mobile pay as you go uk

Pay as You Go iPhone Tarrif in UK, Maybe

2008-02-12T01:18:00.000-08:00

This is the display iPhone at British iPhone carrier O2's stand at the GSMA show. It's huge, and the touch screen doesn't work.

What caught my eye, though, was that the O2 stand is a part of the Telefonica stand, which owns O2. Was this a subtle hint that Telefonica will be carrying the iPhone in Spain? Sadly, no. The Brit O2 rep said he had no idea.

What he did know about, though, was the plan for a Pay as you go mobile deals tariff for the iPhone in the UK. He gave no dates, or even an actual confirmation, but did say we should "definitely not rule it out". From his tone, it seems a sure thing. And in the UK, where customers aren't used to paying for on-contract phones, this could be a winner.

Source:

Samsung "Solid" launches in the UK

2008-01-05T02:15:00.000-08:00

Samsung and O2 have officially announced the launch of the Samsung Solid, Samsung's first ultra durable handset.

The handset has strengths that make it stand out from other mobiles for those who need a phone that can withstand a bit of a battering, including built-in anti-shock and water and dust resistance.

Encased in a thick rubber body, Samsung says this phone is ideal for any tradesman, extreme sports enthusiasts or those who simply need a durable phone.

It comes with a built-in FM radio, Bluetooth connectivity, camera and a long life battery. An additional man-phone feature is a built-in flash light.

The handset also boasts SOS dialing, a unique Samsung feature that sends an alert message to a nominated person if the volume button is pressed three times in quick succession. Once the alert is sent, the next call to come in is automatically answered.

The Samsung Solid's water and dust resistancy is effective to IP rating of 54, meaning it will survive water splashes and the occasional knock or drop.

The Samsung Solid is available at O2 and is free on all 12 monthly contracts or £59.99 on O2 Pay As You Go.

Key features:

* GRPS Dual Band (900/1800Mhz)
* VGA Camera
* Resistance to Water, Dust (IP54) Anti-shock
* Flash Light
* Long Life Battery
* WAP 2.0
* SMS/MMS, Java
* Mobile Tracker, SOS
Source:http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk

No T-Mobile Activation Fee Until End of Year

2007-12-28T21:44:00.000-08:00

I realize that there are only a few more days left until you get drunk out of your mind and puke all over your best friend's newly acquired Nintendo Wii, but that still gives you enough time to sign a new cell phone contract. As a last minute holiday gift, T-Mobile is reportedly waiving their activation fees (starting Friday the 28th) and they'll continue to do this until the ball drops in Times Square on Monday night.

It's not a huge savings over the regular cost of grabbing a new mobile phone, but they say that a penny saved is a penny earned. In the case of this current promotion, that's about 3500 pennies saved, which should be enough to at least handle a meal or two. Better still, you can nab the speaker-packing Samsung Beat music phone for free if you sign on the dotted line.
Source:http://www.mobilemag.com/

Drivers who use mobile phones face jail

2007-12-19T21:23:00.000-08:00

Motorists caught using a hand-held mobile phone while driving could be jailed for two years under tough new guidelines issued today by prosecutors.

Drivers who adjust sat-navs, tinker with MP3 music players such as iPods or send text messages at the wheel could also face prison sentences.
Police now check mobile phone records after road collisions to see if the driver was making a call

Prosecutions will be brought if by using the equipment a motorist is judged to have posed a danger to other drivers, such as causing another car to swerve.

Using a hand-held mobile while driving was outlawed in 2003, but it is estimated that half a million motorists flout the ban each day.

Existing guidelines restricted prosecutors to pursuing only a charge of careless driving, for which the maximum fine is £5,000 along with up to nine points on a motorist's licence.

But under the new rules, drivers could be charged with dangerous driving, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail.
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It is believed that by increasing the penalties, drivers will start to take the law seriously.

"This sends a clear message to motorists: don't mix driving and communicating, just as you would not drink and drive," said Rob Gifford, of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety.

"This is long overdue. At last the law has caught up with the reality of the road, with too many people using their phone while driving."

But existing laws cover it and there are plenty of other things which are distracting."

The new guidelines mean prosecutors will be able to go for a dangerous driving charge, which carries the punishment of an unlimited fine as well as a two-year jail term.

