http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
and Hitler said he was just doing the world a favor, that doesn't mean he was right]]>May 24th 2010 9:28AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 9:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
Last I checked you can get An add a line on t mobile for $5- I don't consider that price fixing]]>May 24th 2010 9:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
That's called a gimmick. While Tmo is a little cheaper than the others, they aren't exactly shaking the tree. They each have silly gimmicks, but at the end of the day, compare the cost of having 2 smart phones with data and texting across all 4 carriers under new service - the price will miraculously be within 10% of each other. Try it again next month, same result. Try it the month after, same result. They move in unison, almost as if they shared a board of directors.]]>May 24th 2010 10:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 12:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/perfect example of this, moving in unison that the big four wireless providers do...
1) all of the big 4, almost in perfect unison upping their text messaging charges from 10 cents a message to 20 cents (for those that are texting sans text package)
2) verizon gets ETF happy and ups their ETF fee, what does att do a couple months later?

its really less of a wireless industry, more of a wireless cartel. ]]>May 24th 2010 1:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
Anyone who has used a carrier overseas knows the US has one of the crappiest cell plans out there. Prepaid is an absolute ripoff. From ultra locked down phones to hidden taxes and fees.

Let's not even get started on competition in data services. Overseas I can purchase something like 10gig worth of data, that I can use over a year. Or even 1 gig or 15 gig per month, rather than 250mb or an "unlimited" plan - which is capped at 5 gig. ]]>May 24th 2010 3:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/Verizon: 2 smartphones, 1400 minutes, unlimited text/data=$179.97
AT&T: 2 smartphones, 1400 minutes, unlimited text, only 2gb data=$179.99
Sprint: 2 smartphones, 1500 minutes, unlimited text/data=$129.99

179.97*.9=$161.97

looks like my 10% is different than yours.

(i am a verizon customer...)]]>Jun 12th 2010 11:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 9:28AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
If you actually use a currency converter you would realize their plans are MORE expensive... Besides we all know The US carriers would stop rolling out 4G if they weren't allwrd to make a proffit- there would e no incentive]]>May 24th 2010 9:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
I don't know what you're smoking, but their plans are considerably cheaper, their phones are cheaper on contract, sim-locking is illegal, and everyone is on the same bands, which allows you *gasp* the ability to jump networks with your phone.]]>May 24th 2010 9:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/Maybe I'm wrong, who knows, but I thought he was being sarcastic...]]>May 24th 2010 9:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
You do realize that it is the FCC that Selects which frequencies cellphone carriers can use right?

@mr88
I got that the second time around...oops]]>May 24th 2010 10:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
Someone making $40,000 but paying $100 on a phone bill
and someone making 40,000 EUR and paying 50 EUR on a similar phone bill is paying less.

Even this logic is not 100% accurate.]]>May 24th 2010 11:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
What are you talking about. The US was recently ranked for providing one of the worst value in the world. Spare me with the geographical bullshit considering Canadian and Australian carriers are doing just fine and priced more competitively. ]]>May 24th 2010 3:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 9:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 9:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 9:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 9:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 9:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 9:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 9:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
I love when the government regulates things in the name of ENCOURAGING competition. It's like putting out a fire with a flamethrower.]]>May 24th 2010 9:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
]]>May 24th 2010 11:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
Anyway more competition should be great for curbing ridiculous new ETFs]]>May 24th 2010 9:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 9:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/it ticks me off they should charge that much.......to me competition means price war and none of them are doing that, they just follow in each others footsteps]]>May 24th 2010 9:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/I remember when texting was free.
Then 10 cents.
And now, thanks to 13 year old girls and all of Asia, we pay 25 cents per text, sending... and receiving!]]>May 24th 2010 10:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 10:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
So, who is controlling America's text message charges, China (of course it's their fault, with their currency manipulation and US debt ownership)? Japan? India?]]>May 24th 2010 10:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
$30 extra a month from ATT + Verizon JUST TO FLIPPING HAVE A DATA PHONE!?

On a side note, where's the FCC's competition. It's an overbearing government run monopoly. Where are it's checks and balances to make sure it's doing it's job? Take the cable industry for instance... FCC FAIL]]>May 24th 2010 9:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 11:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
Also the $10 forced data plans on "multimedia" phones is also ridiculous.

I'm currently using a Samsung SCH-i760 (with WinMo 6.1), pretty much the last smartphone through Verizon that doesn't have data plans forced down its throat. And I can’t change carries because I save tons because of the in-network, since my most frequent contacts are all Verizon. I wish more people would realize how much money they are losing monthly to this BS...]]>May 24th 2010 1:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
Man I must be half asleep today...]]>May 24th 2010 1:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
As those libertarian and tea-party idiots who claim this duopoly and extortion of the consumer is capitalism. yet ignore than even France has more competition in the wireless and broadband sector than we do. ]]>May 24th 2010 3:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 9:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
obviously the Communists have already posted...]]>May 24th 2010 2:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
Let's punish success!]]>May 24th 2010 9:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 10:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 10:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
Thank you very much, I do write intelligent things on engadget when I am in the mood. I tend to just state my opinion as I see fit, I have written a lot of good things (well sometimes) but it depends on the nature of the story. I suggest you look at my profile and you will know more about me.

