Making no sense without flat rate GPRS
Published by Steve Litchfield at 19:18 GMT, January 8th 2006
There's a veritable flood of Internet-borne 'services' that you access on your smartphone coming out of America (and specifically the CES show) but what they're announcing makes no sense whatsoever in most of the rest of the world. Read on...
For example, the venerable Russ Beattie has been talking up (and why not, they make sense in the USA) things like Avvenu, Orb, SoonR and, of course, Yahoo! Go. Yes, yes, it's great to have so much over-the-air interoperability between your smartphone and your home PC or with a web based service, it's all a nice alternative to the traditional sync-when-you-get-home system.
BUT - On this side of the Pond, many people (including me) are on pay-as-you-go GPRS network tariffs, with each kilobyte costing 0.7p or thereabouts. Even on typical monthly contracts, you've only got a Megabyte or two before you start getting shafted. Using any of these new breed of services, however carefully, is going to cost real money.
Of course, full marks to these innovators, it's not their fault. But it highlights again, more than ever, the desperate need in this country for sensibly-priced flat rate GPRS and 3G contracts. I don't want to have to count the kilobytes and flinch every time I do something online on my smartphone - I simply want to do it and not have an unexpected surprise at the end of the month.
Vodafone, O2, T-Mobile, Orange - are you listening? And no, I don't call £40 a month a sensible price. Please try again....
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Categories: Editorial Thoughts
Platforms: Series 60, UIQ, General
News Discussion
Jay3gsm
Have a look at some of the Vodafone tariffs, there are some gems in amongst them. At the moment I pay £25 a month which gives me 250 minutes and a text bundle of 1,000 text a month. The beauty of this bundle is it covers MMS and GPRS browsing too. The value of the bundle is £120 (1,000 SMS x 12p) GPRS is charged at 2.35 per MB on Voda contracts, this gives around 51MB of data. Of course any SMS or MMS I send detract from the total available, but as I send hard any MMS, and only around 250 - 300 SMS I stall have around 35 - 38MB of data left to use.
Not ideal, as I still need to be careful with my usage, but one of the better deals on the market.
gletham
Hi Steve,
totally agreed. The ideas coming out of the US (and Canada) make sense and sound great although convincing the US consumer to go for GPRS services is a tough one. I have a Rogers AT& T acount here in Canada and my latest bill was about $240. This merely as a result of a few long distance calls while roaming, roaming txt messaging, and then checking email and mo-blogging while on the road. Is this worthwhile?? Hardly! Granted the services and apps are fun but comon, $200+ for this is insane... no wonder the Blackberry device is the device/service of choice over here. Until all you can eat GPRS is available these devices will never be used to their potential over here. I frequently hear people in various locales in north america suggest all you can eat GPRS plans in north america but I've yet to find them. Paying per KB won't cut it. The best I can get here in BC, Canada is a 2 MB data plan for an extra $12 then addition charge per KB after that.. it still doesn't compute. For once I'd live to get a mobile plan bill at the month end that is inder $50 then I'll be happy.. cheers (Glenn, SymbianOne.com)
fdxd
I agree we get abused here in the UK when it comes to mobile internet usage. This country is increasingly backward in this area of mobile phones. To the above person praisnging Vodafone i dont think paying an additional £35 for a bundle ontop of your contract is reasonable. :icon13:
Looking at what deals to buy, T-mobile currently have a 40MB Web deal but they are alone and there is nothing competing with that which explains the mandatory 18 month term contract. Niether does the contract include text messaging so you have to buy a bundle. Its amazing the UK seems to have taken a step backwards here.
If anyone can find something decent please let us know. I'd love there to be more deals like T-mobile but more complete like what Orange were doing temporarily a year ago.
Utenteanonimo64
I can understand your frustration. Paying by the byte ruins any possible data service experience! The internet would have never flourished if we had to pay our fixed access by the byte (let's just hope it doesn't get worse in the future).
