Samba Mobile Closing Down

System

Kaa999 you know that's a good deal as when you've used your initial £2.99 worth, your data allowance which lasts 30 days, any future allowance is payg. Ideal for hol and short bursts away

buglawton

Mobi-data that Samba suggested in their email today have the most cryptic website I've ever seen. Where is their price table showing 2.5p/mb?

Actually 2.5p would be acceptable to me if it were true pay as you go rather than a fixed contract amount per month.

kar999

http://mobi-data.co.uk/price-table.php

buglawton

Ouch looking at the Ts&Cs at the bottom of that page makes me think no one will get away unscathed. Applications invited from new pay as you go entrants please!

kar999

Quite agree. At least with the Three 1G 30 day Sims from Currys Three dont have your credit card details. When the data or time runs out that's it.

I sent off for a couple of free Mobi Sims a few weeks ago when they were promoted on this web site in one of Martin's weekly emails with 100mb free data.
I never activated them when I saw I needed to give them my credit card details on a continous charge basis.

redux

Paul_Varjak wrote: »

So, both Samba and Ovivo have closed down within weeks of one another. The business model did not seem viable. Were data costs really rising as claimed? Or did the advertisers pull the plug because people simply played adverts without ever buying anything?

[...]

Whatever the reason for the failure, we will probably not see similar business offerings in the future, which is a shame.

Let's be clear on this: Samba itself has not failed and closed down, only withdrawn this product. They are still serving ads to customers of other partners.

Its statement ends:

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 them earn money for showing the ads and in return earned data use which was not all delivered might not feel quite in control of any future experiences.

lunker

The Samba model was perfect for me and I'm really struggling to find an alternative.

The one thing I got out of the experience is the Three data network is much better than the O2.

I would be happy with a very expensive non-expiring (say 2.5p to 4p a MB) rate with a cheaper 30 day expiring (say 1p) rate for times of high usage.

My problem is I may not use the tablet sim for months on end as I can usually pickup WiFi or tether to my phone but I found it really useful for those other times. I've not used any Samba data for 6 months and when I did I only used 150MB. I racked 2GB of ad watching, so it looks like they did well out of me

My search continues

lyndhurst25

Are there any deals out there that still offer non-expiring data for occasional users? Ovivo and now Samba are closed. Vodafone have reneged on their promises with their non-expiring dongles.

Data is clearly different from, for example, pre-pay gas or electricity, that you can use as slowly as you like without having your credit expire.

When you pay for the data they have to store it all. I imagine that 1GB probably fills a shoe box, so they probably need to rent quite a big warehouse to store all the boxes in.

And then there's the problem with the data going stale. We all know that stale data can clog up and break the internet and that is why they have to throw away any data that you have paid for, but not used, at the end of every month.

I'm sure that there are other reasons too. Perhaps someone who works in the telecoms industry can enlighten us?

epm-84

buglawton wrote: »

Ouch looking at the Ts&Cs at the bottom of that page makes me think no one will get away unscathed. Applications invited from new pay as you go entrants please!

There's a thread on MobiData here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4900532

buglawton

lunker wrote: »

...I would be happy with a very expensive non-expiring (say 2.5p to 4p a MB) rate with a cheaper 30 day expiring (say 1p) rate for times of high usage...

Agree.
Now, it's hard to remember but when mobiles first appeared the idea of having a mobile was so 'new' that no-one expected pay as you go.
Today every mobile operator offers it.

We are all starting to own more mobile devices and the 3g hardware is getting so cheap they'd thrown it in for free.

Yet not one current operator offers non expiring pay as you go data for tablets and tethering.

If you buy a phablet that can masquerade as a phone, you are home dry with a 321 SIM even if you never make or take a call.

So why no decent data offers?
- Not enough competition?
- Consumers still ripe for the fleecing?
- Both?

Actually true PAYG data is sure to re-appear and even have holiday roaming bells and whistles added. It just needs a big operator to break ranks then sweep up the market.

As it is, I've been making very much greater use of the free WiFi that's available. My tablet connects automatically as soon as I'm in range. In some towns and cities I've had coverage at every watering hole or store I've visited. Plus I've learned how to put the same WiFi app on my & missus' phone so now we spend less than ever on 3g data.

Come on Three et al... do wake up & smell the coffee!