Micro-Billing ~ Will Pay On Mobiles; Free on 'Net?

Thanks to John Ellis for pointing out Micro-Billing, Byte by Byte, Suits the World of Cellphones article by Matt Richtel and Bob Tedeschi. Why is it that...

"Consumers are using their mobile phones to download tens of millions of games, songs, ring tones and video programs. And they shell out money for these items, even as they resist paying for similar digital goodies online using their computers. It is a curious equation: pay for stuff on a tiny, low-resolution screen while getting some of the very same games and video free on a fancy widescreen monitor. [...] the phone industry has had a micropayment system for decades. Ever since the local telephone company charged a customer an extra 35 cents to hear a recorded weather forecast, the phone industry has been charging for content. Couple that pervasive billing culture with the ability of consumers to get what they want, whenever and wherever they want it (playing Tetris while waiting in line at Starbucks, for example) and you have a powerful alchemy."

But why? Read the article...