
Electric Purchased Power Adjustment 0.0118 per kWh for Residential and Commercial
Residential
Minimum Monthly Charge $9.00
For billing during the months of June through September inclusive.
First 650 kWh.............$0.0660 per kWh
Additional kWh.............$0.0860 per kWh
For billing during the months of October through May inclusive.
First 650 kWh .............$0.0660 per kWh
Additional kWh .............$0.0600 per kWh
State sales tax shall be applied to electric charges.
i know this is power and not internet. but the point is theres a base fee that in this case includes 650kWh so for ISP's a "network access fee" of $10 gets you on the internet with a few GB's included.