The net neutrality debate on mobile is set to blow up again, after US telco AT&T floated the idea of charging app makers, rather than customers, for data usage. “A feature that we’re hoping to have out sometime next year is the equivalent of 800 numbers that would say, if you take this app, this app will come without any network usage,” AT&T’s John Donovan tells the Wall Street Journal. This may be controversial: think music services like Spotify and Pandora paying for the data usage of their subscribers on AT&T. Donovan’s further comments reflect the views of a number of mobile operators, who want a share of revenues generated by apps that heavily use their networks. He thinks apps firms will go for the idea. “What they’re saying is, why don’t we go create new revenue streams that don’t exist today and find a way to split them.” We’re not so sure.
Tools: platforms to help you reach new audiences
Tools: Kaiber
In the year or so since its launch, AI startup Kaiber has been making waves,…