http://mobile.slashdot.org/mobile/07/11/26/068204.shtml

This should clear up a few confusions that have arisen in discussions on this forum.

"All you can eat" data plans are still unusual in Europe, but we have other benefits, such as the ability to receive text messages without paying (why would you pay to receive something?).

You are right. It makes no sense, except for the bottom line of the wireless carriers. I certainly hope this changes, and soon.

Hahaha, on my local carrier here in the States, Sprint, unlimited EVDO data (yeahhh baby!!) is $15/month and unlimited text is $10/month.
I looked at some plans from O2/Vodafone/Orange/Tmobile U.K/3 and so forth, and i asked myself tearfully if i needed *vaseline* !!

Why so high tariffs?

Want to see even worse? Take a look at Canadian data rates.

Because the US is a huge country.

Because the UK is a small island.

Some carriers don't charge for incoming texts or for incoming calls, but they tend to be not 'data centric' carriers.

I think that when you look at the cost for voice, adding 'ulimited' data and unlimited texting, you'll still find that it's cheaper in the states. I can't believe how some parts of the world pay through the nose for data.

Yes, the USA is huge, but the population is quite spread out (important to consider when deploying a wireless network). For example, the UK is only slightly larger than the state of Kansas (and thus, has high population density). So there's more to the prices than just big/small, lots/few people etc. And yes, Zerojay, we Canadians are really getting hammered with data rates; perhaps the upcoming sales of new wireless spectrum will change things (although I doubt it).

That must be for non-tethering data plans. "Unlimited phone as modem" costs $40/mo above and beyond your voice plan. Compared to $20/mo as an add-on to a T-mobile plan.

This article is obviously written by somebody who has only a very limited knowledge of the European market.

First of all, the situation in Europe is quite varied. You can get unlimited data plans and large SMS packages in Germany (and you see people sending 3 messages a minute in public transport...). I don't think you can in France. Every country is different.

Secondly, one major difference between Europe and the US is that being in a different country happens much more often (the countries being smaller) and that roaming charges can be very, very steep. Voice roaming charges were actually so outrageous that the European Commission stepped in and passed a legislation on a max price this summer. Data roaming charges are still outrageous (as high as 40€ per MEGAbyte, yes!) and the Commission is discussing changing that as well. Still, this is still a problem with data-centric phones, like the iPhone (and I think that some users will have a bad surprise at some point...).

What is uncommon is what you have in the US where customers must pay to receive an SMS. We don't have that (but it existed for roaming and of course you still pay to receive a call abroad). OTOH, it can sometimes prove very difficult to know in advance how much calling a given number will cost you.

Virtually all voice plans in the UK include generous free outgoing text message allowances (and definately no charge to receive!) and both 3 and T-Mobile UK offer unlimited* 3G 3.6Mbit/s data plans for £5/$10 and £7.50/$15 month respectively.

Those prices seem to compare well with the US, actually better than the US. It's the data plans offered by O2/Vodaphone/Orange that are extremely poor, but then these networks view data provision as a cash cow and seemingly have no immediate plans to compete with 3/T-Mobile.

* Unlimited in this sense is a capped allowance of 1GB/month which is usually more than enough for a small hand held device such as a mobile phone, and should still be more than enough for a tethered phone/tablet combination.