Verizon Wireless selling data cap exemptions to content providers
http://arstechnica.com/business/2016/01/verizon-wireless-selling-data-cap-exemptions-to-content-providers/
With Verizon's "FreeBee Data 360," content providers are billed
for each gigabyte they serve to consumers, while the consumers
can access the providers' services without using up their data
allotments. "Content providers can sponsor specific consumer
actions on a per-click basis, free of data charges for
subscribers--including mobile video clips, audio streaming, and
app downloads," Verizon said today. Data used for advertisements
can also be sponsored by the company delivering the ad. AT&T
has been selling sponsored data under a similar scheme since
January 2014. T-Mobile USA has been exempting certain video and
music services from its caps, but it isn't charging content
providers for the exemptions. Data cap exemptions are
controversial because they put services without the exemptions
at a disadvantage. The Federal Communications Commission's net
neutrality rules don't specifically outlaw data caps or data cap
exemptions, but the FCC evaluates on a case-by-case basis
whether specific implementations harm consumers or businesses.
The FCC has been holding meetings with companies that implement
data cap exemptions (also known as zero-rating), but it hasn't
taken any action against them.
- - -
--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein ([email protected]): http://www.vortex.com/lauren
Founder:
- Network Neutrality Squad: http://www.nnsquad.org
- PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com/privacy-info
Co-Founder: People For Internet Responsibility: http://www.pfir.org/pfir-info
Member: ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
Google+: http://google.com/+LaurenWeinstein
Twitter: http://twitter.com/laurenweinstein
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800 / Skype: vortex.com
I have consulted to Google, but I am not currently
doing so -- my opinions expressed here are mine alone.
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