Mobile and Broadband News

Mobile Banking

2011-11-18T16:48:00.000Z

If the Internet made online banking easy, the proliferation of mobile devices and apps have made connecting to your bank even easier. Mobile phones and devices now let you connect to your money from virtually anywhere. While banking online from your computer has risks, connecting from a mobile device has its own unique challenges.

Here are some important things to remember when using a mobile telephone or device to conduct online banking.

-First, password-protect your mobile device. Most phones and tablets allow you to set a password that must be entered in order to use the device. We walk you through that process in a previous Security Matters episode.

-Verify the mobile banking app is legitimate. Most banks allow you to download their application directly from their website. If an app looks suspicious to you, don't download it. If in doubt, call the financial institution directly or visit a local branch.

-If your phone is stolen or lost, immediately notify your bank. They can help assist you in changing your mobile banking profile.

-Monitor your accounts regularly. Any suspicious activity should be reported to your bank as soon as possible. The great thing about mobile banking is that you can monitor your account quickly and easily. If you check your account often, you'll be able to spot any potential fraud sooner rather than later.

-Don't disclose sensitive information via text message or email. Delete any text or email that contains anything like account numbers, passwords, or confirmation codes.

-Finally, remember to logout of your mobile banking app when finished. While most banks log you out automatically after a period of time, always err on the side of caution.

Keep these tips in mind when banking from your mobile device.

Learn more about online security and privacy on our website, at www.securitymatters.iu.edu.

Galaxy Nexus Will Recognise You

2011-10-19T12:46:00.002+01:00

Google have announced that their latest phone will be manufactured by Samsung and known as the 'Nexus'. The launch will be in November, and details of the specification have begun to emerge.

The most eye catching and original feature is the inclusion of facial recognition technology. The Nexus will use a camera on the front of the device to recognise the face of its rightful owner, and unlock.

At the heart of the device will be a powerful 1.2Ghz processor. The Nexus will ship with the Android 4.0 operating system - dubbed 'Ice Cream Sandwich'.

iBooze

2011-09-07T11:55:00.004+01:00

Secret alcoholism? There's an app for that.

Well not quite - these phoney iPhones are a cunning ruse to allow the secret drinker to tote a few measures of their favourite beverage around with them unmolested by bouncers or corporate policy. One big advantage of swapping your real phone for hip flask in disguise is at least you wont be calling anyone and embarrassing yourself once you have had a few!

If you like this idea you should visit the website of the designer Dhanai Holtzclaw.

Picking the Right Android Launcher

2011-07-14T16:28:00.002+01:00

Have you ever read a review of an Android phone that takes points off for a weird or cumbersome user interface (UI)? If so, I strongly recommend you flame that reviewer for being incredibly ignorant, short-sighted, or perhaps just plain biased and misleading. Most likely, the reviewer is an iPhone user.

Any self-respecting Android user knows that you are not stuck with the UI you are given. And no, I don't mean that you have to "root" (the equivalent of "jailbreak" for iPhones) or do anything complicated of that sort. With androids, you can change UIs by simply going to the Android Market and downloading a new launcher.

Most launchers are free, and some will even increase your phone's performance from the original UI left in by your manufacturer. The only problem with launchers is, since there are so many, deciding which one is best for you and your phone.

Zeam

Zeam is one of the leanest launchers on the Android Market. It requires almost no space to download and uses the least amount of memory of any other launcher I've tried. Zeam is great for people who just want a simple, fast launcher that works as soon as you download the app. While you can customize its appearance and flow to a certain extent, it is not nearly as customizable as its competitors.

ADW

Those looking for a more feature-rich launcher should try out the ADW Launcher. ADW allows you to add and subtract screens, customize your docking bar, and customize your application drawer, as well as tweak many other details. ADW also has a very large amount of these for the launcher available in the Android Market for free. Just download one and try out your phone's new look.

While ADW allows for huge amount of customization, this level of control can easily become confusing or overwhelming. I recommend watching tutorials and reading guides about setting up and customizing ADW; you will have a much better experience with this launcher if you spend some time getting acquainted with the UI.

GO Launcher EX

GO Launcher EX appeared to be the happy medium between Zeam and ADW. It worked great out-of-the-box, but I also didn't feel too limited in terms of customizability. Like ADW, I could swipe dock buttons, add and subtract home screens, and download custom themes for the launcher. Performance-wise, I found GO Launcher to run a little smoother on my phone that ADW, and on top of that, I also really liked GO Launcher's native widgets built specifically for their launcher.

Bottom Line

I ultimately decided to stay with GO Launcher EX although it was extremely close between that and ADW. I liked the sleek feel of Zeam, but wanted a launcher with a few more bells and whistles; I still think Zeam is a great choice for people with older phones that tend to run a little choppy.

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online degrees. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.

Enthusiasm For Pay-by-Phone

2011-06-20T16:59:00.002+01:00

The psychological attachment to physical cash seems to be waning. Coins and notes are dirty, and often inconvenient. It has been necessary to use mobile phones to pay for parking in some places for a while now. According to a recent survey by the polling organisation YouGov, the appetite for using mobile phones to pay in a variety of settings is growing.

An astonishing 1 in 4 British consumers are interested in using their phone to pay for goods as an alternative to cash and cards. As many as 1 in 10 believe that they are likely to be on board when 'wave and pay' technology goes live. This is in spite of concerns that there may be technical issues with the new service.

The use of so-called Near Field Communications or NFC to make payments is expected to be trialled in a variety of settings over the next few years. There is confusion amongst consumers as to whether their current handsets will be compatible with the systems, 36% have no idea whether their phone would be capable of making payments.

As to the perceived benefits of NFC payments, the front runner is convenience. A total of 87% of those polled gave convenience in paying as a reason they would be adopting the technology. Speed of pay payment was seen as something that could be improved by NFC. A similar number believe that it would be easier than carrying cards and cash.

Of those that pan to pay with NFC devices 29% are optimistic that it could help them keep track of their money better. This has been the motivation behind the massive take up of mobile banking in recent times, but some of the same concerns apply to the new technology. Concerns over security and fraud would be an issue for 56% of consumers.

Money Saving iPhone Tips

2011-05-24T10:08:00.002+01:00

Exceeding your data plan is easy to do - and can prove costly! If you are not careful you can find yourself racking up the bit and bytes when you are not aware of it. Here are some tips to stop things from getting out of hand.

Harrods iPhone app

2011-05-18T15:15:00.002+01:00

Luxury department store Harrods have launched their own iPhone app. Shoppers can now have their butlers download the app to their gold-plated iPhones to help them navigate the store and find what they want. Other features include an events calendar and a history of the store.

99p Phone Arrives

2011-05-16T10:59:00.002+01:00

The UK has got its cheapest ever mobile phone. This is the Alcatel OT-209, which is being sold at Carphone Warehouse for just £0.99p on pre-pay. Of course the price does not include the £10 Virgin Mobile credit that it is being bundled with, but this is still an order of magnitude cheaper than the most simple handsets were even a few years ago.

At that price point you would expect the Alcatel OT-209 to be pretty basic, and you would be right. There are few bells and whistles, but it can make and receive voice calls and text messages. That is not to say that it is without its charms.

Obviously the bargain basement price means that it is not a handset you would worry about losing or damaging. It is also super slim, and at 65g is very light. Aside from call and text functions there is even an FM tuner. Battery life is is one of the chief beneficiaries of this phones simplicity, figures given are 400 hours on standby, and up to 5 hours of talk time. The battery is capable of being fully charged in under 2 hours.

Google Music Beta Opens

2011-05-11T10:39:00.003+01:00

Google have announced the beta test of there new cloud based music service, which promises to be an 'iTunes killer'. Only available in the USA at present, the service allows users to upload their music library and then be able to listen to it anywhere. Including their Android phones. Other neat feature include the ability to chooses which tracks are backed up locally,as well as a suggestion engine which will contruct playlists based on a the vibe of a track of your choosing.

Mobile Banking: An insight into pros and cons

2011-05-10T14:36:00.002+01:00

As a popular and potentially explosively fast-growing service, mobile banking is a serious force in the world of finance. For the customer, however, there are important gains and drawbacks to consider.

Mobile banking, or M-Banking, touted by many as the more convenient heir to Internet Banking, offers its users a portable, easy way to conduct one’s financial affairs without having to enter the doors of a traditional banking establishment. Furthermore, as technology and sophistication in the field of mobile phones has developed, so has the range of tasks available to the user via their device: from applying for loans to changing pin numbers or adjusting your stock market portfolio.

A recent innovation, mobile banking began as a service around the turn of this century providing customers with an opportunity to conduct basic banking tasks via SMS or the “mobile web”. However, it has evolved to suit the times: it is hard to find a financial institution that does not offer m-banking as an iPhone or Google Android app (offering a very wide and sophisticated range of services to the customer), or a respectable modern phone that cannot be comfortably used for m-banking .

It’s not just in its format change from internet banking that mobile banking represents an evolved service to customers: it offers a portable access to one’s financial information that can connect to the internet as long as there are bars on your phone, and a possibility to conduct business far more inconspicuously than with a laptop.

For those who watch the markets it offers a unique tool: instant access to personalised up-to-date information in your pocket; it can also add a decisive advantage for keen investors to receive text alerts about the health of their holdings, or, crucially, competing stocks.

From a purely practical standpoint, for those with physical mobility issues or who live in remote areas, m-banking is a highly valuable tool, constituting an affordable alternative to online banking and an opportunity to save on travel costs.

Another advantage of mobile banking is that the device necessary for its use is far more affordable than that required for internet banking, with many companies offering quality products as a part of a contract (rather than pay-as-you-go). This is a money-saver for those who use m-banking apps, as it is common for banks to offer its services free of charge, for example Ulster Bank's UK mobile banking.

However, the ease of use, security risks and cost-benefit virtues of m-banking should be should be fully weighed against its advantages before becoming a convert.

One problematic technical issue with the use of mobile banking is its compatibility with certain phones: it can be very irritating to find that complex or urgent banking actions (that one was used to doing on a different phone) cannot be carried out on a phone that does not have Java ME, but supports, for example, a SIM application toolkit instead. Some banks offer services that only work with the former but not the latter, and so on. This is due to change, because the industry is aware of and motivated to overcome format inoperability, and will profit from such a development; until then, the issue is a contemporary headache.

Another technical issue that bears consideration is that of m-banking application upgrades: it is inevitable that app performance and customer demand will lead to novel services and improvements that require upgrades. Consequently, many phones are and increasingly will be expected to be able to automatically update apps. Although this is quite possible, it will be a challenge for banks and application producers to implement as well as for customers to keep up with, effectively isolating a section of m-banking users and custom where clients do not have advanced phones.

Whatever technical challenges lay ahead for customers, the security risks of mobile banking are worthy of far greater concern- they cause more than just irritation: they can be a portal for criminal activity and personal loss. Identity theft can open one’s personal details up, in the worst cases, to highly organised hacking operations that will attempt to drain your money dry with efficiency and virtual anonymity.

Having said that, it is important to remember M-Banking is without doubt a growth market for financial institutions: predictions from respected sources (berg insight : http://www.berginsight.com/News.aspx?m_m=6&s_m=1) predict 115 million mobile banking users in Europe alone by 2015, and around 80 Million in the US in the same timeframe. Mobile banking is therefore big business and accordingly, banks protect the security of their clients’ interests as their own- any business that gains a reputation for poor security in this highly competitive field would surely lose customers, and profit. As a result, all financial institutions using m-banking will do everything in their power to protect your money and your security details. In some cases, there are security guarantees that appear to ensure refunds in the case of successful online fraud, for example Wells Fargo: http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/banking-by-text-message/

Methods to combat insecurity of information include reliable options such as one-time passwords sent to your message inbox or email address by your bank (if that address itself is secure!); intelligently-encrypted information transfer (most contemporary, developed m-banking tools will do this); encryption of any insecure data stored in the device and a host of other protections.

Having said that, there is no absolute guarantee of security in the world of electronic commerce, only high and low risk trading partners . It is fair to say that most trusted names are very safe, nonetheless it is up to the consumer to exercise caution where it is due.

The choice of whether to use mobile banking or not rests on the degree to which it assists one’s needs: if you require an “any time, any place” access to your bank, it is ideal; if you are not in need of such a service and have gnawing security concerns, it may be prudent to stick to what you know.

If you are choosing an m-banking service, opt for a bank with security credentials.

RIP Cheap Phone Deals

2011-05-10T13:53:00.002+01:00

Cheap mobile phone deals seem to be becoming a thing of the past. The problem? Meddling Brussels bureaucrats.

The was a trend for very cheap monthly mobile phone contracts. Back in February you could land a monthly deal for as little as £5. The catch being that these deals tended to lock in customers for up to 36 months. As of May 1 it has been illegal under European law not offer offer a contract of 12 months.

Certainly the commitment of 24 month contract can come back to bite you. In two years phones can move on a lot - you may not still be happy paying the premium for that handset. With high featured handsets dropping in price as competition hots up, buying handsets outright could increasingly become the way to go.

A Paper Phone?

2011-05-06T16:18:00.002+01:00

Could the future of mobile phones by paper thin? That's researchers at Canada Queens University. They have created a prototype device that is 'printed' on a sheet of material that is no thicker than a sheet of paper, and is just as flexible.

To interact with the phone users will bend, fold and write on the device. The creator DR Joel Vertegaal is quoted by the BBC as saying "Everything is going to look and feel like this within five years".

The display works using e-ink. This is the technology that is used in e-book readers such as Amazon's Kindle. This display is touch sensitive.

The PaperPhone prototype will be displayed at the Computer Human Interaction Conference in Vancouver. Joining it will be a multi-purpose device called the Snaplet. This is a strip of similar materials as that used in the PaperPhone - it is to be worn as a bracelet. When it is flattened out it will have the functions of a PDA, when it is wrapped around the wrist it will work as a watch and when it is bent the other way it will be a phone.

Skype to display ads

2011-04-19T10:19:00.003+01:00

Skype recently announced that it will introduce advertising to boost revenue ahead of listing on the Nasdaq stock exchange. The popular free internet communications service founded in 2003, announced plans to raise up to $100 million by going public.

