MoolaMonkey - Saving You Money on Your Mobile

StaticNoise

Ladies, Gentlemen, and Boardsies,

I am thrilled to announce MoolaMonkey.com!

This is the next chapter in 'the best SIM Only Deals' Spreadsheet which you are probably aware of.
I've been working on keeping that updated over the past year, and hopefully people have benefited from clear information and saved a few quid!

MoolaMonkey.com

---

MoolaMonkey.com is the new way to view the SIM Only deals and offers. No longer a complicated, crowded spreadsheet- it is now visible in a clean, mobile friendly site.

Reviews

An impartial, honest review system is nearly ready to go live. It's working away in the background, and I just need to make a few tweaks before you can join in and share your thoughts.

Blog & News

I've started to give you some news and updates on the changes taking place in the mobile world.
First up, I outlined the information regarding to the new charges from Three, and how or if they'll affect you.
This way you'll be able to make a decision for yourself if you want to stick with them. Should I stay or should I go?

---

Going forward, the spreadsheet is no longer updated, so please use the new website.

Again, I have made a number of attempts to contact the Mods in order to seek permission to post a link to my website, but no response has been received.
I have given this link and made this website in good faith, and I am sure that they will understand.


I look forward to hearing from you and sharing in your feedback!

Yours,
MoolaMonkey and Static-Noise

fionny

Looks like someone is trying the same thing from an App perspective on android:

(I've removed the link)

StaticNoise

Thank you for your interest in MoolaMonkey!

I've got a crazy amount of traffic since it launched last week, and I am even happier now that the original Boards.ie thread was restored.
As I have stated, I rushed the website up because of the public backlash over the Three Ireland price increase, so I wasn't able to launch with a full set of features.
The next thing on the list is Reviews. Here, you'll be able to vote and rate your experience with your network, which can help other users.

Reviews will be independent and impartial (think of TripAdvisor) and will come exclusively from the public. There are no way for networks to add, post, or rate. It is going to be advice and experience from customers, and not the network Execs!

I'm rolling this out in the coming days, so please bear with me as I get things going.

Thanks again!

Static-Noise.

StaticNoise

fionny wrote: »

Looks like someone is trying the same thing from an App perspective:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.killbiller.app

Thanks for the comment, fionny.

However, we are different as we do not use any referral links or registration deals- unlike KillBiller.
KillBiller make money from the application by changing customer plans or networks in the app.
We do not engage in such activities, and we affirm that all recommendations and links are free from referrals, ads, or paid placement.

This is only the start of the journey, so there isn't an app in the works, but we will focus on making the website mobile friendly at all times.


To learn more about MoolaMonkey and it's policy on ads and referral links, click here. We call them "Our Values", and spoiler alert: nothing nasty or commercial is going on.

StaticNoise

Update:

Reviews have been enabled. They should be working perfectly, but beware of bugs.

All networks have started off, intentionally, at a 50% positive rating. They'll increase and decrease as reviews come in. Again, no network will be able to modify or fake reviews, and I'll be keeping track of IP addresses in order to prevent fake postings.

Feel free to review your current network, as well as your experience with previous providers. You can also vent your thoughts on what you think are good offers, and what aren't. You have a comment box, so feel free to add your two cents accordingly.


Upcoming

A plan recommendation engine is coming. The algorithm behind such a feature is quite complicated, but it is something I'll be looking into.

This will take some time, but not an era. In the meantime, keep reviewing and rating your experience.

This project will only die if people don't use it.




Thanks all!

StaticNoise

Update - 05/06/2015
Tesco Mobile are leading the customer feedback and opinions, followed by Three.
48 are the third most rated network.

After that, the existing networks have received no feedback.
If you're on one of these networks, or if you could share your previous experience, please do so.
This is a community project and all input is welcomed!

fionny

StaticNoise wrote: »

Update - 05/06/2015
Tesco Mobile are leading the customer feedback and opinions, followed by Three.
48 are the third most rated network.

After that, the existing networks have received no feedback.
If you're on one of these networks, or if you could share your previous experience, please do so.
This is a community project and all input is welcomed!

Your front page doesnt reflect the scores that are live...

I now left feedback for Three, Tesco, Meteor and emobile.

StaticNoise

Thanks Fionn!

I see the comments that you have added. I had a filter on that required manual verification.
I can see that the comments were posted less than ten minutes ago.


Thanks for your comments. They're now reflected, and I appreciate your input.
And apologies for the delay in making the comments visible: I'm sure you understand.

fionny

Course I understand I didnt mean that... what I meant is on your front page you have a rating for example of Tesco Mobile as 5 but when you click in they are 6.9

StaticNoise

I know you didn't!

Yes, the update only came in there and should kick in from now on.
The front page is weighted.

I've added a page so that people can understand the magic sauce on our end.
http://www.moolamonkey.com/our-values/how-does-the-rating-work/

StaticNoise

Monday, 6th July 2015

New Article:
Roaming Can Be Cheap: It Doesn’t Have To Be Steep

As it stands, roaming is significantly less than it was a few years ago, but in a more and more connected world, many argue that some of these charges are still too high, especially when it comes to data. But there are ways around these charges, or how to keep them as low as possible, when you’re jet-setting this Summer.

http://www.moolamonkey.com/blog/how-to-roam-for-less/


Updates:
- Changed the new allowances and WhatsApp information from 48

Current (Overall) Rankings:

Meteor - 8.8
eMobile - 8.3
Lycamobile - 7.8
Vodafone - 7.3
Tesco Mobile - 6.9
48 - 6.5
Three - 5.4
Postmobile - 5
Blueface - 5

cb1959

StaticNoise wrote: »

Monday, 6th July 2015

New Article:
Roaming Can Be Cheap: It Doesn’t Have To Be Steep

Some really useful roaming tips here. However, you are incorrect in stating that Meteor's roaming rate starts from €3. In fact, they have a 50MB per day European roaming deal for 99c per day - I think it is one of the best roaming deals in Europe, as long as you stay under 50MB. If you need more, as you mention they have 1GB for €14.99 - but the 99c rate is great for students or for short weekend breaks where you don't want to buy a local SIM. Also Meteor give free incoming calls when roaming in Europe. You just IM or text your friends/family at home and get them to call you and you don't have to worry about additional roaming charges. By the way, eMobile have the same deal.

