It's A Two Horse Race For Meteor - Page 12

Solair · 31-07-2005, 22:41

Eircell launched in 1985 with only 20 staff and 5000 customers. (The UK networks launched in 1984)

Ready to Go prepay launched in 1997
(Vodafone UK claim's to have launched a similar service in the UK a few months earlier)

Ready to Go, was one of the first though that's for sure.

None of these network operators would have developed prepay. I'm pretty sure you'll find it was developed by Ericsson as an add on for the mobile version of the AXE switching system that processes your calls. So, once the technology became available, those networks would have simply bought it off-the-shelf. It's pretty similar to the kind of stuff that was already handling prepayed telephone cards for international calls at the time.

Interesting factoid: Here are the original Eircell tarrifs in 1985 at launch: bare in mind it wasn't even a seperate company at this stage, but rather a service offered by Telecom Eireann.
It offered international roaming on Vodafone's TACS network in Northern Ireland and the UK via some special arrangement.

National calls cost 10.7p per 20 seconds or part thereof (peak)
and 10.7p per 30 seconds off peak.

Or, to destinations where Subscriber Trunk Dialling isn't yet available!
96.3p for the first three minutes or part thereof (minimum) and thereafter at the rate of 32. 1p per minute or part thereof

(yes, in 1985 there were still some parts of rural ireland with manual service!)

Last Step-by-Step (oldest form of electromechanical switching system... pretty primative stuff) exchange shut in 1989 (Clontarf)

Last Step-By-Step in the UK : september 1995

Last manual exchange:
May 28th 1987 - Mountshannon, County Clare - Went straight over to digital.

(In the UK)
Last Manual exchanges:
London : 1970
England: 1975
UK: 1976 (Isle of Skye)

USA: 1982 (Maine)
Australia: 1991 (Wanaaring NSW)

So rural Ireland wasn't really much more backward than rural anywhere else ... Just a lot of places conveniently forget that even though Sydney might have been ultra modern there were places not too far away still using turn-handle phones

I think however, that some of the lagging behind that happened in the 1970s and 80s with PSTN upgrading is simply being repeated horribly with broadband now. It's well worth reviewing some of the history of that period of time and contrasting it with the nonsense that's going on now.

Blaster99 · 31-07-2005, 22:54

Pre-pay, great idea. You pay more for the phone, you pay more for the calls, and you have to pay up front. Why does it not surprise me that this was invented by a company owned by Telecom Eireann.

paulm17781 · 01-08-2005, 13:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blaster99

Pre-pay, great idea. You pay more for the phone, you pay more for the calls, and you have to pay up front. Why does it not surprise me that this was invented by a company owned by Telecom Eireann.

It wasn't, it was invented by Ericsson! Eircell were 4th or 5th to use it.

Solair · 01-08-2005, 14:26

Prepaid services launched pretty much everywhere around 1996-1997. They were a logical step forward and yeah, from the mobile operators perspective they're fantastic! No risk whatsoever, higher call charges, access to a vast supply of previously untapped customers...

The technology was there, it was a very logical step forward.

They just basically merged existing prepaid calling card technology with a mobile phone line.

It's just an add-on moduel for any mobile network. Certainly not unique to GSM either.

There's no reason why eircom couldn't do prepaid fixed line service if they really wanted to.

When meteor / eircom talk about higher revenues on contract customers it really has more to do with the fact that most of vodafone and o2s contract users are business users. Meteor have practically none of that market (yet!)

It'll be interesting to see if eircom now attempt to add a 3G licence to Meteor or if they'll continue with Meteor's original plan, to use EDGE for data services.

paulm17781 · 01-08-2005, 14:50

There is one 3G lisence being auctioned for at the moment isn't there?

I really hope Eircom don't get it, not so much because it is Eircom, I would just like more competition.

31-07-2005, 22:41	#166
Solair Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Location: Dublin Posts: 1,647 Adverts \| Friends	Eircell launched in 1985 with only 20 staff and 5000 customers. (The UK networks launched in 1984) Ready to Go prepay launched in 1997 (Vodafone UK claim's to have launched a similar service in the UK a few months earlier) Ready to Go, was one of the first though that's for sure. None of these network operators would have developed prepay. I'm pretty sure you'll find it was developed by Ericsson as an add on for the mobile version of the AXE switching system that processes your calls. So, once the technology became available, those networks would have simply bought it off-the-shelf. It's pretty similar to the kind of stuff that was already handling prepayed telephone cards for international calls at the time. Interesting factoid: Here are the original Eircell tarrifs in 1985 at launch: bare in mind it wasn't even a seperate company at this stage, but rather a service offered by Telecom Eireann. It offered international roaming on Vodafone's TACS network in Northern Ireland and the UK via some special arrangement. National calls cost 10.7p per 20 seconds or part thereof (peak) and 10.7p per 30 seconds off peak. Or, to destinations where Subscriber Trunk Dialling isn't yet available! 96.3p for the first three minutes or part thereof (minimum) and thereafter at the rate of 32. 1p per minute or part thereof (yes, in 1985 there were still some parts of rural ireland with manual service!) Last Step-by-Step (oldest form of electromechanical switching system... pretty primative stuff) exchange shut in 1989 (Clontarf) Last Step-By-Step in the UK : september 1995 Last manual exchange: May 28th 1987 - Mountshannon, County Clare - Went straight over to digital. (In the UK) Last Manual exchanges: London : 1970 England: 1975 UK: 1976 (Isle of Skye) USA: 1982 (Maine) Australia: 1991 (Wanaaring NSW) So rural Ireland wasn't really much more backward than rural anywhere else ... Just a lot of places conveniently forget that even though Sydney might have been ultra modern there were places not too far away still using turn-handle phones I think however, that some of the lagging behind that happened in the 1970s and 80s with PSTN upgrading is simply being repeated horribly with broadband now. It's well worth reviewing some of the history of that period of time and contrasting it with the nonsense that's going on now. Last edited by Solair; 31-07-2005 at 22:57.

01-08-2005, 14:26	#169
Solair Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Location: Dublin Posts: 1,647 Adverts \| Friends	Prepaid services launched pretty much everywhere around 1996-1997. They were a logical step forward and yeah, from the mobile operators perspective they're fantastic! No risk whatsoever, higher call charges, access to a vast supply of previously untapped customers... The technology was there, it was a very logical step forward. They just basically merged existing prepaid calling card technology with a mobile phone line. It's just an add-on moduel for any mobile network. Certainly not unique to GSM either. There's no reason why eircom couldn't do prepaid fixed line service if they really wanted to. When meteor / eircom talk about higher revenues on contract customers it really has more to do with the fact that most of vodafone and o2s contract users are business users. Meteor have practically none of that market (yet!) It'll be interesting to see if eircom now attempt to add a 3G licence to Meteor or if they'll continue with Meteor's original plan, to use EDGE for data services. Last edited by Solair; 01-08-2005 at 14:28.

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31-07-2005, 22:54	#167
Blaster99 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 2,625 Adverts \| Friends	Pre-pay, great idea. You pay more for the phone, you pay more for the calls, and you have to pay up front. Why does it not surprise me that this was invented by a company owned by Telecom Eireann.

01-08-2005, 14:50	#170
paulm17781 Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 4,163 Adverts \| Friends	There is one 3G lisence being auctioned for at the moment isn't there? I really hope Eircom don't get it, not so much because it is Eircom, I would just like more competition.