🚀 go-pugleaf

On Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:34:14 -0700, John Navas
<spamfilter1@navasgroup.com> wrote:

>Flat rate pricing simply makes no sense.

Welcome to the quest for the Holy Grail, in this case, the ultimate
fair and profitable internet billing system.  

I once suggested that one bill by session, using the telephone network
switch model.  Payment for local packets, that only went through one
router, would be essentially free.  Packets that had to go through the
cloud, would be billed by the number of routers required (i.e.
traceroute hops).  I called it FUBAR (Fair User Billing And Routing)
which wasn't very popular with my client(s).

Incidentally, such billing systems are often patented.  For example,
here's one that bills by routing:
<http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6741685>

I like this one.  If your router gets overloaded, you simply charge
the customers more.  Presumably, that will inspired them to reduce the
overload.  Probably useful for delaying upgrades:
<http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT5991378>

Here's a method that bills by session:
<http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6338046>
While intended for cell phones, it can be adapted for internet
billing.  Customers would be billed by "node" or server.  Wanna
connect to my web server?  Fine, it will cost you $0.00001 per minute.
Past implementations were called "micropayments" which are currently
functional among some online games.

There was also a time, where some providers (i.e. Comcast) were using
the Hollywood model.  Movie theaters charged by the user.  If you and
your friends go to the movies, everyone pays.  In this case, you would
pay by the number of computahs.  Software was scribbled to guess the
number of machines hidden behind an NAT router, and telemarketers were
dispatched to extort additional money from customers.  Predictably, it
was a PR disaster and was instantly dropped.

Currently, we're heading for what I call the Smorgasbord model.  All
you can eat and one rate.  However, if you eat like a pig, you get
thrown out.

I'll keep my ideas to myself.  However, I would be interested in what
others consider the ultimate fair and profitable internet billing
system.  There are plenty that are more fair than flat rate.  There
are also plenty that are more profitable than flat rate.  The trick is
to invent one that is both.

-- 
Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D    http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann     AE6KS    831-336-2558