iSlate, watch and learn

[Trev]

..if your device only supports cellular networks, it's probably a phone.

I can't think of too many internet-type devices without either bluetooth or wifi.

You missed the point. In my home, I have one landline and four handsets. I only pay for one landline, and I do not pay a per-handset fee.

I have one broadband connection and too many Ethernet and Wi-Fi devices to list. I only pay for one broadband connection, and I do not pay a per-connection fee.

I have two mobile plans and two mobile phones. I pay for each plan and phone individually. I should only have to pay for one plan. I'll concede an additional charge for additional phone numbers.

I think the same reasoning should apply to cable and satellite television providers as well, but consumers have blindly accepted that per-device fees are OK.

Ironically, the per-device fee is one of the many things that landed AT&T in front of the Department of Justice on antitrust charges in the 70's. "Adequate" competition exists in the mobile space, however, so it's unlikely to change--unless someone puts together conspiracy charges re: handsets, early termination fees, etc., since all providers do pretty much the same thing.

EDIT: And "it's probably a phone" is a bad assumption. There are many 3G data devices on the market that do not function as telephones.

[tone007]

You missed the point. In my home, I have one landline and four handsets. I only pay for one landline, and I do not pay a per-handset fee.

I have one broadband connection and too many Ethernet and Wi-Fi devices to list. I only pay for one broadband connection, and I do not pay a per-connection fee.

I have two mobile plans and two mobile phones. I pay for each plan and phone individually. I should only have to pay for one plan. I'll concede an additional charge for additional phone numbers.

Slightly different there, as with your one landline and 4 phones, you might have 4 phones but you can only use one line at a time, thereby only using one line's worth of the company's resources.  If you have two cell phones, you can use them simultaneously, using twice the company's resources rather than just enough for one phone.  We won't go into broadband sharing or call waiting or three way calling.  There are "family plans" with shared minutes if that's the kind of deal you're looking for, but it doesn't sound fair at all to have two different active cellphones and pay for only one.

[Tension]

Slightly different there, as with your one landline and 4 phones, you might have 4 phones but you can only use one line at a time, thereby only using one line's worth of the company's resources.  If you have two cell phones, you can use them simultaneously, using twice the company's resources rather than just enough for one phone.  We won't go into broadband sharing or call waiting or three way calling.  There are "family plans" with shared minutes if that's the kind of deal you're looking for, but it doesn't sound fair at all to have two different active cellphones and pay for only one.

All the services are accessed through one fixed node, unlike the mobile phones. Hence two bills.