Mobile Phone News
Has Kogan Mobile Misled Consumers?
Despite a much-publicised December launch, a promise to take on the big telcos and an initial influx of customer signups, new prepaid player Kogan Mobile is already facing a backlash. It's been revealed that the company has begun unexpectedly disconnecting the services of customers on its Unlimited Access plans for the apparent crime of using their phones too much. Customers who have received ‘error’ messages when attempting to recharge their prepaid service have been informed that they have breached the acceptable use policy of their plan, and have 90 days to find a new provider and port their phone number.
Aldi Mobile - How it Stacks Up
You've probably seen the announcement that Aldi, the German retailing giant with a reputation for cheap prices and cheaper imitations of famous brands is getting into mobile phone plans. There's a couple of rays of sunshine in the offer, but the offer is behind where Aldi normally likes to position itself.
New Rules for Mobile & Broadband
Browsing for a new mobile phone or broadband plan? With the introduction of new guidelines from the Australian Communications and Media Authority, you may find it easier to understand and compare plans and providers - at least in theory. As part of the ACMA's revised Telecommunications Protections Code (TCP), all telecommunications providers are now required to include a two-page ‘Critical Information Summary’ to customers that clearly outlines the charges and inclusions of each plan.
HTC One Sydney Event
It’s a constant of the tech industry that no matter how many spec sheets, reviews and opinion pieces you read you’ll never really get a proper feel for a device until you hold it in your hands and use its key features. Fortunately for us, HTC held a belated HTC One launch in Sydney last night and we got to do just that.
Vodafone Continues Network Upgrades
After a less than ideal past couple of years, Vodafone Australia is pledging to turn things around in the next twelve months by investing a potential $1 billion in its mobile network. While the company has yet to reveal the exact cost of the proposed network improvements, it has spent $1.7 billion on network repairs and upgrades over the past two years. Vodafone Chief executive Bill Morrow has announced that 2013 will see the company spending more on its network than ever before in a single year, with a view to create stronger, better coverage and hopefully win back customers.
2012's Most Satisfied Customers
Roy Morgan Research, Australia’s best known market research company, has held its second annual Customer Satisfaction Awards in Melbourne this week, honouring the companies and organisations with the most consistently happy customers in 2012. The awards are the result of a survey of around 50,000 Australian consumers and 22,000 business decision makers over 2012. The survey ranked customer service and satisfaction by conducting personal interviews and distributing self-administered questionnaires.
Virgin Mobile Raises International Call Rates
Virgin Mobile announced yesterday it will be raising the cost of international calls for mobile customers – and judging by the reactions so far, customers aren't happy with the changes. The telco’s Big Cap, Big Plans and Fair Go plans will be affected by the changes, which will apply from February 28. Virgin Mobile contacted customers by email Monday and yesterday posted the announcement on the Virgin Mobile website’s community forum, causing some forum members to express their disappointment at the proposed changes.
Exetel Now Has 4G Mobile Plans
We’ve been keeping an eye on the state of 4G in Australia over the last few months, and eagerly awaiting news of when smaller resellers will be passing 4G mobile coverage on to their customers. While Optus MVNOs such as Vaya, Amaysim and Spintel have stated they hope to provide 4G sometime in the first half of 2013, it looks like they've been pipped to the post.
HTC One SV Hands-On Impressions
We haven’t been giving much love to mid-range Android handsets of late and we apologise for that. To try and make up for it we thought we’d get our hands on HTC’s latest 4G LTE mid-ranger, the HTC One SV (not to be confused with the HTC One S or HTC One V) and put it through its paces.
New and Rumoured MVNOs for 2013
2013 looks set to welcome a few new players to Australia's prepaid mobile market, as the competing big telcos continue opening up their wholesale networks to smaller operators. Telstra continues to take steps to challenge Optus' dominance as a mobile wholesaler, by allowing the newly launched Kogan Mobile, and new partner Boost Mobile, access to its Next G 3G networks. For now, the carrier is keeping 4G LTE access reserved exclusively for Telstra customers.