In addition, drivers who kill while using mobile phones could be charged with causing death by dangerous driving, which carries a 14-year jail term. In extreme cases they could be charged with manslaughter for which a life term can be imposed.

A new offence of causing death by careless driving is to be created under the Road Safety Act, due to come into force early next year.

The new guidelines follow a consultation by the Crown Prosecution Service on the policy it should adopt on dealing with cases of "bad driving" brought before the courts.

Using a hand-held mobile was made illegal in 2003, when the penalty was limited to a £30 fine, but it acted as little deterrent and the latest figures show that in 2005 129,700 motorists still flouted the ban.

Drivers were also warned that similar penalties could be imposed for using a hands-free device if they were judged not to be in control of their car.

source:http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Mobile Markets Moving in China and India

2007-12-15T04:03:00.000-08:00

Mobile phone users in China sent 429 billion text messages in 2006— nearly one thousand per user— according to Ofcom's "International Communications Report."

The agency also said that mobile phones accounted for 53% of total telecommunications industry revenue in 2006.

Worldwide revenue for the sector, including television, radio and telecommunications, totaled 873 billion pounds ($1,787 billion).

India added 150 million new mobile phone subscribers in 2006, which Ofcom noted was more than the UK total of 70 million mobile connections.

Mobile phone penetration in India is still relatively low, however, at only 14% of the population.

More autonomy for Motorola UK

2007-12-12T21:20:00.000-08:00

Motorola's UK business unit has been granted increased autonomy under new senior vice president for EMEA Mike Fenger, appointed last month.

Motorola took top spot from Nokia in Latin America under Fenger’s stewardship.

He has been given carte blanche to sort out Motorola’s ailing EMEA operation, which includes the key UK market, where Motorola’s share hovers around six per cent, battling LG Mobile for fourth place.

Motorola UK and Ireland general manager Jim Michel said: “America always said, ‘we’re number one in North America and Latin America’. They’ve realised EMEA is big too – bigger than America, Latin America, China and India put together.”

Fenger’s restructure of Motorola’s EMEA operation sees Michel, for the first time, take full control of UK finances, customer accounts and product exclusives. Michel said: “We’ve always had sales people leading our region. Now, we have someone that knows how to run a multi-market business leading our region. Mike has reorganised things. I am now in charge of UK profits and losses. The local decisions now come from me.”

The clampdown on grey market trading is a part of a wider Motorola initiative. Michel takes charge of the UK purge.

source:http://www.mobilenewscwp.co.uk

Mobile sector to undergo Ofcom review

2007-12-11T21:34:00.000-08:00

The telecoms watchdog is launching a new investigation into the mobile phone sector
An investigation into Britain’s multibillion-pound mobile phone sector is to be launched by the telecoms watchdog amid fears that regulation is not keeping track of radical changes in the industry.

The review — the first of its kind by Ofcom — is to be launched early next year. It could lead to cheaper mobile calls and new wireless services for consumers. It is also expected to address competition issues in areas such as network-sharing, under which previously fierce rivals such as Vodafone and Orange are planning to merge their phone networks in an effort to cut costs.

It could also examine ways to prevent a second “mis-selling scandal” of the kind that is overshadowing the industry at present.

An Ofcom spokesman said: “The project will assess our future approach to the mobile sector. It will consider the changes facing the sector and any implications for Ofcom’s future regulatory approach. ”

The mobile sector has come under the spotlight recently after a series of concerns about alleged irresponsible and anti-competitive behaviour by the network operators.

Unlocked in Singapore, iPhones are available on the internet

2007-12-07T20:42:00.000-08:00

It is the world’s most-hyped mobile phone, but Apple’s iPhone could be yours without the rigmarole of changing network provider and being tied into an 18-month contract.

What started as complicated instructions to unlock the device on technical websites has now gone mainstream. British buyers can now buy the iPhone unlocked from Far Eastern retailers and auction websites for little more than the £269 O2, the official UK seller, charges.

Yesterday 700 unlocked iPhones were selling on the British version of eBay, at about £300 each, but without the mandatory O2 18-month minimum contract of £35 per month.

