Network operators …

I wonder each day a little bit more what mobile network operators can do without their users being really annoyed. A more obvious rip-off than O2 is doing right now is hardly possible.

Yes, it’s nothing new - but I’m just back from abroad. And I wondered about the peculiar SMS I get, that someone tried to call me and that this service is free of costs for me (which caused my alarm bells to ring even more). Thus I researched a litte: O2 is answering my phone when I’m not reachable. And they tell the caller that I’m not reachable. Then they send me an SMS when I return. For this unasked for “service” they bill the caller up to a minute in fees. (In germany, its usually free of charge if you don’t reach the person you are calling. Except for special service numbers, the caller always pays all the costs.)

Dear O2, I know many people who will no longer call a person who does not disable this “service” of yours. On the long run, this probably is a bad idea in trying to raise the ARPU. And you definitely become unpopular by carrying out such ripoff stunts. Tomorrow I’m going to call the service to have this nuisance disabled. And people call me again.

Since there are almost no Free-SMS services left in the internet, my usage of SMS as dropped to an all-time low. I rarely ever send or recieve a SMS. I used to reply to a SMS, but nowadays I rarely get one anyway. Also, it’s cheaper to call than to send an SMS. I talk more than 160 characters in 30 seconds, and a call is interactive, too…

Other network operators are unlikely to be better. And my ancient Viag contract is unbeatable cheap for me - often less than 1 Euro per Month. Needless to say, you can’t get these contracts any more for years now.

… and mobile phone manufacturers

Manufacturers are not better at all. I’m using my old Siemens C35 again, since the S35 I used to use broke. Which is okay, after 5 years of use.

None of the newer mobile phones I’ve had a look at is somewhat acceptable - their menus are so chaotic you don’t find anything, and are unuseable. And the are all packed with useless stuff such as:

  • Cameras (= useless weight and size)
  • big color screens (what for? raising the price, size, weight?)
  • “MP3-Players” (I use a real thing)
  • “Games” (yeah, if I were 5 or so, I might have played that crap)
  • UMTS (data plans are way to expensive, so what benefit is left?)
  • GPRS, WAP, Browsers (same)
  • appointment calendar (lol)
  • Photo editor (wtf?)

A mobile which is just small and light, and that you can use for calling is apparently not yet on the market. I don’t even need a single ringtone, neither a polyphone one for several Euros. Vibration alarm is just fine… ;-)

To make it short: no acceptable phone for sale, so I don’t buy. And for sure I won’t spend a couple hundred Euros for these, even though I could afford it.

Customers …

Apparently there are enough customers who are willing to go with for these absurdities. That pay insane prices for logos (my mobile is private and of noones business - why would I need a logo). That really try to use a cameraphone or even their “editing” functions…

I’m amazed by how you can eary money by that - only solution: almost all Germans^WEuropeans^W humans are just plain stupid.

… and solutions

One of the easiest solutions, which I also considered: get a contract with a phone with a good price, just to sell the phone on ebay. Usually you can get enough money for that “sponsored” phone to buy an older “reasonable” one, and pay for the 24 months you subscribed to the service. That’s mobile-for-free then. Which is an okay deal, isn’t it?