Meteor free texts for life

Celticwarrior

Is it true this offer has been extended till june?
Whats the catch?

uberwolf

Originally posted by Celticwarrior
Is it true this offer has been extended till june?

yes

Whats the catch?

they hope you make phone calls as well.

Celticwarrior

So is it the exact same as the offer before christmas?

uberwolf

when I looked at their website to check 5 mins ago the only diff I noted was that it appeared to include Media msgs. I didn't think that was a part of the original deal. Could be wrong on that though.

www.meteor.ie

qBot

Originally posted by Celticwarrior
Is it true this offer has been extended till june?
Whats the catch?

Tis only free texts to other meteor numbers. but still tis worth it even if u only know one or two people on meteor. I could send up against 100 of em in a month

Celticwarrior

Sound i'm already a meteor custome, i just wanted to be sure so i could switch some others over!

JTMan

Yeah, free meteor 2 meteor picture messages have been added to the offer.

It is well worth switching over if you have a few mates on Meteor. With national roaming for Meteor weeks away (if Ahern gets his way) Meteor is looking more attractive package.

qBot

Originally posted by Fungus
With national roaming for Meteor weeks away (if Ahern gets his way) Meteor is looking more attractive package.

Does that mean i will be able to use the vodafone/o2 network while subscribed to meteor?... if so, u got any links with information bout that.. That would make meteor the best/cheapest ready to go package in the country

radiospan

But isn't this offer only for one month?

Get free Meteor to Meteor text & picture messages every month that you top up by €20 or more in one go.

So you have to spend €20 every month? I still don't understand this deal.

JTMan

Originally posted by cuan
Does that mean i will be able to use the vodafone/o2 network while subscribed to meteor?...

Yes, in areas where they do not have coverage. A 21 day consultation period on national romaing/VMNO access has started.

Originally posted by cuan
if so, u got any links with information bout that..

Try here, here and here

Originally posted by cuan
That would make meteor the best/cheapest ready to go package in the country

Yes, it should cause a lot of people to port to meteor.

Originally posted by plazz2000
So you have to spend €20 every month? I still don't understand this deal.

Yes, you have to top up by €20 in one go to get one month of unlimted free meteor to meteor picture and text messages.

Celticwarrior

so let me get this straight in 3 wks time i'll be able to use vodafone's and 02's coverage?

qBot

That would b simply brilliant. I'd have my free texts to meteor, the cheapest texts and phone calls on any pay as u go package and the best coverage in ireland...

carrotcake

will an existing operator such as meteor actually be allowed use another's coverage? i didn't see anything about that in the three articles that were linked to earlier

anyway, if they are they'll obviously be paying o2/vodafone, so it'll be interesting to see if they use the same pricing schemes with seperate prices for roaming (perhaps subscription-based instead of dearer calls?) or if they'll 'simplify' their tariffs so that there'll be no difference.

then there's also difficulty with phones spontaneously switching network even in meteor-covered areas

radiospan

Originally posted by Fungus Yes, you have to top up by €20 in one go to get one month of unlimted free meteor to meteor picture and text messages. [/B]

Thanks for clearing that up. By how can they say "for life" and "Offer ends 30th June 2004" on the same page?

Is it possible to get "free" texts for life?

qBot

Originally posted by carrotcake
will an existing operator such as meteor actually be allowed use another's coverage? i didn't see anything about that in the three articles that were linked to earlier

I don't see why not. In one of the links above it states

ComReg has proposed that both Vodafone and O2 will be designated as having significant market power and as such will be obliged to allow other mobile operators access to their networks.

Why would meteor be any different??

anyway, if they are they'll obviously be paying o2/vodafone, so it'll be interesting to see if they use the same pricing schemes with seperate prices for roaming (perhaps subscription-based instead of dearer calls?) or if they'll 'simplify' their tariffs so that there'll be no difference.

Companies like meteor wouldn't have to invest any money into developing their own network any further. Their only cost would be servicing their own relatively small network. All the money they would save could b used to pay vodafone or o2 to allow them to use their networks. So it shouldn't make the prices any more expensive.

then there's also difficulty with phones spontaneously switching network even in meteor-covered areas

I can see this only being a problem in borderline areas where meteor reception is dodgy, in which case i'd imagine the customers only too happy to pay a premium if any 4 the ability to link into Vodafones/o2's network instead of having no reception at all. Plus if u read the same article Bertie Aherne states

“I am also directing ComReg to minimise cross-border roaming and other charges for businesses and consumers living close to the border. Businesses in border regions incur additional charges and higher per minute tariffs rates from mobile phone companies in order to avail of all-island tariffs. This puts businesses in border areas at a competitive disadvantage with the rest of the country.”