On a positive note: TIM in Italy has a couple of very interesting flat rates for GPRS over GSM and UMTS. With 20 euro/month you can get access anytime up to 500 MB or with 25 euro/month you can get access from 5 pm to 9 am + holidays up to 9 GB (!!!). You can even combine them... All You Eat at 45 euro!
For services you can use on a smartphone the 20 euro anytime offer is very good. Definitely you don't need more than 500 MB per month.
UA
Erik Sandblom
I'm not familiar with the services you mention but I frequently go berzerk over the bandwidth waste which simply ruins many otherwise sensible ideas for mobility. Even if bandwidth were free, I assume many of today's devices still struggle with all the fluff that comes with many webpages.
Why can't people realise that bandwidth efficiency is in everyone's interest? I mean, relevant google-like text ads are more efficient than annoying, dancing, goofy ads...
JuhaN
My operator "Saunalahti" (Finland) gave me an early chritmas present by releasing an unlimited GPRS/EDGE/3G data plan for 10 euros per month just before holidays!!
...so what's the catch here?! You have to sign a 12 month contract. Right now it means 0,66+10 euros/month plus the calls and messages for a couple of cents per minute/piece... :)
=)juha
Jay3gsm
Quote:
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I agree we get abused here in the UK when it comes to mobile internet usage. This country is increasingly backward in this area of mobile phones. To the above person praisnging Vodafone i dont think paying an additional £35 for a bundle ontop of your contract is reasonable.
|
But the point I was trying to make is the bundle is included in my monthly fee. £25 gives me 250 voice minutes and a data bundle worth £120, inclusive. A data bundle that covers all messaging and GPRS data usage. It's one of the better all round tariffs available.
Juanm
As far as I can understand is Italy one of the few countries with decent web GPRS/UMTS flat rates?
Vodafone sell you 500mb/month @20euro (until april 2004 it was unlimited bandwith at the same price) or 50mb/day @ 30 euro/month with per kb charge, and you can use 'em with GPRS and UMTS (but ... for people using time charges there aren't so good offers)
and please ... don't tell me about how 500 mb should be sufficient 'cause I'm constantly running out of quota
about the future I don't think things will go better than now ...
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Utenteanonimo64
I can understand your frustration. Paying by the byte ruins any possible data service experience! The internet would have never flourished if we had to pay our fixed access by the byte (let's just hope it doesn't get worse in the future).
On a positive note: TIM in Italy has a couple of very interesting flat rates for GPRS over GSM and UMTS.
..cut
For services you can use on a smartphone the 20 euro anytime offer is very good. Definitely you don't need more than 500 MB per month.
UA
|
Dr, Who?
Data charging in the UK is a complete fiasco. I don't understand how Orange can offer unlimited data over UMTS for the first 3 months of a 3G tariff and then move you on to punitive data contracts afterwards. And then they have the temerity to offer their TV service with 1Gb of data a month for £10. Having said that, with all the problems Voda seem to be having with their TV service over UMTS maybe the capacity just isn't there. Seems strange to pay over £22 billion for licences and then not provide sufficient infrastructure. Same goes for GPRS, why offer the service then make it so painfully expensive that nobody can use it. Only reason I can see is so that they can advertise it as a reason to buy a phone but they don't actually have to worry about providing capacity. And don't even get me started on Orange advertising their phones as EDGE compatible. GGGArrrrrrrrr!!!!!!
fdxd
Jay3gsm Can you point me to the Vodafone deal? I need it badly if its true or is it for wherever text messages are available? :con?
sam_india
I feel sorry for you guys who are charged datawise in gprs.In our country (INDIA) gprs rates are pretty cheap.Some operators have unlimited data usage plans while some dont.Those who dont usually charge around $1 for every 4.5mb.The best deal is to choose an operator who charges a flat rate for unlimited usage.My operator is airtel.It charges only $2 for wap gprs and $6 for i-gprs.I have i(internet access point) gprs and use it to connect my pc/laptop to my phone to surf the net.My montly data usage is around 3-4 gb.I think the charge is like water,probably cheapest in the world.Also i can use streaming services,pop email,messenger services on my phone.The best part is that my operator gives me the highest speed supported by my phone.I have n-gage qd,and getting full 40kbps.Those who have edge phones will get the full speed(read-240kbps+)at no extra cost!!
