Are you confused as to what you can get? Are there too many tariffs that are too hard to understand? Too many phones to choose from that do so much? Most people feel exactly the same way.
This article sets out a few terms and basic types of handsets, tariffs and finally things to look out for so that you have the right information to get exactly what you need.
Here are some terms first to help you understand:
- SMS – Short Message Text – sending texts.
- MMS – MultiMedia Messaging – sending music, pictures etc.
- GSM – This stands for Global System for Mobile communications. Sometimes referred to as 2G (2nd generation). This is a cellular system we have been using for many years and still use today. The first GSM network was launched in 1991. It can carry voice calls and SMS. Most countries in the world use this system. The USA and Japan are examples of countries that use a different system.
- GPRS – This stands for General Packet Radio Service. Sometimes referred to as 2.5G (2nd and a half generation). This is a more recent cellular system we have been using for quite a few years and still use it today. GPRS started to be used around 1997. It’s a packet switched cellular network which means it’s good for carrying data. It is used for accessing the internet, email, MMS. It sits alongside GSM. Most mobile phones have GPRS as part of their functionality.
- 3G – The 3rd generation cellular network first appeared in 2002 but made slow progress until 2007/2008. This is a packet switched network working at broadband speeds. Allowing the user to make voice calls, access the internet at satisfactory speeds, send email, hold video calls, connect their laptop to what is now called mobile broadband. People didn’t understand what the benefits were to start with so adoption of 3G has been slow. The infrastructure is expensive as unlike GPRS which utilised the existing GSM network, 3G needed new infrastructures and slow take up also meant less funds to extend coverage. Things are better now as 3G coverage will soon catch up with GSM/GPRS.
- HSPA – High Speed Packet Access. There are variants of this such as HSPDA and HSPUA. This is a modulation technology and to cut a long story short it makes data access more efficient over 3G.
- 4G – Still in development with no launch date as yet it promises high speed data greater than mobile and wire based broadband. It is likely that another new infrastructure will be needed and new phones. We will see …
- Bluetooth – A low frequency short range wireless technology for connecting wireless headsets and other close proximity devices.
Handsets
There are so many of these now, hundreds in fact and I couldn’t possibly do them all justice here unless you have a few hours to spend so just the basics. Most people still make voice calls and send text’s but this is changing.
- Basic phones – You can make calls and send texts. There may be some other features such as simple games, a clock and alarm, sometimes even a built in torch. They are cheap now. Great if you just want a simple phone that you don’t have to worry about too much. Lose it or break it and a replacement won’t cost you much. Good in tough environments such as construction.
- Smart phones – Colour screens, the ability to play music, display pictures and videos, able to send and receive email, bluetooth connectivity, radios, web access, the ability to load on applications such as calendars, simple word processors, cameras etc. They can usually synchronise with Microsoft Outlook.
- PDA – Personal Digital Assistant otherwise referred to as a hand held computer. A step beyond the smart phone but the lines are beginning to blur here. Somewhere between a smart phone and a small laptop. Larger screens sometimes with touch a screen and / or qwerty keyboards. Integrated phones and sometimes GPS (Global Positioning System).
- Blackberry – An odd exception, the Blackberry is mostly about emails. They are specific to the main providers O2, T Mobile, Orange and Vodafone. If you buy a Vodafone device and change to O2 you will probably have to buy another O2 specific device. Extending office email beyond the office they are very popular but they are relatively expensive to own and there are alternatives.
- Phone data – Back up the data on your SIM card and phone because if it’s lost or stolen some or all of your contact details etc will be gone too!
Tariffs
Actually they are not that complicated really but can be hard to compare like for like. If you have a number of phones for your business you should pay a lot of attention to this as even if you only have 10 mobiles, depending on how you use them getting the right tariff can save you thousands each year. The best thing to be said is get your bills analysed and get advice from a reputable company.
There are 3 types:
- Inclusive minutes – Probably the most popular tariff. You buy a block of minutes for one or more phones per month. You might get a block of text’s and/or data as part of a bundle or as “bolt no’s”. They work out best when your use of the minutes is near the amount of inclusive minutes you have. These tariffs usually exclude calls to international destinations 08 numbers etc which are priced by the minute. They often rate calls between the mobiles in the group and back to the office as free.
- Pay as you go – A very simple tariff giving rates for calls to land lines, mobiles, text’s sent etc. A better tariff where the amount of minutes used is quite variable from month to month.
- Pre-pay – Similar to “pay as you go” but you pay for the minutes before you use them. No unexpected large bills. You will pay something for the phone if you get one as part of the deal. Very well used by teenagers but also very good for people who make few calls or mostly just receive calls.
- Subscriptions – Apart from pre-pay you will pay a subscription or line rental for each phone. This can vary a lot and can be a significant part of your bill.
Here are some things to look out for:
- Contract term – Normally the minimum term is 12 months and the maximum is 2 years. The longer the term the better the deal. Mobile tariffs are fairly stable so longer contracts are not so bad.
- Free stuff – Free always sounds good. Well actually it’s probably not. Handsets are often given away or subsidised as part of the deal but they will be paid for in the subscription, somewhere in the tariff or in the term. There has to be a profit somewhere. Free stuff is less common for business deals where the focus is on the tariffs. There may be exceptions. Many people upgrade their phones on a yearly basis as part of a deal whether they need to or not. This is where you can do a bit for the planet and upgrade only when you need to!
- Coverage – The statistics are nearly the same for the 4 main GSM/GPRS providers. Coverage varies for different providers in different areas. It’s hard to say if one provider is generally better than another but some people have their preferences. 3G coverage is catching up.
- Mobile insurance – Read the terms and conditions carefully. Not as popular as it was. Maybe good if you have an expensive phone but check that the insurance will actually cover the cost of replacement.
- Changing provider – There will be some effort involved but if the savings are good and/or the coverage is better in your area then it’s worth it. You will need to get a Porting Authority Code (PAC) from your current provider to give to the new provider; they may be able to help you with this. This will be good for a month. You will need to put new SIM cards in your phones at the appropriate time. There may a few minutes or hours downtime for each phone during change over.