So it's just a win win situation for meteor customers in my opinion.

KdjaCL

DO NOT DO THIS IS YOU HAVE A GIRLFREIND ON METEOR
Its hell 91 sms today alone b4 5pm.
Other than that great offer for 2 reasons, 1 you have credit for a month and if like me hate talking on phone it carries over i usually have a tenner going into the next month had 60 in once from doing that 20 top up.
Now if only more people i knew had meteor phones it be really great.


kdjac

JTMan

Thanks for clearing that up. By how can they say "for life" and "Offer ends 30th June 2004" on the same page?

The ads clearly say for life. I think the expiry date is there for new user sign ups. You must be signed up by 30th June 2004 to get this offer. They have extended the expiry day about 6 times so expect them to do it again.

Why would meteor be any different??

The Irish Times article clearly stated that Metoer will be able to use either the o2 or Vodafone network in 3 weeks (after the consultation period). I would bet that delays would push that to 2 months.

Companies like meteor wouldn't have to invest any money into developing their own network any further

They will want to minimize their roaming costs. The more their subscriber base grows the more they will want to expand their network despite any romaing agreement in place . 3 in the UK are building at a fast rate despite their roaming agreement with 02 UK.

Now if only more people i knew had meteor phones it be really great.

It is the only network with an increasing share of the mobile market. If they can solve their network issue expect the number of users to soar.

DO NOT DO THIS IS YOU HAVE A GIRLFREIND ON METEOR

Unlimited free picture messages to a girlfriend can be fun

The_Goose

Originally posted by KdjaC
DO NOT DO THIS IS YOU HAVE A GIRLFREIND ON METEOR
Its hell 91 sms today alone b4 5pm.
Other than that great offer for 2 reasons, 1 you have credit for a month and if like me hate talking on phone it carries over i usually have a tenner going into the next month had 60 in once from doing that 20 top up.
Now if only more people i knew had meteor phones it be really great.


kdjac

Fact lads!!!!!!
Started goin out with a girl two months ago and except for when i sleep its non stop texting, and there s no excuse, like no cred anymore. plus with this new using 087/086 coverage thingy no signal won't work either!

madness:ninja:

Celticwarrior

try "i have a low battery, its just about to go, cant find the charger!"

carrotcake

Originally posted by cuan
I can see this only being a problem in borderline areas where meteor reception is dodgy, in which case i'd imagine the customers only too happy to pay a premium if any 4 the ability to link into Vodafones/o2's network instead of having no reception at all.

if you've roamed abroad you should have seen how often network-switching can occur in areas where networks have full coverage

Originally posted by cuan Plus if u read the same article Bertie Aherne states “I am also directing ComReg to minimise cross-border roaming and other charges for businesses and consumers living close to the border. Businesses in border regions incur additional charges and higher per minute tariffs rates from mobile phone companies in order to avail of all-island tariffs. This puts businesses in border areas at a competitive disadvantage with the rest of the country.”

that's to do with roaming in the north, what's it got to do with national roaming?

qBot

Originally posted by carrotcake
if you've roamed abroad you should have seen how often network-switching can occur in areas where networks have full coverage

So am I to take it that u don't approve of what aherne is trying to do. U don't see it as a positive move, u don't see it paving the way 4 other networks to set up shop in ireland and u don't see it as a way of providing better/cheaper choices 4 customers. This is what the is trying to be done here. And yes I have gone abroad with roaming enabled on my phone.

Do u know how the networks are chosen while roaming. The operator has set out a "preferred list" of network operators. If the signal 4 the first isn't strong enough it jumps the second and so on. I can't see this being much a problem with meteor except in the areas where their signal isn't strong, in which case the phone does what it needs to do and switch to another network. Signals change often abroad because the phone finds a stronger signal in it's list of friendly networks or just simply cause the operator hasn't set up a PREFERRED list.


And again, this system if it is brought in, would be brought in mainly to reduce costs not to increase them. it's just a nice bonus that us meteor customers would now have more coverage and hopefully at no extra cost.

that's to do with roaming in the north, what's it got to do with national roaming?

