Only once today, at the Nokia World conference, did I feel like yelling HOGWASH in an extremely loud voice from the back of the room.
The issue? Orange. Yes. My old friend Orange and their stupidly annoying data policies (“unlimited off peak data”).
This sub conference featured Yves Maitre of Orange. Yves is highly regarded across the industry by many for implementing a phenomenal segmentation policy. (Tip of the hat to Rafe, there)
So I watched his Q&A with interest.
I was about to put my hand up to ask a question — Clive Anderson, the host, was appealing for more for — when a chap in front of me stood up and asked about data download costs.
He was referring to videos and music — Clive rephrased the question to make it a little more general.
The first thing that happened to Yves when he heard the word ‘data’ was that he crossed his arms.
I kid ye not. Look at the photo!! I took a photo of this happening.
Then he began an explanation — I’m paraphrasing — words to the effect of, ‘Well, it’s awfully expensive to run a mobile network you know,’ and, ‘We spent a lot of money fitting out the service for mobile broadband,’ and so on.
That ain’t the issue.
That ain’t my problem.
That’s your problem.
There’s absolutely no excuse for Orange’s stupid data policies — and this is where I felt like yelling, ‘HOLD ON A MOMENT! T-MOBILE CAN DO IT, RELIABLY’.
I didn’t though. Best to avoid heckling I thought.
However, whilst I thoroughly disagree with the stupid cost per meg policies of the likes of o2, Orange and Vodafone… you can’t help but think they’ve got something right. There’s a ton of people paying three pounds a meg still. They don’t seem to care that much… and what’s more, they’re not stressing out the operator networks with a lot of data usage. So maybe it is, after all, the right way ahead….
Hi there,
I completely agree. As a user, rather than a mobile industry worker, I would like to use Shozu. Orange told me it was £3 a MB for off-portal data downloads, which is completely absurd and preventing me from using the features on my whizzy K800i.
Not only is it non-sensical generally, but specifically it orevents you from maximising the handsets THEY test and release on THEIR network! Duh!!
Just because you can rip off your customers doesnt mean its a good way forward unless you want to make a lot of money fast and get out of the market either by selling up or closing down .
Do the sums – 100 people at 7.50 is 750 per month in revenue. And probably these customers will buy additional data services/apps as well.
A few people being ripped off on stupid data plans to the point where they don’t use the service for fear of the cost, probably a lot less revenue I’d imagine.
I wonder what the ratio of Tmobile customers using data services is to the other ops. Or perhaps a more accurate figure might be how many new T-mobile susbcribers are signing up for unlimited data at the same time?
So if you want to recoup your investment in the infrastructure, you need paying customers. Simple concept surely?
Where would the Internet be today without the advent of fixed price broadband? Even if you go for a capped download limit, it’s usually pretty generous. I haven’t actually heard of anyone who has actually been told by their ISP to reduce their consumption.
However, we may be getting close to the tipping point after the x-series announcement. Anyone care to predict how long before the other ops announce flat rate data plans?
March 2007 is my vote.
Jim
“Supply and demand” is one thing and indeed keeps a good market economy ticking over. But “we will rip you off because we can and you still keep coming back for more” is in my honest opinion disgusting behaviour and one of the few times I like to see governments intervene in business (as with roaming charges).
The names of the guilty operators are in our little black books and come the day of the revolution…..
steve