Man this place is surely heaven on earth:-)
Samrat
samrat.mitra@gmail.comOnde Radio
I'm in Italy and with TIM (operator) I pay a flat service. 9 GB per month download from 5 pm till 9 am, sat and sun all the day, all that for 25 euros (17pounds).
With 6 euros more I have 100mb to use between 9 and 5pm (renewable for 3 times per month).
Ciao
Jay3gsm
Quote:
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Originally Posted by fdxd
Jay3gsm Can you point me to the Vodafone deal? I need it badly if its true or is it for wherever text messages are available? :con?
|
The voda online shop is here:
http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/index.cfm...fersofthemonth
All the SMS bundles are value bundles that are equivalent to a certain amount. i.e. 500 SMS is worth £60. At £2.35 per MB that is worth just over 25MB of data. Of course any SMS you send takes away from the available data, up to 500 SMS, up to 25MB of data. I have a 1,000 SMS bundle included on my tariff, so I have up to 51MB of data to use.
fdxd
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Jay3gsm
The voda online shop is here:
http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/index.cfm...fersofthemonth
All the SMS bundles are value bundles that are equivalent to a certain amount. i.e. 500 SMS is worth £60. At £2.35 per MB that is worth just over 25MB of data. Of course any SMS you send takes away from the available data, up to 500 SMS, up to 25MB of data. I have a 1,000 SMS bundle included on my tariff, so I have up to 51MB of data to use. |
Thanks!
Is a bundle something you pay extra for rather than the pre set text you get on a deal? for example the 6680 deal has free 250 text as standard. Would i be able to surf abit with that? Or i have to make sure i am buying a seperate bundle?
ktabic
strangley, there is at least one gprs fixed rate tarrif in the UK.
On orange pay-as-you-go you can get a £1 all day unlimited access to gprs, which I've been using for the last few months instead of a dial-up (no adsl here)
It works, and is unlimited (having dled over 100Mb in a day) although some days it can be very flaky.
adamkhan
Here in Italy I've been using TIM's Maxiwebtime program: 25e prepaid a month for 9gigs. The catch: 5pm-9am and weekends only. But since I'm in the office 9-5 anyway (well, 10-7) this suits me fine. The alternative plan, mentioned above, is 25e for 500megs at any time.
Another catch: they don't promise to continue the plan.
Utenteanonimo64
I am browsing the Vodafone UK site and I can't find a place where they say how much data traffic costs. It's all about how much you save if you do this how much you save if you do that but all their price plans include only calls and texts. Pretty sad to see that GPRS started 5 years ago and still operators have not learned how to market data connectivity.
The closest thing to prices for data is this page:
http://online.vodafone.co.uk/dispatc...pageID=GM_0192
and I have no idea what those "monthly charge" and "saving" mean. Saving compared to what? Monthly charge for what? I give Vodafone a major thumb-down in terms of customer communication!
Can anyone have a look and explain?
Thanks.
UA
fdxd
This is why i am confused. I'll have a word with someone at a Vodafone shop or on the telephone.
jr97ai
Fido here in Canada had all you can eat GPRS... It was $50 dollars a month...
But Rogers bought them out and it disappeared and now Rogers offers it.. However Rogers had restrictions of like 25 mB .. (they can charge if over that).
However with Fido I believe I have like a 2 GB restriction...
And now with Fido merging with Rogers I can use the EDGE network...
So unlimited EDGE for 50 dollars a month.. .Not bad...
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