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Ofcom helps protect customers against unexpected roaming charges

Ofcom helps protect customers against unexpected roaming charges

UK service providers must notify customers when they connect to a different network

New rules from UK telecoms regulator Ofcom will protect customers when they use their mobile phone on a foreign network. In addition, customers will be alerted if they are inadvertently roaming, perhaps because they're near an international border.
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Global smartphone market is set for recovery, says new forecast

A new forecast from research specialists Canalys shows the smartphone market is set to recover next year. Worldwide shipments declined by 12% last year but that decline is expected to slow to 5% this year.
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Vodafone and Three plan to merge their UK businesses

Vodafone and Three plan to merge their UK businesses

New Hutchison/Vodafone network would be biggest UK operator

Vodafone Group plc and CK Hutchison Group Telecom Holdings Limited have agreed to combine their UK telecommunication businesses, respectively Vodafone UK and Three UK. The merger will create a large new network operator to compete with Virgin Media O2 and EE.
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UK mobile payment service Paym to close in March 2023

UK mobile payment service Paym will close on 7th March 2023. The service, which allowed users to make and receive payments using their mobile phone numbers, was launched in 2014.
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Qualcomm legal action moves forward in the UK

Qualcomm legal action moves forward in the UK

Which? seeks payout for Samsung and Apple smartphone owners

Consumer protection organisation Which? has been given permission by the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal to represent Apple and Samsung smartphone buyers in a legal case against chip manufacturer Qualcomm.
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Opinion Articles

Friday, July 24, 2009

What price for a hands-free conversation?

Iain Graham writes:

When you get up tomorrow morning and get in the car, why don't you screw up three £20 notes and lob 'em out of the window?!  Oh, and whilst you are at it, take out your driving licence, and put three points in the penalties column!!

Why would you do that, I hear you ask?  My answer would be, "I don't know, but it's what I see a lot of people doing every day I drive anywhere or walk down the road!"  It is the completely unnecessary risk you take when you sit behind the wheel of a car that is in motion and use a handheld mobile phone at the same time!  If you are a truck or bus driver, you have no reason to feel smug because you are equally as guilty!!

WHY DO YOU DO IT??!! Is it because;

  • The chance of being caught is infinitely small
  • The police should have better things to do
  • I am a responsible person and I am perfectly safe when I do it, it is all the other muppets who don't know what they are doing
  • It is an infringement of my civil rights/liberties
  • I never phone, I only text and sending a text is not an offence???

Have you ever been guilty of saying any of the above?!  I certainly have in the past, but then I used to drive at 90mph in a car with no seatbelts after I passed my test!  (I know you didn't think I was that old, but in my early days there was no speed limit on motorways in Britain and seatbelts hadn't even been thought of, let alone invented!)

Nowadays, I wouldn't move off my driveway without belting up. Why the change of heart?  Greater sense of social responsibility maybe?  Getting more sensible with age?  No, not really, it's because certain things when you give them a bit of thought just make sense!

Also, every car comes with easy to use, comfortable seatbelts and 94% of people use them all the time.

So it is the same with mobile phones. Every new phone comes with a basic wired earpiece for free, and Bluetooth devices are available from around a tenner upwards, so what's the reason only one person in three uses one regularly?

Come on guys (and gals), it is incredibly unsafe and dangerous to everyone around you to use a non-handsfree handset whilst driving. Use a handsfree kit now - YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE - before the government realises that current legislation is not working and they ban the use of ALL mobiles in a moving vehicle.

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Recent Podcasts

Mobile phones, mobile patents, mobile payments, mobile software... and more

Podcast - 27th November 2013

This week we're talking about two big announcements from BlackBerry: a luxury smartphone and some major management changes.

We also discuss the latest Samsung/Apple patent ruling, Vodafone's new mobile wallet, Android licensing, Doro's anti-virus deal, BYOD and the rise of the 'selfie'.

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Protecting children from text message cyber-bullying

Podcast - 22nd November 2013

With more than half of all pre-teen children reported to be using text messaging as their main form of mobile communication, it's not surprising to hear that bullies are taking advantage of SMS to attack their victims.

But what can mobile networks do to help these victims of cyber-bullying?  Louise O'Sullivan of Anam Technologies explains why she thinks network operators are apparently reluctant to take action - and why other organisations need to get involved.

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High-flying phones, hands-free phones, cash-free wallets and messaging madness

Podcast - 20th November 2013

This week's headline-grabbing product launch is the Motorola Moto G, which promises a decent Android smartphone at a very attractive price.

We also discuss new rules about mobile phones on planes, a new campaign to ban hands-free calls in cars, falling SMS revenue, mobile wallets and BlackBerry's $1 million investment.

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From the UK's newest smartphone manufacturer to the world's largest 4G tariff... and much more

Podcast - 13th November 2013

The past few days have been a good time for launches. Twitter has floated on the stock exchange, Kazam has revealed its smartphone range and EE has created a tariff with a million gigabytes of mobile data.

On the other side of the coin, Acer's CEO is quitting, Vodafone UK has missed its 3G coverage target and hackers can take control of your handset's camera to ascertain PIN codes.

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A new hope for BlackBerry... and a new challenge for Android

Podcast - 6th November 2013

It looks like BlackBerry is safe for the moment... but not with the takeover many had expected.

Meanwhile Google launches the Nexus 5, Nortel's patents are sent into battle, EE promises ever-faster 4G, the FAA allows electronic devices to be used throughout flights and we celebrate a record quarter for smartphone shipments.

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