The ads won't interrupt your Skype experience

Skype channels voice, video and text conversations over the internet, thereby bypassing the standard telephone network said the ads will initially appear in the US, UK and Germany and will be seen by both personal and the increasing number of business users who are exploring the web based functionality of Skype.

"The Skype experience is our first priority, which is why we we've taken a lot of time working through and testing what kind of advertising would work best in the Skype environment," Skype said in a blog post.

"We believe that advertising, when done in the right way, will help us continue to invest in developing great products," the company said.

Advertisers that are expected to feature on Skype include Groupon, the discount coupon site, Visa and Universal Pictures.

On launch adverts will begin to appear in the home tab in Skype for Windows and Skype has said that they may experiment with ads in other areas as well."

"The ads won't interrupt your Skype experience," the company said. "You won't suddenly see annoying pop-up ads or flashy banner ads in middle of conversations."

Divorce? Turns out, theres an app for that...

2011-04-14T09:56:00.007+01:00

Divorce, the breaking of the 'unbreakable' bond of of holy matrimony, is more popular than it has ever been. Whether you are bored and want a change or want to punish them for calling you fat by making sure they can't see their kids, so-called 'reverse-weddings' are seen by many as the way to go. Splitting up is never easy to do, but now there is an app which says it can help.

The iPhone app in question is called 'Divorce?'. It is on sale for £9.99 from the iTunes's store. It aims to make the process of getting divorced as fun and trendy as a game of 'Angry Birds'.

The ins and outs of divorce are all explored, including the financial side. It is intended to inform couples who want to split of what the deal is before they get into the formal legal stages.

As an idea, it is an interesting one. By taking some of the expensive legal knowledge and making it available via an app accessibility to legal services is improved. Getting a solicitor on board is a big commitment in itself, so perhaps knowing what is in store can help people to get what what they want from the process.

Solicitors, of course, engage in a wide variety of work. Making a will is possibly something that could benefit from an app made by legal experts. Whether you would want you iPhone to put on a wig and defend you before a judge though, seems less likely.

Mobile Banking - Early Years

2011-03-25T11:32:00.003Z

This video from 2008 is a demonstration of one of the early mobile apps to facilitate banking directly from a mobile device. The handset is a Sony Erricasson and much of the time appears to be waiting for connections to be completed.

The orignal software MONILINK apears to have been used by various high street banks including Ulster Bank - part of the RBS group. Ulster Bank's customers soon warmed to the idea of managing their financial investments and savings accounts whilst on the move and is helping Ulster Bank's commitment to helpful banking

2011-03-24T13:50:00.000Z

Ofcom Tells Mobile Phone Networks To Cut Charges

Guest post by Alvina Lopez

Earlier this march, Ofcom finally stepped in and took action against mobile communications companies, namely O2, Vodafone, and Everything Everywhere, requiring them to cut the charges they bill telecommunications rivals to handle calls on other networks by as much as 80 percent starting April 1.

This is good news for landline customers, whose phone calls to mobiles often incur high charges, some of which top out at almost 4.18p a minute. Landline customers can now breathe a sigh of relief when they pick up the phone to ring a mobile user. Over the next four years, charges will drop from 4.18p a minute to 2.66p in April, with the ultimate goal of reaching around .65p in 2014.

Many are pleased, naturally, with the Ofcom ruling, praising it for leveling the playing field for customers and making communication between citizens much more affordable. Landline users could see dramatic reductions in their fees, as landline telecommunications companies pass on the savings to their customers.

However, telecommunications industry insiders warn that this loss of revenue over the next few years may force them to raise charges for other services, including the rates for pay-as-you go customers just so they can recoup the losses. These pay-as-you go customers, according to one source cited in The Independent, often received more calls than placed calls, which generated revenues under the higher termination fees. With this change, however, mobile operators might have to create other fees, such as charging per handset or demanding minimum monthly payments from these customers.

Ultimately, the announcement from Ofcom is good news for users, though time will tell how the telecommunications industry adjusts to the change. Ernest Doku, an expert at uSwitch.com, calls this a victory against the "bully boys" but warns "In theory, mobile bills should also come down—but in reality, the networks may look to introduce charges elsewhere to make up for the loss of income."

By-line:
Alvina Lopez is a freelance writer and blog junkie, who blogs about accredited online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: alvina.lopez @gmail.com.

iPhone Mini?

2011-02-17T14:07:00.002Z

Apple have announced that alongside the new iPhone 5 there will be an additional phone added to their range.

Hoping to compete with Android handsets that run across a variety of sizes and price points the new handset will retail for around $200 without contract. Very few details are known at this stage but it is thought that the handset will be smaller than the main line of iPhones.

The premium cost of iPhone handsets has led to slow adoption across many markets, where consumers are reluctant to get tied into long term contracts. By creating a smaller, cheaper, iPhone Apple may be able to extend their market share to the demographic who are currently purchasing the products made by their rivals.

Saving On Insurance

2011-02-11T09:18:00.003Z

To ensure a smartphone on a dedicated policy can cost £10 or more a month. With handsets having a price comparable to a laptop it is understandable that you want to protect that investment - and once you have a smartphone doing without one quickly becomes almost inconceivable. Opting for a dedicated mobile phone insurance however may not be your best option.

Mobile phone insurance does not take into account individual risk in the same way that other forms of insurance do. Careful mobile phone owners who are good at not losing things have to subsidize the serial phone losers of the world. If you are in this group, well good for you, if not you will be paying to much to insure your mobile.

It is possible to get phone insurance bundled in with other services. Some premium bank accounts and credit cards offer phone insurance as a perk for instance, but obviously it is very important to read the small print,as the cover offered may not be of the highest standard.

Home contents policies frequently include mobile phones, even if they are lost or damaged outside your home. The excess on some of these policies however can be prohibitive, and claiming runs the risk of raising your premiums.

An increasingly popular option is so called 'self insurance'. Calculating your own premium, based on the cost to replace your phone, and simply putting the money aside each month. The best way is to set up a direct debit to an instant access savings account, and then raiding it when a replacement phone needs to be bought. This works best for relatively low value handsets as it could take longer than 6 years at £5 a month to save sufficient funds to pay for a replacement for one of the more expensive smartphones.

Noisily Brilliant?

2011-02-10T13:33:00.002Z

HTC are keen to present their Desire HD handset as an 'iPhone killler' to that end they have launched a massive global advertising push. The company, who's slogan is "Quietly Brilliant" hopes that wider recognition will move it from being a brand favored by 'early adopters' to having more mainstream appeal.

The 80s are calling...

2011-02-03T10:56:00.003Z

Nowadays, when there are more mobile phones than people it is easy to forget the days when owning a portable telephone really meant something. Back when mobile phones were introduced they were expensive, huge and true status symbols.

In many ways the iPhone and other high end smart phones have represented a return to this golden era. Battery life has been reduced almost to the level where unplugging the the thing means communication blackout, the prices are aspirationally high, and (allegedly) making and receiving calls is troublesome. Unfortunately though, one thing is missing - conspicuous consumption.

To solve this problem mobile phone accessory maker Thumbs Up! have launched a retro '80s iPhone case. Compatible with iPhone 3GS and 4 it is being marketed as a novelty gift and prop for fancy dress parties.

Unfortunately the product appears cheap and inauthentic. In addition they have missed a trick when it comes to functionality. There is none. Features such as a long life battery back-up and decent speakers for playing music could have made a virtue out of absurdity.

Its a nice idea - lets hope somebody can make the most out of it.

Man Tattoos Verizon Logo On Hand

2011-01-25T11:37:00.002Z

This is a video of a man in the process of tattooing the logo for Verizon Wireless onto his hand...

The man is Daniel Carrion, a tattoo artist. He also plans to do the same on his forehead - and no he is not being paid to. A tattoo is forever - will Verizon last the next 50 years without a re-brand?

10 Things You Can Control With Your iPhone

2011-01-24T11:25:00.004Z

It can be hard to keep up with technological advances. So many neat gadgets, so little time! On the other hand, it's important to get the most out of your gadgets (especially the ones you already own). Not only does knowledge equate to power, but in this case knowing about technology is also fun, cool, and practical. Staying abreast of technology options can save time,
money, and create convenience.

Smartphones, in particular, are becoming more and more sophisticated with a broader range
of abilities. Apple's iPhone is one of the most powerful smartphones on the market. Developers
have created thousands of amazing apps for the iPhone. Some of the best apps are widgets that
allow an iPhone or iPod Touch to be used as a remote control. Let's look at 10 things you can
control with your iPhone.

VLC or Boxee.

The Video LAN client, a popular, free media player application, can be controlled using
your iPhone. Just download the free VLC Remote app (or buy a premium version). If you have
Boxee, use your iPhone as a remote for this as well.

Xbox.

The iPhone can be used as a remote control for the Xbox Media Center. Watch movies on your
Mac the easy way—with a remote! You'll need to download the XBMC Remote app.

iTunes.

This practical and free remote app (launched with the original iPhone and App Store) allows
you to control iTunes from Wi-Fi range. You'll be able to adjust the volume, pause, or find a
different song all from the comfort of your bed or from another room in the house. Other apps
will control home stereo systems.

Apple TV.

The same free app that works with iTunes will also work to control Apple TV's box—a much
better alternative than the plastic remote that comes with Apple TV.

Auto Security.

In addition to entertainment options, the iPhone has many other practical capabilities. Keep an
eye on your car or truck from a distance using your iPhone as a security monitoring camera by
downloading one of the many monitoring apps from the App Store.

Home Security.

The best way to keep burglars out is to keep them guessing. Home automation apps allow you
to use your iPhone to lock and unlock doors, and adjust the lighting throughout the house from
afar.

Presentations.

The iPhone can be used for business purposes. Use your iPhone to remotely control business
presentations. Most apps are only $0.99!

Computer.

Your iPhone or iPod Touch can be used as a wireless trackpad and keyboard using an app like
the Air Mouse Pro by Mobile Mouse Pro.

VNC.

Virtual network computing (VNC) lets you view and control desktop software remotely.

Photoshop.

Last but not least, Adobe Photoshop can be controlled via a toolbar on your iPhone.

With so many outstanding free apps, it's easy to take advantage of technology. Apple's constant
record of innovation means plenty of options for your iPhone now and in the future.

Guest post by @mrscathypierce. Cathy Pierce is a business professional turned stay-at-home mom. She loves her kids, good TV and the Web.

New Chinese Smartphone

2011-01-20T14:50:00.003Z

This is the newest smart phone concept to emerge from China. Dubbed the 'Line Phone' it has already been the recipient of industry plaudits. These include the coveted 2010 Furong Cup ‘Digital Product and Service Design Competition’ in China.

It remains to be seen what Apple have up their sleeve for the iPhone 5 due out in the summer, but the smart money is on a moderate evolution rather than the emergence of any drastic and innovative design concepts.

Although the phone is just at the concept stage it is already generating quite a lot of interest. One problem that will have to be overcome is achieving a level of brand equity that can compete with the giants already in this market. If the hardware can match the hype however then the handsets featuring this design DNA will surely get consumers raiding their savings accounts to upgrade before the end of their contracts.

Skype Hits 27M Online Users

2011-01-11T15:51:00.002Z

Skype, a online program that allows you to make free calls over the internet, announced on Monday that it hit 27 million users online at the same time. "New record: 27 million people online on Skype right now!" the VoIP service announced on its Facebook page.

The announcement comes almost two months after Skype announced that it had recorded 25 million users Skyping at once. "Our software is designed to handle large numbers of concurrent users, with wideband audio and group video calls all flowing smoothly around the world," the company wrote in a blog post at the time.

Skype was also at the Consumer Electronics Show last week , where it announced its acquisition of mobile service provider Qik, as well as an improved video-chat feature that allows 10 people to videoconference together for just $8.99 per month.

The Importance of Backing Up

2010-12-18T14:22:00.003Z

If you have ever had the misfortune to lose data from your computer you will have experienced people telling you that you really should backup your data. While this is great advice it is very bad timing, by this point you are left in no doubt about the importance of securing your data! There are two main methods of backing up: online and offline both of which we will cover in this post.

Online

Online backup is the most straightforward method as it is easier to automate than offline backup. There are lots of companies which offer online backup for business as well as those offering solutions for individuals. Backing up your data online is safer than using offline devices such as portable hard drives which people often store alongside their computer. Once set up online backup software runs in the background which means that it doesn't rely on you to remember to back up.

Offline

For most individuals offline backup normally takes the form of an external hard drive. For businesses offline backup normally takes the form of a shared drive or network (although is is arguably not entirely 'offline'). This means that should your computer fail you will still be able to recover your files.

Which ever method you chose it is well worth having a plan for how you keep your data secure. These days we spend more and more time online and using our computers. Most people have a digital camera and listen to mp3s meaning that we now have more to lose than ever before.

Video: Introducting Word Lens

2010-12-01T14:09:00.004Z

Word Lens is an augmented reality app which "instantly translates printed words from one language to another using the video camera on your iPhone". A lot of AR apps are really interesting but too slow and buggy to use for anything other than showing off in the pub. If Word Lens works as well as it appears to in this video then it is the exception to this rule. Just imagine being on holiday and having your iPhone translate signs and menus for you in real time!

you can get Word Lens from the App store.

Mobile Broadband Spend up 40%

2010-11-08T11:49:00.003Z

A new report published by Nokia Siemens shows that monthly spend has increased significantly between 2009 and 2010. The average monthly spend on mobile broadband in Britain, France, Germany and Spain has increased by 40% year on year. The monthly spend is a good indicator of growth as it measure actual usage of new and existing mobile broadband customers.

Nokia Siemens attributed the rise in spend to two factors: "Increased usage of mobile broadband among existing customers and higher penetration of the service in market segments with more disposable income." Bundled offers such as the many free laptop deals are also likely to be an important factor.

The report also found that a quarter of those who do not currently use mobile broadband have considered signing up. 31% of current users with a mobile connection intended to access the internet via mobile broadband more often. Depending on these user's contract this may involve an increased monthly spend.

Interestingly only 27% of those polled accessed the internet via desktop and standard laptop devices, a third of subscribers used a netbook or mini laptop. 25% used smartphones such as the iPhone and HTC Desire or other smart devices such as the new Apple iPad.

