Flat rate
From Free net encyclopedia
A flat rate (sometimes "linear rate") refers to a pricing structure that charges a single fixed fee for a service, regardless of usage. Rarely, it may refer to a rate that does not vary with usage or time of use.
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Uses
Internet
For Internet service providers, flat rate is access to the Internet all hour and days of the year (linear rate) and for all the customers of the telco operator (universal) at a fixed and cheap tariff.
Flat rate is common in all the broadband access to the Internet. To be universal, flat rate must be offered to the dial-up access users, not only to broadband Internauts.
A charge tariff is a class of linear rate, different from the flate rate, where the user is charged by the uploads and downloads (data transfers). The GPRS access to the Internet in some countries of Europe has no flat rates pricing, following the obsolete "metered mentality". Because of this, the users prefer using the fixed lines (with narrow or broadband access) to connect to the Internet.
A wavy rate is not a linear rate, because the Internet surfer pays the monthly fixed price to use the connection only during a certain range of hours of the day (i.e. only in the morning or, more typically, only at night).
Telephone
Telecommunications companies commonly offer a flat rate to residential customers for local telephone calls. However, a regular rate is advantageous for those who only make a few short calls per month. Cellular telephone service is usually not available at a flat rate.
Electricity
A flat rate for electricity is different than for other services. An electric utility that charges a flat rate for electricity does not charge different rates based upon the demand that the customer places on the system. A customer pays the same amount whether they use the electricity in bursts during mid-day, when demand and the utility's costs are highest, or if they spread it out over the entire day. However, if the customer uses a different amount of electricity, they are charged a higher or lower amount. Residential customers and small businesses are usually charged a flat rate, though not the same rate per kilowatt-hour. A special type of electricity meter, a time of use meter, is required to charge a non-flat rate. Time of use meters can lower a customer's electricity bill, if they use electricity mostly during off-peak hours. Some utilities will allow a customer to change to a time of use meter, but they charge for the cost of the meter and installation.