[iigs]

The promises of additional revenue always seem ignorant of the basic reality that users are only willing to pay so much per month for mobile service.

If you assume that is true, the result is that people end up paying the same amount for less service. Getting into the business of selling less service for the same money seems suicidal in an established commodity market.

It is too bad the cable tv model hasn't played out to its conclusion yet. It is pretty obvious that it would serve as another corpse on this trail as a warning.

The Telecom / wireless industry is absolutely littered with expensive, legacy, high margin solutions to previous problems. Key among them are military / 911 grade service level equipment. Frankly, people don't have the same expectations of IP applications, and those apps don't rely on service at the same level.

I contend that the road to profitability is through reduced cost, not increased revenue or reduced service.