Mobile Data Services
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Mobile Data Services
12-10-2007 10:33 PM
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Recently while visiting my brother in the Republic of Ireland I used it for checking email.
When I got my phone bill today I saw that for downloading 3.484Mb Orange had charged me £23.721 excluding VAT!
I emailed them straight away and demanded that they justify this charge.
Is this the going rate for using mobile data services outside the UK?
I honestly cannot understand how such a tiny amount of bandwidth can cost so much, under any circumstances in this day and age.
Just like I told Orange, I may be forced to consider other options. Any ideas?
Re: Mobile Data Services
13-10-2007 12:04 AM
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Re: Mobile Data Services
13-10-2007 12:10 AM
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I mean this HAS to be at least 99% pure profit for the companies involved?!
Re: Mobile Data Services
13-10-2007 12:24 AM
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My point is that out of all, 3 were the worst by a long way, so bad in fact that I bought out of the contract after 8 months so I connot now be tempted by any of their offers or plans.
Most companies have a UK call centre if you push hard enough but with 3 I did not once get to speak to someone who could understand what I was saying.
Re: Mobile Data Services
13-10-2007 12:34 PM
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Often its cheaper when roaming to get a local sim and use that, than use your own mobile and if its a country you go to regular then its probably your best bet.
I know I am certainly temted by the new 3 offer and may switch when I am out of my contract.
Re: Mobile Data Services
15-10-2007 3:14 PM
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I generally try and minimise my phone use when roaming because of the ridiculous charges. I'm glad the EU have done something about it but £7/MB still seems far too expensive. Ho hum.
Re: Mobile Data Services
15-10-2007 4:42 PM
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Re: Mobile Data Services
15-10-2007 5:22 PM
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In the UK, "3G" actually means UMTS (W-CDMA). This protocol has a theoretical 14.4Mbit/s downlink speed, although most handsets are actually "Revision 1999" which is limited to 384Kbit/s.
The next handset revision enables a protocol called HSDPA (also referred to as 3.5G) which gives a 3.6Mbit/s downlink speed. Further in the future we're looking at "4G" speeds approaching 100Mbit/s downlink.
Obviously this is only the connection speed between you and the nearest tower. A good analogy would be to think of your phone as your home phone, and the cell as your local exchange. Irrespective of your "sync speed", the data still needs to pass from the cell tower to "the internet".
At the moment, most voice cell traffic is carried via microwave to other cell towers which cover the country in a kind of 'mesh' network. Some of these stations act as base repeaters, which essentially intercept cell traffic and backhaul it over satellite or fibre into the mobile carriers transit network.
Unfortunately, the microwave transmitters have a finite capacity. In addition the backhauls also have a finite (albeit larger) capacity.
Even if the traffic is then backhauled back onto the mobile carrier's network, they then have to have the Internet connectivity to feed that backhaul. That would mean establishing peering arrangements with organisations such as LINX. It also means they need to move all that traffic from the cell tower, over the backhaul to some regional peering centers such as Telehouse and Redbus.
In general, the infrastructure is simply not man enough to handle the amount of data that people want. It's no surprise that the mobile carriers are dragging their feet preparing their networks for the emergence of 3.5G and eventually 4G. It means a massive investment in hardware and transit peering.
Unfortunately, the consumer seems to want smaller and faster mobile gadgets!
B.
Re: Mobile Data Services
17-10-2007 12:12 PM
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Vodafone Ireland (Eirecell) is one of them.
It's only cheaper than others if all your e-mail retrieval/internet access is done on one 24 hour period.
Re: Mobile Data Services
17-10-2007 3:15 PM
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I could get 50k/sec all the time on it - very happy considering i was getting 1GB for £7.50 a month INC VAT!
they say you cannot link it to a laptop - in 4 years they never once asked me to stop.
Re: Mobile Data Services
17-10-2007 8:17 PM
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Thinking of using it occassionally at work using their £1 per day thing.
It's definately a rip off that PAYG customers cannot buy a monthly amount though..
Re: Mobile Data Services
17-10-2007 8:19 PM
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Re: Mobile Data Services
18-10-2007 5:42 PM
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Makes me think that it can't be sustainable really. I know £1 per day is quite a bit but at the moment I can't find another network who will offer any cheaper
3 offer cheap internet but that means ditching my new LG Shine and going for a 3 phone (I think the shine is only 2.5G??)
Oh well...
Re: Mobile Data Services
18-10-2007 7:47 PM
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Sorry if this has already been suggested, but I didn't notice it in my quick skim through the posts.
Re: Mobile Data Services
14-11-2007 8:23 PM
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Yes i'm sure the shine is 2.5G
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