Making Your Eco Mark with Your Mobile and Broadband

2010-10-04T09:40:00.004+01:00

With so much emphasis today on mobile phone technology and service, increasingly better phones and better services for them, it’s important that we learn how to use our mobile phones in a way that is environmentally responsible and careful. As mobile technology becomes more and more a part of our lives, we are responsible to make sure that we are doing as little damage as possible to our planet when using this technology or discarding older models.

There are many ways to be green about our mobile phone use. Some of them will be more plausible for your situation and personality, others less so. Do what you can even if it seems like very little. If everyone does their part, no matter how small, not only will the world be a better place, but it will last for a lot longer as well. Here are some tips for greener mobile and broadband technology use.

Recycle!
That’s right; we’ll start off with a no brainer. When your phone becomes old or you just have to have that new gadget recently released in stores, recycle the one you won’t be using anymore. This doesn’t have to mean giving it away to a homeless person or melting it down for parts. Recycling your old phone could involve good, hard cash! Try looking up your model on Envirofone to see how much it would be worth if you put it back on the market. Reselling your phone is just as green a way to recycle it as any, and the benefits can be even greener.

Alternatively, if there’s a problem with your SIM card or you need to change your number for some reason, see if you can keep your old handset and buy only a new SIM card. This cuts down on your consumption of raw materials and is a great, environmentally conscious way to save money.

Energy Monitoring
Monitor your use of energy with a website such as Electricity Monitor. You can compare products and choose the ones that use the least energy and allow you to leave as tiny a carbon footprint as possible. If your mobile phone uses too much energy, find out if you can cut the amount down a bit by changing your settings, or see if you can afford to invest in a mobile phone that uses less energy.

Green Apps
Really, apps for your smartphone that will somehow make you greener? Ranging from ideas and tips for a greener lifestyle and directories of the most environmentally conscious businesses in your area to product scanners to help you check the environmental impact of any product before buying it, green apps can be an essential way to make your lifestyle more environmentally healthy. There is also an app to help you avoid overcharging your smartphone, which could lead to unnecessary energy usage, and an app to help you become a better, more environmentally conscious driver. There is a full list of Green Apps over at Techcrunch.

Supplier Scrutiny
Do a bit of research on the various service providers available in your area to see which ones have the best record of concern for the environment. The best way to reward green companies is with your business and, although this may sometimes even cost a little more than sticking with the polluting conglomerate monopolies of the world, the peace of mind that you get in exchange, along with the knowledge that you are doing your part to save the planet, will be more than worth the extra expense.

Better Broadband
Find partnerships and businesses offering broadband services that donate part of their proceeds to charity. You can find one of our top overall picks at www.greenmobile.co.uk. Companies that are environmentally conscious not only donate a portion of their proceeds to green charities but also find ways to cut down their energy usage and provide quality services with the least amount of damage as possible done to nature. Many of these offer packages that include a pledge from their company to donate a certain amount to saving the environment. Some also offer on their website helpful tips for lessening your impact on the environment, recycling programs, information about their charity programs, lists of awards they have won, and more.

Guest post by James Helliwell of Broadband Expert

10 iPhone Apps for London Visitors

2010-09-24T11:39:00.007+01:00

Visiting central London can be akin to planning a military exercise - parking spaces, tube closures, choosing a show or a restaurant - whether you’re a dyed-in-the-wool Londoner or a first-time tourist, information is always your friend!

Here are 10 iPhone apps to make your life a little easier. All are free unless stated otherwise, click on the name of the App to open it in iTunes.

Tube Map

Don’t be lost before your London journey has even begun with this scrollable tube map and route planner. App includes updates on line delays and will find the nearest tube station to where you are. No network connection is required to use the map – handy when you’re 100ft underground!

Park-up London

If you’re bold enough to drive into central London, this nifty parking guide will give you the ‘battleground’ advantage. App comes with details of over 10,000 parking places, including car parks, street parking, disabled and motorcycle bays. Hours and costs are visible for each location, as are the rates of vehicle crime. £2.99

London Journey Planner

Plan your best route around town with this London journey planner. View maps of your location and destination, browse suggested routes and get updates on the various TFL (Transport for London) services, including Tube, Rail, DLR, Bus, Coach and River. 59p

London Cycle

Get on your Boris Bike with this feature-packed app that will help you make the most of the London cycle-hire scheme. Find cycle stations, safe directions and real time information about whether a station is full or empty. App comes with rental timer and alarm, giving you time to re-dock before those unpleasant extra charges apply.

London Shophound

Napoleon famously called the UK a nation of shopkeepers. With thousands of stores, from bric-a-brac to haute couture, London is the undisputed retail capital. This app gives you the insider info on more than 130 of the city’s best shops, including fashion, food and drink and books & music, illustrated with colour photos. Time to get bargain hunting! £1.19

Time Out London

Looking for a restaurant or a place to chill? This free listings guide has information on hundreds of bars, restaurants and events. Find out what’s going on in the city, and put a wealth of entertainment possibilities at your fingertips. Sponsored by Smirnoff, you must be 18 or older to use the app.

Toiluxe

Don’t be caught short London again, with this brilliant map of free luxury toilets. Why spend 30p at a railway station when there could be a free super-loo in the ground floor of the department store right across the street? Over 300 free super-loos have been catalogued for your convenience, with quick directions from your current location!

Street Museum

Get an old perspective on contemporary London, with an app that lets you look through the window of time. Select your destination and see the same location appear on your screen in an historic image from the Museum of London archives. Tap the info button for historical facts and delve a little deeper into the story of one of the world’s fastest changing cities.

London Walks

With over 60 walks to choose from, and an easy-to-follow audio guide, this app proves that using a little shoe leather is definitely the best way to discover the city. However, if you just feel like having a coffee instead, you can enjoy a virtual walk from the comfort of your own phone! £1.19

London Taxi

Based on the TFL Taxi Tariff and estimated traffic congestion, this handy app calculates the fare, time and route for your London taxi journeys. Calculate a taxi fare between any 2 points and see the distance of your trip. Preset London points include tube and train stations - particularly useful for making those late trains home! 59p

Guest post by Ben Piper of UK Tickets.
Please get in contact if you are interested in adding a guest post.

Blackberry to Release NewTouch Screen Smartphone

2010-08-04T16:25:00.004+01:00

Research In Motion have announced a new Blackberry smartphone which does away with the traditional Blackberry design in favour of a touch screen. Blackberry's previous touch screen device the Storm received some mixed reviews with some complaining about the device's ease of use. The Torch 9800 (yes, Torch not Touch) will have a 3.2 inch touch screen albeit with a slide out keyboard also.

Blackberry's market share has been falling recently as they struggle to compete with Android Smartphones and the iPhone 4. Whilst Blackberry have always had great messaging features they have found it difficult to shift the image of a company that creates devices that are functional rather than fun.

The shift to a larger touch screen reflects the changing usage patterns brought about by the shift to 3g smart phones. Modern phones need provide a great web surfing experience in order to appeal to users and that can't be done with a small screen. A recent survey found that 50% of Blackberry users were 'interested' in buying an iPhone or Android device when their contract ended.

RIM are hoping that this device will be an iPhone killer (personally I don't think we're going to see one for quite some time). Avi Greengart of Current Analysis thinks that the device will be popular with users of previous RIM devices: "If you're a BlackBerry fan and you're looking for a great browsing experience and a better touch interface without losing the BlackBerry experience, the Torch will make many fans very happy."

Ofcom Chief Warns About Overloaded Mobile Networks

2010-07-20T16:19:00.003+01:00

Speaking at the Royal Welsh Show Ofcom chief Ed Richards warned that UK Mobile networks are reaching full capacity. He said that those in rural Wales are likely to suffer if the demand for mobile broadband and internet enabled smart phones continues to rise.

The rise in mobile broadband has overtaken all estimates in the years since it was introduced and now the popularity of smart phones is likely to add to the problems of the already oversubscribed networks. Only a small part of the digital spectrum is currently allocated to mobile broadband. This has left networks struggling to provide the bandwidth to support their customers needs.

“UK users are now seeing the beginnings of a capacity pinch, as data-enabled smartphones and dongles chew through media-rich websites and process more background traffic. But while demand is booming – mobile data usage has grown by more than 1,800% in the UK in the past two years – the frequencies, or spectrum, upon which it and so many other similar services are carried have not.
The laws of physics prevent us from inventing or acquiring new spectrum, but we can release spectrum used for other services.”

The statement by Richards follows the news that the Government's Digital Britain plan has been delayed by three years. The original plan was to provide "broadband for all" by 2012 but the data has been revised following cuts in funding. Richards feels that a larger section of the spectrum needs to be allocated to broadband.

“The switch to all-digital television, completed first here in Wales in March, has freed up some hugely important spectrum that could be used to increase the availability of very fast mobile broadband throughout Wales,” he said. I am absolutely clear that we need to get on and release this, something Ofcom has tried to do in the teeth of fierce resistance from existing mobile operators.
For consumers everywhere, the risk is of a slowing of innovation, and a possible reversal of the downward price pressure. And for users in rural Wales it could mean fewer options for solving their connectivity problems.”

EU Caps Mobile Data Roaming Rates

2010-07-01T10:57:00.004+01:00

Image by Leeks via Flickr

It's a common story: holidaymaker uses the internet on their mobile phone whilst abroad then discovers that they have been charged hundreds of pounds for downloading too much data. Every year it seems that hundreds of travelers are caught out and end up paying huge amounts for what they thought was included in their regular bill. Whilst unlimited* data plans are now the norm most providers charge extra for using mobile internet overseas.

One British student studying abroad in Spain ran up a bill of €9,000 for just one month of data roaming while a German tourist reported being charged €46,000 for downloading a TV programme while holidaying in France. Last year, one Irish holidaymaker ran up a bill of €200 when using his iPhone as a satnav in France. Irishtimes.com

The EU has now stepped in and reportedly 'capped' roaming charges. The truth is slightly more complicated, usage will be limited to €50 after which the customer's connection will be cut off. The connection can be reinstated and higher or lower limits can also be chosen. £40 is still quite a lot to be spending on top of a standard monthly subscription. The maximum charge per mb is also being reduced from €1 to 80 cent.

Hopefully reductions in mobile roaming costs will continue to fall over the forthcoming years. Since 2005 costs have already fallen by 73% as internet use on mobile phones become more widespread. This is great news for consumers who are now used to having internet access at all times via smart phones.

Having an internet enabled phone abroad can be a real help particularly a if it's a smart phone with Applications. Being able to look up car hire information and see your location on Google Maps plus having applications such as the Lonely Planet guide makes things much more straight-forward. It's nice to know that you won't be shocked by an excessive bill on your return home.

3D Games on the HTC Desire

2010-07-01T10:45:00.002+01:00

Video by Memmx

Top 5 Free Mobile Travel Apps

2010-06-13T15:30:00.001+01:00

These day I wouldn't dream of traveling without my mobile phone although I rarely use it to make calls. Built in GPS means that I almost never get lost (unless I stray out of reach of a decent signal) and my collection of Travel apps keep me amused and informed.

An internet enabled mobile phone is also a great guide book and reference tool. Wondering when that Cathedral was built? Looking for a cheap place to eat? Need to work out a currency conversion? Google has all the answers and more.

Below are 5 of the best mobile Apps for travelers all of which are free to download and use. Some of these Apps are available on other platforms, if not there are likely to be alternatives. If you have anything else to add please do so in the comments.

1. Flightview [iPhone] [Blackberry] [Web]

Flightview lets you keep up to date with flight schedules, weather conditions and the status of your flight. Enter your Airport code (LDN, JFK e.t.c) and your flight number for real time information.
"Receive alerts concerning flight status changes, flight delays, flight cancellations and gate assignment changes, whether your app is open or closed. Use the Notes feature to add car hire and hotel reservation numbers, and other important trip information."

2. Google Maps App [web] [mobile]

The most used feature of my phone when I travel, Google Maps lets you see where you are when combined with the built in GPS which most Smart Phones now have. You can find directions and follow your progress on the map in real time. Use the search feature to locate cash points, coffee shops and train stations. You can also read customer reviews of restaurants and hotels to help you make up your mind.

3. Wi-Fi Finder [Web] [iPhone]

Its pretty obvious what this one does but why? Well roaming data rates can be extortionate so using Wifi can save you a lot of money on your return. Also if you happen own a iPod or non 3G iPad then you are reliant on a Wifi connection to get online. If you can find a free Hotspot then it is a much better option than visiting a cyber cafe.

4. Urbanspoon [iPhone]

Urban spoon helps you to choose where to eat which is particularly useful when you find yourself in a new city with no local knowledge. The user interface is a pleasure to use, simply select a location, a type of cuisine and a price range then shake to see what is suggested. If you don't like what come up then just shake again until you get a satisfactory answer.

5. AccuWeather [iPhone]

Being away from home it can be difficult to keep up to date with the weather forecast. When you are traveling the chances are you will be outside a lot of the time and therefore will need to dress appropriately. The AcuuWeather app using you location and gives you a fairly reliable indication of the approaching weather conditions.

Labour Details Broadband Plan

2010-04-14T12:59:00.003+01:00

Yesterday Labour released their 2010 Manifesto in anticipation of the forthcoming election. With the election on the horizon the main political parties all seem hesitant to use the 't' word. Considering the unpopular nature of Labour's proposed 'Broadband Tax' I was interested in seeing if this was mentioned at all.

The Tax is to return should Labour win the election with 50p per month being charged to all homes with landline connections. This is needed, Labour says, in order to cover the cost of providing broadband for all. The Manifesto (PDF link) states that:

Britain must be a world leader in the development of broadband. We are investing in the most ambitious plan of any industrialised country to ensure a digital Britain for all, extending access to every home and business. We will reach the long-term vision of superfast broadband for all through a public-private partnership in three stages:

* first, giving virtually every household in the country a broadband service of at least two megabits per second [2Mbps] by 2012;

* second, making possible superfast broadband for the vast majority of Britain in partnership with private operators, with Government investing over £1 billion in the next seven years;

* and lastly reaching the final ten per cent using satellites and mobile broadband.

