Wouldn't WhatsApp Call Feature Eat a Large Chunk of Telecom Providers' Profit?

Network providers will earn through mobile data indeed; it doesn't matter to them! Once your data is over, you may call again.

WhatsApp calls will benefit them as that call will consume mobile data. And most people in the world do use WhatsApp, so operators need not worry too much about a significant loss in revenue.

Even if rural areas are covered with 3G, the revenue of network service providers is still limited because they rely on data services, which in turn increases the data prices provided by network operators. However, rural areas still aren't affected by the impact of smartphones, so they will continue to use network services.

There are already several services which offer free phone-to-phone video/voice calling, such as Viber, Skype, and Facebook Messenger. These services have been popular for several years and have already established a solid user base.

Data Costs Will Shoot Up

Yes, data costs will likely shoot up. Internet services are a significant source of income for telecom providers. If users start using WhatsApp calls more frequently, they will consume more mobile data, which means they will need to purchase more data packs.

Data costs are already significantly higher than voice calling costs. In many countries, the cost of mobile data has increased significantly in recent years, despite the progress in data technology. Moreover, users are increasingly aware of the high cost of data and are looking for ways to reduce their data usage.

Will Telecom Providers Be at a Disadvantage?

Not really. It will kind of be an advantage to telecom providers. WhatsApp sends/receives messages using the internet. And service providers only need to provide the internet for it (2G/3G/4G). However, users will have to put a lot of data packs to use it. 3G data finishes very quickly due to its speed, so if you use internet for voice calls and video calls, you will need a lot of data for it. This means you will have to pay even more to the service provider.

In conclusion, while WhatsApp call feature may increase mobile data usage, the revenue for network providers can still be increased. However, to fully take advantage of it, users need to purchase more data packs, which will lead to higher costs. Telecom providers should ensure that their data plans are attractive and include reasonable data allowances to satisfy user demands. This way, both users and providers can benefit from the increased data usage.

Keywords: WhatsApp call feature, telecom providers' profit, mobile data usage