Internet content: A gigantic 99-cent store

Internet content: A gigantic 99-cent store
: The Internet took off when AT&T created flat-rate pricing of $19.99/month and suddenly, that set the price for everybody.

John Robb finds Dominic Basulto saying to declare that 99 cents is now the price for all Internet comment.

3 responses to “Internet content: A gigantic 99-cent store”

  1. Kevin Avatar

    Does that mean I pay you for the privilege of making this comment, or you pay me for my witty insight?
    Imagine the ramifications of paying for comments!
    – Obviously you meant ‘content’ rather than comment…

  2. Les Jones Avatar

    I was working for a largish ISP of 25,000 subscribers back in the mid-to-late ’90s. As I recall, it was AOL’s decision to offer unlimited Internet access for $19.99 that set the rate across the industry.
    It’s possible AT&T went there first, but there were also lots of smaller ISPs doing it before AT&T. All the same, AOL was and is the monster of ISPs, and it was only after AOL changed rates that we lowered our flat-rate pricing from $27 or so down to $20.

  3. Jeff Jarvis Avatar

    i remember distinctly that at&t was first. tom evslin was the exec who did it.