Modern technology!!

Chickabiddybex

I agree with the OP!
Most smart phones all have one big problem: operator error.
I've seen it with every type of phone!

Ridiculous.

Dave_C_2

goater78 wrote: »

I would suspect you are getting a 2G signal on your old Siemans, Smart Phones tend to be a bit rubbish if they can't get a 3G signal.

Exactly, new technology does not always mean better.

System

Dave_C wrote: »

Exactly, new technology does not always mean better.

It depends what you use your phone for. It sounds strange but for many people making calls on a mobile phone is no longer its primary purpose.

I personally use my phone a lot more for social networking, music, watching iplayer, shopping online etc than I do making calls. The older phones are useless for that purpose and so wasn't better.

However if all you are after is something that makes calls an old phone is far better. For one thing the battery life is a lot longer. An old Nokia can last a week on a charge. An iPhone if you get 2 days its a miracle!

Dave_C_2

goater78 wrote: »

It depends what you use your phone for. It sounds strange but for many people making calls on a mobile phone is no longer its primary purpose.

I personally use my phone a lot more for social networking, music, watching iplayer, shopping online etc than I do making calls. The older phones are useless for that purpose and so wasn't better.

Whilst I agree with what you say, social networking, watching iPlayer and shopping online all require a signal, which I can't get in my house. So a smart phone is still no use - and it won't work as a phone.

Dave

System

Dave_C wrote: »

Whilst I agree with what you say, social networking, watching iPlayer and shopping online all require a signal, which I can't get in my house. So a smart phone is still no use - and it won't work as a phone.

Dave

Yes but it doesn't sound like its a phone problem. More a problem that your area doesn't have a good 3G network coverage. There is little apple can do with that

olias

The OP was not directed at a specific company, more at the fact that as certain aspects of technology, for example broadband suppliers and network operators, are not keeping pace with the likes of phone manufacturers, then it effectively makes the latest phone useless to a large proportion of the population.

As I said, I may live in a rural area, but am in a fairly large town and within 12 miles of a massive industrial conurbation and yet in the 21st century, I can't even get a phone signal in my house, and struggle to watch something like iplayer due to poor broadband signal.

Olias

System

olias wrote: »

The OP was not directed at a specific company, more at the fact that as certain aspects of technology, for example broadband suppliers and network operators, are not keeping pace with the likes of phone manufacturers, then it effectively makes the latest phone useless to a large proportion of the population.

As I said, I may live in a rural area, but am in a fairly large town and within 12 miles of a massive industrial conurbation and yet in the 21st century, I can't even get a phone signal in my house, and struggle to watch something like iplayer due to poor broadband signal.

Olias

Yes but on the flip side would it be fair for 95% of the population to be denied technological advances just because a small proportion in a rural setting have not yet been upgraded to the latest technology.

I would say your phone and broadband issues are the price you pay for living in a rural setting. I would guess you would complain if they tried to stick a big phone mast outside your front door?

olias

'Rural places make up 86% of England. Nearly one-fifth of our population (18.9%) live and work there (9.8 million people)'

'rural economy, which is reckoned by Whitehall and the government's rural champion and chairman of the the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC), Stuart Burgess, to be worth up to £347bn a year.'

Both the above are taken from government figures........Hardly a small proportion. The rural economy needs to keep up to date with modern technology as much as any other area in order to maintain its competetiveness and fulfill its potential

Oh, and we had the opportunity of a new mast on top of the local church, all the local community (including me) supported it, but the church of England (based in London!) vetoed the plan.

Olias

System

olias wrote: »

'Rural places make up 86% of England. Nearly one-fifth of our population (18.9%) live and work there (9.8 million people)'

'rural economy, which is reckoned by Whitehall and the government's rural champion and chairman of the the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC), Stuart Burgess, to be worth up to £347bn a year.'

Both the above are taken from government figures........Hardly a small proportion. The rural economy needs to keep up to date with modern technology as much as any other area in order to maintain its competetiveness and fulfill its potential

Oh, and we had the opportunity of a new mast on top of the local church, all the local community (including me) supported it, but the church of England (based in London!) vetoed the plan.

Olias

Yes but not all rural places suffer from poor broadband/phone signal. It's only a small proportion of this 9.8 million people who suffer with this problem. My dad lives in bedgelert (rural snowdonia) and gets quite fast broadband and an excellent 3G signal.

At the end of the day it's more important to ensure big cities like London, manchester, Birmingham have the fastest broadband connections than rural places do as the population density is so much more.

If the church say no then a phone mast could be placed somewhere else. Just on its own in a field would work but people would complain it ruins the "natural beauty" of the area.

vyle

So in summary:

Huge companies who make products for the global market should not innovate their hardware because a tiny island in the north atlantic has a poor network infrastructure and a few people don't know how to use what they've got.

If you don't want the features, don't buy the phones.
If you don't know how to use it: learn.
If you want one that works well, do some research and buy something decent -- smart phone performance varies just like cars, computers and everything else.
If you have poor network coverage, use a different network provider who does cover your area.
If you can't get coverage, that's not the manufacturer's fault, that's your network provider. South korea has 100mbps+ perfect signal quality in their tube stations because the government invested. We don't.