Such is their alarm that Apple has now threatened to sue retailers in Singapore who are unlocking the phones and selling them over the internet. Shopkeepers said they had received letters from Apple threatening to sue for S$1,000 (£340) for every unlocked iPhone they had sold.
The iPhone operated using a touch screen and as well as having all the functions of a normal mobile phone, it incorporates an iPod and the capacity to browse the internet.

Phone networks fought hard to win the right to sell the iPhone, with O2 entering into a five-year exclusivity deal with Apple. The network provider has so far refused to reveal how many handsets they have sold since the iPhone’s UK launch on November 10, saying only that sales have been “in line with expectations”. Two thirds of buyers are new customers stolen from other networks.

A spokesman for O2 cautioned that anyone buying a locked phone ran the risk of finding it rendered inoperable by new software updates. He said: “We don’t really understand why anyone would want to buy an unlocked phone. If you’re spending that amount of money on the phone and then unlocking it you run the risk of turning it into a useless brick.

“Every update that Apple releases reverts the phone to a locked state. We’re scratching our heads as to why people would want to run the risk of losing all that money.”
Source:http://technology.timesonline.co.uk

T-Mobile keeps German iPhone monopoly

2007-12-05T20:53:00.000-08:00

A Hamburg court has ruled that T-Mobile can sell Apple's iPhone exclusively in Germany, overturning a restraining order granted to Vodafone that had forced the sale of unlocked handsets.

The move will be a blow to other mobile networks which had hoped for a repeat of a similar case in France that forced Orange to sell unlocked iPhones.

But the Regional Court of Hamburg has ruled that the exclusive contract between Apple and T-Mobile is legal.

"From the beginning we were convinced that this offer was legal and really good for the customer," T-Mobile spokesman Klaus Czerwinski told the International Herald Tribune after the ruling.

Marco Hartmann-Rüppel, a competition lawyer at TaylorWessing in Hamburg, insisted that the verdict was not unexpected.

"The ruling is no surprise and I do not think Vodafone can change things on appeal," he said.

But the case raises the possibility of a challenge under European law, given that different member states have different policies on 'exclusive' contracts.

The ruling will certainly make Apple more careful over plans to extend sales of the iPhone.

source:http://www.vnunet.com

Drivers warned over mobile phones

2007-12-02T20:48:00.000-08:00

Almost 10,000 fines have been handed out to drivers using mobile phones since tougher penalties were introduced in February, figures show.

A total of 9,574 fixed penalty notices were given out by five of Scotland's police forces between February and the end of October this year.

That equates to more than 1,000 people a month being penalised with a £60 fine and three points on their licence.

Police said the figures should be a warning to drivers.

Source:http://news.bbc.co.uk

Sony Ericsson K850i vs LG KU990 Cameraphones

2007-11-29T23:05:00.000-08:00

Here, we take a look at two of the best cameraphones on the market, the LG Viewty and Sony Ericsson K850i.

The Sony Ericsson K850i is one of the best camera phones from Sony Ericsson's K series portfolio. Its a very slim and smart camera phone with rich functionality, ensuring the best picture quality you can expect from a camera phone. Hold it and shoot the moment, anytime-anywhere. The phone offers easy sharing options such as MMS, email and picture blogging – share moments and let the world watch your photographic skill. The Cyber shot camera phone with 5 MP camera resolution plus auto focus and other high end features delivers spotless image quality. You would always love to take pictures on the go. The Sony Ericsson K850i is not only about its camera quality, it offers lots more. Loaded with an in-built music player – enjoy listening to your favourite songs. With the incorporation of mobile Internet, music can be downloaded online. You can also transfer music tracks from any compatible PC using a USB port – transfer music files and always keep listening to songs on the move. In addition, the phone comes supported with Memory Stick Micro – add more digital and multimedia files and enjoy
LG KU990 Viewty mobile phone handset is a good example for a handset, which comes with dazzling look and amazing features. Its 3 inch large TFT screen gives a perfect display of the contents to the users. You can see the date, time and caller’s identification in 256K colors. You need not to wrestle with its keypad to access the menu. The users can operate this handset by touching the icons displayed on its screen. The built in 5 megapixel camera is the star of the show here, packed to the gills with top-end features, and super-powered to take good pictures by digital zoom and flash. Its music player is capable to support latest formats such as MP3 and AAC. You can also tune into a radio station with its FM radio feature. The touchscreen (TFT, 262,000 colours, 240 x 400 pixels, 3 inches) in the LG KU990 Viewty is super cool and very effective. It is accompanied by a stylus and the users are expected to use their fingers instead. The only disadvantage is that you might find it a little hard to accustom yourself to its working but once that happens, it becomes a pleasure to use this touchscreen
Source: http://www.freepressreleases.co.uk

TfL set to launch mobile phone payment trial

2007-11-26T21:41:00.000-08:00

London's travel body is staying quiet ahead of a launch event later this week, but reports are suggesting an Oyster-like contactless payments trial involving mobile phones is on the horizon.