As 4 this, my point was simply that minister is obviously aware of the situation on the border, so it follows that he would aware of the same situation cropping up down south and would do what he can to prevent it..

carrotcake

you're just putting words into my mouth now

Agent Smith

Originally posted by Celticwarrior
try "i have a low battery, its just about to go, cant find the charger!"

i used that and the ex bought me a mobile charger that you wind up....

crowbar

Originally posted by cuan
And again, this system if it is brought in, would be brought in mainly to reduce costs not to increase them. it's just a nice bonus that us meteor customers would now have more coverage and hopefully at no extra cost.

you're dreaming ... it will most likely cost you more than meteor's normal call rates when you roam onto voda or o2, like the costs when roaming on a foreign operator are an extortionate (some variable %) more than if you were a customer of the foreign operator. plus it's unlikely you'll get to use stuff like free texts for life whilst you're national roaming, as meteor would likely have to pay voda/o2 a fee for every text sent by a roaming meteor customer. when it eventually comes along it'll be worth reading the fine print to see what you're able to do when on national roaming.

just as is the case now, i wouldn't go with meteor after national roaming is available, unless native meteor coverage is available in the areas you're in most of the time.

Faltermyer

Agreed. If/when this does come in(and its been "on the way in" for at least a year now...), you will incur significantly increased costs when roaming with another network operator.

Even before the government began to take such a big interest in this, there were negotiations between Meteor and Vodafone, but they ended because the rates Vodafone wanted to charge Meteor for the use of the Network would have lead to the customer paying charges similar to calling bloody sex lines!! (i.e. premium rate numbers).

As for a phone automatically switching networks- many/most phones(bar a lot of Nokia's) now have the ability to edit/set your own list of preffered networks. Though, obviously, the majority of mobile users will have no idea about/how to use this.

But I would assume that setting of when/which network to use could easily be programmed onto the SIM cards. i.e. something like- "Only roam onto another network when coverage goes below 2bars, and before doing so ask user if they wish to roam, via an on-screen prompt" ??

Genghis

I have looked at all the links on these pages, and I don't seem to be able to see where people have concluded that 'national roaming' will be the same as 'international roaming'.

For a start, the idea behind the initiative is to promote competition. Offering Meteor the opportunity to have access to a network, but at a higher cost is not going to promote competition. What consumer will go for that? All it would do is highlight the deficiencies of Meteor.

Think about it this way. Meteor have a national licence and want to offer a national service, how can I possibly penalize customers for its lack of coverage? While O2 and Vodafone will obviously charge Meteor, Meteor will have to absorb this cost, and seek to minimize it by extending its network in time. The plus isde is that they can offer near 100% coverage, and can start to build a customer base of substance.

I expect that National Roaming will also be a lot more seamless than international roaming. You might not, for example, necessarily 'know' you are on another Network. MVNOs such as Virgin piggyback on mobile networks in the UK (such as T-Mobiles in the case of Virgin), and are able to offer a completely seamless service - users see 'Virgin' on their handset, are billed by Virgin, at Virgin rates, etc, etc, though Virgin do not own any physical network at all.

Additionally, there is no reason to think of National Roaming as being there only to accommodate Meteor. As customers of the big two networks already know, even close to 100% coverage does not guarantee you will be able to make a call. In many cases this is because the major networks have capacity issues - too many users in one area trying to make calls. Under national roaming, it is feasible that an O2 customer uses Meteor (with a whole lot of spare capacity) to handle her call in a busy area, at a busy time. Though she would never know

crowbar

mvnos are a different kettle of fish to national roaming as an mvno's customers don't roam across different networks - they are for all intents and purposes subscribers of a single host network except that billing (and often customer care) is done by the mvno. (an mvno may spread its customer base across multiple networks all right, but each customer only has one host network.) the mvno may well also customise the host carrier's logo on the handset in order to make it look like their 'network' using the same techniques as websites that sell custom operator logos through sms.

an mvno is more like a large corporate customer with thousands of handsets getting preferential call rates for their staff - based on the number of handsets and/or minimum call spend across the corporate as a whole - rather than national roaming. many of the technical issues that exist with international roaming (such as handset to network registration, locating a handset in order to terminate a call or text message, call handover when crossing networks, and of course billing) will also be issues with national roaming, hence i think that's why is more useful to compare national roaming with international roaming.

i wonder how the benefit o2 and voda would get using spare capacity on meteor to offload customers in busy times compares with the costs involved of signing such an agreement. given that their networks are both 'relatively' comprehensive it seems instinctively to me that it would just not be worth it, but if as you say there are major capacity issues at busy hours then the short-term improvement in customer experience might outweigh the cost. though whether this is even possible depends on whether meteor wants to offer reciprocal national roaming with voda/o2 - they won't be classified as an operator with 'significant market power', so in fact they don't even have to offer roaming access to their network while they are demanding to get it from the big two!