CMI Multimedia

Posts Tagged ‘Mobile’

It was announced back in February last year but until now, Sony Ericsson’s Xperia X1 touchscreen iPhone baiter has remained tantalizingly out of reach. With its full QWERTY keypad and handwriting recognition, is it enough to bruise Apple mobile phone?

Let’s take a look at Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 mobile phone’s panel beater. Underneath the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 mobile phone’s attractive, new-fashioned touchscreen there’s Windows Mobile operating system. It’s hiding behind a snazzy customizable interface called Xperia Panels, which softens the blow a bit, but you’re only ever a prod away from being dumped into Windows Mobile misery.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 mobile phone sports handwriting recognition to turn your stylus scribbles into on-screen text. It’s a welcome alternative to touchscreen typing, but there’s also a full QWERTY keyboard that slides out from under the screen.

Hopping aboard the interweb express on a Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 mobile phone is a doddle. It’s got Wi-Fi built in, plus HSDPA for when you stray from the safety of a hotspot. It’s got faster uploading HSUPA tech as well which, if your network carrier supports it, will make uploading pics from the 3.2MP snapper quick as a flash.

I often joke with my new client’s that we (mobile phone companies) purposely make mobile phone bills confusing just to make it difficult for them to see exactly what they’re being charged.

If you’re often having difficulty making sense of the fees and charges that appear on your mobile phone bill then perhaps the information I’ve appended below will help you get a better understanding of how to accurately read and decipher your account.

HOW TO DETERMINE YOUR MOBILE PHONE CALL RATES

Probably 80% of the clients I meet don’t have a clear understanding of their mobile phone call rates; or what they believe they’re are being charged and what is actually being charged are two completely different things! To calculate your mobile phone call rates follow these steps:

a). FIND A 30 SECOND PHONE CALL
b). FIND A 1 MINUTE PHONE CALL
c). DEDUCT THE COST OF THE 30 SECOND CALL (a) FROM THE 1 MINUTE CALL (b)

This will generally provide you with your “real” call cost per 30 seconds. You’ll now notice that the new 30 second charge varies from the 30 second phone call cost (a) that you found in your mobile phone bill. This variance is due to an additional fee referred to as “flagfall” or “connection fee”. If you now deduct the new 30 second phone call cost from the original 30 second phone call cost (a) you’ll end up with a figure that is your flagfall cost per phone call.

The Government has announced that it will auction off previously unavailable areas of the radio spectrum to pave the way for a new generation of mobile broadband services after a recent “competitive assessment of future 3G and 4G markets, including the potential for new entrants”.

The Government hope that the sale will take place in 2011, which means that potentially, services could be available by 2012.

“The past 20 years has seen a revolution in mobile technologies – but we need the networks to continue to improve and increase services” said Communications Minister Ed Vaizey.

Vaizey further commented “under our plans, our mobile industry will have access to the 21st Century infrastructure it needs to give UK consumers the latest technologies and even better coverage for broadband on their mobile phones.”

Communications regulator Ofcom will coordinate an auction of both the 2.1GHz and 800MHz spectrum “as soon as possible” the Government said. The existing 2G spectrum at 900MHz and 1800MHz will also be freed up to increase the use of 3G technologies. Users who currently use the 800MHz spectrum have been forewarned by the Government of its intentions and will be compensated so that they are able to invest in new equipment.

Telecommunications giant Three (Hutchison 3G UK Limited) has confirmed that it is investing a substantial £38.2 million to expand its mobile broadband operations and network in Scotland.

This huge investment will mean that the number of 3G masts in Scotland will more than double to over 1,400 by the end of October 2010. This is a 37% spend per head increase than in England.

The increase in spend per head is likely to relate to the fact that Scotland is much more mountainous and it will be a lot harder to attain a greater coverage, hence the higher costs involved.

Kevin Russell, CEO of 3 said that “the Scottish expansion is worth it because the demand for people to access the Internet through mobile broadband is greater in Scotland than in many other parts of the UK.”

Russell went on to speculate that “the take-up of Internet services in Scotland lags the UK, with some calculations that 60% of people in Scotland don’t access the Internet.” The move in making 3′s service more desirable should close the gap in for non-Internet users

Changes to Victorian Road Rules that specifically target the use of mobile phones and visual displays (like GPS devices); will take effect from 9 November 2009.

The new mobile phone rules have been revised, allowing both the navigational (GPS) and audio/music functions of a mobile phone to be used, provided the mobile phone is secured in a commercially designed holder fixed to the vehicle.

Mobile phones - Using a mobile phone while driving is prohibited, except to make or receive a phone call or to use its audio/music functions provided the phone:

Is secured in a commercially designed holder fixed to the vehicle, or Can be operated by the driver without touching any part of the phone. Using a phone as a GPS while driving is prohibited unless it is secured in a commercially designed holder fixed to the vehicle.

Further changes include the prohibition of Learner and P1 drivers from using a mobile phone at all while driving and holding the phone (whether or not engaged in a phone call), which includes resting the mobile on the driver’s lap.