"AT&T will now let companies buy out your data charges for specific videos and apps"

[TopWargamer]

http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/6/5279894/at-t-announces-net-neutrality-baiting-sponsored-data-mobile-plans

 

Today at CES, AT&T announced a new service called Sponsored Data, offering a way for companies to pick up the tab for data usage whenever particular products or services are being used. If the service is in effect, users will see a "sponsored" symbol in the status bar, and all the data charges will be redirected to the sponsoring company.

The only difference in the data is who's picking up the tab

 

"Customers just look for the Sponsored Data icon and they know the data related to that particular application or video is provided as a part of their monthly service," said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T Mobility. "That’s what makes this a win-win for customers and businesses." If a studio wanted to promote video streaming, for instance, they could offer to pick up the tab for anyone streaming content. Similarly, a company might offer to sponsor business-related data usage for its employees, or sponsor data as part of a customer loyalty program. If users know their data on a certain service is comped, the logic goes, it could make them more inclined to use particular services or products.

 

In a nutshell (just an example, not confirmed)

Oh, you're streaming Netflix videos over your mobile data? Oh, you went over you're mobile data? Don't worry about it man, you won't ne charged a dime, Netflix will pick up the charge.

 

Of course, any companies that do is doing it by THEIR choice and AT&T is NOT forcing them to do it. This is definitely a huge deal for the mobile phone industry, and I'd love to see others carriers adopt this. I wouldn't be surprised if T-Mobile ended up adopting this.

[Xorbot]

http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/6/5279894/at-t-announces-net-neutrality-baiting-sponsored-data-mobile-plans

 

 

 

In a nutshell (just an example, not confirmed)

Oh, you're streaming Netflix videos over your mobile data? Oh, you went over you're mobile data? Don't worry about it man, you won't ne charged a dime, Netflix will pick up the charge.

 

Of course, any companies that do is doing it by THEIR choice and AT&T is NOT forcing them to do it. This is definitely a huge deal for the mobile phone industry, and I'd love to see others carriers adopt this. I wouldn't be surprised if T-Mobile ended up adopting this.

 

In before people flip-out and yell about how Netflix could not afford overage charges.  Remember people, Netflix would likely pay a different, much lower bulk rate than individual customers' data plan rates, which are absurdly high.

[Nineshadow]

I feel happy for US residents now.

[TopWargamer]

In before people flip-out and yell about how Netflix could not afford overage charges.  Remember people, Netflix would likely pay a different, much lower bulk rate than individual customers' data plan rates, which are absurdly high.

I was just using Netflix as an example. There's no word on what companies will be doing this yet.

[Warcony]

I feel happy for US residents now.

Us Canadians will continue to be screwed by our carriers!

[Nineshadow]

I was just using Netflix as an example. There's no word on what companies will be doing this yet.

Wow.Imagine porn sites doing something like this...

[Fetzie]

Us Canadians will continue to be screwed by our carriers!

 

How about people in Germany being screwed over by Deutsche Telekom (i.e. T-Mobile); we don't get all this awesome stuff that the Americans do

[afa7336]

And this is why I am glad I have unlimited data already on all my devices.

[Yoinkerman]

I have a lot of data this isn't that interesting to me, however watching some ads or something to have your video paid for isn't that bad of an idea.

 

Somehow I expect that's not how it's going to work.  =\

[Iggy456]

That's real swell.

[adamneely]

I would love to see apple pay any overages accrued from the use of iTunes radio. I always want to use it in my car, but don't want to eat up all my data.