Signed
Black college student (free Mike Vick!!!) ]]>May 24th 2010 11:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 10:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 10:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
Sorry but I usually add this post to every story I comment on, its just a habit!!! Yes I love Mike Vick too my favorite footballer... FCC needs to regulate companies because they are abusing us in the hood!!! Sorry if you do not like my caricuture personality, I just like to have fun and troll on occasion :/ ]]>May 24th 2010 11:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
cell phones on the other hand, I could easily get AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint or US Cellular here, although only AT&T and Verizon have good coverage.... but that's Sprint/TMobile's own fault... at least I actually have a real choice in that industry... I choose to pay more for verizon because the places i spend most of my time are covered best by them, but if i wanted to save money, i could jump to sprint

there is no reason to regulate them any more, unless there were price fixing going on.. maybe between ATT and Verizon there might be, but I don't have to use their networks if I don't want to....

FCC is completely useless sometimes... can't they worry about really problems?!]]>May 24th 2010 10:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
I understand your point but electricity is a whole different story my friend. Electricty companies tend to be awarded "monopoly" status in order to effectively serve customers. I suggest you read up on how NYC looked pre 1940's with electrical wires everywhere. The problem with the wireless industry is 1)collusion, 2)carrier locking, 3) use of different spectrums, 4)not enough enforcement to enforce existing regulations.... ]]>May 24th 2010 11:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
and as far as carrier locking, I am ok with that as since I am getting a $500 phone for $50, that's worth 2 year commitment to me... and if it's not, I can buy the phone for $500 and not sign a contract... if you mean carrier locking like the iPhone, you SHOULD be able to take that to t-mobile, i agree... but since it's not CDMA then no go for verizon/sprint... and that's their right to use a different technology... obviously half the country doesn't care that verizon uses a different tech and can't get the iphone because of it (yet)... if it was really a bad thing, people would have jumped over to tmobile or att a long time ago on their own]]>May 24th 2010 11:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/May 24th 2010 11:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
"obviously half the country doesn't care that verizon uses a different tech and can't get the iphone because of it (yet)." I can't really agree with this. First, part of the reason is status quo/ignorance on part of the consumer. Another part, is that some people don't have much of a choice of carriers in their region due to coverage. It's one thing to say that people don't care, and it's another to say they are just making rational, albeit disgruntled decisions.

On your point of buying a phone for $500, the only time on a major US carrier that really makes sense is with T-Mo as you can save $240 since they actually discount these plans. Paying $500 (from your example, which isn't really accurate, but in some cases can be) to avoid a ~$350 ETF isn't exactly rational. (I don't know the ETFs, I know AT&T just raised theirs to match or come close to Verizons.) Even if the ETF is $700 if you have a only a 50% chance at keeping the contract before the end it's still not rational to pay $500 compared to the $50 (again, from your example, but not really a great figure to use, still even with more realistic #s the numbers typically don't make it rational to buy an unsubsidized phone even though it saves the carrier). Furthermore, after your contract is up, do you get a discount? Nah, they just collect a higher (accounting) profit, even though their revenues are the same. ]]>May 24th 2010 11:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/24/fcc-leaves-out-the-effective-competition-description-for-the-w/
However, one reason for restricting competition on monopolies which are intended to provide public services is if those monopolies have to face extra requirements in return for their monopoly status.

For example (this is not a real example, just hypothetical and based on some similar examples in other industries) there might be an agreement that the monopoly has to provide electricity at the same price to everyone wherever they live, even though - in practice - it costs more (in terms of repairs, extra hardware, etc) to provide electricity to people living up a hill in the middle of nowhere where the transmission lines keep getting damaged by storms, than it costs to provide electricity in the city. Obviously this would have to be paid for by slightly higher average costs for everyone.

If other companies are then allowed to compete with the monopoly, but they only offer electricity within the city (say) that would be a huge and unfair commercial advantage.

Personally, I think the whole regulated monopoly setup is a bit of a silly way to sort-of avoid public ownership anyway. IMO shared assets such as power lines (water mains, railway tracks, etc) should be managed by a publicly-owned company, leaving private (and non-monopoly) business to retain other tasks which can reasonably be subject to competition such as actually generating power (and other things like working as contractors to build and repair said power network, etc).

Seems to me that with regard to phone companies you guys don't have a particular problem with consumer choice (several large companies to choose from) but you do have a problem with restrictive rules (carrier locking, etc).]]>May 24th 2010 11:46AM