Categories
Close
Menu
Menu
Close
Search
Search

Featured Articles

News

Ad-funded MVNO Samba Mobile closes

Mark

Share:

Print

Rate article:

No rating
Rate this article:
No rating

Advertising-funded virtual network Samba Mobile has closed down in the UK… just a month after rival MVNO Ovivo Mobile ceased trading.

Samba Mobile was formed in 2010 and launched its mobile network in 2012. It’s posted a message on its website that says “Samba has had to take the difficult decision to close, primarily due to high and increasing - and therefore unsustainable - data costs.”

It says these data costs have made its current model “unsustainable”. Customers who signed up this month will receive a refund for their SIM card or dongle; any credit that’s been bought and hasn’t been used will also be refunded.

The statement goes on to say “You have taken part in a unique experiment that has been welcomed by the ad industry – we have run over 1000 campaigns for our partners and have, to a large extent, proven that people are happy to consume advertising if they are in control of the experience and if they get something meaningful in return. We will be taking this experience into subsequent ventures.”

The Samba Mobile service had used the Three UK network. Customers received a basic data allowance by watching promotional videos online.

Comments

Collapse Expand Comments (1)
paul

I'm well p****d off, I've just lost 2 lines, my numbers & cash with that ovivo, now samba where its taken me 6 month to accrue 5.3 gig of data, only to lose the lot, unbelievable, who's next, asda & or giffgaff, they're also mvno's just like ovivo & samba, beware folks, be very careful which network you use, its as if the big boy's allow these mvno's to become established, then when they feel a slight pinch of lost custom, they pull the plug and let us all sink, its time some watchdog put some provisions in place to protect the public, but not the trading standards as all they can do with their sale of goods act is talk a glass eye to sleep.

3
0
You don't have permission to post comments.

Opinion Articles

Whatever happened to all my tech?

ExclusiveWhatever happened to all my tech?

Mark Bridge writes:

I've been taking a look back at the devices I've written about during the past few years. Some are still faithful companions, others... well, let's just say my faith was misplaced.

ExclusivePredictions for 2016: Network Function Virtualisation, 4G throttling and video calling

Mark Windle, head of marketing at OpenCloud, predicts that this year’s reduction in the number of traditional telecoms operators in some countries will provide an opportunity for other operators to innovate and capture market share in 2016.

He says next year will be a year of rapid change for telecoms… whether it’s MVNO disruption, competitive tariff pricing or simply defence from the ‘dark art’ of hacking.

Kapture review: the audio-recording wristband

ExclusiveKapture review: the audio-recording wristband

Mark Bridge writes:

The most memorable moments in life often go unrecorded. You don't have your camera in your hands. Your finger is still hovering over the 'pause' button on your audio recorder. Or you were simply too busy experiencing whatever was happening. It's all about the one that got away.

That's where Kapture can help.

RSS
12345678910Last

Recent Podcasts

ExclusivePodcast - 11th June 2010

Ben Whitaker of Masabi talks about mobile ticketing, including his company's recent partnership with thetrainline.com that'll enable almost any mobile phone user to buy train tickets when they're on the move. (An extended version of the interview from Wednesday's podcast).

ExclusivePodcast - 9th June 2010

Apple announces the iPhone 4, Iridium prepares 72 new satellites and Orange reveals a phone charger powered by hot feet. In addition there's a conversation with Ben Whitaker of Masabi about his company's plans to introduce rail tickets on mobile phones across the UK.

ExclusivePodcast - 2nd June 2010

HipLogic CEO Mark Anderson talks about his company's information and entertainment application, which is being preloaded onto mobile phones at The Carphone Warehouse. And, as usual, there's a look at all the week's other major mobile industry headlines.

ExclusivePodcast - 26th May 2010

Iain, James and Mark discuss the week's headlines, from the Nokia/Yahoo! partnership and Google's AdMob approval to one-sided phone calls. There's also an interview with Andrew Grieve and Paul Erickson from fSONA; a company that offers 'optical wireless' technology to relieve network capacity problems.

ExclusivePodcast - 19th May 2010

This week's podcast is dominated by the results from the Interphone 'brain cancer' mobile phone research, although there's also time for Iain, James and Mark to talk about Google, Bluechipworld, Vodafone MVNOs, giffgaff, 3D mobile video, HTC's legal action and houses without fixed-line phones.

RSS
First6566676870727374Last

Follow thefonecast.com

Archive Calendar

«July 2026»
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
293012345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
272829303112
3456789

Archive