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Wireless carriers openly considering charging per service (update audio)
engadget.com ^ | December 19, 2010 | Nilay Patel

Posted on 12/19/2010 9:27:16 PM PST by MamaDearest

That slide above is no joke -- it comes from a marketing webinar put on by two companies that count Verizon, AT&T and Vodafone as clients, and it describes a system that identifies customer internet activity and charges a different rate for using Facebook than watching YouTube, while allowing access to Vodafone services for free. Yes, that's basically the nightmare scenario for net neutrality advocates. The two companies behind the slide are Allot Communications and Openet, which sell subscriber-management tools to carriers around the world -- tools that Allot's director of marketing says can scan even encrypted packets to determine what service customers are using and charge accordingly. We're not making this up -- here's the direct quote from the webinar:

[We use] a number of different methods to accurately identify the application -- methods like heuristic analysis, behavioral and historical analysis, deep packet inspection, and a number of other techniques. What's key is that we have the best application identification available on the market, which means that even applications that are encrypted or use other methods to evade detection will be correctly identified and classified... We essentially feed this real-time information about traffic and application usage into the policy and charging system. Each subscriber has a particular service plan that they sign up for, and they're as generic or as personalized as the operator wants.

Yeah, that's not how anyone actually wants the internet to work -- except carriers, who've been saying increasingly insane things about charging even smartphone manufacturers for customer data usage lately. What's more, it's rumored that the FCC will cave to Verizon and AT&T and exempt wireless internet service from major parts of net neutrality regulation it's expected to pass next week, so this nonsense could very well hit the US sooner rather than later. We'll be keeping a close eye on things -- we'll let you know. Meanwhile, listen to the webinar yourself immediately below.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: carriers; service; wireless
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1 posted on 12/19/2010 9:27:23 PM PST by MamaDearest
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To: MamaDearest
Those who desire to save money should definitely get the government involved in the administration of their cell bills, or anything else for that matter.

Ed Markey and Barney Frank are your friends.

2 posted on 12/19/2010 9:39:13 PM PST by mmercier (pieces of eight)
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To: mmercier

Will corp greed and govt corruption kill the internet? Could happen. They could drop so many fees, taxes and filters on it that it would kill the goose that laid the golden egg. I don’t think the big companies are much different than the government. Neither had the imagination to create the net and neither may have the imagination to continue it.


3 posted on 12/19/2010 9:43:29 PM PST by Oldexpat
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To: mmercier
Those who desire to save money should definitely get the government involved in the administration of their cell bills, or anything else for that matter.

Viewers of the alphabet networks get this drilled into them on a daily basis and believe the propaganda, sadly. They simply don't care until it affects them personally.

4 posted on 12/19/2010 9:48:28 PM PST by MamaDearest
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To: Oldexpat
Will corp greed and govt corruption kill the internet?

The president who claims to be anti-corporate greed and anti-wealth is known to have made "exceptions" for healthcare and who knows what else. It'll be interesting to know who or what is "excluded" from this new extortion scam from the feds and greedy corporations.

Political and corporate corruption are breeding in an economy that can ill stand cost increases for the average American (who is being nickled and dimed to death since Obama took office).

5 posted on 12/19/2010 9:54:14 PM PST by MamaDearest
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To: All; MamaDearest
I would appreciate it if someone can answer a question for me.

If you have WIRELESS does it still need the phone lines in order to access the Internet? That is what someone has told me. They said you are not connected to the phone line by a cable or anything, but you still need them. If that is the case what if you don't have a land line phone only cell phones, can you not then have wireless?

Please someone explain this to me.

6 posted on 12/19/2010 10:06:45 PM PST by Spunky (You are free to make choices, but not free from the consequences)
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To: MamaDearest

There is always a decision available to the consumer. If the price is too high, shop around.

Usage is way up on phone’s using the internet. At the same time, there is downward pressure on prices from low cost phone providers that offer unlimited voice, text and web ($35 to $50 a month) with clear service but no customer service frills.


7 posted on 12/19/2010 10:08:00 PM PST by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience.)
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To: Spunky

No, you don’t need a phone line for wireless internet.


8 posted on 12/19/2010 10:09:00 PM PST by Eva
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To: Spunky

I don’t have a home phone and I am typing on the internet just fine.

MagicJack and cel phone is all that we have at our house.


9 posted on 12/19/2010 10:09:30 PM PST by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience.)
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To: MamaDearest
My various internet services are nearing the end of the contract periods. I'll certainly be watching this with interest. I'm not interested in being on the hook for another 2 year contract if my "service" is going to be more expensive and less useful. Frankly, I don't care if the parties collecting money from me for service go out if business if what they have to offer is no longer of value due to massive government interference.
10 posted on 12/19/2010 10:15:15 PM PST by Myrddin
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To: MamaDearest
“They simply don't care until it effects them personally”

Spot on observation.

