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MSE News: Sim-only mobile broadband provider Samba Mobile closes down

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Former_MSE_Helen
Former_MSE_Helen Posts: 2,382 Forumite
in Mobiles
About 2,000 Samba Mobile customers will no longer be able to use their broadband Sim cards after the firm closed down
Read the full story:

Sim-only mobile broadband provider Samba Mobile closes down

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Comments

  • prowla
    prowla Posts: 13,988 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Noooooooo!

    I had 20 GB of allowance built up.

    That said, I only used them once in a blue moon,
  • chanz4
    chanz4 Posts: 11,057 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Xmas Saver!
    Really not suprised, its like ovivo mobile once this site advertised it it couldnt cope
    Don't put your trust into an Experian score - it is not a number any bank will ever use & it is generally a waste of money to purchase it. They are also selling you insurance you dont need.
  • redux
    redux Posts: 22,976 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I find it a bit odd that it can close without being in administration.

    It's had the income from showing the ads, and thus owes its users varying amounts of data (some several gigabytes), but now decides it isn't going to pay for it.

    I don't understand MSE's comment there was no phone number. This is incorrect, though I never tested it for incoming text messages
  • prowla
    prowla Posts: 13,988 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    chanz4 wrote: »
    Really not suprised, its like ovivo mobile once this site advertised it it couldnt cope
    It had been around for much longer than Ovivo though.

    I guess they needed people like me, who watched loads of ads but didn't use much service.
  • redux
    redux Posts: 22,976 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 30 April 2014 at 9:57AM
    prowla wrote: »
    It had been around for much longer than Ovivo though.

    I guess they needed people like me, who watched loads of ads but didn't use much service.

    That's why I'm not yet convinced by the explanation given.

    Samba does not seem to have completely ceased trading. It is still serving adverts to customers of some partner companies.

    If someone can get a minute and a third to call a UK mobile for watching one ad, that is approximately a penny worth at wholesale cost, 3 or 5 or more pence retail.

    If one ad is sufficient to cover paying a penny and the operating margins on top, then watching 300 ads might seem to be enough to pay for a gigabyte of data at wholesale rates.

    Their statement says
    You have taken part in a unique experiment that has been welcomed by the ad industry – we have run over 1000 campaigns for our partners and have, to a large extent, proven that people are happy to consume advertising if they are in control of the experience and if they get something meaningful in return. We will be taking this experience into subsequent ventures.

    Someone who helped Samba earn money for the ads, and finds the data use in return to be an empty promise so easily reneged upon, may find it a bit difficult to feel in control of the next experience.
  • redux
    redux Posts: 22,976 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I also find it difficult to believe it had only 2000 customers. Is this a misprint?

    After only 4 months of operation a press release in 2012 claimed 7000 already.
  • 50Twuncle
    50Twuncle Posts: 10,763 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Which will close next ?
    EE - that is only a pipe dream !!
  • JohnSmythe
    JohnSmythe Posts: 1 Newbie
    I do not regret buying the dongle and SIM via the MMT offer, it has served me well and gave excellent value. So now to look around at the suggested links to find a replacement.
  • BabyF
    BabyF Posts: 30 Forumite
    I liked having Samba there for the odd occasions I needed internet access on my iPad when away from home. Has anyone decided on the best replacement yet?
  • tajotajo
    tajotajo Posts: 14 Forumite
    I ordered in 23rd of March, arriving to me in 27th, so... just one month of use, and actually less because i was away for 2 weeks :(

    Maybe I deserve a refund as the people how ordered just one week behind me. I´m gonna try I think.

    It´s not too much money anyway, but we neither can use the rest of "our" data.

    That´s a shame because samba was perfect in my case
This discussion has been closed.
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