Thursday, 6 February 2014
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
Changes To UK Mobile Phones
It has just about become possible for smaller UK communication providers to offer their own voice, SMS and data service as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). Previously the bar to entry to this market was a lot higher. This is a good thing, as it promotes competition and should see some very innovative services appearing.
It does however also challenge a number of preconceived ideas about mobile phone service. Perhaps foremost among these is that you don't have to have a mobile phone number on a mobile phone. It is perfectly possible to have a mobile phone that can make and receive calls and send and reply to SMS with a geographic number (01/02) and also certain other types of numbers. The upshot of doing this is the caller to the mobile gets charged as if dialling a landline. However the mobile phone user will get charged maybe 2p per minute to receive the call. Now that might sound strange and counter-intuitive but it is the way mobile phones have worked in the USA for years. The question remains as to how willing the UK market would be to accept this change. It could make perfect sense. Think of a sole trader who might find potential clients more eager to call because they are dialling a "landline" number. Would such a user be happy to pay 2p per minute for such a service? However about businesses who pay say 7p per minute for calling their employees' mobile who could reduce the cost to 3p per minute total.
Having your own voice service on a SIM also allows services such a voice and SMS recording and archiving to be offered. This is a hot topic in a number of industries. You could have group calling, unifed voicemail on your landline and mobile. IVR and time based routing. All services which the current mobile operators don't offer.
It does however also challenge a number of preconceived ideas about mobile phone service. Perhaps foremost among these is that you don't have to have a mobile phone number on a mobile phone. It is perfectly possible to have a mobile phone that can make and receive calls and send and reply to SMS with a geographic number (01/02) and also certain other types of numbers. The upshot of doing this is the caller to the mobile gets charged as if dialling a landline. However the mobile phone user will get charged maybe 2p per minute to receive the call. Now that might sound strange and counter-intuitive but it is the way mobile phones have worked in the USA for years. The question remains as to how willing the UK market would be to accept this change. It could make perfect sense. Think of a sole trader who might find potential clients more eager to call because they are dialling a "landline" number. Would such a user be happy to pay 2p per minute for such a service? However about businesses who pay say 7p per minute for calling their employees' mobile who could reduce the cost to 3p per minute total.
Having your own voice service on a SIM also allows services such a voice and SMS recording and archiving to be offered. This is a hot topic in a number of industries. You could have group calling, unifed voicemail on your landline and mobile. IVR and time based routing. All services which the current mobile operators don't offer.
So would you take up such a service and enjoy the benefits of a geographic number on a mobile phone?
Thursday, 1 April 2010
Wrote To My MP
Today I sent this to my MP, Mr David Wright.
Dear David Wright,
I am writing to you about the Digital Economy Bill currently going
through the legislative process (forgive me if I don't know the correct
terms). As someone who works in the ISP industry and also is a keen
supporter of open source software I am aware that this bill is likely
to be included in the "wash up" process soon to take place. I am
extremely concerned that this important bill will not be given the full
scrutiny of Parliament if this is allowed to happen and thus the
interests of the incumbent industries will take precedent. This will be
to the detriment of the new and exciting digital economy that is vital
to this country. All I request is that you do what you can to stop this
bill going into the "wash up" process and that it is afforded the full
parliamentary process that it and the people of this country deserve.
Thank you for time and consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Jon Farmer.
I am writing to you about the Digital Economy Bill currently going
through the legislative process (forgive me if I don't know the correct
terms). As someone who works in the ISP industry and also is a keen
supporter of open source software I am aware that this bill is likely
to be included in the "wash up" process soon to take place. I am
extremely concerned that this important bill will not be given the full
scrutiny of Parliament if this is allowed to happen and thus the
interests of the incumbent industries will take precedent. This will be
to the detriment of the new and exciting digital economy that is vital
to this country. All I request is that you do what you can to stop this
bill going into the "wash up" process and that it is afforded the full
parliamentary process that it and the people of this country deserve.
Thank you for time and consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Jon Farmer.
All courtesy of www.writetothem.com.
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
Buying the Nexus One In The UK
Over the last weekend I spent a lot of time looking around the Internet finding out more about the Nexus One smart phone. This was mainly due to the excitement I felt in getting mine delivered on the Friday before. However what soon became more interesting was the video interviews I saw with some Google people about their plans for the Google Phone Store.
Basically Google has opened a mobile phone store exclusively on the web. It will sell a range of phones which it believes best deliver the Google experience (whatever that means). You will be able to buy these devices independently of a mobile service plan/contract. Alternatively you will be able to purchase a new mobile service contract on the web store and receive a subsidy on the price of the phone. The store launched with a plan from T-Mobile USA and a Vodafone UK option will be launched in the coming months. One principal is that all phones (subsidized or not) will be unlocked so you are free to use whatever GSM SIM you wish.
So if you are in the UK you can get the phone right now and just drop in your existing SIM. I did this myself using the existing SIM I had in my G1. If you want a subsidy then you wait till the Vodafone plan is available and buy the phone with that. You can then migrate your existing number over to Vodafone plan using a PAC.
