Mobile Network Comparison

The next stage in bringing 4G to all UK users is coming up soon. The long-awaited auction of frequency spectrum is expected next month now. Ofcom has been involved in litany of delays and arguments but, at long last, it now seems that it will go ahead.

The latest news concerns the final list of approved bidders for the vital radio frequency spectra that will be used to carry the super-fast 4G signal. EE already owns some usable spectrum which it re-purposed for 4G which is how it came to be the first 4G carrier in the UK and also explains the reason why it was able to secure a monopoly this year. Meanwhile, Ofcom made all the other networks wait until this auction was completed before they could get their hands on the correct frequencies for 4G communication. Part of the reasoning behind this was to force the other networks to stop delaying the auction with tedious legal complaints no matter how unfair the head start ruling seems.

The finalised list of bidders includes UK operators Vodafone, Telefónica (which owns O₂) and Hutchison Whampoa which owns Hutchinson 3G and hence Three Mobile (and which should probably think about changing its name soon lest it become even more out of date). EE is also bidding for an even bigger slice of the action. The remaining three companies hoping to get involved are MLL Telecom, BT (who used to own BT Cellnet and O₂) and much maligned Hong Kong company PCCW Limited.

Ofcom is claiming that the upcoming auction will raise a huge amount of money for the government. The previous auction of frequency bands for 3G generated over £20 billion but, post hoc, operators complained that they had overpaid and that they were left too deep in the red. The auction occurred at the apex of the tech boom and nowadays we are in the middle of a double-dip recession. The government is only expecting an income of about £3.5 billion from the 4G auction. In comparison, a similar 4G auction was recently conducted in Holland and raised on £3 billion. However, that represents a per capita cost of about £190 compared to just £60 expected in the UK auction.

It is thought the bidding from BT, MLL Telecom and PCCW Limited is only going to be speculative with the existing British network operators picking up the vast majority of frequencies available. MLL Telecom in particular have publicly stated that they don’t intend to offer a consumer 4G service.

There will be twenty eight separate blocks of bandwidth available this time round compared to just five for the previous 3G auction. Please let us know your thoughts on the upcoming spectrum auction and we’ll bring you more information and updates as things progress.

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Francis West is urging for greater cooperation in humanitarian efforts so that technology can make the biggest positive difference possible. In an article in today’s Guardian, the senior advisor of the charity Save the Children, explains how mobile technology isn’t a panacea that will ensure the success of humanitarian projects. Instead, far greater and more effective collaboration is also required to make the most of mobile phones in disaster areas.

The article is sponsored by Adam Smith International and describes how the potential of mobile phones to make a difference has not yet been fully realised. There is still a lot more work to do to make the most of this technology. A new report funded by Vodafone argues that better cooperation between NGOs, the private sector, governments and charities will make the biggest difference in helping out during disasters.

Francis West explains how mobile phones have made a massive difference in areas such as the fight against cholera. This deadly intestine infection causes over 100,000 deaths a year still and is very common in third world countries with unclean water supplies. Untreated outbreaks often develop into pandemics. In Haiti, a report by the American Journal of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine showed that mobile communications and social media dramatically helped against the spread of the disease when compared to older methods.

Since then, the proliferation of mobile phones in developing countries has helped in other similar instances. Nowadays almost 80% of the developing world have mobile phones. But an important factor that hasn’t been adequately addressed is accountability. In humanitarian work, mobile phones excel as they allow access to instantaneous information assisting in triage and assessing the most pressing needs. Part of this is ensuring that the most vulnerable to actually have access to mobile phones and functional networks. The best solution is to oblige mobile phone companies to divert capacity to the most remote or damaged areas during emergencies and for government bodies to prioritise bringing mobile networks back up in their initial disaster-response plans.

Another important issue for consideration is being prepared. It is vital that sufficient training is in place to make the most of this powerful technology. As communication is so quick and easy with mobile phones, it’s important that people know how to use it in the best possible way. Similarly, it is absolutely imperative that the hierarchical structure is optimised for this. Without preparation, mobile technology can cause even great confusion and an disjointed emergency response. All organisations from the private sector to governments should investigate the appropriate training in advance.

Finally, a charitable spirit and helpful collaboration can make huge differences on the ground. For example, mobile phones are frequently used nowadays to collect and coordinate urgently needed donations as well as distribute money. With advanced coordination of policies for reducing costs such as transfer fees in the wake of a disaster, things can be massively sped up. There is no point having mobiles provide an instant means of communication if discussions for services fees take hours or days to be fleshed out.

What the research shows us best is that mobile phones and technology alone will not improve people’s lives or disaster response on their own. What is also needed is forward-planning and motivation to remove structural and systemic obstacles that still impede good work.

What do you think? Have mobiles revolutionised disaster response and the way we can help in humanitarian disasters? And what more can be done to make their use more efficient?

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O₂ have just launched a new app for smartphones and tablets that makes getting connected to public Wi-Fi a whole lot easier. The O₂ WiFi app allows you to take advantage of free Internet access when in a Wi-Fi location without the need for pesky usernames and passwords. The idea is to make getting connected when out and about simpler and quicker.

All you need to do is download the app and register with your mobile phone number. Then, the first time you enter an O₂ Wi-Fi hotspot you can select the app in your device settings. From then on your phone or tablet will automatically connect whenever you are in range of a hotspot.

The app is able to connect to free Wi-Fi hotspots in many public places including O₂ stores, McDonalds, Harvester, Debenhams, Costa and Café Rouge. So if you’re in town you should be to find plenty of places to get free Internet access.

This is particularly useful as it means that you don’t have to use up your mobile data allowance or pay expensive rates per megabyte. So this app can actually save you a lot of money if you use your phone for Internet access when out of the house. Even better, these hotspots usually have much faster broadband connections that are available over 3G on your mobile phone.

The app is available to phones and tablets running Android or Apple iOS. And we really have to commend O₂ for making it available to all users regardless of what mobile network they are on. This means you don’t even need to be on O₂ or to have a contract with anyone to make use of this great new feature.

Have you tried the new O₂ Wi-Fi app yet? Have you found it useful or do you not think it is necessary? And what you think of the decision to allow customers of all networks to use it?

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