The proposed tax would generate £175m per year to improve the coverage and infrastructure of the current broadband system. The 10% of people who live in areas which cannot be reached by normal broadband will be able to connect using mobile broadband. The problem with this theory is that, whilst mobile broadband coverage has improved a great deal, the areas which are not covered are likely to be the remote rural areas which are also not covered by normal broadband.

News Round Up

2010-04-01T16:10:00.005+01:00

Sorry for the recent lack of updates I have been too busy to spend as much time as I would like posting. I lieu of a full post here are some links to interesting articles I have read over the last week or so. There has been a lot of talk lately about the future of Broadband so there is lots to talk about!

Mobile Phone company MTS, are to release thermoresistant SIM cards which are able to withstand temperatures from -40 to +105C. Handy if you live in some kind of freezing wasteland/ scorching desert.
Ferrets are key to bridging the digital divide between cities and rural areas according to one Broadband provider. (Check the byline date)
Broadband 'to reduce the gap between internet and TV'. Will the computer screen become the new television screen?
Gordon Brown want high speed Broadband to 'prevent a digital divide' and yet Labour are trying to rush the Digital Economy Bill through through Parliament before the election.
Ofcom wants cheaper mobile phone calls and easier network switching. In particular they may force providers to make cross-network calls cheaper.
Bangladesh has blocked 1.5 million mobile numbers and tightened regulations for buying and selling SIM cards in order to prevent mobile related crime.

PM Pledges to Provide Fast Broadband for all by 2020

2010-03-22T14:57:00.006Z

Gordon Brown is expected to make an announcement on Wednesday in which he will promise to provide high speed broadband for every house in the country by 2020. The PM is expected to equate broadband with "the electricity of the digital age" and suggest that speeds of over 50mb are to be provided for all.

The idea of 'broadband for all' is not a new one, the Government's Digital Britain Report was published in June 2009 and recommended providing high speeds for all. As I wrote back in July "They believe that broadband is essential for everyone from school children to big business in order to strengthen the economy and reduce poverty. Children from homes without an internet connection tend to get, on average, lower grades. Businesses need fast connections in order to compete with the global market."

If Labour win the next election they plan to create a 'broadband tax' in order to raise money to improve the country's broadband infrastructure. The tax, which has be opposed by the Tories, will take the form of a 50p per month levy on landlines. The PM expects this tax to raise between £175m and £200m per year. Given the easy availability of contract SIMs this could be yet another nail in the coffin of fixed line services.

The Government also plans to move public services online giving each person in the UK a personal webpage from which they will apply for Passports, submit tax claims and claim housing benefit etc. This plan would save the government millions of pounds although it would also result in lost jobs and potential lack of data security.

"Faster broadband speeds will bring new, cheaper, more personalised and more effective public services to people. It will bring games and entertainment options with new levels of sophistication. So one vision for Digital Britain would create two nations: one digitally privileged, one digitally deprived. And this will mean a massive penalty in economic development to those who are denied access because of a failure of government to rise to the challenge where markets fail. The alternative is our vision: ensuring, not simply hoping for, universal coverage."
Gordon Brown

It is not yet clear how Mr Brown intends to provide 'broadband for all'. Previous plans have included expanding mobile broadband coverage to include deprived rural areas, given the speeds expected to be promised mobile broadband alone would not be enough.

Signing Up For The 3G iPad Service Information

2010-03-17T16:40:00.004Z

The iPad prelaunch was a rousing success as far as Apple is concerned. Some 91,000 iPads were pre-ordered on the first day, and market analysts are estimating that Apple will see as much as 500,000 iPads pre-ordered before April 3rd. This coming after they aired their first commercial during the Oscars. If some weren’t interested in an iPad before you saw that commercial, likely their opinion changed pretty quickly. Apple does a good job of polishing their commercials as much as they do their devices. Needless to say, iPad case and accessory makers are frothing at the mouth over this new devices potential.

Along with the launch of the iPad pre-order, Apple also let leak more information about their 3G iPad tablets and how the data service would work. Apparently the 3G iPad tablets aren’t going to be available until later in April. The Wi-Fi on the iPad will support 802.11n for optimal performance. There will be two 3G broadband plans available through AT&T, one allowing up to 250 MB of data for $14.99 and the other allowing unlimited data for $29.99. Apple has made it as easy as pie to spend your money on the service as well- you will be able to sign up for the service directly on your iPad with an easy sign up screen in your preferences. There appears to be no contract necessary so you can cancel at any time, so if you will need more data because you will be traveling, just upgrade your account or enroll on the go. Customers who have the limited plan will get alerts when their allotted credit has 20%, 10%, and 0% remaining. In addition to getting the 3G service users will also get access to AT&T’s 20,000 other Wi-Fi hotspots.

For that price, even we are considering getting a 3G enabled iPad. We’ve tried using our iPhone as a complete replacement for a laptop computer while on the go, and it almost (but not quite) fills that gap. However, Apple’s new tablet has a real possibility of replacing a laptop completely when traveling and on the go, all you need are a couple additional accessories for the iPad like a bluetooth keyboard and iPad stand or cover. If you live a jet set life and are often on the go, then this gem is going to be a real life saver!

Contributed by our friends at iPad Accessories who are the premier source for iPad accessory information on the web. Check out their latest post on the Best Accessories For iPad you will want to think about buying to accompany your newest gem!

Mobile Networks Competing for Apple iPad Exclusivity

2010-03-11T11:45:00.005Z

When Apple launched their latest device, the iPad many were quick to mock. The name and the size of the device seemed comical to most of us and yet interest in the iPad is high and it will no doubt sell like hot cakes. Suddenly people are looking down at their iPhones and iPods and deciding that they are lacking in size, what they really need is some kind of tablet device in a sleek black case without a removable battery.

The cheaper iPad models will, like the iPod touch, only connect to the internet via a Wifi connection. The higher end models will connect via 3G and will therefore require a contract iPad SIM card and a data contract. This has lead to a lot of interest from some of the UKs biggest mobile phone providers who want to sell the iPad. Apple executives are apparently in the country currently meeting with representatives from O2, Orange and Vodafone in order to decide who will be in on the launch.

It is not yet clear if any of the providers will have exclusive dibs on the iPad, although they would no doubt be more than happy to sign an exclusive deal. It is more likely that Apple will choose several of the big suppliers in order to maximize exposure and create competition. With Apple likely to take up to 30% of data revenues (as they do with the iPhone) the margins will be slim but the potential exposure will be great.

Whilst the interest in the iPad was inevitable (chuck an Apple logo on anything and it'll sell) it seems to be an indication of where things are headed. There appears to be a split in the mobile devices available between smart phones/ mobile computers and more basic pay as you go type phones. Most providers now offer free SIM card at one end of the spectrum and very high tech devices at the other end.

Skype Mobile App Comes to the Nokia Ovi Store

2010-03-03T16:05:00.006Z

Nokia's Ovi store was launched in May 2009 and provides Nokia users with access to a variety of free and paid Apps. While it isn't as popular or as extensive as Apple's App store it has been a success and has recently hit 1.5 million downloads a day according to their in-house stats. The increasing sales of Symbian based smartphones has been credited with doubling the amount of monthly registrations during February.

The Ovi Store's latest release is a version of the Skype mobile application for Symbian devices. Whilst this application has been available previously it is expected that it's presence in the Ovi store will lead to an increase in downloads. Skype are hoping that by including their software in the store for free they will be able to increase their popularity amongst the 200 million smartphone users worldwide.

Using Skype's VOIP (Voice Over IP) software to circumnavigate calling cost is not a new idea. Three already offer a dedicated Skype Mobile called the Skypephone S2 and the mobile software is available for iPhone, Blackberry and Android devices. As consumers demand more from devices and tariffs the idea of paying a premium for calls seems less acceptable. With free minutes and VOIP calling it increasingly feels like we are paying for the device rather than our usage.

The fact that mobile phone providers are so happy for their subscribers to use the software shows that they are embracing the changing usage patterns of mobile devices. It seems likely that in the future we wont be carrying around a phone but a mobile computer with the ability to make phone calls. If you compare the early mobile phones with current smart phones you could even say that this has already happened.

Hands On With The HTC Legend

2010-03-03T15:55:00.003Z

HTC are set to release their Legend smart phone in Europe next month (April). The Legend is an updated version of the Hero, and features a case made from a single block of aluminum. Despite this the phone has a removable battery (take that Apple!), it is also slimmer than the Hero.

The Legend is set to feature:

* 3.2 inch HVGA capacitive multi-touch display
* Android 2.1 OS
* 5MP camera with autofocus and LED flash
* Bluetooth
* Accelerometer
* Optical trackpad
* HSPA
* GPS
* Wi-Fi
* 3.5mm headset jack
* Compass
* FM radio

The video preview below comes courtesy of IntoMobile.

The Changing Face of Mobile Contracts

2010-02-22T12:06:00.005Z

It used to be the case that mobile phone contracts lasted 12 months but these days most providers are keen to get you signed up for 18 or 24 months. This makes choosing the right handset and network very important as it can be a big commitment. When selecting a mobile phone we are aware that it's style or function may start to become outdated towards the end of our contract. The benefits of longer contracts for the provider are straightforward: they get more money from you and can rely on your custom for longer. There are also benefits for the consumer which are clear if you compare your first mobile phone to your current model.

The technology available now means that our phone can be used to take (surprisingly high quality) photographs, browse the internet and watch television online. We also have inbuilt GPS and video calling functionality. The handsets we use are worth a lot more than they used to be yet most contracts don't require a fee upfront for the phone. Despite all the increases in handset quality most of us still get a free handset as long as we sign a contract of 12 months or longer. It is also worth pointing out that the amount of minutes and text messages we are allocated tends to increase each year whilst the cost of calls tends to fall. My current contract allows to unlimited text messages and calls to those on the same network.

There are of course cheaper options for those who are unwilling to pay a monthly fee. Pay as you go phones are still popular particularly with those wanting to spend less per month. Pay as you go users are not obliged to sign up for a particular length of time so they can jump ship whenever they want. Pay monthly SIM only deals are also available for those who also have a handset they are willing to stick with but who want a better price for calls.

What ever contract you choose you cannot argue that there isn't enough choice. Now, more than ever before we are able to decide what we want and how much we are willing to pay for it.

Facebook and Google Top Mobile Internet Usage Charts

2010-02-11T12:09:00.004Z

The GMSA and comScore have released the results of their first Mobile Media Metrics report. The report aims to investigate mobile internet usage including which sites are visited and by how many users. The first report has shown some very interesting usage patterns and statistics. Below is a quote from the GSMA explain how the data is collated:

"The GSMA Mobile Media Metrics service is based on anonymised, census-level data for mobile Internet usage across mobile networks, which is augmented with demographic data that has been collected with the consent of a representative sample of mobile Internet users. The Mobile Media Metrics service provides a rich, aggregated view of mobile Internet usage behaviour, enabling market-level analysis of site visitation and engagement metrics, such as page views, time spent on specific sites, and device types and features."

The report discovered that last December about 25% of the UK population accessed the internet via a mobile phone. This is quite a staggering statistic but doesn't come as a huge surprise when you consider that around a fifth of mobile phone subscribers (i.e those on a contract rather than those with a pay as you go mobiles) have a 'smart phone'.

The bulk of the traffic analyzed was unsurprisingly either to Facebook or Google sites. Below is a chart detailing the top 10 sites in terms of minutes spent online via mobile devices (via this Guardian article):

1 Facebook 2.2 bn
2 Google 396m
3 Microsoft Sites 166m
4 Orange Sites 139m
5 AOL (and Bebo) 106m
6 Apple 104m
7 Vodafone 89m
8 BBC sites 84m
9 Flirtomatic 55m
10 Yahoo 49m

Facebook's hits accounted for over a third of all internet visits via mobile phones although the presence of Google at #2 shows that users are going beyond sites they already know.

The State of the Internet

2010-02-09T14:29:00.002Z

Here, for your reading please, is an interesting infographic about the state of the Internet in 2009. The data and fancy graphics are by Focus.

Edit: the image will not embed properly in Blogger so click here to view it.

Samsung Lauches First Dual-SIM Handset

2010-02-08T12:31:00.004Z

Samsung have announced the forthcoming release of their first dual-SIM mobile handset this week. The handset which has been given the snappy title 'B5722' will be the first phone to combine a touch screen with duel SIM capabilities. It will be fist released in India but Samsung will no doubt be planning a worldwide release within 2010.

"The phone boasts of features like a decent 3.2 mega pixel camera, 30 MB memory (expandable to 8 GB with SD card) and a very respectable 14 hours of talk and a 20 day standby time. The B5722 is a GSM+GSM dual SIM phone and the user will be able to use two GSM SIM cards in a single phone. Users can switch from one SIM to another without having to switch off the handset." Techtree.com

The benefits of being able to use two SIMs in one device will be clear to anyone who uses a phone, such as the Nokia E71 which uses multiple 'profiles'. Those with a work phone and a personal handset will also be able to benefit from combining devices. With the proliferation of free SIM card offers and deals with different monthly usages means that using two contract SIMs could be a great money saver also.

Nokia X6 Aims to Rival the iPhone

2010-02-02T17:13:00.004Z

Nokia have released more details about their upcoming handset the X6 which aims to take back some of the smartphone market from other handsets such as the iPhone. The X6 is a touch screen device with audio, video and gaming features which will be marketed as an all round entertainment portal. It has the ability to stream television content via a 3g internet connection along with the normal music playing capabilities.

Nokia are apparently ready to launch their biggest ever marketing campaign in support of the X6 including television spots using the tag line 'Come Get Entertained'. It is clear that Nokia are keen to make a big splash with the X6 and that they are hoping it will be as popular as the iPhone.

As with their other devices Nokia are linking the X6 with their Ovi store with a 'Comes With Music' package. Considering the the CWM service only managed to entice 23,000 users by April 2009, I'm surprised that they are still advertising it.

The Rise of the Second Handset

2010-01-25T10:49:00.006Z

It can be hard to predict sales numbers of gadgets and mobile phones, sometimes a handset can take off and become much more popular than expected. It is clear why some phones are more popular than other, the user interface on the iPhone for instance has made it very popular even (or perhaps especially) with the less technically minded consumer.

