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I think that I remember seeing this topic online somewhere (about 3-5 years ago). Does anyone else remember? I remember that the FCC was working on laws regarding both number portability (which we have seen), and free incoming calls (obviously not done).
If I remember correctly, they were debating whether incoming calls should be free (like an incoming landline call), or if they should make the calling party pay for the call (if a landline calls a cell, it's free for the cell, but the landline pays for the call).
Does anyone remember this, or know of any links where I could find more info? I sure hope that this is worked out soon!!!
Thanks!!!
Ethan
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Posted: 2004-01-30 04:49:15
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In india it is a rule that all incoming calls to gsm phones are free. And this is been here for quite sometime :-)
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Posted: 2004-01-30 05:00:51
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AH! You are SO lucky!!! The DAMN USA needs to get with the program and let us receive our free calls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ethan
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Posted: 2004-01-30 05:02:10
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...and also free incoming sms :-)
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Posted: 2004-01-30 05:22:17
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Yeah, we have free incimg SMS also.
Ethan
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Posted: 2004-01-30 05:28:19
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But, why one of my friends told me some months back that they get charged for incoming texts? She was on cingular.
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Posted: 2004-01-30 05:35:35
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In india, outgoing international call is about 15 Rupees. thats not even 30 cents. and outgoing national calls are 2 rupees thats about 4 Cents ! Anyone here with cheaper tariffs? ;-)
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Posted: 2004-01-30 05:56:53
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(I live in the United States). Well, the plan that I have gives 300 minutes for $30. So that's about 10 cents per minute. Although, they have another plan for 600 minutes for $40. That's about 6 cents per minute. Cool. International? I'm not sure about that, though. Incoming messages are free, but outgoing. Hm, 100 for $5.99, 300 for $9.99. There's more, but I can't remember. Sorry, but I don't know the conversion rate. Sorry.
Ethan
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Posted: 2004-01-30 06:12:37
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=> RMskater, It is very difficult, if not impossible to make the incoming calls free for cell phones in the US, because cell phones by large do not have their designated area codes (I know only of 917 and 646 in NYC area), but they share area codes with landlines. In other countries, you have to dial a designated area code to reach a particular cell phone and that allows customers to a) know they are going to be charged for those calls and b) to limit calls to cell phones in order to limit expenses.
Anyway, someone has to pay for a call to a cell phone, either the caller (rest of the world) or the called party (U.S.). As a reward to your expenses, you get to have a cell phone with an area code everyone recognizes (I have a friend whose cell's area code is 212, that's pretty cool).
I think that this feature has also significantly contributed to different patterns of cell phone usage in the US and the rest of the world. In most of the world, people will gladly give out their cell phone number, because it's free for them to receive calls and because they often don't have good access to landlines (most families have only one landline, even if they have teenage kids who are ALWAYS on the phone).
In the US people are not so ready to shere their cell phone # for privacy reasons and because they don't want to pay for your calling them. This pattern, however, has started to change dramatically over a past few years with the advent of free, bonus, cell-to-cell, and family minutes.
=> Ayush: Yes, most GSM providers in US will charge even for the incoming messages. T-Mobile used to allow their customers to have 50 incoming messages for free, but now they have abolished that for the new customers. I don't like it, because it sucks and because you really cannot limit incoming messages that easily. If your friends have a habit of forwarding lame jokes, you will 5 cents lighter every time you get one of them. In addition, anyone who hates you can simply go to a T-Mobile web-site, send you 2000 anonymous messages, and you're stuck with a $100 bill you have to pay. I hope this will change soon.
=> Jaimingandhi: I believe rates for calls in India are cheaper than those in the US, but median income is more than proportionately lower. Besides, US customers get incredible deals (particularly with T-Mobile) re. family plans or weekends/nights that significantly drive down call cost (in my case, down to 2cents/minute), not to mention free GPRS. I, however, agree with you that international calls are intollerably expensive, especially since T-Mobile, e.g. owns half the world's GSM market (or something like that).
Cheers.
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Posted: 2004-01-30 18:48:47
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I'm confused on this one.
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Posted: 2004-01-30 18:50:28
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