Mark Bridge writes:
giffgaff, the virtual mobile network created by O2 in the UK, has admitted that its unlimited mobile data service is unsustainable in some instances. The MVNO notes that less than 1% of users account for over a third of its total mobile internet data use; a figure that has parallels with recent research by Arieso.
In a blog post last week, community co-ordinator Craig Ting said “The way in which these users are using their data is simply not economically sustainable for us - both in the cost of the data they are using, and in the business time spent on investigating and working with these cases. This is all time and money we could be spending elsewhere to improve and develop giffgaff as a service and community for you.”
The network is introducing new data usage checks that “will involve checking more frequently for patterns of use of our mobile internet services that are likely to affect other service users and the business, and for behaviour that is not genuine mobile internet use.”
It says the vast majority of customers who have a ‘goodybag’ tariff option with unlimited mobile internet access - which has no formal ‘fair use policy’ - won’t notice any difference.
However, it seems that the lack of any clear usage guidance has frustrated some giffgaff users. The original blog post has now been updated this week to advise “we'll be looking at starting a deeper discussion on unlimited mobile internet use on a Goodybag, and our communications processes around users who are judged to be breaking the terms and conditions on their service use”.
| We spoke to Heather Taylor, former social media and PR manager for giffgaff, in our podcast on 28th January 2011. Click here to listen using the audio player on our website, find the podcast via iTunes or download the MP3 directly. |