What should we include in our new mobile article?

digp

Can you deal with the issue of why tmobile & orange are charging to call lycamobile (07404/5 numbers) when even other networks are issuing 074 numbers? thanks.

BillScarab

Can you add in something about mobile internet? Particularly the way networks offer 'unlimited' mobile internet that turns out to have a fair use policy of 500MB or 1Gb?

It's something that causes a lot of confusion.

redux

You might review your opinion that OneCompare is king of the tariff comparison sites. It lists more than one pay as you go provider that no longer exist, including M&S Mobile which says on its website it has no mobile phones, BT Mobile which still exists but has been closed for some time to new payg customers, and Fresh and Mobile World which Carphone Warehouse have closed down as part of the restructuring of CPW and TalkTalk.

Perhaps it's time for MSE to produce its own comparisons.

If so, you might include a look at giffgaff, which has 8 pence a minute calls and 4p texts, and also free calls to other giffgaff users and to freephone numbers. Their optional monthly bundles include one at £10 a month which has 100 minutes of calls and unlimited texts and internet access.

There are also several mvno brands which specialise in cheap international calls, none of which are yet mentioned on either OneCompare or that MSE article's lists

movingforward2010

before you commit to a 18/24 month contract get a PAY and GO sim for free from the network provider and stick it your phone to see what the signal is like; at work and at home.

digp

Also cannot port in to or out from Lycamobile plus. Please examine this issue. Thanks.

digp

Please look at why 3 are so expensive for international calls, compared to the others.

DarkConvict

Porting in general should probably be looked at.

Explain what it is and how it works. Explain that you cannot do backdoor ports which is porting to the same operator to take advantage of new customer deals, you have goto PAYG on a different operator and port back over etc.

Then note down which operators you can port into, whether ports can be done at anytime or just the beginning (like vodafone) and also if you are able to port out.

guycross

consider re0sale value of your current hansdet if you want to get out of the contract early... folks like me with an iphone 3g can sell it now for £150+ and that money would take a huge chunk out of a buy-out deal... meaning you could get a cheap/free upgrade after down-grading to a lower cost tarif

pmduk

Examining the costs and fair use policies for browsing might be useful. It's a feature often glossed over by retailers and networks but is increasingly important to many people.

bubblesmoney

digp wrote: »

Please look at why 3 are so expensive for international calls, compared to the others.

many networks have arrangements with other companies for diversions and the international call rate gets charged on your network bill and one does not have to set up an account elsewhere or buy topups etc or worry about connection charges and using up free minutes for accessing these numbers.

for example three network has this arrangement with dialacode which gives reduced rates compared to directly calling from three without the diversion code. this is an approved arrangement by three network and three network people themselves told me to call this way when enquiring about rates abroad.

the same company has arrangments with other networks. so the charges mentioned by MSE on the call checker are not necessarily accurate**** wrt network charges for international calls especially is one is using these approved call diversion facilities like dialacode, especially as there is no additional connection fee, no 0844 charges, no monthly topup requirement, no free minutes usage etc.

Tmobile and orange seem to have similar arrangements with that company as well as i can see from their website.

one can call many countries for discounted rates http://www.dialacode.com/available-countries.aspx

edit 1: **** for example MSE international call checker says 1899 charges 9p a min to india, but it actually charges 6p a min and a connection charge of 3p for each call, but that doesnt work out to 9p a min. also using dialacode via mobile costs 3p a min to india with no usuage of free mins or connection charges or needing to buy topups or pay dialacode separately and is approved diversion provider by networks (three, tmobile and payg orange). so one needs to use the MSE international call checker with a pinch of salt as it isnt always accurate

edit 2: another issue worth considering especially if one is renting or moving around a lot or need broadband access for work especially is self employed and need to travel is the ability to have broadband on the road / hotel etc but pay less. one such option is the MiFi device with carcharger/travel charger. by using that one can cancel the landline and home broadband and have broadband at home and in the car as well. travelling salesperson can use computer in car with broadband (obviously while not driving!) but kids can use broadband via in car broadband and not hassle you while you drive especially long distance travel!
http://blog.three.co.uk/2010/04/19/in-car-wi-fi-hits-the-road-video/
or one can use software (apps) to use wifi enabled phones to work as a dongle and use the phone via wifi and get mobile broadband in car and use that to tether phone by wifi/bluetooth to get internet access for other devices without physically needing to tether using wires. examples of wifi/bluetooth tethering are http://download.cnet.com/PdaNet-for-Android-32-bit-Windows-Installer/3000-2155_4-75059341.html (rated highly by cnet for usb/bluetooth tethering of laptops to phones and works on all android phones and does not need hacking the phone) and http://download.cnet.com/Android-Wifi-Tether/3000-2085_4-75000337.html?!!!!!bc and http://download.cnet.com/3001-20_4-75000337.html?spi=5ef6446cfc9ed97ce6195fd1463e95de

how to automatically connect to free wifi spots around the world by using apps http://download.cnet.com/WeFi-for-Android-Automatic-Wi-Fi/3000-18508_4-10972398.html?!!!!!bc

these devices like IN CAR MiFi and wifi/bluetooth tethering will cut costs for students and people in house shares or people who travel a lot to get broadband on the move and at home for lower cost. might be useful for others too.