The Nexus One will not be available to purchase in any stores or on any website other than www.google.com/phone. So don't wait around expecting to be able to walk into your local Vodafone store and pick one up because you won't be able to.
Here is the Vodafone official press release.
The video's are embedded below for you to enjoy.
Walt Mossberg interviews Google VP of Engineering Andy Rubin on Android and the Nexus One from Nexus One News on Vimeo.
Nexus One IRC Channel
Just a quick note to say there is now a IRC channel for the Nexus One.
Server: irc.freenode.net
Channel: #nexusone
You will find me there as freckle.
Thursday, 7 January 2010
Saturday, 25 July 2009
Orange Customer Services
My main phone is a T-Mobile G1. I bought this after seeing a friend demonstrate his down the pub one night and because it's not a iPhone. However as any other users know the battery life is dreadful especially if you want to use the device. Because of this I decided to get a PAYG phone for emergencies if the G1 died. I call this my "get me home phone" as it won't be used for much else.
Therefore I popped into the local branch of phones4u and puchased a Nokia 1661 on Orange PAYG. This phone seems perfect as it is light (2 grams), small and has a standby battery life measured in weeks. Bargain too, £14.95 for the phone plus a £10 toupup. I decided to link my debit card to the account to allow easy online or phone call topups. However I wanted to setup a auto topup so when my balance falls to say £5 it would automatically topup by £10. I called Orange Customer Services to request this. The guy on the phone took my card details and I explained £10 everytime balance falls below £5. "No problem sir" was the reply. 5 minutes later a text arrives saying my £10 topup was succesful and my balance is now £18.91. Wonderful the droid had basically performed a one off topup and completely ignored/misunderstood my perfectly clear and reasonable request. Where do they get these people?
I have since learnt that you can't get completely automated topup but there is a SMS service that alerts you when credit is low and allows you to reply to topup.
Anyway thanks Orange Customer Services, my first time contacting you resulted in a incorrectly actioned request, how you inspire confidence.
Therefore I popped into the local branch of phones4u and puchased a Nokia 1661 on Orange PAYG. This phone seems perfect as it is light (2 grams), small and has a standby battery life measured in weeks. Bargain too, £14.95 for the phone plus a £10 toupup. I decided to link my debit card to the account to allow easy online or phone call topups. However I wanted to setup a auto topup so when my balance falls to say £5 it would automatically topup by £10. I called Orange Customer Services to request this. The guy on the phone took my card details and I explained £10 everytime balance falls below £5. "No problem sir" was the reply. 5 minutes later a text arrives saying my £10 topup was succesful and my balance is now £18.91. Wonderful the droid had basically performed a one off topup and completely ignored/misunderstood my perfectly clear and reasonable request. Where do they get these people?
I have since learnt that you can't get completely automated topup but there is a SMS service that alerts you when credit is low and allows you to reply to topup.
Anyway thanks Orange Customer Services, my first time contacting you resulted in a incorrectly actioned request, how you inspire confidence.
Monday, 29 June 2009
Vodafone Eye Up T Mobile
Reported on the BBC site
Interestingly if they do takeover T Mobile then Vodafone would have 40% of the UK market. However with 4 networks in the UK including Vodafone that's more than almost all other European, if not worldwide, countries.
A interesting dilemma for the regulator I would suggest.
Interestingly if they do takeover T Mobile then Vodafone would have 40% of the UK market. However with 4 networks in the UK including Vodafone that's more than almost all other European, if not worldwide, countries.
A interesting dilemma for the regulator I would suggest.
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Under The Blacklight
I only recently discovered the new album from Rilo Kiley Under The Blacklight.
I love it!
Probably better than More Adventurous amazingly.
I love it!
Probably better than More Adventurous amazingly.
Some Thoughts On ENUM
ENUM (E.164 NUmber Mapping) is a technology that has been around for a little while that has promised much and delivered little to the average user. I thought it was time that I put my thoughts on this subject down in writing.
ENUM is a away of storing/supplying information about a entity using DNS like storage and retrieval. Up to now most applications have centered around telephony but other services such as email, IM and web could be accessed via ENUM. So a simple example would be that I have a URI of jonfarmer@mydomain.org and using this one single piece of information I could make available any data relating to me that I wanted to. This might be my phone or mobile number or a IM contact.
The major excitement around this technology is in the telecoms world. At the telco level ENUM allows different telcos to learn how to route calls between themselves. This becomes most valuable when those calls are routed over IP networks. So if a ENUM lookup is done on telephone number 01234567890 it might return sip:+4401234567890@telco2.co.uk as the preferred destination. As IP routing of voice calls is generally regarded as a cheaper method than TDM the advantages are evident. Even businesses and home users could potentially make use of ENUM to learn how to route calls over IP rather than the PSTN. However there are dangers inherent in this approach.
