Telecom Price War Could Lift BlackBerry Sales

That's where the attractiveness of an unlimited use plan for one price comes into play. "The cost and complexity of the data services has limited their uptake," says Ellison. "If you want music services you pay a few dollars, you want navigation you pay another charge but now carriers are telling users they can have whatever they want for a single price."

Promotions from telecom carriers are important for cell phone makers as they help build brand recognition, help shape customer opinion about the latest "it" phone and drive sales. "Some of the larger service providers can spend over a billion dollars a year in marketing," says Ellison. "A lot of that has been around wireless calling but promotions could now revolve to a greater extent around the device."