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.

So would you take up such a service and enjoy the benefits of a geographic number on a mobile phone?

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.

All courtesy of www.writetothem.com.

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.

Nexus One

I have ordered one. It is currently somewhere over the Atlantic ocean. More when it arrives in my grubby paws.