Recently a lot of very cheap handsets have become surprisingly popular. The rise of the Smart Phone has meant that most of us have mobile which are capable of web browsing, high quality photos and easy email integration. These phones have become fairly cheap on pay monthly contracts so why are people buying cheap handsets all of a sudden? There have always been people who only want a very basic mobile to make occasional calls but what explains the big rise in sales we have recently seen?

The key is that a large proportion of those buying the bargain handsets also own a fancy Smart Phone as well. These handsets are being used as a cheap back up in situations where the user's main handset has either gone AWOL or is is danger of being damaged. The prevalence of free SIM cards and SIM only deals means that a temporary phone is cheap and easy to set up.

Those going on a night out or even a day out (mountain biking etc) can take a cheap handset with them rather than risking breaking their main mobile phone. The back up can contain their main SIM card or a pay as you go one with a bit of credit on it. If the second handset gets damaged you just take out the SIM card and ditch the casing. Many of us already have an old handset lying around which saves the £20 or so needed for a new one.

Does Your Camera Need a Mobile Broadband Connection

2010-01-15T11:48:00.005Z

Once upon a time you could only connect to the internet with a computer and the most mobile broadband got was moving your PC to the other side of the office. Next came wifi which allowed you to connect anywhere within your own home or even at the local coffee house. These days most people have a mobile phones capable of internet browsing with them at all times so that they can tweet after every bowl movement.

Now that we have the technology to enable small, portable devices to connect at relatively high speeds we can think about what else could be online. The benefits of internet enabled ebook readers are obvious but do you need your fridge to be online? Despite the risks of the Chinese government hacking into your kitchen devices there could be benefits- it could let you know if the temperature changes or if you need to throw out that cheese that is going green.

The number of mobile broadband enabled devices is expected to increase by a factor of 55 by the year 2014. This is likely to cause issues as the mobile broadband infrastructure wasn't built for this amount of traffic. If the infrastructure can be improved we might find that there are a lot of applications for internet enabled devices.

One of the most obvious devices crying out for a broadband connection is the humble digital camera. At the moment cameras are one step behind mobile phones in the it isn't possible to upload your photo directly once you have taken it (although some can handle a wifi connection). The question is are consumers going to pay a monthly fee to have their camera connected to the internet? Will they be able to choose from different providers? Perhaps we will end up paying a monthly fee for all of our devices (hopefully on an unlimited tariff).

Could Mobile Phones Support Economic Growth in Developing Countries?

2010-01-11T12:37:00.004Z

At the recent CES 2010 show in Las Vegas Nokia's chief Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo suggested that mobile phones could help to improve the lives of those in developing countries. At first this statement seems a bit strange as we often think of mobile phones a a luxury rather than a necessity but it isn't perhaps as far-fetched as it might first seem. The suggestion is that mobile phones can benefit those who live in areas without the necessary infrastructure which we associate with a high quality of life.

40 percent of the world population don't have access to banking with micro-banking via mobile devices this figure could be greatly reduced. There is also the potential to increase literacy and eduction via mobile phones. Imagine if there had been an automated Tsunami warning system which updated people via mobile phones during the boxing day Tsunami of 2004. Imagine if families in remote rural location could be in contact with doctors instantly when someone fell ill.

I wont go into great detail here but one you start to think of mobile devices as mini-computers and a way of keeping in touch across great distances the possibilities are endless. The production costs of basic level phones are low and free SIM cards or pay as you go contracts offer a low cost option. The Skype Mobile on Three lets users communicate free of charge via VOIP so topping up isn't even an issue. The communication infrastructure in developing countries may be lacking but as they are currently the biggest growth market this is set to change.

Just What I Don't Need: A Dishwaser Proof Mobile Phone

2010-01-07T14:52:00.004Z

Most mobile phones are at least a bit waterproof as you will know if you have ever made a phone call in the rain. Some phones can even survive falling in a river (or more often a pint of beer) as long as you don't turn them on until they have dried out. Now there is a new phone which can supposedly survive inside a dishwasher.

Quite why you would need to put your phone in the dishwasher is not clear but the latest handset by Seal Shield can cope if you chuck it in there for fun. Seal Shield specialize in making things waterproof including keyboards, TV remotes and (presumably computer) mice. The phone was launched at CES 2010 (the Consumer Electronics Show).

The cell phone is attractive in a rugged adventurous kind of way (like me) and is clearly built to throw around and drop in puddles. It is similar looking to the Sonim XP1and will probably appeal to a similar demographic. A spokesman for Seal Shield suggested that the washable gadget is ideal for the germophobic as it can be easily washed.

Would You Browse for Furniture on your Phone?

2009-12-22T09:21:00.005Z

Every company now seems to feel like they should have a Twitter account and an iPhone app. Where they were once hesitant about going online they are now desperate to appear cool by mastering the latest social networking craze or spending all their money on a fancy website. Having refused to get online until people stopped coming into their shops they are now reaching out via the web and learning fun phrases like Web 2.0, the Tipping Point and Crowd Sourcing.

Both House of Frasier and Ikea have released versions of their 2010 catalogs as iPhone apps. The apps let you browse through what is available in store although it is not actually possible to buy products via the Ikea one (Ikea only deliver to certain areas so online sales aren't their strong point). A lot of the items these companies sell would need to be seen in person (you wouldn't buy a sofa without seeing it) but the apps aim to give customers 'inspiration'.

Some have questioned the usefulness of a phone application when it comes to selling furniture. Bill Westerman, CTO of Create with Context believes that it is unlikely to be cost effective: "The enormous cost of development won’t always be financially sensible. The aim of any app is to tap into customer loyalty, keep shoppers interested in the brand and ultimately make money."

Most people in the UK wont have the ability to use an iPhone application so perhaps retailers would be better off trying to make a really great mobile site. Mobile sites are getting more hits than ever before as more and more phones become able to access the web. A great mobile site would need to be accessible to those with slower connections or at least have high and low bandwidth versions.

Mobile Broadband News on Facebook

2009-12-16T10:04:00.004Z

Mobile Broadband News now has a Facebook page! To keep up to date with new posts just visit Mobile Broadband News on Facebook and click 'Become a fan'. All new posts will now be shown on Facebook as well as here.

You can also follow me on Twitter @Broadband news to see when new posts are published and join in the discussion, I am also on Identi.ca here.

If you have any questions please feel free to get in touch via, you can email me via my Google Profile here.

Thanks for reading,

Simon Grant.

41 Percent Say That Mobile Broadband is their Main Connection

2009-12-14T15:42:00.004Z

Considering that mobile broadband has a reputation as a supplementary technology it comes as quite a surprise that 41% of people who took part in a recent Ofcom poll said that it provided their main connection to the internet. Mobile broadband is typically thought of as an additional way of connecting for those on the move but this has clearly changed.

Most mobile broadband users aren't as mobile as you may imagine, infact 78% predominantly use their dongles at home. This shows us that many mobile broadband users do not have a fixed line connection. The benefits of a mobile broadband dongle go beyond portability particularly for those who do not have a phone line or are looking to save money.

According to Ofcom thosed aged 15-34 are most likely to solely use mobile broadband with 1/10 having a contract. Less well off household are also going for the mobile option with those earning less than £11,500 per year often opting for mobile broadband only. Mobile broadband is clearly maintaining its popularity and looks set to overtake fixed line connections by the end of the year.

Online Music Streaming Becoming Increasingly Popular

2009-12-10T15:15:00.006Z

Once upon a time it would take longer to download a song from the internet than it would to actually play the song. Thankfully things have come a long way since then and music streaming is an everyday reality rather than a far of dream. its safe to say that the internet has had a massive impact on how we buy (or not) and discover music. It has also opened up the possibilities when it comes to how we listen to music.

These days even some pay as you go phones come with music downloads (although the less said about Nokia's Comes With Music the better). Most internet users stream music from Youtube even if they don't subscribe to any online radio stations. A recent study by Rajar has investigated the usage of online radio and found that its popularity is rising rapidly. Last month alone in the UK 4.5 million people listened to online radio compared to 2.9 million in October of last year.

Rajar's Measurement of Internet Delivered Audio Services (Midas) report also showed that listening to podcasts and to listen-again services such as the BBC iPlayer was also growing, but at a reduced pace.

One of the most popular online radio services is Spotify who allow users to stream millions of tracks in exchange for either listening to adverts or paying a monthly subscription. Spotify has some major flaws (its search function is basic at best and discovering new music is a struggle) but it allows you to choose what you listen to which means that it is under your control. Ideally Spotify would take some tips from Last.fm in order to become an interactive community.

Its clear to see why Spotify would be more popular than traditional radio, whatever you listen to chances are you will find something you like on Spotify. In this sense it caters for a much larger potential user base than any commercial radio station could without needing to appeal to everyone. What Spotify really needs in some user interaction so that it is easier to find new artists which are relevant to your tastes and get recommendations from people who like the same things you do.

Skype Launches Live Streaming Experiment

2009-12-04T15:09:00.005Z

In a bid to publicize the ability of their software to make traditional phone calls as well as instant message Skype have employed a man to sit in a deserted part of Spain and answer calls via Skype. A live stream of the event is also available (play the video below and the live stream is then displayed).

Skype users are able to contact 27 year old Rob Cavazos via the website www.phoneboxexperiment.com which also features a live stream (it looks windy in Spain today!) Calls can be made by anyone with credit on their Skype account.

Skype were inspired by the Mojave phone booth which was referred to as the loneliest phonebox in the world before it was removed in 2000. The phone, which was 15 miles from the nearest highway, became an early internet sensation and would regularly receive calls from around the world.

Skype is the most well known of the various VOIP (voice over IP) applications and the most popular with 521 million user accounts in operation. Recent advances have included the Skype Mobile as well as a mobile application available for download here.

Londoners Leave 10,000 Mobile Phones in Taxis Per Month

2009-12-01T14:23:00.005Z

According to a survey commissioned by Credant Technologies each month sees around 10,000 mobile phones left behind in London Taxi cabs. The worst month for phone losses is December as people are more likely to be inebriated enough to not notice their phone slipping out of their pocket. Presumably the reduction in the size of mobile phones make them easier to lose these days.

Many people are lucky enough to be reunited with their phones by a friendly taxi driver. Other will find that the next fare has taken their device never to be seen again. Loosing your mobile phone can be a real hassle and also a cause of concern due to the amount of personal data the average phone contains. If you are a user of pay as you go phones you may loose all your credit as well as your handset. If you have insurance you will be able to get a new handset but what about its contents?

Chances are your mobile phone contains hundreds of photographs, emails and even music tracks that could easily be lost. Even if you have your data backed up at home you are likely to worry about who has your data and what they intend to do with it. If you access social networking sites from your phone its best not to save your passwords unless you want to see somebody else updating your Facebook page. Similarly it is best to log out of applications such as Skype mobile and other IM providers.

The best way to avoid these issues (other than not forgetting your phone) is to keep your phone locked and use a password for access. This also has the benefit of not letting you use your phone unless you are sober enough to put in a password - not more drunk texts! It is also possible to lock or encrypt your memory card so that the data stored on it is safe. There are now applications available which allow you to remotely lock your phone by text message.

Anti Piracy Laws May be Hard to Enforce for Those Using Mobile Broadband

2009-11-27T10:43:00.008Z

Shortly after dinning with music industry big shot David Geffen on his yacht this summer Peter Mandelson suddenly announced plans to crack down on illegal online file sharing. Mandelson plans to criminalise vast swathes of the population and 'throw them off the internet' if they are caught sharing copyrighted material.

Many have suggested that the proposed law is flawed in many ways and seems to contradict the Government's 'Digital Britain' plans. Treasury secretary Stephen Timms claims that the main ISPs are "pretty supportive of where we have now reached" although Talk Talk and BT disagree. There have also been questions raised about the likely cost of the plans and how exactly they will be funded.

Mobile Broadband operators have expressed their concern at the proposed new law and suggested that tracking those who illegally download via a mobile connection may be problematic.

"[ISPs] are not allocating one IP address per customer. They can't backtrack, as things stand, to identify the customer. They would be required to build the databases that would be able to do that mapping, and that would be very costly."

Mobile Broadband Group chief Hamish MacLeod

The databases required would cost the industry around £35m at a time when they are looking to expand coverage and increase speeds. The industry is unsurprisingly not eager to shoulder this cost especially those who specialise in mobile broadband. As mobile broadband download limits can be lower than with fixed line broadband, mobile users are not thought to download as much copyrighted data.

Fring Video Call App Comes to Nokia Phones

2009-11-25T11:55:00.006Z

Mobile phones have had 3G video calling functionality for several years now but it doesn't seem to have taken off. Many of us use use instant messenger applications such as Skype or MSN messenger in combination with a webcam on our laptops or PCs. So far video calling on mobile devices has failed to become widely popular, perhaps due to high usage costs.

Now that VOIP technology has come to mobile devices so we are able to instant message or make internet voice calls for free using applications such as Skype mobile or Windows live messenger mobile. These applications are free to download and free to run if you have unlimited web usage as part of your contract. Even if you have to pay for web access it is likely to work out cheaper than traditional calls. The next step was clearly going to be internet video calling and it would seem that it is now available.

Introducing Fring.

It is now possible to make free Skype video calls via your mobile phone using a service called Fring. Fring is an 'identity-aggregating app' which allows you to contact your friends via different social medias like last.fm, Skype, and Facebook all through one application. So far the video calling option is only avaliable to those with Symbian S60 Nokia phones. For more info see the video by Fing embedded below or visit their blog.

Pay As You Go Mobile Broadband Overtakes Fixed Cost

2009-11-20T14:36:00.003Z

October sales figures have shown that for the first time pay as you go mobile broadband contracts have become more popular than fixed price contacts. According to Broadband-Expert.co.uk 53% of new customers in October chose the pre paid option. This is the first time pay as you go has overtaken fixed usage contracts.

Pay as you go mobile broadband has been increasing in popularity over recent years particularly with infrequent internet users. The ability to only pay for usage rather than fixed monthly fee means that the contracts, like those of pay as you go phones, tend to work out cheaper. They also offer an alternative to the 12-24 month contracts often necessary for prepaid mobile broadband.

Recent years have seen an increase in 'light users' who only go on line occasionally to check their email or use Ebay etc. For these people a fixed line broadband connection is an unnecessary expense and mobile broadband a suitable alternative. Pay as go go offers the most competitive deals and has seen its popularity rise during the recession.

