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Usage-based pricing



Andrew Odlyzkow wrote an article a few years ago which points to the research showing that usage-based pricing discouraged internet use, even at very low per-use levels. Please see "Internet Pricing and the History of Communications", at: http://www.dtc.umn.edu/~odlyzko/doc/history.communications1b.pdf

As further common-sense illustrations of how usage-based pricing discourages use:

Telephones: the most common pricing model for a land line is a flat rate for unlimited local calling, and long distance charges assessed by time. In my experience, with this model, we don't think at all about the cost of local calls, but we do tend to think about the cost of long distance - even long distance calls to the people we love very much. This is the attraction of an unlimited long distance plan - it takes this tendency to discourage use out of the equation. When we're out of town and a cell phone will incur roaming and long distance charges, we might use the phone - but most of us will only do so if this is necessary, and not for any longer than necessary.

Utilities have implemented metered pricing for electricity and water, precisely in order to discourage excessive use, because these resources are limited.

Libraries have implemented photocopier charges - not to prevent people from photocopying, but to avoid high costs for unnecessary photocopying - and, to save trees. The purpose of these charges, often low charges such as 10 cents per page - is to discourage use.

Knowledge, in electronic form on the internet, is not a limited resource. An open access article can be downloaded by millions, and still be there and be exactly the same for the next person who wishes to download. There is no good reason to discourage use.

Sharing knowledge enriches us all. When people in a poorer, rural, or developing country have the ability to learn and then to do research and contribute to our collective knowledge, they benefit - but, so do I.

Heather Morrison
http://poeticeconomics.blogspot.com