On Telecommunications

This article is going to be a little different from most. Normally, articles on this blog pertain to elements of artistic media, such as anime and games. However, because the Consumer Electronics Show was this week, I felt that a certain aspect of it needed to be discussed. Today, I wish to discuss telecommunications in the form of mobile phones, ranging from the technologies they use to how they are financed.

Subsidized vs. Unsubsidized
As it stands today, most mobile phones of high quality are priced in the hundreds of dollars. For example, the Motorola Moto X costs roughly $400, and the Apple iPhone cost anywhere from $299 to $699, depending on model. As these prices are out of range for many citizens, wireless companies provide subsidies to offset the cost, and in return, demand higher monthly charges. For example, with AT&T Wireless, the $699 iPhone may only demand a $199 upfront cost, but will likely include a monthly charge between $70 and $110.

Prepaid companies, such as Tracfone Wireless and Virgin Mobile, require you to pay the full cost of the phone itself, and as such, the monthly rates will always be much lower. You may pay the full $400 for the Moto X, but your monthly payment may only be between $35 and $50. This is how it has been for many years, and there's really been no incentive by the major wireless companies to change their formula. That is, until now.

Railgun - "Electromaster" - On Academy City

"A Certain Scientific Railgun" and "A Certain Magical Index" are two series which center around a fictional metropolis for gifted students. Espers, sorcerers, and other paranormal entities fight for dominance below the city's surface, and it's up to a handful of students to figure out the truth behind it all. Index centers around a boy named Touma Kamijou, while Railgun centers around a girl named Mikoto Misaka. Since both series tell the same story in a sense, characters from both series are constantly interacting with one another.

The first episode of Railgun serves primarily to introduce the protagonists, and to show off some of the elements of Academy City. Housing twenty-eight million people (mostly students), it acts as a sort of research colony. While parapsychology is the priority, the city is home to technology which is 20-30 years ahead of the rest of the world.

• The city is powered by giant windmill towers producing several gigawatts of electricity. In some episodes, the protagonist interacts with the electricity generated by this system, as her esper powers are electro-centric.
• Blimps circle the skies of the cities, displaying information to the citizens and helping to maintain the city's public Wi-Fi network. Other dynamic display systems can also be seen throughout the city, at the schools, etc.
• Autonomous trash-collecting robots patrol the streets, and also report criminal activity to a central hub.
• While automotive travel is present, alternate forms of transport, such as buses and monorails, are highly prevalent.