Transport for London is expected to launch a trial this week that will enable commuters to pay for their journey using their mobile phone in a similar way to the ease of use they have become accustomed to with Oyster cards, according to media reports.

Although TfL has remained tight-lipped on the issue, reports in today's Guardian newspaper suggest that the organisation is in talks with mobile operator 02 and handset giant Nokia to take advantage of a handset with embedded Oyster card-like contactless authentication capabilities.

TfL declined to comment further on the issue, although it did extend an invite to IT PRO for a launch event taking place this Wednesday.

"You are invited to join O2 and leading partners from the mobile, transport and financial sectors for the launch of a groundbreaking new trial which is going to change the way people use their mobile phones and interact with day-to-day services," stated the invitation.

IT PRO will be attending the event and will provide an update to shed light on the current mystery surrounding the news.

Source: http://www.itpro.co.uk

Survey Says iPhone Too Expensive For UK

2007-11-25T21:42:00.000-08:00

The iPhone is a design and marketing phenomenon and rarely have we see a device polarise opinions as thoroughly as Apple's so-called 'Jesus Phone'. But are the nays outweighing the yays...?

According to UK analyst group GfK NOP that certainly seems the case. It polled 500 Brits and discovered that 46 per cent of respondents have simply dismissed the handset based on price, while a further 26 per cent admitted an interest but only if ownership costs reduced significantly. Even more bleak for Cupertino were figures which reveal just two per cent are considering buying the iPhone this Christmas. An additional eight per cent even confessed to a vitriolic hatred.
The most obvious problem for Apple is the change of culture. In Europe we are not used to paying for our phones - even at the high end - and we certainly don't expect to be tied to one specific network (handsets may have short term exclusives but even they tend to expire after a few months).

The second, perhaps less discussed but equally important, issue is that of marketing. Apple usually gets it spot on, but despite its stylish UK campaign I have to say I think it has dropped the ball this time. Why? Because why would someone be willing to pay the same £269 asking price for an iPod touch - essentially a stripped out iPhone - while complaining that the more complete device is a rip-off? Sure, there is an 18 month contract with the iPhone, but don't a lot of us have monthly contracts already? O2 is even letting customers break theirs to switch. Furthermore, isn't £45pm for 600 minutes, 500 texts, unlimited data surfing and free WiFi hotspot access actually a pretty good deal?

Still, the problem in all this is I'm on the side of the iPhone because it is such a wonderful expression of design technology. Against this are others looking at spec lists and - at least in my opinion - misconstrued financial barriers.

So perhaps the only consensus we can reach is this: the iPhone is going to force every other mobile phone manufacturer to up their game and for that alone we should be thankful...

Source:http://www.trustedreviews.com

Nokia revealed second wave of E series, Nokia E90 with pay as you go deals

2007-11-20T21:17:00.001-08:00

The second wave of Nokia E series has been unleashed with various features packed, stunning devices, with the exclusive Nokia E90 Communicator. It is highly stylish-sliding devices combining the most advanced technology to revolutionise the whole working of a mobile phone. It ensures quicker and improved quality access to information of better productivity. The Nokia E90 is available along with pay as you go deals to sort out the perennial problem of high mobile phone bills, with which most of the UK citizens are suffering from.

“I always dreamt of having access to internet, without any constraint of time or place because of my clients across the country. Suddenly, one day my friend told me about Communicator by Nokia. At first, I felt some doubt, but the moment I came to know that Nokia has initiated it all the confusion vanished. I have been using it since last 6 months and it is great. In fact, with pay as you go deals it is quite under my budget,” says one of the satisfied customers of Orange Mobile Phones.

