Popular blogger and Yahoo! manager Russell Beattie reveals some astounding networking numbers for Japanese mobile phone users in his blog: about 95% of these users are using their cellphones to connect to the web and retrieve information or just surf. We don’t have numbers for the Europeans, but in USA the number went down to 10.9% from 12.7% in April this year. We guess that charging 10 USD per 1 MB is just too much too handle for most US customers who don’t have special unlimited data plans (which can cost between 30-80 USD per month, additionally to the voice plan).
How Far Ahead is Japanese Web Mobility?
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Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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yeesh, I’m on sprint. I had unlimited net tacked onto my bill for an extra 5 bucks. Can’t imagine paying $30-80 … eep!
btw, treo 600 + laptop is really nice when on the road
Stand-alone unlimited data plans with my carrier, Cingular, is either $40 (for direct GPRS web connection via the phone) or $80 (allows to dial via a PDA or a laptop). I don’t want to use Sprint or Verizon personally, not only because I prefer to have GSM phones (because I also have a Greek phone account when in Europe) but also because the ONLY tower I have access to in my apartment is Cingular (and Verizon if the antenna of the phone is truly strong).
I am using Pay-As-You-Go with Cingular btw, because I don’t really need a full plan (I call or get called very little in US).
Edited 2005-11-10 19:08
Turns out, I already live in one!
TommyD from the USA! ;}
I currently already have an unlimited data (GPRS/EDGE) with Cingular. They no longer offer the plan, but for $20 I get 1500 SMS, 400 MMS, and unlimited data via GPRS (or EDGE in compatible service areas w/ a compatible device). Also, T-Mobile used to offer their “Sidekick” plan which included unlimited data for an additional $20, but only if you have a Sidekick — meaning they’ll only sell you the plan if they have record of you purchasing a Sidekick through them — but I’m not sure if they still do … I ditched T-Mobile a year ago.
Cingular no longer offers the $20 unlimited plan, but it’s good I got it when I did, but with my P910 I can go through 20-40MB/mo.
But I think this might become a more important issue with more and more devices offering EDGE (and hopefully soon UTMS), as well as Sprint and Verizon expanding their EV-DO networks. Also, just wait until WiMAX has greater acceptance.
— Robert Cameron
Yeah, this is a problem that needs to be fixed.
That’s outrageous. Unless my cell phone can replace my cable modem, there is no chance I will ever be interested in a service like that.
It is indeed outrageous. But that’s how it is with at least Cingular.
“Also, T-Mobile used to offer their “Sidekick” plan which included unlimited data for an additional $20, but only if you have a Sidekick — meaning they’ll only sell you the plan if they have record of you purchasing a Sidekick through them — but I’m not sure if they still do … I ditched T-Mobile a year ago. ”
I don’t think it was only with the SideKick. I signed up for that plan with my old Motorola P280 and carried it over to my V330. These days, though, I think they charge $30/month instead.