I hate getting wet because some crapweasel thinks he can stand up in my canoe.

This is why we do what we do. The question question to be answered: Are there more of them than of us...?

11 posted on 12/19/2010 10:15:34 PM PST by mmercier (how does one read the story...?)
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To: Oldexpat

If big corporate interests and big government interests did not create this ether, than who did...?

I kind of know the answer, this is just a question for you.


12 posted on 12/19/2010 10:22:34 PM PST by mmercier
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gunsequalfreedom; eva


Soon I will have access to nothing other than a Verizon cell signal. I don't want to use sat internet. Will I be able to use an iPad?

HAVE A COOL YULE!
CLICK FOR GIFT


13 posted on 12/19/2010 10:37:39 PM PST by I see my hands (How's that ballot box working out for you?)
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To: Spunky

Your cell is actually a 2 way radio set. Better than Dick Tracy ever had.

THe radio talks to the cell tower - you’ve seen them, eveyone complains - but no tower, no cell phone.

THe twoer has equipment that connects tothe Public Switched Telephone Network - PTSN for short.

ALL Internet data corsses the PTSN at some point.

So, yes, need a telepne line at some point - weither its a DS1 or an OC-192, the phone companies, for the most part own or lease the media that carries “The Internet”.

YOu have access to the ‘net - since you poist here, why not do some homework on the technology you seem to use daily?

It all there (here)

HAve fun!


14 posted on 12/19/2010 10:38:35 PM PST by ASOC (What are you doing now that Mexico has become OUR Chechnya?)
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To: gunsequalfreedom

My colleague has the METRO PCS unlimited, no contract phone including text and messaging plus web all for $40. He also kept the Virgin mobile no contract phone as well. But he swears by the Metro PCS phone.


15 posted on 12/19/2010 10:52:00 PM PST by max americana
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To: mmercier
This is why we do what we do. The question question to be answered: Are there more of them than of us...?

Not counting dead people, voter fraud and illegal aliens voting, we outnumber them. We're also fighting RINOs (who knowingly side with democrats and denounce/fight the efforts of conservatives) and those enamored of them. It's an uphill battle, but it MUST be won if we all have to go out door to door and take an active role in changing it. If we have computers, word processing programs and/or printers at our homes, we can be useful in the outside world helping the tea party spread the word.

16 posted on 12/19/2010 10:52:39 PM PST by MamaDearest
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To: Spunky

Most all cell towers are connected to phone networks by at least T1 circuits for connectivity. I don’t know if that’s what the person your were speaking with was talking about, but in a way they were correct.


17 posted on 12/19/2010 10:58:36 PM PST by KoRn (Department of Homeland Security, Certified - "Right Wing Extremist")
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To: gunsequalfreedom; Eva; ASOC; KoRn

Thanks all for your information. I did just check out Google for information on wireless and it is still somewhat confusing to me. All this new technology is more than I am able to comprehend. Getting to old. :-(


18 posted on 12/19/2010 11:14:54 PM PST by Spunky (You are free to make choices, but not free from the consequences)
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To: MamaDearest

For those of you who may not comprehend... The amount of data being used is exploding. In the last 6 years, the amount of data EACH customer uses on average, has gone up somewhere between 10 and 15 fold. Despite billions and billions being poured into the cellular and cellular like data systems, the wireless systems IN NO WAY are keeping up with demand. And it is NOT a matter of ‘gouging’ anyone, it’s a matter of inability to make technology meet the growing demand for media and infotainment.

Despite what the whiners for net neutrality may say, the tiered structure, with different pricing for each type of service, maybe the way to SAVE internet by wireless phone, instead of making the price up until demand falls, and NO services are affordable by wireless.

It will reduce the load on the overloaded systems, and at the same time, reduce the level of data hungry application demand, thereby making data by phone remain reasonable in price.

Or, you could listen to those who think that government is the solution to every problem - they are NOT CORRECT.


19 posted on 12/19/2010 11:51:37 PM PST by The Watcher
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To: The Watcher

And our enemies both foreign and domestic see America as a very opportunistic target, practically over ripe to the point of falling from the tree, almost at the junction that if an EMP device were to be detonated anywhere in the CONUS it would shatter this new conversion to data availability in a heartbeat, this instant rush of false power and confidence in this wealth of high speed devices that deliver all the various worlds of pseudo-reality and fantasy.

We are becoming nothing more than bees living in our version of a high tech bee hive.

And our enemies have the smoker...


20 posted on 12/20/2010 12:03:22 AM PST by Eye of Unk (If your enemy is quick to anger, seek to irritate him. Sun Tzu, The Art of War.)
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