[Denyo1977]

Just received a text message from Vodafone:

From 1st June changes will be made to the price you pay for using Vodafone live! and the mobile internet. Please visit vodafone.co.uk/dataprice

Had a look and of course it is an improvement to their prices now: £1 per day for up to 15mb. And you don't have to pay for days you don't use it. If you use more than 15mb, it is £2 for every additional mb you use.
Ok, if I would use it every day and use up all the 15mb, I would pay £30 for 450mb. Compared to £7.50 for 1gb on Web'n'Walk still not brilliant.
But it says something about a web browsing package too without going into any details.

[Ben]

Will the mobops ever get the picture?

"The £1 per day charge and monthly data subscription cannot be used for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services such as Skype or Peer-to-Peer services (such as instant messenger services, text messaging clients or file sharing). These services will not count towards the £1 per day charge or monthly bundle, and are charged separately at £2 per MB, with a 5p minimum charge for each data session."

Nice protectionist stance, there.

Apart from that, the casual browser may benefit, where as the casual Live! user will lose out as they pay up to £1 for viewing what they used to view for free.

Oh Vodafone, your pricing still leaves a lot to be desired and your tariffs are about as transparent as wood. But we still love you...

[fireballxl5]

anyone know the web link cant seem to find it !!!!so I can have a read of the new charges,

[solo12002]

There you go:


http://online.vodafone.co.uk/dispatch/Portal/appmanager/vodafone/wrp?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=template11&pageID=PPP_0052&tabIndex=0

[fireballxl5]

Does that mean that data use will be removed from the current extra pack
currently can it be used for txt and data (previously mms but that was removed sometime ago)

[3GScottishUser]

Well.... to hell with that.....

I used to use Vodafone Live! to keep up with news etc on the move but if it's going to now cost £1 a day or £30 a month.... well they know where their data can go!!

Very silly move by Vodafone which will render Vodafone Live! useless for many due to cost. Nice of them to only charge 25p for less than 0.5MB per day (ie a few pages) but thats more than one had to pay before for basic services like ITN News access.

What they are actually offering is average voice and text + mobile browsing for £60 a month!!

Only redeeming feature is that you can use your allowance for browsing via modem access which might be worthwhile in some instances for casual use.

Utterly laughable and should send anyone wanting mobile Internet running in the direction of T-Mobile!!

[3g-g]

I watched that 3 X-series launch on Today on 3G the other day, the same deal as the UK one, wheel all the head boys and girls out from the respective brands to tell the press how good things were... One point I noticed was the Nokia guy who stated that "mobile interent will be the killer app for 3G", yeah, it might be Mr Nokia, how about you tell Mr Orange and Mr Vodafone that?

[3GScottishUser]

Yeah... they said Videocalling, Mobile video and music downloads were previous killer apps!!

The problem the networks and the phone makers have is the screen limitations. The size just is'nt big enough for serious mobile internet use and they cant do much about that as there is a limit on what customers want to carry around.

The customer experience is the key factor and whilst all the trademarks and logos look impressive at the point of sale would you really want to mess about with a mobile display to browse e-bay for any length of time?

I think some networks are now simply throwing anything they can at 3G to generate interest simply to get that magical £40 a month contract deal. The fact is whilst the tekkie's attention is being grabbed by the likes of x-series and Web'N'Walk, mainstream voice and SMS pricing is in freefall and thats what the vast majority of customers want to buy!!

Somebody will deliver all you can eat (with a few FP exclusions) for around £30 a month by the end of 2007 - certinty!!

[Hands0n]

Data will come into its own on the 3G networks, if ever, the day that they bring the pricing down to the level that competes with landline broadband. There is an untapped market in Student digs and Rented accommodation where short letting times mean getting and keeping broadband is difficult if not impossible! 3G data solves the problem in a snap! But the mobile ops just dont see it!

[3g-g]

I still think they should price 3G data differently to the 2G, for one it'd bring the type of users onto 3G that the networks want (i.e. the ones that want to use data properly, not just for voting on buff or rough) and two, would increase the number of subs using the 3G networks, again, as the networks want! Am I just stating the obvious?

[Hands0n]

It seems obvious to everyone except for the mobile network operators themselves. They're stuck in a timewarp with their PTT mindedness!

[getti]

The video i used was for the UK launch but i was talking about the australia x-series launch.... thought it would be ok as there was nothing about prices

X-Series Platinum is over there giving you 2GB a month which can also be used as a modem.

3 today launched X-Series (Internal name of "Freedom") which for £5 a month gets you 1gb on ANY 3 phone and if the software works you can use that.

So say you get a E61 and X-Series Freedom, you can now use MobileMail and other Silver apps

[solo12002]

Getti

Sorry despite the fact you work for three I have to correct you:

New X-Series Data Add-On
Available from 2nd April 2007
_ £5 per month for unlimited internet usage (fair use policy of 1G)
_ Enables web usage, internet browsing and ISP e-mail use
_ Available with any 3 mobile
_ Marketed as simply X-Series
_ Replaces Add Internet 30
_ Excludes: Skype, Sling, Mobile Mail & Orb

So skype, mobile mail etc are EXCLUDED! http://www.hughsymonscommunications.co.uk/comms/content.asp?DBID=9642

[3GScottishUser]

I don't care about what happens elsewhere but as a Vodafone customer I care about what Vodafone change.

They have no chance of me paying anything for Vodafone Live! ever.

In fact - they have every chance of me leaving them and heading to T-Mobile when my contract expires as a result of their latest ridiculous inept data shenanigans.

When will these clowns get it into their heads that providing less equals losing paying customers. They can dress the changes up anyway they like but charging for what was previously free is a sure fire customer loser.

[3g-g]

As i mentioned in the other thread 3GSU, perhaps, if your data use is as regular as it seems, a buyout of the contracts would be worth considering?

I doubt very much Vodafone and Orange will change their pricing structure for data in the near future, and if you're racking up a considerable bill every month a move to T-Mobile might be the way forward?

I'm still only hearing positive things about Flext / WnW, with users struggling to get throught their allowance for thee month.

[Ben]

It would indeed seem that the only thing that'll force the other networks to act is if T-Mobile begins to demonstrate much higher than average data usage by customers on its network, and increased data revenue as a result. We could be waiting a long while for market forces to sort this one out.

[Hands0n]

I use my T-Mobile a lot, often when not even needed (i.e. phoning the Mrs downstairs for something when I'm in the dormer loft room!). Even with such frivolous use I am unable to get anywhere near to my Flext35 allowance, often still with over £70 in the kitty. And the WeB N Walk Plus with its 3GB allowance is equally hard to consume in a month - even with downloading apps and suchlike!

For sure, all of the other mobile operators, without exception, are way behind T-Mobile in this respect.

[Gagz]

Just took out a 12month contract on the N95 2weeks ago, would this new data change thing let me out of my contract by any chance? seeing as it is a major change and all

[Ben]

I don't believe so, no.

[whatleydude]

Expect a data bundle from Voda soon - starting at £7.50.

[solo12002]

Oh have I missed something wonderful?

Is this the same data plan that should of came out at end of feb, that vodafone are now drop hints of june and even then its over a year since t-mobile issued web and walk.

Oh I cant wait well done vodafone the largest network has taken well over a year to issue a data package, im sure they are well please with how fast they have managed to do it!!!

[Ben]

Oh I cant wait well done vodafone the largest network has taken well over a year to issue a data package, im sure they are well please with how fast they have managed to do it!!!
It's not their fault, computer says no :p