Jon Crooks responded on Forum Oxford with some good insights (I only quote a small bit below). I tend to forget sometimes the fundamental differences between GPRS, UTMS, Edge, HSDPA and that's where an experts view is really what it needs. I'd like to see more people like Jon having open blogs, so that a good conversation in this space can take place.

There are some fundamental differences between how GPRS and UMTS data services are delivered over that most scarce of resources, the radio (and I include the cost of the relevant infrastructure here as well).

In short GPRS access effectively competes for voice access in the 2G network - so any attempt to offer a flat fee model has to consider the potential lost revenues from those voice calls that cannot now be made due to lack of bandwidth.

For UMTS - this is largely unused spectrum at this time and there is plenty spare for devoting to data services - such as the 3G data card package. 3G is not a service but a network capability and at the moment the voice services on offer over 3G are not very compelling - thus there is very little take up in the consumer market. However data services (mobile web browing from a PC, corporate VPN etc) is quite compelling at up to 384KBps and this is a differentiated service - hence the offer of flat rate packages. Granted sometimes there is no 3G coverage and they use GPRS (thus getting back into that lost voice revenue issue)- this is just something VF has to live with in order to promote 3G services.

Open Letter to Vodafone

I am not interested in surfing Vodafone live! but I'm your customer with a need to browse the mobile web (and I'm sure I'm not the only one). You will probably consider I'm an early adopter but isn't it about time to create plans for people like us? I cannot remember having paid such excessive pricing to acces the internet as an early adopter in 1995.

I would like to suggest it's maybe better to start embracing the people who want to push the mobile web forward? In the end, we are all existing customers who can even bring in other ones (which of course I consequently do when I'm happy with services). In the end we will create the services and/or applications that people will acces through your networks in the near future.

Via Forum Oxford

Why do I blog this?
Because I think Rudy is right. And let us not forget - we are living in disruptive skypy times, more and more people add to their telco mobile devices others like computer-to-mobile-devices (iPod, Logitech's Remote Control) or Wifi capable devices like the PSP*. The telcos are still very strong because of the wide phone deployment, the ease of use of SMS, but they shouldn't forget how quickly a change can happen. If they don't want to be in trouble they have to reinvent themselves. A first step is to offer better pricing .

* About new PSP features:

Confirming that support for Macromedia Flash will finally be offered in a firmware update, Sony will also extend the RSS support to enable users to save and playback internet radio and entertainment movie content.

Making a first appearance at E3' , Sony has additionally confirmed the rumoured release of the camera and GPS receiver peripherals in the autumn. The new peripherals will add EyeToy like functionality to the PSP, along with video chat and GPS features.

Improbable Phone Projects (P.S.1)

The links didn't work for me.

Via Mant