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> “Unlimited” data is not comparable because different subscriber’s data gets assigned different priorities at times of congestion. > In the US, you can get “u

by rcarr 3y ago

> “Unlimited” data is not comparable because different subscriber’s data gets assigned different priorities at times of congestion. > In the US, you can get “unlimited” data for as low as $25 per month, or as high as $90 per month, depending on what level priority you want (which you assume might make a difference at peak times). Yeah I don't think this happens in the UK/EU. The US system seems really weird and complex in comparison. Those prices I quoted above include unlimited calls and texts to anywhere in the UK.

lotsofpulp 3y ago
“QCI” was the industry term I was looking for. Here is some unsubstantiated, but true sounding information about the US mobile networks: https://www.reddit.com/r/NoContract/comments/oaophe/data_prioritization_policies_of_the_carriers_and/ https://www.reddit.com/r/NoContract/comments/oaophe/data_pri... I would be surprised if UK/EU did not also have it. Surely, it exists for certain levels of politicians/government/emergency services. Seems like a short throw to then extending that implementation to capture as much revenue as you can by implementing price segmentation strategies like in the US.
- lucb1e 3y ago
  I didn't know this was a thing. As someone who's on roaming 90% of the time with a MVNO from another country, definitely a good thing to know about! Thanks for linking. Also relevant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QoS_Class_Identifier https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QoS_Class_Identifier (to know what QCI stands for)
- rcarr 3y ago
  Yeah its illegal to offer plans based on throttling/prioritisation in the EU. > Under these rules, blocking, throttling and discrimination of internet traffic by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) is not allowed in the EU. There are 3 exceptions: compliance with legal obligations; integrity of the network; congestion management in exceptional and temporary situations. > All traffic has to be treated equally. For example, there can be no prioritisation of traffic in the Internet access service. Equal treatment still allows reasonable day-to-day traffic management according to objectively justified technical requirements, which must be independent of the origin or destination of the traffic and of any commercial considerations. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/open-internet https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/open-inter... For the time being the UK is still aligned with EU law on this but there's lobbying to make things more like the US: https://cei.org/blog/how-the-uk-can-reform-can-improve-internet-connectivity-for-consumers/ https://cei.org/blog/how-the-uk-can-reform-can-improve-inter...
  - lotsofpulp 3y ago
    Interesting, but I wonder if this exception would not allow the same: > congestion management in exceptional and temporary situations. I presume the US mobile networks are primarily selling higher priority that applies (since it only needs to be applied) in exceptional and temporary situations.
    - rcarr 3y ago
      I'd say the EU are generally less tolerant of loophole based exploitation of the law than the US (see for example the potential Apple USB-C speed throttling in the news recently). Anyone who tried this kind of thing would get sanctioned pretty quick.

by rcarr 3y ago

lotsofpulp 3y ago

“QCI” was the industry term I was looking for. Here is some unsubstantiated, but true sounding information about the US mobile networks: https://www.reddit.com/r/NoContract/comments/oaophe/data_prioritization_policies_of_the_carriers_and/ https://www.reddit.com/r/NoContract/comments/oaophe/data_pri... I would be surprised if UK/EU did not also have it. Surely, it exists for certain levels of politicians/government/emergency services. Seems like a short throw to then extending that implementation to capture as much revenue as you can by implementing price segmentation strategies like in the US.

lucb1e 3y ago
I didn't know this was a thing. As someone who's on roaming 90% of the time with a MVNO from another country, definitely a good thing to know about! Thanks for linking. Also relevant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QoS_Class_Identifier https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QoS_Class_Identifier (to know what QCI stands for)
rcarr 3y ago
Yeah its illegal to offer plans based on throttling/prioritisation in the EU. > Under these rules, blocking, throttling and discrimination of internet traffic by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) is not allowed in the EU. There are 3 exceptions: compliance with legal obligations; integrity of the network; congestion management in exceptional and temporary situations. > All traffic has to be treated equally. For example, there can be no prioritisation of traffic in the Internet access service. Equal treatment still allows reasonable day-to-day traffic management according to objectively justified technical requirements, which must be independent of the origin or destination of the traffic and of any commercial considerations. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/open-internet https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/open-inter... For the time being the UK is still aligned with EU law on this but there's lobbying to make things more like the US: https://cei.org/blog/how-the-uk-can-reform-can-improve-internet-connectivity-for-consumers/ https://cei.org/blog/how-the-uk-can-reform-can-improve-inter...
- lotsofpulp 3y ago
  Interesting, but I wonder if this exception would not allow the same: > congestion management in exceptional and temporary situations. I presume the US mobile networks are primarily selling higher priority that applies (since it only needs to be applied) in exceptional and temporary situations.
  - rcarr 3y ago
    I'd say the EU are generally less tolerant of loophole based exploitation of the law than the US (see for example the potential Apple USB-C speed throttling in the news recently). Anyone who tried this kind of thing would get sanctioned pretty quick.