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3G mobile phones, is this a viable net access option when it arrives?

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  • 04-02-2003 12:00am
    #1
    Calman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 189 ✭✭


    I saw here on a thread in the past month or 2 that 3G mobile phones (network) would be coming to Ireland by the end of this year. Will this be viable option speed wise and price wise?


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    #2
    spongebob
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,143 ✭✭✭spongebob


    speed 40-120k (isdn ish speeds)
    data priced per Megabyte...horrendous at present

    I think it may be a good idea at 256k and flatrate in about 2008


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    #3
    JTMan
    Registered Users Posts: 5,539 ✭✭✭JTMan


    Originally posted by Muck
    flatrate in about 2008

    No it is very likely to be flat rate at launch. The packages that 3 have hinted at for Italy and the UK include unlimited data. It is likely that 3 will launch the same packages here. 3 have until Jan 1. 2004 to launch there network here or face fines.


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    #4
    yellum
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,025 ✭✭✭yellum


    Unlimited data for maybe the first month. Most of the telcos are creaming in their pants at the revenue generation possibilities of 3G data. I'm sure the UK companies are going to charge stinging prices to recoup the billions they dished out on the licenses.


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    #5
    longword
    Closed Accounts Posts: 741 ✭✭✭longword


    Originally posted by yellum
    I'm sure the UK companies are going to charge stinging prices to recoup the billions they dished out on the licenses.
    They don't have much of a choice there - they have to make about a thousand euro per year from every 3G customer in the UK just to break even, and that's assuming they can get everyone to sign up for 3G. That said, these are people who are not ashamed to charge nigh on €1 per kilobit on SMS messages. At that rate the latest Windows 2000 service pack would cost over €70,000. I'm still not sure why the regulators allow that to continue.


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    #6
    JTMan
    Registered Users Posts: 5,539 ✭✭✭JTMan


    Originally posted by yellum
    Unlimited data for maybe the first month.

    No the packages announced by 3 in Italy and the UK were for unlimited data for a fixed fee for no time limit.
    Originally posted by yellum
    I'm sure the UK companies are going to charge stinging prices to recoup the billions they dished out on the licenses.

    If they do then no one will buy 3G handsets. They will charge whatever the public is willing to pay.


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    #7
    LFCFan
    Moderators Posts: 3,815 ✭✭✭LFCFan


    Originally posted by Fungus
    They will charge whatever the public is willing to pay.

    And since when do companies in Ireland only charge what we are willing to pay? They charge what they want and get away with it as it's always been in this Banana Republic.


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    #8
    davej
    Registered Users Posts: 1,186 ✭✭✭davej


    I know that 3G cards for PCs/laptops have started to be sold in the US (verizon).
    But .. in Ireland the initial roll out of 3G will be comparable to isdn rates. Still this combined with a wlan card to take advantage of all of those hotspots that vodafone and esat are going to set up ;) could be a pretty good combination.

    davej


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    #9
    Dustaz
    Registered Users Posts: 9,046 ✭✭✭Dustaz


    Originally posted by LFCFan
    And since when do companies in Ireland only charge what we are willing to pay? They charge what they want and get away with it as it's always been in this Banana Republic.

    I know this might be hard to accept, but the fact that the public pays it generally means that the public are willing to pay it.


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    #10
    Calman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 189 ✭✭Calman


    So is it true that 3G will be here by the end of the year?


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