Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2017 November 22

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November 22

Can phone service providers split their service into packages?

On Twitter there's been an image circulating of an ISP in Portugal that offers services in packages as an example of a country without net neutrality. Is there currently a law or regulation against phone providers doing that? Paying extra to use Snapchat or Instagram etc. There's been a lot of scary headlines in the last few days that make it sound like net neutrality is ending, but what I understand is that a regulation preventing them from offering services in packages is going away, merely giving ISPs the option to go that route if they so please, and I wonder if phone providers have already had that option. It seems to me like it would be financial suicide to start offering a service plan that way unless every provider did it at the same time and the consumer had no choice. ReferenceDeskEnthusiast (talk) 15:06, 22 November 2017 (UTC)

Cel carriers have been hit with net-neutrality lawsuits before. example.

As for "financial suicide", there's only a couple of networks available in any one area. (low-cost carriers like Consumer Cellular are just re-sellers, they don't have their own network.) I'm sure they'd both make the change at the same time. (Like when Coke and Pepsi change their prices. They don't literally price-fix, but they give each-other enough warning to avoid a price war.)

After all, they're not spending a small fortune lobbying the FCC to change the rules just for the heck of it. They want to take advantage. ApLundell (talk) 16:15, 22 November 2017 (UTC)

Relevant articles: oligopoly and collusion. As noted, there are only four national primary cellular service providers in the U.S., along with around a dozen regional ones. All other U.S. providers are mobile virtual network operators who resell usage on those providers' networks. --47.157.122.192 (talk) 21:26, 22 November 2017 (UTC)

• There are EU-wide net neutrality guidelines since a couple of years, but enforcement of EU law at national levels is a complicated matter and I am no expert of that.

As for how carriers compete: telecoms is a business with enormous fixed costs of investment in the infrastructure and negligible marginal costs of carrying data within the infrastructure's limits. This is a textbook example of a natural monopoly, and can yield fairly weird pricing practices depending on the regulatory framework.

In the US ("land of the free" / "hell under the 1%'s rule"), carriers basically choose their pricing practices and their investments. This leads to local monopolies where, even if at the national level there were many competing companies, each particular customer has very few options of subscription. A particular carrier would need to duplicate the infrastructure (and pay the associated cost) to attack another's monopoly in a particular region. From the theory of monopoly pricing, this means a non-net-neutral package would be economical suicide only if enough consumers preferred going without internet rather than subjecting to the new package. (With a few adjustments for the facts that not everywhere is a local monopoly, reputation effects can damage a carrier outside its monopoly area, and a very unpopular package could push another carrier to pay up for the new network.)

In France ("welfare state" / "hell under communist rule"), carriers are heavily regulated (the local FCC's website is great, but little is translated into English). In particular any subscriber can subscribe to any of the larger carriers; the owner of the physical network is compelled to rent it to the subscribed carrier (with "subscriber neutrality"). This means that changing to only net-neutral packages is only workable if that is popular among the population or if all carriers jump the gun simultaneously. Tigraan^{Click here to contact me} 12:50, 23 November 2017 (UTC)

Are you sure the photo is what you are claiming it is? I have my doubts. I have seen similar things in Malaysia and to a very limited extent NZ, but these aren't extra charges to be able to use Twitter etc. They are extra charges if you wanted unlimited (or whatever) use of said content. In Malaysia some also provide such things without extra charges (i.e. they may provide unlimited WhatsApp or whatever). To me the screenshoted page looks like a similar thing except maybe limited to 10GB although I don't understand Portuguese. In other words, you are free to use Twitter etc paying your normal rates if you wish but if you use enough you'll probably be paying more. So these things aren't actually damaging to Twitter etc. They're actually beneficial and providing a competitive advantage to the large incumbents over smaller rivals. Nil Einne (talk) 07:18, 25 November 2017 (UTC)

Antivirus

A reliable opensource software sought for my PC.

Note: A current, very common virus (creates shortcuts of few folders of “Libraries” including a “Skype” folder or so, or more) found in all internet cafés’ where I am based. I currently possess it in one of my Flash drive and in one of my HDD.

123.108.246.93 (talk) 17:38, 22 November 2017 (UTC)

Screen Brightness and Contrast Control

I recently installed OS on my Laptop, the version is a bit wired... The broken keyboard is detached and I'm unable to put it back on; it doesn't function if refitted anyway.

I am unable to control the brightness of the screen from "Control Panel>All Control Panel Items>Power Options" window, the option was supposed to be in their at the bottom of "Select a power plan" window. Seems to me, it is unavailable in this version of "Windows 7 Ultimate", for some reason.

The installer (person) stated, 'option is unavailable due to a damaged battery', and he is 100% wrong because I possessed it beforehand with the same available "mAh". Could you please help me with this.

An opensource software could be of ultimate use I believe...

119.30.47.102 (talk) 18:57, 22 November 2017 (UTC)

Aero theme

My Windows 7 Ultimate doesn’t possess the facility. It doesn’t work when I click on the “Windows Color” feature i.e., after entering “Control Panel>All Control Panel Items>Personalization" window. It displays “Windows Color and Appearance” instead. Basically it doesn’t let me change to the transparent bits/borders… What do I do?

An opensource software would be useful...

119.30.47.102 (talk) 18:57, 22 November 2017 (UTC)

See Windows Aero. You need an at least Direct3D 9-capable video card to use Aero and i think you have to switch to 32bit color. --Kharon (talk) 18:46, 25 November 2017 (UTC)

Kharon: Current installed system is 64-bit. Any easy way activate would be of help. 123.108.244.62 (talk) 11:39, 26 November 2017 (UTC)