Data is the future

Data is the future

Since I moved to the Netherlands I’ve seen that the dutch use there cellphone for everything. Check schedules on trains, buses, planes, hear music (for the internet), play games and share the results, share videos, pictures… well you get the picture. Data is were the operator will have there future revenues as it passes from the minutes we spend talking. And here the operator already know this, in the agreement you do with them you get the minutes you talk, unlimited data and if you want 1000 sms. This costs about 27 or 31 euros per month and, ohh, it came with the cellphone of your choosing. I did it and now I’m a proud owner of a HTC Hero, no extra cost and no software alterations.

So what does this differs from Portugal? Well unfortunately everything. Here the operators differentiate themselves by the cellphones and services they offer, not by the 91, 96 or 93 prices. In other words you can call whatever you want to other operators and you don’t pay more them you pay when you’re calling your own network, this because it’s included in the minutes you got in the contract. The operators here have steamed lined their profits, not like in Portugal were someone pays normally about between 20 to 40 euros per month and the data in not included, and you’re using pre-paid.

I can understand the position of the Portuguese operators but if we look closely a dutch get more out of his operator them a Portuguese and the dutch earns much more then a Portuguese. In other words we’re paying more and getting less.

But where comes the data in all of this? Well it’s everywhere, social networks like Facebook updates, skype, Qik, Twitter, Foursquare, GPS, Google maps, email, downloads, augmented reality, music and video streaming and for the data that will feed the almost unlimited applications that exist out there.

And yes, you can have everything in your cell (smarphone), working and inputing and outputing data. Basicly it lights up your cell light a Christmas tree and then you have to see if you can handle being connected 24/7! Believe me it can be a… well hard to keep up.