Will Free Data Become the Next Free Shipping?

Rising cellphone costs mean companies trying to deliver products or services to mobile devices face an extra hurdle: Not only do they have to sell potential users on the idea, they also have to convince them it’s worth the hit to their data plans.

The telecom industry is counting on rising data use to keep its sales growing, but consumers are keeping a close eye on their usage for fear of triggering even higher bills. The approach is also being monitored by regulators, who worry the practice could give traffic sent by big companies that can afford to cover the data cost an unfair advantage.

A new service launching this week called Freeway allows users of AT&T smartphones to access a number of sites data free.