Is Offline Computing a Thing of the Past?

2009-11-18T11:59:00.007Z

Microsoft have announced that their Cloud Computing Platform Windows Azure will 'come out of test mode' in January next year and be fully operational by February. This is a big step for Microsoft who know that they need to have a top notch Cloud Computing (simple explanation) offering in order to compete. It also shows that Cloud Computing is where tech is heading. Although this has been known for some time Microsoft's announcement may well speed things up.

While many are ready to write off Microsoft as an declining icon of computing's last generation, Ozzie sees Microsoft positioned to leapfrog some of the companies that tend to be thought of as the leaders of the cloud computing world--names like Amazon, Salesforce and Google. - Cnet

Most of use use Cloud Computing applications for our personal email accounts with providers such as Gmail or Hotmail. Looking to the future more and more computing will be achieved via a web browser without the need for offline software. Consider the following examples you may already use:

1. Spotify

Spotify allows you to stream music over the internet without having an offline copy. It means that you don't need to carry around your music collection on an mp3 player, you can access it from an internet enabled device.

2. Skype

Skype allows you to instant message your contact over the internet and can be downloaded to a range of web enabled devices. If you use the Skype Mobile or the mobile app you can make VOIP (voice over IP) calls and thus bypass the phones traditional call making technology in order to make free calls.

3. Picnik.com

Picnik lets you edit photos via your web browser. It has all the basic functions the average users needs such as cropping, rotating and adjusting contrast. Once you are done editing your photo you simply download it back to your desktop.

As I said in a comment on a recent Independent article on Azure:

Cloud computing is a great idea (I use various online tools such as Gmail, Picnik and Remember The Milk) but it relies on users having a good connection speed so infrastructure improvements will help it to take off.
If you take Cloud computing to it's logical conclusion all we will need in the future is a device that acts as a browser with no need for offline tools of any kind. You can already see this happening on mobile devices with the increasing popularity of apps like Skype for mobile and Windows Live mobile messenger which bypass the normal call making methods in favor of VOIP calls.

Perhaps the future will see us carrying around mobile web devices with cameras and the ability to make traditional calls may be forgotten. If everything you need to do (or more realistically, want to do) can be handled by online apps all you really need is a portable web browser.

The Decline in Home Phone Usage

2009-11-12T15:19:00.007Z

The use of a fixed line home phone has become less popular as mobile phones have become more widespread. For many a fixed phone line is only necessary in order to receive broadband as calling costs are covered by inclusive minutes as part of a mobile phone contract. Those without an internet connection or with a mobile broadband contract may forgo having a phone line at all.

Not being able to make phone calls whilst on the move was the norm where now the idea seems strange. It seems odd to me that I once only had the ability to go online at home rather than being able to use an internet enabled phone whenever and wherever. The rise in email and applications such as Windows Live Messenger Mobile and the Skype mobile means that most forms of communication are always available.

"Having a landline is about having a commitment to place as much as anything. Mobile phones are about mobility in a much deeper sense than just convenience. It's about not being rooted in the same way as a landline, which gives a feeling of stability."
Ben Highmore, University of Sussex

In 2007 a survey found that 15% of households had at least one mobile phone but no landline. The recessions is likely to have increased this figure as households cut back on what they see as luxuries. Whilst most people seem to be unwilling to stop using the internet altogether mobile broadband can offer savings to those with less frequent usage patterns. Three million UK homes now have a mobile broadband contract and that figure is growing rapidly.

As a recent BBC article on the subject points out those in rented accommodation are reticent about paying £120 to have a phone line activated when that figure could pay for around 8 months worth of mobile broadband. BT is attempting to encourage us to use our home phone for important conversations. Unfortunately for them a lot of mobile phone contracts include unlimited calls and people are unlikely to pay twice for anything during a recession.

Spotify Helps to 'Curb Music Piracy'

2009-11-06T16:29:00.006Z

A recent survey has shown that those who use Spotify to stream songs for free are less inclined to illegally download music. Of those questioned who admitted to illegally downloading two thirds said that using Spotify had encouraged them to reduce the amount they downloaded.

This makes you wonder if people want to own music or just want access to it? Now that it is possible to download almost any album for free has owning a collection lost its appeal? CD sales continue to fall whilst legal downloads become more and more popular. It will be interesting to see if the popularity of music streaming will have a negative effect on legal mp3 sales.

Whilst users with a free Spotify account cannot own or stream songs offline they can have round the clock access. Those with a premium account can stream offline and on mobile devices such as the iPhone or the HTC Hero for £10 a month. So far the mobile app is only available with a monthly contract rather than on pay as you go phones so bandwidth limits are not an issue.

Legal downloads continue to rise in popularity with Amazon's mp3 store being a positive example. It has become the second most popular provider of mp3s behind iTunes perhaps due to its household name and lack of DRM crippled files. As CD retailers close their doors it is clear that the music industry needs to change its model. Spotify may well be leading the change.

TalkTalk Criticize Broadband Tax Plans

2009-11-02T10:18:00.004Z

The Government 's plans to introduce a broadband tax in order to cover the cost of providing 'broadband for all' has been criticized by telecoms company TalkTalk. The planned tax, announced as part of the Digital Britain report, would cost users around £0.50 per month and is likely to be leveled at those receiving fixed line broadband.

TalkTalk's chief executive Charles Dunstone (who seems to enjoy being provocative) has said that the £6 per year tax could force low-income households to give up their internet connections:

"This is an unjust and regressive tax on all phone customers which will subsidise mostly richer rural households that can afford high priced super fast broadband services. As well as being unfair we estimate that the increase in price will mean that over 100,000 mostly low income homes will be forced to give up their broadband lines. This is wholly inconsistent with the government's plans to tackle digital exclusion."

Whilst it is admirable to defend those who are on low incomes who stand to gain from having a broadband connection, the figures just don't add up. An extra 50p per month is unlikely to dissuade people from getting connected. Cheaper alternative such as pay as you go mobile broadband are available and the benefits of an internet connection are hard to ignore.

Only 10% of people polled by Ofcom this summer intended to cut back on broadband costs. With the money people are able to save by shopping online a broadband connection could pay for itself.

BT have previously suggested that the tax be paid by those who own a mobile phone in order to spread the cost. The Conservatives have opposed broadband taxation so the outcome of the general election might decide the fate of the tax.

Three Mifi Mobile Broadband Router Goes on sale

2009-10-28T15:42:00.005Z

I reported the launch of Three's MiFi mobile router back in August. The device is now on sale and Three have announced details of the price plan it is available on. Firstly a quick recap for those who missed the original post:

Traditional Wi-Fi connections are only found in fixed locations such as coffee shops, train stations or at home. They allow users to connected wirelessly but require a wired connection to a telephone line for the incoming signal. The Mi-Fi will use mobile broadband technology to connect allowing users to set up ad-hoc networks anywhere they can receive a signal.

The Mifi is currently available on a monthly rolling contract for £15 per month with a cost of £69.99 for the device itself. The alternative for those looking to simultaneously connect multiple devices is to buy several pay as you go mobile broadband dongles. Users of the Mifi only pay one monthly fee regardless of how many devices they connect.

More details about the Mi-fi including up to date contract information can be found on the three site's Mi-Fi page.

Business Mobile Broadband Sector Continues to Grow

2009-10-27T15:14:00.006Z

The first section on the population to fully embrace mobile broadband was business users. Portable dongles were originally aimed at those who spend their life on the road going to meetings and needing to check and send documents on the move. A recent report by ABI Research has predicted that business take up will continue to grow despite the state of the economy.

ABI expect business subscriptions to increase by 17% next year despite many companies having to cut back on outgoings. It seems that mobile broadband is considered a necessity rather than a luxury. Eastern Europe and the Middle East have been highlighted as key areas for growth of the mobile data business market. Even subscriptions in the UK are expected to continue to rise in the coming years despite the recession.

Spotify Comes to the HTC Hero

2009-10-23T11:10:00.005+01:00

The Spotify iPhone App was released back in July for premium subscribers. It allows users to stream an unlimited amount of free music via their mobile phone for £9.99 per month and includes the ability to create offline playlists.

The Spotify catalog includes over 5 Million tracks from 375,209 artists. Users can sign up for free although the service is temporarily invite only at the moment. Free users are unable to connect via mobile phone.

Spotify have recently announced that they are now working with Mobile Phone provider 3 to bring the Spotify mobile app to the HTC Hero. So far only customers with a HTC Hero on a 24 month contract will be able to use the app which is being launched next month.

Three also hinted that their deal with Spotify will eventually extend to other products including mobile broadband. Presumably Spotify streams will be excluded from monthly download allowances for mobile broadband customers. Three have previously embraced Skype's VOIP technology so they clearly aren't afraid to move with the times.

Smart Phone Etiquette

2009-10-21T16:42:00.004+01:00

Ours is the first generation to grow up with the mobile phone and the internet. We now have the internet in our hands in the form of the smart phone but when isn't it smart to use your phone? Can you check your emails in company without causing offense?

A report commissioned by Intel has investigated people's attitudes to smart phone usage and found that most people are still uncomfortable if you use your phone in their company. 69% of participants thought that mobile phones should stay in the pocket in company. Only 60% thought that going online or using your phone during a date was bad manners.

Half of those asked thought that going on line at the dinner table was a no-no. The other half aren't welcome at my house! The worst offenders in my opinion are those strange people who think that it is okay to play music out loud via their mobile phone's speaker in public. These people tend to have bad taste in music along with poor judgment.

Prince Charles Concerned by 'Broadband Deserts'

2009-10-19T10:55:00.004+01:00

The Prince of Wales writing in The Telegraph has expressed his concern at the lack of mobile broadband coverage in rural Britain. Charles, who set up the Rural Action Programme following the Foot and Mouth outbreak in 2001, believes that rural areas need high speed broadband in order to prosper.

"...there is no doubt that our countryside remains in crisis and we have to continue to find new ways to help. The provision of services – without which no community can survive, let alone flourish – must be central to our efforts. And it has become clear that one of those services – the lack of access to high speed broadband – is putting many of those who work in rural communities at a severe disadvantage."

Mobile broadband has been suggested as the solution to the problem of limited fixed line broadband penetration in rural areas. The Government's aim of 'Broadband for all by 2012' as part of the Digital Britain Report is reliant on increasing mobile broadband coverage. Currently about 2 million people in rural areas are not able to receive broadband of 2mbps or above.

The Prince said that access to broadband would help to support businesses, schools individuals in rural areas. He describes "broadband deserts" where no signal is available and warned that without broadband more farmers would have to abandon their livelihoods.

Mobile Broadband is Mostly Being Used at Home as an Alternative to a Fixed Line

2009-10-15T15:46:00.003+01:00

Mobile broadband used to be mostly sold as a portable way to access the internet. Before the Blackberry became popular having a pay as you go mobile broadband dongle meant that you could check your emails when you were out of the office or on a train. Business men and women where the core market and you certainly didn't get a free laptop.

Recent research by Virgin Media has shown that 78% of their mobile broadband customers predominantly use their dongles at home. This shows how the mobile broadband market has changed; these days it is often seen as a cheaper and easier alternative to having a phone line. Why pay to have a phone line installed and then pay a monthly fee if you have an inclusive mobile phone contract? Why buy a laptop when you can get one for free with mobile broadband?

There are of course reasons why some people stick with fixed line broadband (lets not get into that debate now). People who rent or don't have much of a disposable income are increasingly choosing the mobile option. The fact that they aren't being as mobile with their laptop doesn't surprise me, particularly with the rise in Smart Phones that have a decent 3g connection.

3 Wins Best Mobile Broadband award

2009-10-12T12:22:00.002+01:00

3 Mobile has won the best mobile broadband award at this year's Mobile Choice Consumer Awards. Three's 15GB tariff beat off the competition to take first prize for the best monthly package. Three offer a Samsung N130 netbook, mobile broadband dongle with 15GB data allowance and 100 free texts for £25 a month.

"We are delighted to be recognised as winners for our Mobile Broadband year on year and to be able to offer our customers deals that are great value for money," Marc Allera, sales and marketing, Three.

TheMobile Choice Consumer Awards also include categories for Phone of the Year, Tariff of the Year and Best High Street Retailer. The winners are decided by the readers of Mobile Choice.

T-Mobile and Orange Merger Could be Delayed

2009-10-12T11:25:00.002+01:00

The merger of two of Britain's biggest telecoms providers is likely to be delayed whilst it is investigated by the Office of Fair Trading. The merger which was made public last month would create a company with a 37% stake of the mobile phone market in the UK and reduce the number of large providers to four.

The Guardian reports that the merger has been refered to EU regulators by the OFT and could be delayed. Consumer groups have been vocal in oposing the merger which they say will lead to reduced competition in an already limited market. Proposed reglations could mean that several of the main providers could be forced to sell of parts of their mobile spectrum to avoid any one company having too large a share.

The 3G spectrum needs improvement if the Governments pladge of 'broadband for all by 2012' is to be met. The Government has called on mobile broadband providers to increase their coverage to areas that cannot recieve fixed line broadband. (The Guardian article linked above claims that providers will have to 'plug the gaps in existing fixed-line infrastructure with wireless broadband'. They seem to be confusing Wireless broadband (which uses a wireless router plugged into a phone line) with Mobile Broadband) . If no single company is allowed a larger share of the spectrum this increase in coverage will have to have the backing of each of the main providers.

Carphone Warehouse CEO Charles Dunstone Says that 'Mobile Broadband has Peaked'

2009-10-09T11:59:00.005+01:00

The CEO of The Carphone Warehouse (and Talk Talk) Charles Dunstone believes that Mobile Broadband 'has peaked' and is being deserted by consumers. Speaking to The Guardian he said that:

"We get a sense that the mobile broadband thing has peaked. We are seeing some of those people begin to realise that the bandwidth you get on mobile is so much less than you get on a fixed line. Mobile broadband is increasingly a supplementary rather than a substitutional thing, and an increasing proportion of Carphone sales are of pre-pay dongles."

