Wireless pricing trends are ruining my hopes and dreams

Ars Technica has an article on how Data plans are the barrier to mobile Internet adoption. I believe it.

The announcement of the iPhone generated a metric ton of buzz, not just around around Apple’s highly-anticipated entry into the cellphone market but also other smartphone devices such as the Samsung Blackjack and the Motorola Q. Although our readers have shown strong interest in such Internet-friendly devices, widespread adoption still faces a number of challenges. Our quick survey of the marketplace shows that mobile Internet service is priced prohibitively high, and this will likely constitute the major barrier to mobile Internet adoption, even more than the cost of the devices themselves.

They go over American prices for unlimited access which are considerably lower than the 200mb Fido or 100mb Rogers prices here.

Without something big to shake up the market things won’t change. Providers would be much happier adding packages that allow them to charge differently for different segments of the net. I see video packages crop up that allow access to YouTube, a package for MySpace, and maybe some packages for local search pretty soon.

When I was getting into sci-fi one of the recurring themes that fascinated me was that characters could whip a gadget out anywhere and they’d have instant access to every piece of information they could ever want, no walled gardens, no cringing at cost. Snow Crash would’ve been positively lame if the net were segmented so badly. I can forget about Shadowrun’s deckers. No Hyperionesque implants thanks, I don’t want my thoughts to be charged by the kilobyte. Sure, I can make a Star Trek PADD that’d get me anything everywhere at broadband speeds, but I’d have to sell my blood any time I’m weak and go on a wikipedia binge, let alone do anything useful.

If I had unlimited high speed access on a powerful device I’d gladly pay the same $70 bill I resent now. With luck a bunch of data hungry devices will open people up to the value of full fleged internet access on the go, the walled garden model will falter in favour of affordable internet access, and I can look up ACM back issues to settle bar bets.

Update: A pricing chart sharply illustrates the high cost of data in Canada.