New Cost Saving Free App Idea - Feedback Required & Appreciated!

credilimit

Hi,
I’m a new start-up company in the process of finalising development on a cost saving Free mobile application for the iPhone followed by the Android market. There will be no costs to the users.

The purpose of this exercise is to generate feedback from a wide spectrum of potential users which would hopefully allow for changes to be implemented before final development is complete and App is submitted to Apple for review.

Overview:
(suggested blurb)
Network-ID is a FREE mobile phone application designed to save you money. It reduces your mobile phone bill by showing you which network your friends and contacts are registered with. With this information you can then take advantage of the Free Calls & Texts to same network numbers.
Network-ID helps to solve the problem of not knowing which network your friends and contacts are with. It therefore can help you to ‘Talk More For Less’.

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Basically the idea for the App came about when I went looking for a new phone. I had previously been on a company phone and as such never had to pay or think about the costs of bills or duration of calls etc.

The one common denominator within all bill pay contracts provided by each network providers was the option to include ‘Free Calls & Tests’ as part of your plan. The problem was that since the market was deregulated there was no way of knowing which of your friends/ colleagues/ family etc were registered with which network.

Network-ID is attempting to provide a solution to this by allowing the user to identify which network their contacts are on allowing each to capitalise on their ‘Free Calls & Texts.’

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Target audiences:
- Social groups (friends/ clubs/ colleges/ schools): friends will have the opportunity to find out which of their friends are registered with which network – if they find that most of their friends are registered with another network it could prompt that they change
- SME/s Start-Ups – new businesses looking for a new provider could first check with network most of their contacts are registered proving costs savings on future bills
- Company phones – many company’s now include a work-only calls policy or limited personal calls usage – employees using the App would have the ability to identify friends/ family on their network meaning calls made to each would not incur any additional charges/ penalties from their employer.

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Questions:
What do people think of the idea?
Would you download it?
Any suggestions ideas on how it could be improved (I realise the difficultly in giving opinions without first seeing or interacting with the App but any ideas/ suggestions/ criticisms welcome (try not to be too harsh!!!)

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You can PM for an offline discussion.

Thanks in advance!

New start-up company…

vinnycoyne

credilimit has okayed this with the mods.

BostonB

It might be useful depends how you'll do it.

Currently you get a beep when you ring someone on another network. However it would be useful to get a warning and the offer to send them a web text instead. Which might be cheaper if you've data, or wifi.

How are you thinking of doing it?

Currently I put a O2, Vod, Met behind peoples numbers in my phone book. Then every now and then I look at my bill and see which calls and texts do I get billed for. Its kinda after the fact though. People change networks and you might not be told.

credilimit

Thanks for the feedback BostonB.

You are correct that Vodafone have implemented a 'beep' feature to identify when you call a non-Vodafone number but you only find this out after your call.

Network-ID provides one destination to store all this information allowing the user to access and identify which contacts are registered with which network.

The App works by cross referencing your contact list against numbers already registered with the App. Once a number is identified the chosen network is auto-populated beside their name.

guil

with o2 if the number is on a different network there is a beep before any dial tone

ironclaw

How do you get data to tell which network a number is on? Nice idea I have to say.

Never knew what the beep was either

ted1

Are you saying that the other person has to have this installed? Does it pick up the info when they call.

BostonB

What happens when someone changes network and doesn't tell you?

Mellor

Pretty sure this exists for vodafone,
it checks your phone book and puts a vodafone symbol beside the relevant numbers

credilimit

At present there does not appear to be anything on the market that identifies or allows the user to segregate numbers by network. The 'beep' option only comes into effect after the number has been dialed.

Users will have to download the App through iTunes and later the Android store.

During the registration process the user is asked which network they are registered with. The data is then uploaded on any of your contacts phone who have also downloaded the App.

If the user changes network they can manually change their network through the App which in turn would automatically update every contact that has your phone number installed on their phone.

BostonB

You're going to have to have a central database to store personal information, numbers and then send updates to everyones phones if you do it that way, which will being you into the realms of data protection.

jester77

credilimit wrote: »

At present there does not appear to be anything on the market that identifies or allows the user to segregate numbers by network. The 'beep' option only comes into effect after the number has been dialed.

Users will have to download the App through iTunes and later the Android store.

During the registration process the user is asked which network they are registered with. The data is then uploaded on any of your contacts phone who have also downloaded the App.

If the user changes network they can manually change their network through the App which in turn would automatically update every contact that has your phone number installed on their phone.

I use an app called Netztfinder that does exactly that in Germany. Works nice but I would have implemented the interface to be more like the Contacts app. You select your contact and then it process's your request and places the appropriate provider logos beside their numbers. It's fairly quick and only takes less than 2 seconds. It doesn't save the logo, but I suppose this makes sense as the user may have changed networks by the next time you use the app.