In order for a call to be routed over the IP network the receiving device has to accept and "trust" the incoming connection. This is a major issue. Why? Consider email. One of the major blights on email is SPAM. SPAM exists because in order for the email systems to work each email server has to accept and "trust" incoming connections from any other email server. This fact is used by the spammers to great effect. Most spam avoidance techniques working on spotting or blocking known or suspect emails or servers. Now return back to the issue of using IP to route calls using ENUM. If each receiving IP device has to accept and "trust" the incoming call it doesn't take a genius to spot the opportunity for the spammers. In the IP world there is no "friendly" telco to "generally" shield us from the bad guys.
Another issue exists around the validity of the data in a ENUM database. For instance a few months back I ran an experiment and did ENUM lookups with a couple of well known public ENUM servers for all the telephone numbers dialled from our office PBX. The results were surprising, a number of other telcos claimed to be the route for numbers that belong to another major telco. This is potentially a problem as a rogue user could publish ENUM data about a telephone number that didn't belong to them for mischievous or even criminal reasons. They could proxy the call through their own server, recording it along the way, and then pass it on to the legitimate receiver unbeknown to the caller. In one particular result from my experiment a competitor to the business claimed to be a route to a number used by BT (this is a number we call regularly as BT is a supplier). Now while there may be a innocent reason why this happened it illustrates the issues relating to privacy and corporate secrecy.
Recently Nominet the UK TLD registrar has been awarded the contract to administer the UK 4.4.e164.arpa delegation. They have put in place a system of Validation Agencies which will authenticate publishers of ENUM data and approve the validity of the data they publish. So in theorey this new ENUM service should stop the problem previously mentioned (in the UK at least). However it does nothing to stop spammers using VoIP as any PBX wanting to be contactable via ENUM has to be by definition open to the IP world. I made this point to a Nominet representative at a recent event and his response was that in time technology would overcome this issue. Well we are still waiting for a credible email spam solution so what hope for a SPIT (SPam over Internet Telephony) solution.
That being said ENUM is being used securely and successfully by telcos all around the world to route calls over IP. In time ENUM seems set to replace the existing routing technologies of the TDM world.
Will we see a day when individuals can reliably lookup the ENUM information of anyone around the world? That remains to be seen.
ENUM is a away of storing/supplying information about a entity using DNS like storage and retrieval. Up to now most applications have centered around telephony but other services such as email, IM and web could be accessed via ENUM. So a simple example would be that I have a URI of jonfarmer@mydomain.org and using this one single piece of information I could make available any data relating to me that I wanted to. This might be my phone or mobile number or a IM contact.
The major excitement around this technology is in the telecoms world. At the telco level ENUM allows different telcos to learn how to route calls between themselves. This becomes most valuable when those calls are routed over IP networks. So if a ENUM lookup is done on telephone number 01234567890 it might return sip:+4401234567890@telco2.co.uk as the preferred destination. As IP routing of voice calls is generally regarded as a cheaper method than TDM the advantages are evident. Even businesses and home users could potentially make use of ENUM to learn how to route calls over IP rather than the PSTN. However there are dangers inherent in this approach.
In order for a call to be routed over the IP network the receiving device has to accept and "trust" the incoming connection. This is a major issue. Why? Consider email. One of the major blights on email is SPAM. SPAM exists because in order for the email systems to work each email server has to accept and "trust" incoming connections from any other email server. This fact is used by the spammers to great effect. Most spam avoidance techniques working on spotting or blocking known or suspect emails or servers. Now return back to the issue of using IP to route calls using ENUM. If each receiving IP device has to accept and "trust" the incoming call it doesn't take a genius to spot the opportunity for the spammers. In the IP world there is no "friendly" telco to "generally" shield us from the bad guys.
Another issue exists around the validity of the data in a ENUM database. For instance a few months back I ran an experiment and did ENUM lookups with a couple of well known public ENUM servers for all the telephone numbers dialled from our office PBX. The results were surprising, a number of other telcos claimed to be the route for numbers that belong to another major telco. This is potentially a problem as a rogue user could publish ENUM data about a telephone number that didn't belong to them for mischievous or even criminal reasons. They could proxy the call through their own server, recording it along the way, and then pass it on to the legitimate receiver unbeknown to the caller. In one particular result from my experiment a competitor to the business claimed to be a route to a number used by BT (this is a number we call regularly as BT is a supplier). Now while there may be a innocent reason why this happened it illustrates the issues relating to privacy and corporate secrecy.
Recently Nominet the UK TLD registrar has been awarded the contract to administer the UK 4.4.e164.arpa delegation. They have put in place a system of Validation Agencies which will authenticate publishers of ENUM data and approve the validity of the data they publish. So in theorey this new ENUM service should stop the problem previously mentioned (in the UK at least). However it does nothing to stop spammers using VoIP as any PBX wanting to be contactable via ENUM has to be by definition open to the IP world. I made this point to a Nominet representative at a recent event and his response was that in time technology would overcome this issue. Well we are still waiting for a credible email spam solution so what hope for a SPIT (SPam over Internet Telephony) solution.
That being said ENUM is being used securely and successfully by telcos all around the world to route calls over IP. In time ENUM seems set to replace the existing routing technologies of the TDM world.
Will we see a day when individuals can reliably lookup the ENUM information of anyone around the world? That remains to be seen.
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