The Debate Over Neighborhood Zoning Could Hold Up Fast 5G Wireless for Years

Re:The Debate Over Neighborhood Zoning Could Hold Up Fast 5G... by AnthonyMouse on Sunday September 17, 2017 @04:31PM (#15271544)

> I wonder at what point we'll start seeing people simply stop paying for in-home internet via WiFi in favor of relying solely on their mobile data package, in the same way that people stopped paying for corded phone lines and are starting to stop paying for cable television.

I'm surprised there hasn't been more movement in the other direction. There are very inexpensive WiFi-first phone plans ($20/month + data), which in combination with the fact that WiFi exists in the places where many people spend 95+% of their time means that the plan ends up just being the $20/month, because you so rarely actually have to use any cellular data.

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Re:The Debate Over Neighborhood Zoning Could Hold Up Fast 5G... by gnicholas on Sunday September 17, 2017 @07:04PM (#15272190)

It's true that many people spend 95+% of their time on wifi, but we still need to be reachable when in transit. It would be interesting if there were a super-light cellular package that only offered minimal data/calls. I think this is basically what Comcast is rolling out, using the Verizon network as a fallback. The primary method of routing calls is over your own wifi, and over xfinitywifi hotspots at many broadband customers' homes. As a result, the price is much lower than Verizon.

https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/17/16159084/comcast-xfinity-...

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Re:The Debate Over Neighborhood Zoning Could Hold Up Fast 5G... by AnthonyMouse on Sunday September 17, 2017 @11:41PM (#15273243)

The plans exist. Google Fi is $20/month with unlimited calls and texts but metered data. You can also buy prepaid minutes and data from several carriers with no monthly fee, you just pay for it as you use it, but then you're paying for minutes as well as data.

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