why can't we get unlimited data at a reasonable price?

[JimmiG]

Well, you can get "Unlimited" data for $30/month here... but I doubt it's truly unlimited. I mean if you were found to have downloaded something like 150GB in a month they'd probably notify you anyway. There's probably some fine print for that.

Personally, I've got the 1GB/month option for $10 / month. I've never used up that quota in a month. Maybe if I streamed video all day, but the screen is too small to watch entire movies anyway. Plus, the battery would run out.. Don't see why you'd need unlimited data, unless you don't have any kind of wired broadband at all.

 

[shortylickens]

Um....then quit using data...what, internet at home, work, school isn't enough? You need it on the crapper in the public restroom in the mall?

No he needs it in the parking lot when he remembers he has to find the local Office Max to get some printer cartridges.
And thats just one of literally millions of instances when its really darn nice to have mobile data and possibly navigation. Once you get used to having such convenience its difficult to go back. I used to make fun of such people but now I am one.

 

[wirednuts]

mobile internet is DA SHIT and the reason we cant have unlimited usage yet is because they dont want to spend the money on buying a ton of equipment that will be obsolete in 5 years. i dont blame them either, look how much money ive wasted on video cards alone.

so what we get is a pre-determined amount of cell towers that are positioned just thin enough to cover what we need now, with the thought process that in a few years we can upgrade those few towers to better technology, better coverage.

3g was the last 'overhaul', and now 4g is taking over. of course those are loose terms, but just expect to see DSL speeds on your cell phones over the next 5-10 years. it only gets better, but while we are in transition it is always costly and there are always downsides.

and if you want the fastest speeds with unlimited usage, thats not going to happen. the speeds are going to get too fast, theyre not going to sell you a potential amount of data that could fill up your computer 100x over in a month. rather, they should sell limited speeds and allow there to be 'continuous usage' on that account. meaning you can leave it maxed out 24x7 if you want (basically a fix sized of data almost)

 

[her209]

Virgin Mobile - $25 per month
http://www.virginmobileusa.com/cell...lans.jsp?intcmp=p-hp-mps1-25planafthol-122810

 

[dguy6789]

People have some pretty inflated ideas of the prices carriers need to charge in order to make a profit. Here's a hint for you- If Verizon charged $39.99 for unlimited minutes, text, and data, and every single customer on their network had it, they would still make an astronomical amount of profit. Carriers in the US have the consumer by the balls.

 

[SunnyD]

People have some pretty inflated ideas of the prices carriers need to charge in order to make a profit. Here's a hint for you- If Verizon charged $39.99 for unlimited minutes, text, and data, and every single customer on their network had it, they would still make an astronomical amount of profit. Carriers in the US have the consumer by the balls.

This. It's not hard to divide about 100 million subscribers (July 2010 numbers) into the many BILLIONS in profit they're bringing in year on year and realize.

 

[gsaldivar]

People have some pretty inflated ideas of the prices carriers need to charge in order to make a profit. Here's a hint for you- If Verizon charged $39.99 for unlimited minutes, text, and data, and every single customer on their network had it, they would still make an astronomical amount of profit. Carriers in the US have the consumer by the balls.

This x 1000.