Level 3 Communications Issues Statement ConcerningComcast'sActions

Tue Nov 30 07:11:33 UTC 2010

On Nov 29, 2010, at 10:58 PM, George Bonser wrote:

>> I'd be willing to pay ~$250/month for global unlimited
>> voice/data
>> and my usage would not increase very much above what you're already
>> providing). I also happen to know that I'm not the only consumer that
>> would very much like to be able to purchase this kind of service.
>> 
>> Owen
>> 
> 
> So would I.  I make a fair amount of international calls/month but not
> very many (say less than a dozen in a normal month and that might
> increase to 20 if I had such a plan).  Thing is that when I do, they are
> often conference calls that last a while.
> 
> The problem with "unlimited" is the 85/15 problem where 15% of your
> users are responsible for 85% of your traffic.
> 
That's only  a problem if it's always the same 15% of users and the other
85% don't see a value proposition to the rate they are paying.

Also, I don't care if it's unlimited international -> international calling,
mainly I want unlimited international data roaming and the ability
to receive and make calls wherever<->US.

> Give someone unlimited international and you are going to get a bunch of
> people such as foreign students who will be chatting with their friends
> back home all day.  The issue with terminating international calls is
> that often the terminating telecom monopoly charges the initiating telco
> per minute for the call.
> 
Today this can be overcome with rational VOIP delivery options that
can make the call termination local in the receiving country with the
internet covering the international legs. Sure, it messes with 
Caller ID, but, in my experience, international caller ID on cellular
is, well, unreliable at best anyway, so, I'm not seeing a problem.

> Unlimited mobile to mobile might be an option in some countries, though.
> Calling landlines in foreign countries doesn't scale when "unlimited" is
> in the equation.
> 
> 
Like I said, I'm not so worried about calling foreign landlines unlimited,
but, I want to be able to call the US from wherever I am, get calls on
my phone wherever I am, and, use data services wherever I am.
For that, I'm willing to pay $250/month.

Owen