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  • From: "Michael D. Thomas" <mdthomas AT mindspring.com>
  • To: "InterNetWorkers" <internetworkers AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Digital cash, micro-payments and cell phones (link)
  • Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 18:01:19 -0400



Good Economist article on digital cash -- esp. good info about the goings-on
in Europe which is way ahead in everything wireless b/c the EU chose to adopt
a single wireless standard (GSM) across the whole continent. This proves a
corollary of the law of increasing returns -- less market fragmentation leads
to faster evolution of related products and services. (Also a good example of
the positive effect that government regulation can have in the technology
sector. In this case, it's esp. impressive as it required cross-border
cooperation.)

The link should work, let me know if it doesn't. (Sponsorship screen precedes
the story.)

http://www.economist.com/library/articlesBySubject/displayStory.cfm?story_id=1
101473&subjectID=526352&emailauth=%2527%2525%255EX%2529ILW%2525U%2520H%2520%25
0A

<snip/>
"You expect a $5 bill to buy $5-worth of goods: but digital cash has costs
that must be recovered."
<snip/>
"But Britain's BT announced on April 24th that it would offer an easier way,
developed by Firstgate Internet in Germany, to make online micropayments.
Initially, the payment would be charged to a bank or credit-card account, but
in future it might be charged to a customer's phone bill, the company says.
This might be particularly useful for paying to view or download Internet
content."





  • Digital cash, micro-payments and cell phones (link), Michael D. Thomas, 04/26/2002

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