198 replies to this topic

[JoelRae]

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"]I'm on the email promotion.

When this ends, I no longer plan to use GPRS as there are no plans that I feel offer acceptable value for money.

same here!!

oh, and ... signed  

Joel

[Coucou]

Signed. I'm on the 7meg bundle too, but I'm not on the internet at home yet...

[sabio_proeliat]

Count me in  

[156employee]

I am a team supervisor for Orange customer services and also a SPV user. I'm pleased to leak this information to you. Orange are refreshing ALL of its GPRS packages within the next 4 weeks. This is to fall in line with the company's Europe-wide launch of the video messaging product. This will also include a combined release of about 8 new handsets (subject to final testing) onto the network. You should all find that your GPRS charges become a lot better value for money. Also, once this product has launch I suggest you all call us up and ask for our new promotional product for GPRS, MMS bundle, Video bundle combination. This will last well up to early summer next year and I will be getting it myself on my Liberate tariff. Hope you are all pleased with this. About time some better value for money was offered since call charges seem to have stagnated at their current level.

Take care for now!

[Trancedancer]

I've signed too!
I live in Sweden, and I wonder if the chances of this happening here are big...don't think so!?  :cry:

It would be the natural evolution of GPRS though!!!


*TRANCEDANCER*

[krankie]

I was going to sign it until I saw the suggested flat tarriff was £20.  I am currently on the Orange 4 Meg £8 tarriff and although I would use a lot more if it wasn't for the cost I wouldn't be prepared to pay £20 per month on top of the standard monthly connection fee for unlimited use.

The cost of GPRS is far too high though, but I think targetting your campaign at the top few percent of users rather than at a more general level (I was averaging around 10 Meg per month during the unlimited trial period) will lessen its impact on the operators.

[chucky.egg]

The suggested cost you mention is just gossip really, nobody AFAIK has suggested a charge to the Operators.

If you would be interested in unmetered GPRS then sign the trial - you're not committing yourself to anything, and if the operators offer a service later you can decide at the time if the price and conditions suit you.

[mattscholey]

Paul - how many people have signed the petition so far?

As for what 156employee said, if this is correct then is is surely what we've all been waiting for.  Any information on what new prices we might be looking at, or how much this GPRS,MMS,video bundle might cost, and how much might be included.

Thanks,
Matt

[PaulOBrien]

I will shortly be posting results from the first THOUSAND signees...!

:shock:

The only information I have about the new tariffs is that there IS a flat rate GPRS bundle... at FIFTY TWO POUNDS!

P

[djfuego]

The price for gprs is a con.
I'll only use it if it's dirt cheap

[Simon Desser]

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"]The only information I have about the new tariffs is that there IS a flat rate GPRS bundle... at FIFTY TWO POUNDS! P

They were doing this £52 flat rate GPRS bundle earlier in the year (see this post) from May.

They've GOT to come up with something better than this :evil:  :?:

[Crispy]

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... £52 flat rate GPRS ...

I don't even pay that much for my current GRPS, Phone, TV and Cable Internet combined! ...  :shock:

[neilg]

I think it would be fantastic to have either all you can eat GPRS or bigger bundles (or even a lower per MB price).

However if I was an operator there is no way I would do this!  Mobile operators are trying to do everything they can to avoid becoming 'pipe providers' like fixed line has become - only competing on the price and volume of data you give away.  The money for operators is in providing value added services and getting us to pay for them - as soon as you basically give access to the internet at some cover-all rate then we have the choice of anyone on the net to provide our applications and services and get free ones or pay people other than the mobile operator for these services.  That is why Three for example (apart from the technical problems) have a wall-gardened network, meaning you cant use yuour three mobile as a big data modem, you have to get the applications and services three provides (for now).
I also dont see how you could stop people using the tariff for other devices like data cards where people might REALLY go for some serious data use - you can just swap your SIM around devices.
The last problam on GPRS is one of bandwidth - currently in the same space you can carry a LOT more value in terms of voice than GPRS is worth.  The original idea was to use spare timeslots to carry GPRS and so generate extra revenue, but mobile has grown so much that bandwidth is actually limited especially in urban areas and voice and data are competing against eachother - why give away a big cheap bundle of data when you can make lots more money out of voice using the same network resource?  Voice ARPU is falling so if I was an operator (which I am not and I have nothing to do with) I definatly wouldn't want to see data go the same way.

I would LOVE cheap GPRS for me, but although I think prices will naturally fall I dont think that we will see £20 for as much as you can use in the near future.....:-(

[PaulOBrien]

First post updated with some early stats!

P

[Maverick]

I get the feeling that the network operators are recovering the hopelessy high investment they made on 3G licenses by heavily charging the 2.5g users like us !! In a way, people who use GPRS are financing future 3G users !!

All of these operators spent so much money on the 3G licence that now the dont have money to invest in the 3G infrastructure.

[mattscholey]

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All of these operators spent so much money on the 3G licence that now the dont have money to invest in the 3G infrastructure.

They will in the future - i'm sure the networks were thinking long-term when bidding on those licences.

As for what NeilG said, a very intersting post, giving a very good explanation to why GPRS prices are so high.

Matt

[chucky.egg]

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Three for example ... have a wall-gardened network, meaning you cant use yuour three mobile as a big data modem

True, but it is hurting them - even if they dont know it.  I was asked to investigate 3G and recommend a postition for my company.  Itold them wait for more players, the 3 "walled garden" made it useless to our (and many other) businesses.  My brother runs a consultancy "up north" and came to the same conclusion on his own.

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i'm sure the networks were thinking long-term when bidding on those licences

I doubt it to be honest.  I think they thought they were on some sort of gravy train, and could fleece us for 3G they way they do for SMS.  They paid 4 billion pounds in the UK.  FOUR BILLION POUNDS.  Personally I believe that did more harm to the industry than 3G could possibly do good.


IMO the operators need to stop looking at Data as a "nice to have" and see it more as an "essential", and prioritise it accordingly.  GPRS isn't ADSL, which many of us take for granted now, so they need to be realistic about its value.

It feels like they're trying to screw every last penny out of GPRS before 3G data comes out (and to fund it as well probably)

[mattscholey]

I've probably missed something, but does 3G have a way of transferring data (like the interneta and email for the spv) other than GPRS.  I've always associated 3G with just being video calls, but is there more to it than that.

Matt

[Firaas]

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I've probably missed something, but does 3G have a way of transferring data (like the interneta and email for the spv) other than GPRS.  I've always associated 3G with just being video calls, but is there more to it than that.

3G utilises Packet Switching (GPRS) but a faster version of it, going at 384kbit/s.

Unfortunately the Three network does not allow access to the internet outside of its chargeable content services, so it's not really possible to establish the quality of its service until one of the operators releases full net access over 3rd generation networks.

[mariolouis]

55 pounds is way too high!!!

i only consume around 2 pounds/month (Php1=90pounds). making it 5 pounds (around 500 pesos) would be reasonable enough.