Source:http://www.pr-usa.net

Nokia revealed second wave of E series, Nokia E90 with pay as you go deals

2007-11-20T21:17:00.000-08:00

Apple bringing 3G iPhone to Europe in May 2008?

2007-11-19T21:06:00.000-08:00

Ah, the 3G iPhone. There’s been talk of an iPhone sporting high-speed wireless data speeds for some time now, and it seems there’s no end to the rumors. Word on the street has it that Apple could be bringing a 3G iPhone to Europe in May of next year. Spanish news rag, El Pais, is reporting that mobile software developer SevenClick is expecting Telefonica to get the mobile broadband-addled iPhone in May.

The rumors are apparently rooted in discussions with Telefonica management regarding the launch of the Apple iPhone in Spain. Telefonica will be making their iPhone debut in the Spring and it’s possible that we could see the launch of the highly-anticipated 3G iPhone.

Could a 3G iPhone be just a handful of months away? We have no idea - that’s the nature of speculation. But we’ll be saving our pocket-change and diving into the couch cushions in preparation of the 3G iPhone’s launch. Stay tuned, we’ll keep you posted on the latest 3G iPhone news

Vodafone's catch to unlimited call offer in Newzeland

2007-11-15T20:53:00.000-08:00

Vodafone is in danger of breaching advertising standards for its new home phone device if it doesn't declare a catch in its offer of unlimited calls.

Industry observers will be watching closely to see how Vodafone advertises its service, soft-launched through the media this week."If it's unlimited, it should be able to run 365 days a year and 24 hours a day. They are saying you can't do that because it's subject to a fair use policy," he said.

Vodafone at home will sell in three stores in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Advertising is expected to kick in later this year.

Source: http://www.nbr.co.nz/home/column_article.asp?id=19521&cid=3&cname=Technology

Nokia N800 software update leaked; Adds N810 smoothness to your N800

2007-11-14T22:37:00.000-08:00

When you take a closer look, the new Nokia N810 Internet Tablet only adds a GPS and the full QWERTY keyboard on top of the N800’s functionality. Plus, let’s not forget the new OS version which we — current N800 owners — are eagerly waiting. It’s not just about the interface, it’s about making the CPU run on 400Mhz rather than on 320MHz.

And… our wait it over. That’s at least unofficially as few members of the Internet Tablet Talk forum has figured out a way how to turn N800’s OS into the one of the N810. As I said, this isn’t the official solution so if you’re too cautious, you may want to wait another month when Nokia wowed to release the official software update. Or you could go for it and finally be able to enjoy YouTube while on-the-go…

Source:http://www.intomobile.com

Pay As You Go Phones vs Sim Free Phones: Great Deals, Great Communication

2007-11-14T02:49:00.000-08:00

Pay As You Go itself signifies pay the money you like to spend. But when the phrase carries a prefix, Cheap it sounds great as the phrase determines how to curb the flow of money spent on the services of mobile phone? The phrase, Cheap Pay As You Go Deal is a scheme of online mobile phone shops and retailing sites in the UK developed with a perspective to render the latest services of mobile media at affordable prices. How does Cheap Pay As You Go work? Obviously, a service provider can operate the deals of mobile phone and the UK’s online mobile phone shops and retailing sites have chosen Orange to execute Cheap Pay As You Go Deal on the latest mobile phones available in the market.

The seeds of fertile communication started to bear fruits with the advent of Cheap Orange Pay As You Go Deal. The users can purchase Orange SIM card to access Cheap Pay As You Go Deal. Pay As You Go Deal is very common and the users should follow simple procedures to adopt the deal. They have to purchase a card of certain amount and install the Personal Index Number (PIN) in the phone to activate its functionalities. Once the phone becomes activate it keeps on working till the validation period of the card is expired. Cheap Orange Pay As You Go Deal enables users to estimate the amount they are spending on the phone bills.

Capture the moments of love and happiness or listening to music in the mobile phone or you can download the latest music from the internet; all you can do with the support of services rendered to you by Cheap Orange Pay As You Go Deal. You can simply turn your mobile phone into a computer using the available multimedia media services at affordable prices. The users can download songs, video clips and images from the internet; transfer data and files to other compatible devices and browse websites from the phone itself to enjoy cyber media. Undoubtedly, Cheap Orange Pay As You Go Deal has minimized the service taxes to great extent and rendered several free offerings as a part of the deal.