Latest Podcast



Featured Articles

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.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

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.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
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.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

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.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
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.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
RSS

Opinion Articles

Saturday, February 5, 2011

This week at The Fonecast: 6th February 2011

Mark Bridge writes:

Last year, mobile payments seemed a lifetime away. Even Visa Europe's head of mobile wasn't overly optimistic about the likelihood of the 'mobile wallet' becoming a reality in the short-term.

And then along came Orange and Barclaycard with last week's announcement about their summer launch of mobile payments in the UK.

This week we have not one, not two, but three mobile payment announcements. O2 UK is applying for an e-money licence and plans to launch a mobile payment service later this year. Ericsson has created a business called Ericsson Money Services. And Visa Europe has developed a clip-on mobile payment accessory for iPhones in partnership with Wireless Dynamics. Let the battle of the competing standards commence!

Talking of competition, research company Canalys says the Android operating system has overtaken Symbian to become the world's leading smartphone platform. Its figures show that 32.9 million Android-based smartphones were shipped worldwide in Q4 2010, followed by 31 million devices running Nokia's Symbian platform, although some disagree with their calculations. However there's little doubt about Android's move into tablet devices; Strategy Analytics says Android captured 22% of the global market in the fourth quarter of 2010.

While we're on the subject of growth, let's not forget Vodafone, where data revenue has exceeded messaging revenue for the first time ever. (Mind you, just look at recent reports about consumer electronics, machine-to-machine connections and the demand for mobile video). The company also announced a new chairman – Sir John Bond will soon be replaced by Gerard Kleisterlee from Philips Electronics – and said it wasn’t happy after its recent dealings with the Egyptian government. It seems they're not on their own with that last point.

A couple of popular online services have announced new mobile features in the last few days. Facebook Deals was introduced to the UK, offering discounts from participating retailers when customers 'check in' using their phones. But there's a new check-in kid on the block, too. Google has added a check-in feature to its Latitude location service – and it’s introduced a browser-based store for Android users. You can now remotely download apps to your phone from your PC's browser. Or to someone else's phone if they've left their Google account logged on.

From spending on apps to spending on spectrum. Ofcom, having had its hand forced by new legislation in December, published a proposal that would allow UK mobile network operators to buy and sell radio spectrum from each other. Improved service for consumers is promised, although it’ll be interesting to see how this works out in reality.

I'll sign-off with a story that ended this week's podcast news. (If you've not listened yet, our special guest is Jonas Vig, co-founder and CEO of mobile video streaming service Bambuser). Research from the USA suggests 47% of mobile app users click on more in-app ads by mistake than they do deliberately. In-house research from TheFonecast.com suggests the vast majority of these clicks can be blamed on high-flying Angry Birds!


Receive our newsletter by email every weekend. Simply register using the link in the top right-hand corner of this page.

Print
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Rate this article:
No rating

Categories: Networks and operators, OpinionNumber of views: 7884

Tags: opinion payments

Leave a comment

This form collects your name, email, IP address and content so that we can keep track of the comments placed on the website. For more info check our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use where you will get more info on where, how and why we store your data.
Add comment

Recent Podcasts

Catch up with the latest mobile industry news, from CES to the UK 4G auction

Podcast - 9th January 2013

We have a particularly packed programme this week as we catch up with all the biggest mobile industry news stories since Christmas.

There's opinion on everything from the UK 4G auction to the current CES show and from open-source smartphones to wireless phone charging in cars.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Our mobile phone industry predictions for 2013

Podcast - 19th December 2012

It's the last podcast of 2012, so we're making some predictions about the mobile industry in 2013... and looking back to the forecasts we made twelve months ago..

Should we expect a renaissance at BlackBerry?  Is it the beginning of the end for SMS?  Will smartphones keep getting bigger?  Will the number of UK networks get smaller? 

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: 5.0

Gemalto and mobile financial services: we talk to Amol Deshmukh and Winston Yeo

Podcast - 14th December 2012

Today's podcast feature takes a look at mobile financial services, from the current state of mobile payments to NFC adoption and the developments we're likely to see next year.

Joining us are Winston Yeo, Vice President Marketing and Product Management for Mobile Financial Services at Gemalto, and Amol Deshmukh, Gemalto's Director of Mobile Financial Services for North America.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

A manufacturing break-up, mobile WiFi hotspots, customer satisfaction... and more

Podcast - 12th December 2012

This week's podcast includes news of two more UK virtual networks, Nokia's property deal, a break-up for ST-Ericsson and Huawei's new partnership with Three.

We also look at WiFi hotspots in London taxis, Ofcom's research into customer service, pre-loaded security software on Android smartphones and a man whose iPhone may have cost him a job.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Keith Curran interview: challenges for mobile networks, opportunities for mobile dealers

Podcast - 7th December 2012

This week Iain Graham has been talking to Keith Curran about the problems facing mobile networks and the opportunities for mobile phone dealers.

Keith was a director of the Caudwell Group before setting up, running and later selling service provider Yes Telecom. He’s now CEO of Steadings Group.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
RSS
First2425262729313233Last

Follow thefonecast.com

Twitter @TheFonecast RSS podcast feed
Find us on Facebook Subscribe free via iTunes

Archive Calendar

«November 2024»
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
28293031123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
2526272829301
2345678

Archive

Terms Of Use | Privacy Statement