Update Intelligent Communications
Irish Go A-Roamin’
Cubic Telecom of Cork Ireland has launched what it calls ‘the only true global mobile phone’ at the Tech Crunch 40 Trade Show in San Francisco.
The phone which uses a ‘MaxRoam’ SIM card will be available form 1st October and is aimed at reducing the cost of International calling for travellers throughout the world by offering favourable Country-to-country phone rates throughout the world.
Also offering full PBX functionality, it allows users to create up to 50 permanent local phone numbers for themselves. Cubic is also offering free Voice over IP (VoIP) calls within its network.
iPhone Launch at a Cost
It is believed that the long awaited iPhone will be launched in the UK as of 9th November against a mixed background of acceptance and derision.
The gadget combines the iPod’s music and video-playing functions with a camera, touchscreen and wireless Internet access it is believed subscribers will have to pay £269 for the phone and sign an 18 month agreement with O2 at around £35 per month. Subscribers would also have free access to some 7,000 Wi-Fi spots in the UK.
Unfortunately some subscribers would carry a heavy cost burden as the more rural areas of the UK whilst paying for ‘unlimited Internet access’, do not enjoy the higher speed network the iPhone uses. Some potential customers said it had put them off the idea of buying an iPhone altogether.
It is understood that the 3G network was not selected for the new iPhone because of the small battery life experienced with that network.
An End to those annoying phone calls?
Ofcom have at last taken action in an attempt to reduce the number of complaints it receives everyday regarding the mis-selling of mobile phones.
You just sit down to relax and the phone rings, when you answer you are subject to some high pressure sales talk and sometimes the caller indicates they work for your air time provider. They offer you an attractive upgrade package and it is only later you discover you are locked into a new 18 month agreement which cannot be cancelled. When you complain to the air-time provider they responded with it was a contract offered by an independent operator and is not their responsibility.
No more cried Ofcom. According to Ofcom, such behaviour will no longer be tolerated under the new code and Orange, O2, T-Mobile, Vodafone and 3 have all agreed to be bound by its terms. Sales people must call at a reasonable time of the day, declare their interest, name of company, etc; and clearly state the terms of the contract under offer.
We wait to see what happens!
Transfer your business line!
It is very easy to increase the savings a business can make on its telecommunication costs by transferring the management of their phone line to an alternative provider such as Daisy telecommunications. Simply this is a paper transaction whereby Daisy or a similar provider takes over the responsibility of billing a business for their line rental instead of it appearing on their BT bill saving 10% on the cost of the rental. That may not be a massive saving on a single line but when you calculate the cost of multiple lines it all adds up and of course goes direct to the bottom line profit of the business.
It is important to note that BT Openreach engineers will still service the line in the event of a breakdown or the need to install a new line.
Tie this with the very significant savings that a business can make on the cost of the calls themselves both to the UK and abroad against the best rates BT can offer then it makes sense to follow it up.
Any business that is interested in receiving no obligation information on this article just need to leave a comment by clicking the ‘comment’ link just under the heading of this entry.
Fibre to your door
BT have announced that to comply with the Government initiative ‘a major increase in housing development’, that putting fibre to the doors of new houses is just as easy a slaying down copper as they have done in the past. However, whereas this would open up a new world of faster communications and TV bundle, but it is reliant on providers joining forces with BT to utilise the technology.
It will not be economically feasible to put fibre into the ground for established property.
TAX Aware
In last year’s Budget, the Chancellor decided to scrap the home computing initiative which allowed employers to give staff up to £2,500 worth of computer equipment tax-free. under the new rules, work computer equipment used for personal reasons will be subject to a tax charge.
Doesn’t effect you?
Anything designed to be used, connected to, or inserted into acomputer will also be liable for tax, including printers, scanners, modems, MP3 players. Blackberrys and other personal digital assistants (PDAs) had been exempt because they were used mainly as mobile telephones, but their increasing sophistication has brought them into the Taxman’s orbit because they have additional features more typically associated with a computer.
The only answer is to have a written company policy to show that the device is made available to carry out your duties of employment.
iPhone potential users be aware!
September 20th, 2007 at 5:26 am
[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt Irish Go A-Roamin’ Cubic Telecom of Cork Ireland has launched what it calls ‘the only true global mobile phone’ at the Tech Crunch 40 Trade Show in … background of acceptance and derision. The gadget combines the iPod’s music and video-playing functions Posted in ( 0 links from 0 sites) [...]