Head in the Clouds

AT&T just announced new pricing on their data plans in preparation for tethering and presumably a new iPhone. The plans are metered (limited to a certain amount of data) which has been controversial in a market of unlimited Internet plans. However, it isn’t the cap on throughput or overage charges that annoy me. What annoys me is that AT&T is charging for tethering (the process of connecting your laptop to the Internet via your phone).

The thing is, on AT&T’s end, it’s the same data. Whether it comes from a PC browser or Mobile Safari the HTTP traffic looks the same. I can blow through my 2GB of transfer by playing Youtube on my phone or on my laptop. Why then do I have to pay AT&T for the privilege of using the tethering that is a feature on my phone?

I’m fine with metered plans, AT&T has to handle the data I send and receive, if I send more data it’s not crazy that I should pay more. What I can’t stand being charged for something that has no relation to AT&T’s network. People would be outraged if AT&T charged a fee to change your phone’s cover plate. This is not that different.

Here’s another examples of the convenience charge mentality the market has. First XBox Live: Users can register for a free silver account to get access to the online store but if you want to play online then you need to upgrade to gold. This makes sense since Microsoft (theoretically) has to maintain game servers and support infrastructure. However gold service includes a few other things which logically belong in silver, Netflix for instance. XBox Live connects to the Internet over your home network which you pay Verizon or Comcast or another ISP for. When you use Netflix your Internet makes a connection to the servers at Netflix (who you also pay) and the movie is streamed directly to your machine. Notice one player who isn’t in that transaction? Microsoft. Why then do I have to shell out money for Live to get access to the Netflix I’ve already paid for¹?

Lastly, a particularly bitter one for me. Verizon has visual voicemail available on a limited number of phones (primarily Android and WinMo handsets). The thing about visual voicemail is that the packet containing the data on who called, when, and how long their message is amounts to a measly kilobyte or less. On top of that, the ability to jump straight to a message saves minutes of wasted airtime. Users who take advantage of this feature therefore collectively improve the availability and throughput of the network. So why is it a paid add on?

So in light of all these examples my plea to companies is simple: charge me for what I use not how I use it. I’m not out to hurt your profit margins or destroy your business models. I don’t even mind paying. So make it simple for me to give you my money by providing a service and charging for it, no bullshit.

1. On Wii Netflix is a separate disc and its use incurs no additional fees