Flat-rate charging

A Happy New Year to all! I’m actually glad the holiday season is over; all that abuse of food, wine and revelry was just getting too decadent. So it’s back to business, diet and reality – such a welcome relief indeed! Gut feel tells me that there’s lots in store for the wireless world in 2007, so buckle up and stay connected for the latest.

Some action in the UK to usher in the New Year came from the progressive carrier Mobile Media 3 which last year wowed its detractors by announcing that its mobile subscribers downloaded one million music tracks and videos in April, making it just second to Internet-based iTunes in the UK for download volume per month! I recently read that another innovative product was just launched called the X-Series, which showcases its Internet via mobile broadband capabilities and may also just set a new business model for mobile operators. 3, in partnership with Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Microsoft, eBay, Yahoo, Google, Skype, Sling Media and Orb, flaunts the true potential of broadband Internet on mobile with this premium service.

This is how it works: an X-series subscriber will be issued an X-Series handset – either a Sony Ericsson W950i or a Nokia N73. A bundle of mobile applications are preloaded on the issued handset. The X-series subscriber will then be able to make unlimited calls from his mobile using Skype, watch his home television via his mobile using Sling, access his home PC remotely using Orb, including his music files, playlists, digital photos and videos, and use IM services from Yahoo, Windows Live Messenger and Google. The subscriber, too, can search the Internet without limitation from his mobile using a Yahoo or Google search engine. Customers will likewise be able to shop on eBay real-time. Searching and browsing and bidding will be free. eBay sellers and buyers will be able to stay connected to one another whenever and wherever they want.

The most appealing factor is the X-Series from 3 will be priced like home fixed-line broadband. It will offer use of mobile Internet services for free at the time of use, for a flat subscription fee on top of the basic subscription. I would say that this is the heart of mobile broadband charging models of the future. As compared to mobile operators today, the broadband Internet is based on a completely different economic model. This charging structure knocks over the traditional telephony model of charging per minute, per text, per click and per megabyte. I just love it! It will finally set us mobile users free to enjoy unlimited broadband services without fear of "bill shock."

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. Patrick R. Garcia is the managing director of Bidshot Wireless Services. For comments or suggestions, e-mail [email protected].