I was amazed to read this particularly after a report released earlier in the week stated that mobile connections are set to overtake fixed line subscriptions by the end of the year. As I mentioned on Twitter Mobile Broadband take up has doubled in the past year alone which makes Dunstone's comments seem at best misinformed.

He makes a good point about a lot of mobile dongle sales being to fixed line customers but the suggestion that mobile broadband has peaked seems way off. Those of us who have grown up with mobile phones see little point in having a landline and if mobile broadband speeds increase it could do serious damage to sales of traditional broadband subscriptions.

Some of the networks are clearly struggling to cope with infrastructure not yet ready for so many connections and will be forced to improve. The pay as you go mobile broadband market is very competitive so whom ever can offer their customers the best speeds and most reliable connection is set to do well.

I would be very interested to see any statistics Mr Dunstone can provide to back up his argument. As ISP Review says "every other piece of research we've seen has appeared to communicate the opposite conclusion."

Mobile Broadband to Overtake Fixed Line Connections by The End of the Year

2009-10-07T12:40:00.004+01:00

Mobile broadband subscriptions (including high speed internet connections on mobile phones) are expected to reach 600 million by the end of the year. Fixed line subscriptions look set to reach 500 Million. That means for the first time ever there will be more mobile broadband connections than those operating via a phone line.

The scale of mobile broadband take-up is staggering, the International Telecoms Union reported a 50% increase in subscriptions over the last year alone. Mobile subscriptions are expected to reach 4.6 Billion by the end of the year so clearly the percentage of mobile phones with high speed internet access remains low. Pay as you go mobile broadband and free laptop deals continue to grow in popularity.

the increase in connections could be negative for the consumer in the short term but will lead to improvements in infrastructure likely to benefit all users in the long term. Increased demand will see the current 3g infrastructure strained but improvements will be made. Whilst even the best mobile broadband can fall behind fixed line in terms of speed consumers will expect improvements and providers will be looking to proved them.

Three Offers 15GB Mobile Broadband for £15

2009-09-30T16:02:00.004+01:00

Mobile Broadband provider Three are now offering 15GB of data per month for £15. The deal is avaliable for those who sign up to a 24 month pay monthly contract. This is perhaps Three's best mobile broadband offer for those willing to comit to a long term contract.

Most mobile broadband contracts offer around 3-5GB for £15 so this latest offer will appeal to those who are 'heavy' users. There is nothing worse than going over your monthly alowance and being charged an arm and a leg for a few mb of data so the 15gb limit will appeal to some.

Hopefully this offer will lead to a 'price war' between the main providers. If a company wants to keep its customers during such shakey financial times they need to offer great value epecially for luxurys such as mobile broadband. Three seem to know this, lets just hope the others are paying attention.

Vodafone Criticized for Download Speed Discrepancies

2009-09-28T10:25:00.010+01:00

A recent report by Broadband Expert investigated the actual download speeds customers can expect to recieve with each of the main mobile broadband providers. It will come as no surprise to anybody that users are unlikely to experience 'up to...' speeds often quoted.

Vodafone in particular was singled out for criticism, not because their mobile broadband was particularly slow, but because they claimed to provide speeds of up to 7.2Mbps. Despite this tests carried out resulted in speeds of around 1mbps. Most providers quoted speeds of up to 3.6mbps about 3 times faster than the average speeds experienced during tests.

Vodafone's claims to offer speeds up to twice as fast as their competitors was disputed by Broadband Expert. Vodafone have responded to the report by claiming that "reliability and consistency were more important to customers than speed" which begs the question: why are they advertising such high potential (but unrealistic) speeds?

Whilst the best mobile broadband is reliable and consistent nobody wants consistently lower than advertised speeds. Mobile broadband providers should not, in my opinion, be allowed to advertise speeds that less than 25% of users can expect to receive.

This is not the first time Vodafone's claims have been questioned. An advert they created featuring a mobile broadband dongle as a rocket with the tag line "The fastest, most reliable mobile broadband in the galaxy" was disputed by the Advertising Standards Authority and had to be pulled.

Broadband Tax To Be Law By Next Election

2009-09-24T09:59:00.004+01:00

The minister for Digital Britain Stephen Timms has said that the new broadband tax will be law by the time the election comes around. Speaking at a debate in London Mr Timms said that the tax is still a priority and will be 'presented to parliament as part of the Finance Bill'.

The proposed tax which aims to raise cash to improve the nations broadband infrastructure will cost those with fixed phone lines 50 pence per month. The idea for the broadband tax was proposed in the Digital Britain report in order to finance the government's plan to provide 'broadband for all' by 2012.

Those without a fixed line will not have to pay the tax another reason why mobile broadband is best when it comes to saving money if not for download speeds. Pay as you go mobile broadband users will be able to avoid the tax which may help to provide them with a fibre optic connection (eventually).

The tax has proved to be controversial with the Conservatives saying that they would oppose it. Some have said that broadband providers should foot the bill as they stand to profit from increased broadband coverage whilst others have questioned the ability of a 50p tax to pay for a fibre optic network.

Steve Weller of uSwitch.com says that the proposed tax is 'a classic case of robbing Peter to pay Paul.'

"We are talking about a digitally dependent economy and society, and as such, the Government should be looking to share the burden across businesses and consumers alike."

Starbucks in the UK Offer Free Wifi to Loyal Customers

2009-09-23T17:09:00.004+01:00

Starbucks has followed the lead of Pret-a-Manger in offering customers free Wifi in their stores. The Wi-Fi will be provided by BT Openzone and will be in 650 branches in the UK. In order to connect customers will need to sign up for a Starbucks reward card. Reports so far suggest that this will allow them unlimited acess.

Those with Wifi enabled laptops and mobile phones will be able to benefit from the service whilst they sip over-roasted coffee.

New Peugeot To Include In-Car Internet

2009-09-21T15:56:00.001+01:00

We all know that the internet is moving away from the computer and into our everyday lives. 3G enabled mobile devices mean that we need never be offline (unless we are unfortunate enough to wander into a 'notspot'.

Peugeot have decided that their new 5008 needs an in-car Wifi router so that multiple devices can connect to the internet during those long tedious car journeys. No specific technical details have been released yet but it looks like the device will be an inbuilt router which will connect to a mobile broadband 3G network via a USB dongle.

It remains to be seen how useful an in-car router will be considering that most internet devices may soon have inbuilt mobile connections. If two people wish to connect and you have a pay as you go mobile broadband contract I guess it would be suitable.

Students Boost Pay As You Go Mobile Broadband Sales

2009-09-17T11:16:00.003+01:00

Pay as you go mobile broadband is perfect for students. Having a fixed line connection in rented accommodation is expensive and can be a pain to organize so mobile broadband is an obvious choice. A pay-as-you-go contract means not having to pay for anything other than what you use, no point paying for mobile broadband during the summer if your parents have a traditional fixed line broadband connection after all.

Tesco's Telecoms division has just reported that they have seen a 71% increase in takeup for their flexible pay as you go mobile broadband which coinsided with the begining of the University year. Tesco sells mobile broadband contracts with a selection of providers including Orange and O2 including pay as you go and pay monthly contracts.

Vodafone Launch Wireless Mobile Broadband Router

2009-09-17T10:13:00.005+01:00

Vodafone has launched a wireless mobile broadband router with the snappy title 'Vodafone Mobile Broadband Hotspot'. The VMBH will allow users to set up WiFi networks for multiple devices all using a single Mobile Broadband signal.

The device would seem to be similar to 3's MiFi which was launched last month which also allows multiple devices to get online via mobile broadband using a wireless connection. The routers are aimed at business users or those in larger households without a phone line. Only those receiving the best mobile broadband signal will be able to reliably connect more than one laptop and still receive decent download speeds.

“The Vodafone Mobile Broadband Hotspot offers mobile professionals, students and families a one-touch connectivity solution that turns Wi-Fi-enabled devices such as MP3 players and laptops into connected mobile internet devices,”
Huw Medcraft Vodafone mobile broadband director.

The device itself has been named the MiFi 2352 which sounds similar to 3's MiFi. It will be interesting to see if 3 have trademarked the MiFi name and if so what action they take.

3 Billion Mobile Broadband Users by 2014?

2009-09-09T12:18:00.003+01:00

There could be 3 billion mobile broadband subscribers by the year 2014 according to the CEO of telecoms company Ericsson. Hans Vestberg was speaking at the Broadband World Forum in Paris when he made the prediction. Vestberg says that although mobile broadband is only in 1 in 10 homes so far Ericsson are expecting this figure to rise dramatically.

"It's a fantastic growth we can see in front of us"

Mr Vestberg added that "there are currently four billion mobile phone users and that this is likely to rise by three billion in the next five years". The stats quoted include multiple those who own multiple SIMs taking into account the fact that some households have several mobile phones, pay as you go mobile broadband and traditional fixed line broadband.

Orange and T-Mobile to Merge

2009-09-08T12:58:00.003+01:00

As predicted on this very blog Orange and T-Mobile are to join forces to become the largest mobile telecoms company in the UK. The deal has been announced but has yet to be checked by the relevant regulatory bodies. The new company will start with 28.4 million customers and around 37 percent of the market. No details about branding have yet to be released but T-Mobile has been under performing lately and insiders have suggested that this deal has saved them from certain doom so I wouldn't be surprised in their brand name is let go.

This means that the Big Five mobile phone companies in the UK are now to become the Big Four with O2, 3 and Vodafone making up the numbers. Some have speculated that this could have a negative effect on consumers. Whilst the new Orange/T-Mobile hybrid will no doubt be able to offer increased coverage for mobile and mobile broadband it reduces the amount of competition in the UK market which could have an influence on prices.

Whilst the merger will cost the newly formed company it will also allow them to drastically reduce costs. Duplicate base stations and retail outlets will be closed and staff costs reduced. Most large towns have both an Orange and a T-Mobile shop and there will be no need for these to both remain open. Those who are already signed up with one of the companies are likely to see signal and coverage improvements.

The End of the Mobile Broadband Dongle?

2009-09-03T16:33:00.003+01:00

Whilst mobile broadband continues to increase in popularity the future of the 'dongle' looks like it might be at risk. The trusty USB accessory might become a thing of the past, confined to the internet rubbish heap alongside dial up modems.

The GSM Association and Microsoft recently collaborated on a study into the possibility of creating laptops with built in mobile broadband receivers. This would bypass the need for wireless dongles in a similar manner to how built in wireless receivers have taken over from USB powered wifi dongles.

This latest development shows how much faith the GSMA are putting into mobile broadband as The Future of the Internet. They see pay as you go mobile broadband and a service for all internet users rather than just businessmen and those without access to a phone line. If mobile broadband speeds and reliability continue to increase a fixed line may become an obsolete idea after all who actually uses their home phone to make calls?

Mandelson To Discuss Broadband Access with The Big Five

2009-09-02T10:42:00.004+01:00

Lord Mandelson has announced plans to organize a meeting with the five main mobile broadband operators in the UK to discuss broadband access. The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills is possibly looking to speed up the spread of mobile broadband coverage to rural areas in order to meet the targets set out in the Digital Britain report.

Mandelson will meet with Vodafone, O2, Orange, T-Mobile and 3 who between them provide pay as you go mobile broadband to 1 in 10 households in the UK.

The Government aims to provide 'broadband for all' by 2012 although if Mandelson has his way and those who illegally download music and films have their broadband connection taken away from them this could be a challenge. The proposed move would criminalise a large percentage of the population and would make 'broadband for all' impossible. Lord Mandalson recently decided that illegal downloading should be stopped days after meeting with David Geffen, founder of Asylum Records and DreamWorks although those events cannot be connected because that would mean that Mandelson was corrupt.

Mobile broadband Tax Plan May Be Scrapped

2009-08-25T12:27:00.002+01:00

As previously mentioned the Government has been planning a broadband tax in order to raise money to help provide 'broadband for all' by 2012. The idea of a planned tax was first put forward in the Digital Britain report as money is needed to improve the broadband infrastructure including the provision of better quality mobile broadband services to rural areas.

The planned tax would be paid by all those with a broadband connection and would be around 50p per month. Some have criticized the plan as they do not feel that the public should be funding infrastructure improvements when it will be the broadband providers who will stand to profit in the long run. Others have said that the tax is unlikely to raise enough money to make a real difference.

Speaking to The Times the Communications Minister Stephen Timms said:

“If the question is, is the levy definitely going to be legislated for this side of the election, I can’t say for sure. Things that are contentious will have to be left until after the election”

The Conservatives have said that they are against the broadband tax so the outcome of the election could decide the future of the tax. The debate will no doubt continue in the meantime.

3 announces 170 per cent rise in mobile broadband subscriptions

2009-08-18T15:17:00.003+01:00

The telecoms provider Three has recently announced that it has seen a 170% increase in new mobile broadband subscriptions for the first half of 2009. The company currently has 3.8 million mobile broadband customers between their fixed monthly and pay as you go options.

Three's revenue has increased by 2% making them one of the only major broadband companies to record a profit this year. It seems that only the best mobile broadband offers will attract customers during a recession. The average spend of most of Three's customers has gone down but they have attracted new customers to their mobile broadband offering.

50 Million Mobile Broadband Users Predicted in the Middle East by 2013

2009-08-17T14:26:00.004+01:00

Mobile phone ownership rates are high in the Middle East and rising fast, in the UAE for example the penetration rate is 198.6 percent meaning there are on average two handsets per person. The latest worldwide success story in the telecoms world is undoubtedly mobile broadband and predictably it is taking off fast in the Middle East.

It has recently been predicted by Informa Telecoms & Media that mobile broadband subscription levels in the region could reach 50 million by 2013. To put this is perspective this would be more people connecting via a mobile broadband dongle than currently connect by any method.

"In the MEA region, there is no doubt that mobile broadband adoption will grow faster than the global average. We have observed that in some of the regional markets, mobile broadband services are attracting the majority of net additions. Very soon, mobile broadband will become the preferred option to access the internet, and I would estimate that by 2015 the total number of subscribers will reach 50 million."

Zoran Vasiljev of Value Partners

The lack of infrastructure in the Middle East means that mobile broadband is seen as a good alternative to a fixed line connection. As the coverage levels and speeds increase data traffic is expected to raise by 1,587 percent. The flexibility and portability of the best mobile broadband packages make them a big hit with business customers in the east.

