Mobile

Vodafone scraps roaming fees in much of Europe

2023-09-06T10:55:21+01:00By |News|

Vodafone has scrapped roaming charges for UK customers in 40 countries, meaning they can use their plans there without additional costs. However, the new terms are being applied initially only to new or upgraded contracts. The EU is expected to abolish roaming charges for its 28 member states in June. Countries in Vodafone's roam-free destinations list include non-EU states such as Norway, Iceland and Turkey. Beyond these territories, mobile phone users will be charged £5 per day to use UK plans in 60 states including the United States, Russia, China and India. Vodafone rival Three already offers free roaming in 42 countries on advanced plans. "This is a pre-emptive strike, if you like, before the EU regulations kick in," said tech analyst Mark Newman at ConnectivityX. He told the BBC that tightening regulations on roaming charges had "absolutely hurt" companies such as Vodafone in recent years. To compensate, many were now increasing the base cost of plans to recoup lost revenues. "That doesn't seem to be the case yet with Vodafone, but I suspect over time we'll see some form of compensation," Mr Newman said. However, he did say it was "fantastic" to get rid of the anxiety of nightmare charges many customers have when using their phone abroad. "You're probably using more data abroad rather than less - uploading more photos to social media, for example," he said.

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EE shows off helium balloon mobile masts

2017-02-24T09:25:25+00:00By |News|

Mobile phone provider EE has demonstrated helium balloons and drones that could provide 4G mobile coverage following damage to existing infrastructure.   The devices are fitted with small mobile sites that include a base station and an antenna. They could also be used to connect remote parts of the UK where coverage is thin. EE said it planned to deploy such a network in a UK rural area this year. The drones can stay airborne for up to an hour at a time and the "helikite" balloons for several weeks as they have a tethered power source. The drone was designed to give short-term targeted coverage to aid search and rescue situations, EE said. "Innovation is essential for us to go further than we've ever gone, and deliver a network that's more reliable than ever before," said EE chief executive Marc Allera. "Rural parts of the UK provide more challenges to mobile coverage than anywhere else, so we have to work harder there - developing these technologies will ultimately help our customers, even in the most hard to reach areas." It was the first time this had been tried out in the UK, said Kester Mann, analyst at CCS Insight. "Everyone immediately thinks of disruptive players like Facebook and Google when it come to things like balloon-based networks. The traditional networks need to step up so they don't get left behind," he told the BBC. Google is developing a network of huge balloons to provide connectivity to rural areas around the world, known as Project Loon. Last month the tech giant confirmed it had closed its internet drone project, Titan, which was designed to bring the internet to remote rural areas. Facebook's Project Aquila involves building solar-powered aircraft which will fly for months at a time above remote places, beaming [...]

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Samsung really wants you to believe the Galaxy S8 won’t explode

2017-02-17T11:57:13+00:00By |Uncategorized|

Samsung can’t get the world to forget about the explosive nature of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, so instead it seems to be putting a lot of effort into convincing people that the Samsung Galaxy S8 won’t have the same defects, or any defects at all, and it’s doing this in part with a video. Dubbed “Quality Assurance: Extensive Tests”, a new one-minute video made by Samsung shows a Galaxy S7 Edge being put through a barrage of tests, including being dropped, bent, drenched in water and operated under extreme temperatures. In between these torture tests, text explains that “our phones are extensively tested, retested, and then tested again” and the video ends saying “innovation is our legacy. Quality is our priority.” All of which, clearly, is an attempt to rebuild trust in the brand, as the launch of the Galaxy S8 looms ever closer. https://youtu.be/Hkmp8SmtXSg Make or break Samsung likely has more riding on this phone than any previous handset, as not only is it a flagship, but the company will be looking to make up some of the lost earnings from the Note 7. It could also be a make or break moment for the brand, where the company either rebuilds its reputation, or - if the S8’s launch isn’t buttery smooth - damages it beyond repair. Convincing the public that the phone won’t explode in their pocket, as this video clearly aims to do, is just half of that battle. The other half is actually making sure it doesn’t. But there’s evidence Samsung’s working on that too, from the 8-point battery safety check it announced it would be implementing, to reportedly keeping the battery size relatively small for safety reasons. So it seems the firm isn’t taking any chances, the question now is whether would-be buyers will [...]

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Vodafone UK gives key partners Total Communications Status

2017-02-17T11:38:32+00:00By |Uncategorized|

Vodafone UK has raised the profile of its top partners by hand picking an elite group and giving them Total Communications Status, its first round of top draw accreditations under its new partner programme. The selected companies include Boosh 365, CCS MPW, Comm-Tech Voice & Data, Connected Telecom, DRC, Excalibur Communications, Pescado, PMGC Technology Group, Pure Business Services, Olive Communications, Onecom, Redsquid Communications, Trinsic and Vohkus. Phil Mottram, Enterprise Director of Vodafone UK, said: "Over 100 Partners have achieved new Status accreditation in the first phase of our programme, which has been designed to specifically recognise capabilities and specialisms." Pictured: Vodafone UK's elite grouping, with Phil Mottram (front centre).

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