The only downside is that you have to always open this app and search the contact and wait for the response. If this app was built to mimic the contacts app then it would get a lot more use from me as it would be a good replacement. Something to think about when you are designing your version.

credilimit

Thanks jester77.

Apple restrict any manipulation of the preexisting software on an iPhone which limits accessing the default Contacts list. Your point on the logo are interesting and will be taken on board for future changes.

credilimit

BostonB wrote: »

You're going to have to have a central database to store personal information, numbers and then send updates to everyones phones if you do it that way, which will being you into the realms of data protection.

Yes BostonB, data protection is an issue and has been addressed.
thanks

ironclaw

Are you planning on making money from this? As much as I like the idea, I don't think I'd pay for it. If the idea is to save me money (be that a few cents on phone calls) I'm not sure I'd fork out for it in the first place.

It would also have to be seamless i.e. I don't want to have to load an App before I make a phone call. Granted you could emulate the iPhone contacts list in an App but you'd lose some features on the way, which could be a stumbling block.

EDIT: I'd also like to say this is a very easy application to copy, so I'd make it very unique in some way.

credilimit

Network-ID will be Free and calls can be made within the App itself...

Tom Cruises Left Nut

Have you investigated gaining access to the Ward Database I think it is called so you can look up all numbers for a user ?

ironclaw

credilimit wrote: »

Network-ID will be Free and calls can be made within the App itself...

Ah ok. But do you plan to make money? Advertising is a dead duck on mobile apps in my experience unless you have huge volume.

I'm still not so sure a user would take the extra 20 seconds to open your App, check what network a friend is on and ring it. What do they do if the friend is on a different network? Are they still going to ring it? Probably.

Suppose what I'm asking is, just being devils advocate, whats in it for the user?

keane2097

Sounds like a good idea, I'd D/L it.

credilimit

I'm looking into releasing a number of free cost saving applications and Network-ID is the first to test the market...

naasrd

Great idea, I've 2 teens on Meteor and even though their mates numbers start with 085 they don't get that they might have ported over. this results in them being charged. Could be a winner this one.

hada

Great idea. Would definitely download this OP.

smoke.me.a.kipper

jester77 wrote: »

I use an app called Netztfinder that does exactly that in Germany....

Netzfinder is indeed very good. pity it doesnt list 'piggyback' networks like aldi talk or edeka mobil... but very handy to work out if you can call or text for free.

bohsfan

Hiya, I like the idea and can see the value of the app... However, the thought that everyone in my phonebook would also have to download the app aswel before I could get proper use of it is what puts me off.

If I downloaded the app and saw that only a few of my contacts had done the same I would probably just get rid of it. I can be a bit impatient like that...

Will_H

credilimit wrote: »

Questions:
What do people think of the idea?
Would you download it?
Any suggestions ideas on how it could be improved (I realise the difficultly in giving opinions without first seeing or interacting with the App but any ideas/ suggestions/ criticisms welcome (try not to be too harsh!!!)

Idea in theory sounds good - it will depend how it is implemented [read: ease of use] of course! Making a phone call from a mobile is simple, and needs to stay simple for most people - well, for me anyway! There will be those I'm sure, who would be happy to have a few extra 'steps' to do in order to save some money. There have been some good comments from people already. I suppose it's about changing people's mindsets from going into their Contacts to find a number, to simply getting them to enter your app instead. It also sounds a little bit like Viber in some ways.

Would I download it? Yes, I'd give it a go...

ironclaw

As I've said before I love the idea but the most anyone would save is a few cents per phone call. I think when someone realizes that a friend is on a different network, you have to ask, if they need to contact that person they will still do so. Is that information that the call is going to cost them that valuable? Maybe to some people it is but in more cases that not they are just going to ring them anyway.

I suppose I'm struggling to see the value of the information you'll be providing. Yes I know that Joe is on a different network, but I still need to ring him so at the end of the day I just know before hand that its going to cost money. I'm not going to change my call pattern if I need to contact that person (Would anyone?) Are you going to be offering an alternative to making the phone call?

BostonB

Personally I would definately chat with some people if I thought the call was free. But probably would just sent them a text if it wasn't. It all adds up. Horses for courses.

credilimit

thanks to everyone who took the time to read the idea and post feedback all of which has been welcomed and appreciated!

If anyone would be interested in testing a beta version of the App let me know as I should a version ready in the coming days.

The registration process for testing the App is simple, takes little time and effort and should only take a few minutes of your time. For anyone interested they can register through the following link:
https://testflightapp.com/join/1af69db8aa36dbd34e551a56e82dfc68-MjEyNDI/
Cheers!