Broadband News
Shift towards ‘no contract’ mobile broadband
Friday, 27 March 2009
By Garnet Roach garnet@consumerchoices.co.uk
T-Mobile has said that mobile broadband will see a shift towards no contract packages attracting more new customers.
Richard Warmsley, head of mobile internet and entertainment at T-Mobile Broadband (www.T-Mobile.co.uk) told BroadbandChoices.co.uk: "This year we will shift into pay-per-day/week/month options for new customers. This will give the mass market a chance to try mobile broadband. They can purchase their dongle and pay for usage as and when they need it."
He added that he could see the operator offering mobile broadband and mobile phone internet bundles.
“If a customer chooses mobile broadband and a high-end phone such as a G1-internet phone, he will get an appropriate package - his tariff will include ‘internet on the phone’ minutes,” he said.
“If we bundle things together then the bill is clear.”
He added that he didn’t see mobile internet as a competing market to mobile broadband - “It’s the same customers who want both - they just use the two things differently - to perform different tasks,” said Warmsley.
“They will spend less time on mobile internet. But will use a laptop and mobile broadband for half an hour to an hour when out and about.”
He said that T-Mobile wanted to focus on customers’ “real needs and how they want to use mobile broadband” - and so will be sticking with cost per day or month based tariffs rather than costing by the amount of data customers use. “It’s not right to make customers work hard - we’re not going to catch you out,” he said.
Warmsley said he believes that 4.5Mb is the maximum possible speed any customer has achieved. “1-2Mb is typical on our network. 2-3Mb is achievable, and you can get 4.5Mb in bigger cities, depending on the circumstances,” he said.
T-Mobile is the only mobile broadband provider to offer fair usage limits on its packages - meaning that customers won’t immediately be charged for exceeding their limit.
Michael Phillips, BroadbandChoices.co.uk product director, said: “Many mobile broadband customers have been stung by unexpected costs for exceeding their limit - and abroad roaming costs can even add up into the thousands.”
T-Mobile sets daily and monthly roaming caps, and Warmsley said: “Our advice is don’t download a film or TV programme when abroad.”
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