Mobile Phone News
Bill Shock Has Not Been Fixed
We've had a few months to settle in with the latest reforms for the telco industry and mull them over. Here at WhistleOut, we don't believe that the latest ACMA code (beginning next month) will fully stop 'bill shock' for Australian consumers. This new telecommunications industry reform package goes only part of the way to preventing the problem. The new rules will enable prevention, but they are not the cure.
New Rules To Prevent Bill Shock
Australian mobile phone users will find it much easier to compare mobile phone plans following the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announcement of the Telecommunications Consumer Protection (TCP) code. The TCP code is a result of many months of discussions between the ACMA, the telecommunications industry, and consumer groups, with the goal being the simplification and standardisation of Australian telecommunications offerings. A number of key changes have been agreed upon, including:
New Telstra Mobile Plans
Telstra has revamped its mobile phone plan offerings, replacing the old Freedom Connect plans with a new range called Every Day Connect plans. We've pushed through the plan updates and full details can be found in our comparison table. Telstra has retained its position of charging customers "premium" rates for the ability to take advantage of superior Telstra network coverage.
Telstra-Hutchinson Network Deal Ends
Since 2004 both Telstra and Hutchinson have been operated a mutual network sharing deal for their 3G networks. The joint venture gave customers of both the 3 and Telstra networks access to 3G connectivity as long as either a 3 or Telstra network was in range. The combined network was called the 3GIS network and was an enterprising move, as in 2004 3G was an new technology and network coverage was extremely limited.
Virgin Mobile Plan Changes
Virgin Mobile today announced they were cutting down their range of mobile phone offerings to simplify the options for consumers. Gone are the low level $19, $29, and $39 Fair Go plans, along with the Pick & Mix and post paid Simple Plan. This change leaves Virgin Mobile with a much simpler looking plan matrix:
Samsung Galaxy S3 Available Now
Samsung’s latest flagship device, the Samsung Galaxy S3, officially hit shelves at 11am this morning after a lengthy live-stream launch event. The new features and hardware of the Galaxy S3 were shown off in-between some filler-videos of questionable applicability. Ultimately the Galaxy S3 itself didn’t seem to take up too much of the overall stage time, but at least when the focus was on the device itself we did get to see a few demonstrations that both intrigued and impressed us.
Nokia Lumia 710 Review
The Lumia 710 is the mid-range forerunner of Nokia’s new Windows Phone (WP) Lumia range of smartphones. The new WP focus for Nokia brings with it not only a change in overall user experience, but some unique approaches to external design and a subtle feeling of style not seen for a while in the Nokia range.
Samsung Galaxy S III Preview
The rumour mill can finally take a rest with the unveiling of the new Samsung Galaxy S3 flagship phone in London. The highly-expected Android superstar might not have lived up to some of the more far-fetched expectations surrounding it, but it still hasn’t failed to impress those that have seen it in action.
Toshiba Unveils Tablet With TV Tuner
We’ve been talking a bit recently on the influx of new manufacturers entering the mobile market via tablets and how this could be exactly what was needed to shake things up a bit. While it’s true that Toshiba has released a couple of its own tablets in previous generations, we’d still consider them one of the less-traditional OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) when it comes to mobile devices.
Telstra’s New 4G Mobile WiFi Hotspot
Continuing on with its slow-but-steady 4G adoption, Telstra has announced a new 4G mobile hotspot device. The new gadget receives 4G Telstra speeds in LTE enabled areas and can push that super-fast mobile broadband connection out to a maximum of 5 devices with WiFi capabilities.
