Mobile phone Network

Blue_Wolf

Hi guys I work in the mobile phone industry and want to point out something.
Im sure some of you are aware but like to get your opinion.

In Ireland all phones sold have network software installed on it, therefore locked to their own network. In the past 3-5 years phone quality and durability has gone to the pigs. The reason for this is because of the lowsy network software installed on it. This only applies to phones with software problems, turns itself off, cant read memory card, all these common faults.

In the Uk all phones are sold sim free, no network software, you pick a network and they give you the sim card to use in that phone. Errors and faults with phones are 85% down to the software on it. 15% down to the manufacturing fault. So in Ireland we have phones that are faulty more frequently than not. In the Uk they dont have this problem.

Wouldnt it be so much better if we followed the same route as the Uk??

The Pro's
1. Sim free (use any sim card)
2. No faulty software
3. Pick any phone you like without being limited as it's not on your network
4. No Network charging to unlock the phone

The Con's
Well there's none that effects you!

matchthis

Wouldn't be a fan of branding of any kind so would agree with this for that alone. Would also see quicker release dates for new handsets as we would not have to wait for the back and through between the manufacturer and the network to come up with the best possible software.
Only issue i could think of is when settings are needed i.e. MMS, Gprs etc
The iphone seems to be good for me. Maybe the whole issue of people never updating there software when issues are found could also sort out many problems. Then again, the iphone has eck all network software

Blue_Wolf

Example of Networks taking the piss.

Vodafone released the Blackberry storm just in time for Christmas. They had problems getting them in on time but they managed it but had to hurry through the software stage. Result: Phone out on time for xmas, vodafone make the money they want. People pissed off that the phone is crap due to software issues. Vodafone throw up a software upgrade onto their website for customers to update even though they have only had the phone a week.

Priceless! Another scam which is down this very issue I have brought up. :mad:

TerrorFirmer

Remember when Vodafone used to have the exact same software on every phone? That was a nightmare - you had awesome phones crippled by this ****ty, two-tone red/white menu with its childish icons. I was so pissed off when I got the Sharp GX25. From what I've seen though (I own a lot of phones) Vodafone, O2 and Meteor these days have fairly minimal branding/custom software.....

ongarite

Blue_Wolf wrote: »

Example of Networks taking the piss.

Vodafone released the Blackberry storm just in time for Christmas. They had problems getting them in on time but they managed it but had to hurry through the software stage. Result: Phone out on time for xmas, vodafone make the money they want. People pissed off that the phone is crap due to software issues. Vodafone throw up a software upgrade onto their website for customers to update even though they have only had the phone a week.

Priceless! Another scam which is down this very issue I have brought up. :mad:

Thats not Vodafone's fault to be honest. The Blackberry Storm launch was the biggest joke in the history of phone launches. RIM released an unfinished product with beta software just to rush it out into the Thanksgiving, Christmas market. Only now after nearly 10 updates, is the Storm turning into a usable product.

The way is see the branding thing is:
Branded phone is usually much much cheaper than unbranded SIM free phone. Its a price compromise that most customers are happy to make.

discombobulate

I just bought a Sony Ericsson K850i from the UK. Its unlocked but has 3UK software on it and branding on the back of the phone so is this a very new thing as its a new enough model phone?

Blue_Wolf

ongarite wrote: »

The way is see the branding thing is:
Branded phone is usually much much cheaper than unbranded SIM free phone. Its a price compromise that most customers are happy to make.

Of course, the network get the phones in sim free at say for arguement sake 200euro, put their software on the phone and lock it to their network. Subsidise the price of the phone by charging the customer 149euro and giving them free credit. They wont unlock the phone until you have bought 130euro worth of credit so to make up the 50euro they lost at the selling price of 149 and make a little bit of profit.

Your suggesting that if we follow the Uks route than phones would be more expensive. That is very true but not by much and customers are willing to spend a little bit extra on a phone to have it sim free or to get the phone they want. Some people choose a network based on the phone, they dont care what call credit or bill plan they go on etc etc as long as they get the phone they want. I saw a mother buy a bloody Iphone for her 10year old child. Really annoyed me actually!

In the Uk not only are they sim free but they are half the price that we charge for locked ones. But sure that boils down to buying power and them having bigger market and bigger competition so the prices are squeezed.

Sign on a contract in the Uk, get 3 times the amount of minutes for the same amount of money as you pay here. Get a free phone even a high spec n95 and get free xbox 360. We truely are been taken on a ride in Ireland. But, like i said its because we are small country

ongarite wrote: »

Its a price compromise that most customers are happy to make.

Everybody is different so you can't generalise everybodys view on that. Perhaps give the people the choice to choose.
For the last 7 years, networks had their phones packaged into 2 different types, one being bill pay and other prepay.
This lead to some phones not being available on prepay and vice versa. This has all changed in the last 6months with the exception of Meteor. All phones are packed as one and the only thing that distinguishes a bill phone from prepay is the sim card.
They could possibly adapt the old approach to sim free phones and locked phones.
Create a different plu for the 2 different packs and allocate the sim card per pack as normal.
That way we get choice of what we rather!!

Blue_Wolf

discombobulate wrote: »

I just bought a Sony Ericsson K850i from the UK. Its unlocked but has 3UK software on it and branding on the back of the phone so is this a very new thing as its a new enough model phone?

As far as i know 3 is an exception as they have their 3planet. So they need to have the software on the phone for applications like skype, msn etc etc