Another useful tip is to use the MyMeteor or MyEircom apps to send free text messages when you are roaming - they give 300 texts to Irish numbers and 100 to International numbers. If you have WiFi or data roaming, this will save you text charges.

I think that you should put a warning on the Three "Roam at Home" deal. It only works on Three partner networks, and if you accidentally roam onto another network in the same country, you get charged full whack. I know several people who got caught with this. Since Three generally have the worst coverage in the countries where they operate, it is not that difficult to roam off their networks. You should also note that the Vodafone 500MB deal is only temporary (great while it lasts!) - and is due to revert to 200MB on 1st Sept.

It is great to see these flat rate roaming deals appearing from Meteor, eMobile and Vodafone - but everyone should be careful of the limits and make sure to have an app on their phone configured to warn or even cut off when approaching the limit.

StaticNoise

cb1959,
Thanks for your thoughts- I appreciate it.

Regarding the Meteor and eMobile offers, I was sure that there was something before, but I didn't notice the 99c offer on the page as it is not displayed as prominent as other offers. I've added it to the post accordingly. I've also remarked how the "Roam Like Home" offer will give you a data allowance, but force you into higher call and text rates.

As for the webtexts, I've posted it. Good call. I've given you credit on the post, obviously!

Vodafone is a promotional offering, but the policy, at present, is to list the current rates and only remark when they are changing. This is something seen on the 48 page, for example. This is something that is in review, so I've added it to the article in the meantime, but it is something that is not reflected across the site. Your feedback on this is much appreciated.

Yep, Three does stress that it is only on sister networks: which I've made clear. I try not to make things confusing on the site (and I try keep things in layman's terms, if you get me), but I'll make a brief remark on data roaming also.


Your feedback and input has been appreciated. I've added this post to the comments to ensure dialogue and transparency.

Thanks!
StaticNoise.

StaticNoise

MoolaMonkey will be down for maintenance today, Friday 28th August.

I hope to restore the site back online in a few hours, but it might extend until tomorrow.
These changes are in order to create a SSL (Secure) website, and to increase speed and reliability via a load balanced server.

fionny

Have you gone? If so sorry to hear it..

StaticNoise

No, we're still here. Most definitely.

I am engaging in a major overhaul of the website and how it operates (and I'm also trying to migrate to a host with decent services and speed at a low price, since we've no adverts) and since I'm personally footing the bill.

We'll be back as soon as I can.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Whats going on with the site?

Niemoj

1 November 2016 launch date?

StaticNoise

Hey everyone.
Static-Noise here, developer-type figure of MoolaMonkey.

Apologies for the lack of information and updates regarding the website.
I'll be upfront and honest about what is going on, so let me break it down here for you.

--

"Eh, where's the site? It says November 1st launch date"
Unfortunately, as much as I really wanted, I couldn't launch the website properly on this date. The good news is that it is not November 1st 2016, and the bad news is that it was supposed to be November 1st 2015. I had all intentions to launch it properly on this date, but some little snags got into the way.


"The best things in life are free..."
Luther and Janet nailed it in one. MoolaMonkey was always created with the intention to be non-commercial. No ads, no sponsored content. It is also something that I have no vested interests in, as I don't work in the mobile phone sector or in a sales capacity around telecommunications.

The issue is, funding it isn't cheap. The last web host was swamped by hits. The service was slow, it was reaching a high capacity, and my simple analytics found that people were not staying on the service as the website was loading slow. I've since moved host, and this is where things lie.


"Where to now then?"
I don't want to be that bloke to keep saying that 'things are on the way', but things genuinely are. I was only finishing some code last week for the reviews.
I need to figure out a way to pay for the hosting (it looks like around the 75-80 mark for the year), and then I can launch it.
Unfortunately, Adwords are not an option for me, so I can't get any funds this way.


The bumping of this thread gave me a kick up the arse to have another go at getting the site live. I will have another attempt at getting as much of it up online tonight as I can.


Thank you for your patience and understanding with all of this. As this is something of a hobby for me, and something that I am not financially benefitting from, you can probably understand why work and real life things got in the way.

Thanks,
SN.



Proof things are coming:












---

Edit:

You've given me a right kick up the arse. I've got the site up and running again.
I've exported and changed the coding on the back end, and I've got the pictures to start porting over.

Fingers crossed, y'all.

StaticNoise

Just as an update, I should have things live this week.
I'm currently taking the hit (financially speaking) but I hope to find a way around this shortly.

I'm just finishing the mobile website and we're good to go.

StaticNoise

Hi everyone. Time for a little update.

I am 95% ready to launch the website, and I am just going to be updating the DNS servers to point to the new website.

However, I am looking for some testers.
I just want people to have a look at the website, check out the links, and see if everything is working.
I've tried it on my laptop and my phones, but I am surely missing a few bits and pieces, forgotten a few typos, or have some things lining up out of place.

If you're willing to test things out, please give me a PM.