Toll-Free Data Plans For Tomorrow? AT&T Says Yes.

In effort to take on new technology, AT&T has acknowledged a growing demand for content providers to begin paying for consumer access. This move has been referred to as a “toll free” data plan, which AT&T is considering. According to Randall Stephenson, AT&T’s CEO, consumers may see these services within the next twelve months. Speaking at the Sanford Bernstein Strategic Decisions conference, AT&T wishes to provide more incentives for those customers who elect to avoid data-heavy services due to plan limitations.

The word is that Verizon and T-Mobile have expressed interest toward investing in toll-free data plans but neither provider has presented a plan. The idea is to create data-hungry services that would be excluded from monthly data allotments entirely, meaning that the content providers would foot the bill as consumers enjoy Netflix or Hulu, for instance. The model would seem to serve both the best interest of content providers as well as consumers. It would also encourage more connections between the two parties. Stephenson has stated that AT&T is “not focused on, per se, family plans, but on connecting the next device.” In fact, he also envisions AT&T offering data-only plans.

The culture through which we’ve used phones has evolved to the point where users no longer even dial them. But this isn’t the first evolution toward better connecting customers and companies. For the longest time toll free services have granted that function for customers to reach out and contact companies free of using minutes or long-distance. In today’s day and age, however, there are many telephone users who can go days or weeks without calling or speaking through the phone. You don’t even see touchpads on today’s phones. With that said, shouldn’t it be time that toll-free services mature to a level of providing data?

Beyond dating services, Netflix/Hulu or GPS usage, companies could create toll-free applications that could provide useful during the most endearing of times. These are all new markets just simply waiting to be tapped into for the convenience of both client and customer. In about twelve months, when toll-free data plans see the dawn of downloading, it won’t take long for consumers to see and take advantage of the win-win model.