"Mobile broadband has been a true success story over the past two to three years, and mobile data and wireless subscriptions will overtake fixed line data subscriptions in both numbers of customers and in revenue. The ever-growing and unmet demand for access coupled with lack of fixed infrastructure investments (improvements) have contributed to this trend and I do not see this changing or reversing. Demand for mobile broadband will exceed that of fixed line services."

The report also suggests that mobile broadband subscriptions will overtake fixed line connections globally by the year 2011. 65% of connections are expected to be mobile by 2013.

Television Channels Try Free Content As Online TV Usage Increasing

2009-08-13T11:57:00.002+01:00

Another day, another broadband study, this time about those who watch television programs online. For those of us who are old enough to remember dial-up watching full length TV programs online without any significant loading time still seems amazing. Now that speeds have increased around 15% of those 'with a reliable broadband connection' use the BBC's iPlayer service to watch programs online.

Television channels are starting to realize that they need to put their content online for free in order to reach viewers who are watching less television. They know that if they don't offer their content online somebody else will and they might as well be getting the ad revenue. Channel 4 have recently put a large percentage of their back catalog online via their 4OD service after failed experiments with an online pay-per-view service.

The stats from this study would seem to contradict those of a recent study by YouGov into online viewing. 53% of those asked by YouGov said that they would not watch more online TV even if they had a faster, more reliable connection. Whatever the stats say it seems to me that the idea of watching a program at a fixed time via a television will one day seem as old fashioned as dial-up.

Broadband Increasingly Popular in Rural Wales

2009-08-11T15:33:00.001+01:00

Ofcom's recent survey showed that broadband take up has continued to increase despite the recession. Connections are up 10% from last year with around 68% of households being online and 1 in 10 having a mobile broadband contract. The stats for Wales show an even bigger increase in connections with 30% more households getting online within the past 12 months.

Those in rural Wales are slightly more keen with 60% having a broadband connection compared to 58% of city dwellers. This goes to show that broadband coverage is perhaps more wide ranging than previously thought. Ofcom's coverage maps would seem to suggest that most of rural Wales is not covered by a 3G signal from any of the main providers. Despite this 11% of the Welsh population are using mobile broadband including those outside of the main urban areas.

Orange Launches Mobile Broadband Contract for Under £5 Per Month

2009-08-10T09:51:00.003+01:00

The mobile broadband industry suffered some negative press recently when Ofcom released it's data about average download speeds and coverage. The average speed achieved is actually considerably less that the 'up to' speeds normally advertised. This will come as no big surprise to most but Ofcom argued that the main providers should be more clear about the speeds customers are actually likely to experience.

Orange has attempted to get customers back on side by offering a new low cost pay monthly mobile broadband package. The contract is the first to be offered for under £5 per month and comes with a free dongle. Users are tied in for 18 months giving a total cost of around £90.

Other new contracts recently released offer pay as you go and even month-by-month mobile broadband contracts. There is now a much wider range of contracts on offer to the 9/10 homes which have yet to sign up for mobile broadband.

The downside to Orange's new contract is that is only offers a meager 500mb monthly download limit. This might be enough to check your emails and browse occasionally but it wouldn't last long for most users. The deal is only being offered to those who already have a fixed line broadband or mobile phone contract with Orange.

Mobile Broadband Provider 3 Unveils Mi-Fi

2009-08-06T17:15:00.004+01:00

Mobile broadband provider 3 has announced plans to launch a new device which they hope will change the way we connect to the internet. The device which has been named the Mi-Fi acts like a mobile Wi-Fi modem allowing multiple users to connect anywhere.

Traditional Wi-Fi connection are only found in fixed locations such as coffee shops, train stations or at home. They allow users to connected wirelessly but require a wired connection to a telephone line for the incoming signal. The Mi-Fi will use mobile broadband technology to connect allowing users to set up ad-hoc networks anywhere they can receive a signal.

The device is aimed at both home and business users and will potentially be useful as a back-up connection when fixed line connections fail.

Consumers Choose Mobile Broadband Over Holidays and New Clothes.

2009-08-06T16:53:00.003+01:00

Ofcom have released the results of their latest survey and once again it shows just how popular broadband had become. The results show that whilst the Recession has affected people's spending habits a broadband connection is still seen as a necessity rather than a luxury. Consumers were asked what they had cut back on in order to save money in these economically tough times and most were unwilling to give up their internet connection entirely.

47% of those who responded to the survey said that the would cut back on going out for dinner and 41% said they would cut back on holidays in order to save. A quarter said that they would spend less on new clothes and 19% planned to spend less on their mobile phone. In contrast only 10% planned to cut back on broadband.

Around 68% of households now have a broadband connection, up 10% from last year. Mobile Broadband is the fastest growing sector with around a quarter of a million new connections this May alone. This means that just over 1 in 10 households now have a mobile broadband contract which is amazing when you consider that the technology is only a few years old.

The perceived lack of money means that consumers are becoming increasingly interested in getting better deals particularly when it comes to long term pay as you go mobile broadband packages. This will no doubt benefit those with the best mobile broadband packages but those who's offers are less competitive stand to lose out.

New Broadband Test Gives Hope To Those In Rural Not-Spots.

2009-08-03T11:32:00.004+01:00

A test network has brought Broadband to those living on the remote isle of Skye in Scotland. The network was created by The University of Edinburgh in conjunction with the Highlands and Islands project in order to show that a quick and reliable broadband connection is possible in remote rural areas. It was created using a low-cost ring of wireless phone relays connected to the current internet connection at the Sabhal Mor Ostaig college.

The Government has pledged to provide 'Broadband for all' by 2012 as part of the Digital Britain project. This includes rural areas where fixed line and mobile broadband are not currently available. Bringing broadband to these areas is vital and, it would seem, not as difficult as once thought.

"Access to the internet is fast becoming a basic utility in cities, but in rural areas it is often unavailable. People living remotely need web access to run businesses, use mail order, to access educational support, or to contact friends and family. Broadband speed is doubly important in remote areas where radio, TV and telephones may not work well. Our study shows how high-speed access can be made available to remote areas."
Prof Peter Buneman, Edinburgh University.

Many areas of Scotland are still without an internet connection in part due to lack of investment. Broadband providers are unlikely to recoup costs from sparsely populated areas so government funding is vital. This test shows that providing coverage to rural areas is possible but further research and funding will be needed if the government is to meet it's target by 2012.

1 In 4 People Don't Know Their Mobile Broadband Download Limit

2009-08-03T09:46:00.007+01:00

One of the most important factors to be taken into consideration when choosing a Mobile Broadband contract is the monthly download limit. It can be difficult to estimate what your average monthly usage will be but it is important to get the right allowance. Those who use the internet to check emails and make occasional purchases are likely to be 'light' users. Those who download music, stream videos and use the internet daily will need a higher limit to avoid incurring costs.

Going over your download limit can result in surprising large charges which are more like fines than payment for extra usage. In fact O2 has been criticized for charging a whopping £200.70 per extra GB. To put it in context that would get you about 12 months of Mobile Broadband with most providers. The cost of providing extra bandwidth does not justify this fee which O2 have referred to as 'a deterrent'.

A recent survey has shown that around 25% of Mobile Broadband users don't know what their download limit is. This puts them at risk of incurring a charge for every extra MB used. Most providers inform their pay as you go or fixed contract users when they are nearing their limit although this shouldn't be relied upon. Those looking to sign up for Mobile broadband can estimate their monthly downloads using Three's Data Usage Calculator.

Can Mobile Broadband Help The Govenment Provide 'Broadband For All'?

2009-07-24T10:48:00.004+01:00

The Government has pledged to provide 'broadband for all' by 2012 as part of the Digital Britain project. They believe that broadband is essential for everyone from school children to big business in order to strengthen the economy and reduce poverty. Children from homes without an internet connection tend to get, on average, lower grades. Businesses need fast connections in order to compete with the global market.

At the recent Broadband For All seminar Phil Sheppard, who is the Director of Technical Solutions at Three, said that he believes that Mobile Broadband can be used to get the country connected. He suggested that if Mobile Broadband providers were given access to more of the digital spectrum they would be able to create enough high-speed coverage to help the Government to reach their goal.

“Mobile Broadband tends to be capable and commercially capable of providing the 2Mbps broadband universal service commitment and is an extremely efficient way of doing it. It is very cost effective, it actually doesn’t need government funding, what it needs is access to spectrum, that’s the key”.

The allocation of empty areas of the spectrum (such as that which will be freed up by the switch from analogue television) is causing a lot of debate amongst mobile broadband companies. Hopefully the Government and the Digital Britain Group will take the bait and work with the providers to increase coverage and speed. Those in rural areas could benefit greatly if more of the digital spectrum is given over to Mobile Broadband.

American Mobile Broadband Usage Rises

2009-07-24T10:14:00.003+01:00

As I have mentioned previously Mobile Broadband has taken off in a big way. An increasingly large percentage of the population connects via a mobile device and the demographic continues to widen. Until now there has been less information available about mobile broadband take-up in America. A new report from the Pew Research Center has changed that.

The report shows that mobile connections are continuing to increase in popularity in the USA. Around 56 percent of American Adults have used a mobile connection in 2009 in 2007 this figure was around 25 percent. It is worth noting that the research includes connections via 3G mobile devices for instance high-end mobile phones. The launch of the iPhone has helped to popularize internet enabled portable devices and gone part of the way to banishing the terrible memories of WAP connection and tiny screens.

"Mobile access strengthens the three pillars of online engagement: connecting with others, satisfying information queries and sharing content with others" - John B. Horrigan of the Pew Project

19 percent of Americans questioned said that they use a mobile internet device (either a cell phone or a mobile broadband enabled laptop) on a daily basis. The fact that the best mobile broadband offers continue to decrease in price and the availability of good pay as you go mobile broadband with greater coverage means that these figures are likely to increase. Good internet access is becoming the number one selling point for new mobile phones and the technology is improving rapidly. I wouldn't be surprised if this time next year two thirds of Americans had connected via a mobile device at some point.

Some Broadband Users Would Get Better Speeds Using Mobile Broadband

2009-07-16T11:20:00.000+01:00

One of the downsides of mobile broadband is that you are less likely to get a great download speed than with a fixed line connection. Speed are improving as is coverage and these are only likely to improve as time goes by. However when I speak to people who have mobile broadband the most common complaint is not that they can't get a signal just that it isn't fast enough.

A recent report by Top 10 Mobile Broadband has said that those in certain areas are likely to be able to get quicker download speeds by switching to a mobile connection. The areas affected, which include Marlow and Henley-on-Thames, currently only get speeds of around 0.5Mbps for traditional fixed-line broadband. 0.5mbps is surprisingly slow connection for a fixed line, perhaps due to distances from a major phone exchange.

Whatever the reason for the poor connection those affected could get better speeds using mobile broadband. Some of the best mobile broadband connections would offer quite a change of pace to browsers in Marlow or Henley on Thames.

BT Suggests that Mobile Phone Users Should Help to Spread the Cost of the Broadband Tax

2009-07-10T10:08:00.005+01:00

In the Digital Britain report published last month Lord Carter who is the Communications Minister proposed a 50p per month tax on all fixed phone lines. The aim of the 'Broadband Tax' is to help cover the costs of providing high-speed broadband to the nations computers.

What is needed in order to improve our broadband infrastructure is nothing short of a complete overhaul. The current copper phone lines were not designed to transport large amounts of data at high speed, they were designed to handle voice calls. The problem is that there is some debate about who should be paying for the new system.

BT has suggested that in order to reduce the tax per customer more people should be taxed. Their solution is to place a tax on mobile phones as well. Some of the £1.5bn which is expected to be raised by the tax may be available to mobile operators as well as fixed line companies as they are both able to join the bidding process for a share of the funds.

BT's director of industry policy and regulation (snappy title!) Emma Gilthorpe has said "the government should consider the opportunity to widen the base for the tax and possibly reduce the amount that each individual household pays". The problem with this theory is that most households own a combination of a fixed line and several mobile phones so in the end the same people may be paying the same amount as they would with the standard fixed line tax.

Those without a fixed phone line, mobile broadband customers for instance, might end up paying towards the improvement of the infrastructure if BT's proposals are considered.

Mobile Broadband Coverage Maps Published by Ofcom

2009-07-09T09:52:00.005+01:00

The Office of Communications has today published a series of maps showing mobile broadband 'not spots' around the UK. A 'not spot' is an area where no 3G connection is possible leaving consumers either unable to connect or only able to connect via a slower than 3G connection. As those in a 'not spot' may tell you, having a slower than 3G connection can stretch the definition of 'broadband' speeds a little too far.

The maps aim to make the choice for potential mobile broadband customers a little easier by showing clearly which areas are not well covered. Those in more rural areas seem to be the worst affected with Scotland receiving very little coverage by any of the main providers. Those in northern Wales also seem unlikely to get a great signal.

A map has been provided for each of the five main mobile broadband providers with Three Mobile Broadband and Orange appearing to have the most coverage. London is the best area for coverage which comes as no surprise. All five of the maps are available as a pdf from the Ofcom site. Those considering a pay as you go mobile broadband contract would be advised to check these maps before going ahead.

Offcom Confirms Aditional Spectrum Allocation for Mobile Broadband

2009-07-02T10:46:00.005+01:00

The Office of Communications (Ofcom) has officially announced an additional spectrum allocation which has been cleared for mobile broadband. The 800Mhz band has been freed up by the shift from analogue to digital television.

Many European countries have cleared their 800Mhz spectrum in order to improve their mobile broadband infrastructure including Denmark, France, Switzerland and Germany. Originally the plan for the UK was to only clear a small section of the spectrum but Ofcom has since decided to clear the full band in order to match other countries allocations.

Once the digital switchover has taken place around the country the cleared areas of the spectrum will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Mobile broadband providers will be keen to take advantage of this in order to improve their services and offer their customers the best possible coverage. Having a large area of coverage and good download speeds is vital for mobile broadband companies and this reallocation should help them to improve.

Mobile broadband customers should be set to benefit from the increased area of the spectrum available to their providers. The Digital Britain Group aims to see 100% broadband coverage by the year 2012. With the increased spectrum now available this is becoming a more realistic aim.