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Saturday, September 2, 2023

Ofcom proposes new rules to protect UK customers from unexpected roaming costs

European roaming charges reinstated after Brexit

UK telecoms regulator Ofcom has proposed new rules that would ensure UK customers are told about any ‘roaming’ charges when using their mobile phones abroad.

EU rules had previously ensured UK customers could use their mobile phones in Europe for calls, messages and data without paying a premium. However, the UK’s exit from the European Union meant these laws no longer apply. As a result, a number of network operators have re-introduced 'roaming charges' when customers make or receive calls, send text messages or go online when abroad in Europe.

Although many network operators still send alerts to their customers when they start roaming, Ofcom’s research has found that 19% of holidaymakers are unaware they could face extra charges when using their mobiles abroad. It also discovered that 72% of customers who read a roaming alert modified their mobile usage as a result.

Ofcom’s new roaming rules would require all UK mobile companies to tell their customers when they start roaming, how much it will cost them and any action they can take to limit their spend. These would be personalised alerts with specific details about roaming charges and usage limits.

Cristina Luna-Esteban, Ofcom’s Director of Telecoms Consumer Protection, said “Millions of UK holidaymakers head abroad every year and want to stay connected on their travels. But without clear information from their provider, they could find themselves facing an unexpected bill for calling home or going online. These alerts would mean whichever mobile provider you’re with, you won’t be left in the dark about roaming charges and action you can take to manage your spending."

In addition, Ofcom wants networks to offer extra protection against ‘inadvertent roaming’, where a mobile device connects to a network in a different country even though the customer is not physically in that country.
Around one in seven UK mobile customers experience this, either when abroad or still in the UK. For example, 22% of customers in Northern Ireland inadvertently roamed onto networks in Ireland in the last year – and 2% of customers reported having connected connecting to French networks while on the English coast.

The Ofcom consultation will close on 28th September 2023, with a decision expected in early 2024. There’ll then be a six month implementation period.

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Opinion Articles

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Today I've been using my mobile phone at home. For many people that’s not an unusual thing to do – but it is for me because, around here, coverage indoors isn’t particularly good. Downstairs it’s previously been non-existent. But this morning everything changed.

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Physician uses cell phones to bring health care to the poor

Natalia Ardanza of voanews.com writes:

In Africa there is another use for mobile phones. Public Health workers in Kenya are now using mobile phones to gather health information from patients in remote areas and upload it to the internet for instant analysis at distant centers. And it is all happening thanks to Dr Joel Selanikio.

Author: The Fonecast
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Making dumb touchscreen phones was a smart move

Mark Bridge writes:

I remember a report from last year that said ‘non-smart’ touchscreen handsets – generally those without a popular operating system – would be bad news for mobile operators.

Conventional touchscreen smartphones tended to result in higher-than-average ARPU thanks to their early-adopting tech-loving users, their web-friendly browsers, their email programs, their app-friendly operating systems and their fast 3G connectivity. However, dumber touchscreen devices – those with a manufacturer’s own proprietary OS and perhaps a clumsier browser – could generate 23% less ARPU than smarter phones. So, if touchscreen dumbphones weren’t good for networks… and weren’t really good for consumers either… manufacturers wouldn’t really bother with them. Right?

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"Hello Nexus One" I say...

James Rosewell writes:

Mark’s been encouraging me to write an opinion piece on the Nexus One for the last few days and I’m finally putting fingers to keyboard to share my experiences. It’s taken so long because this phone has so many features. On a positive note I could go into details about the gorgeous screen, the Android Marketplace that will out-sell Apple’s over the next 18 months, the built-in satellite navigation service and the speedy processor that makes everything run smoothly in real time. Or on a less positive note, the touch screen keyboard that sucks (think carefully about this if you’re a heavy texter or emailer, it’s even worse than the original iPhone), the lack of ActiveSync for Calendars and Tasks, no support for WMA music files or the clunky zoom functions on the web browser.

However I’m going to focus on voice dictation. Nexus One is the first phone I’ve used with this feature.

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The Amazon Kindle prepares to fight the Apple iPhone and Tablet

Mark Bridge writes:

Here’s a curious thing. Firstly, Amazon creates the Kindle. It starts selling the Kindle in the USA with a mobile deal that lets users download electronic books and newspapers wherever they are. Then it starts selling the Kindle to us in the UK, although – hang on a moment – it’s not talking about a UK mobile deal. Instead it still seems to be ‘roaming’ from the AT&T network. Next comes the larger-screen Kindle DX – also roaming away when it reaches our shores. And now Amazon is talking about third-party downloadable applications for the Kindle. Yes, a mobile device with downloadable apps. Hold that thought; I’ll be returning to it.

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