Review on non-geographic numbers

by Mobilemaniac on 10 April, 2012

Consumers make use of non-geographic numbers to call government agencies, help lines, financial institutions and businesses. Non-geographic numbers are those that begin with 03, 05, 070/076, 080, 0845, 0870, 0843/4, 0871/2/3, 09, 116 and 118. For various payment needs and services, calls are widely made to these numbers. Although, most of these institutions and agencies can be contacted via internet, the popular way to accessing them is via telephone. This suggests the popularity of the non-geographic numbers. Making voice calls is definitely one of the practical and easily accessible ways to contact the people. However, the changing market situations have made the call costs very consuming to most of the customers. Every phone company comes with a different price structure, which results in the calling rates. The research published in December 2010 reviewed market for non-geographic calls.

At times consumers even find hard to obtain information about non-geographic call costs. Organization fails to provide accurate details about the call costs incurred while making calls to them. Lack of awareness among the customers is the major reasons that deter them from making calls to the numbers. Besides, they have very less understanding about the revenue sharing process. Customers overestimate the costs made to non-geographic numbers and withdraw themselves from using them. Consequently, there is a reduction in the need for services, especially for mobile phones. Even socially important services are not accessed by the confused customers, leading to the less use of services though non-geographic numbers.

To tackle these problems, a new set of approach should be introduced. These new methods to the regulation of non-geographic numbers will enable more customers to use the services. Ofcom was given the responsibility to set maximum prices and tariff rules so that the customers are protected effectively related to the provision of electronic communication services through telephone numbers.

By:

Read More

Review of the new set proposals

Discussions about the main proposals to simplify the non-geographic number ranges and protect the consumers are detailed in this section. Under the new proposals customers should be offered with clear information about the price structure and tariffs, by removing misleading and confusing inconsistencies. The important proposals suggest that the maximum retail price for Free phone of 080 and 116 numbers should be made free from mobile phones and fixed lines. It also required to03 to become the non-geographic number range alone to be linked to the price of a call to a geographic number. Under the new proposals, a new tariff plans for non-geographic calls are required. It requires splitting of the money paid to the Phone Company, costs for routing and managing non-geographic numbers, costs of receiving the call service and costs of the service the consumer is receiving. This should be applicable to a wide-range of non-geographic number ranges that will provide better transparency for consumers and results in improved competition.

By offering 080 numbers free to call from all telephones, customers are given clear information about the price rates by the service providers. Not only does it improve the demand for services, but will also provide customers with better understanding of the range. Although, providing these services will not come free of costs to the providers, the benefits will be greater for consumers as well as service providers. The logical option for a non-geographic number range to be connected to the price of a normal landline call is 03 range. This is setup already for this purpose and it does not have any regulatory change. However, the usage of this number and consumer awareness regarding this is relatively low. The current proposals hope to introduce steps that will encourage the usage.
The confusion regarding the non-geographic number ranges linked to geographic call prices of the 0845 and 0870 ranges and the other 084 and 087 numbers needs to be removed. Consistent treatment of the 084 and 087 number ranges would result in intuitive number plan for long term. Besides, there should be a consistent pricing treatment of revenue sharing ranges 084, 087, 09, and 118. All these changes would offer a non-geographic structure that will enable customers to trust the system once again.
Proposed approach will be applied in all 08 ranges, all 09 premium rate numbers and 118 directory enquiry numbers. Access Charge and Service Charge will be the two separate charges paid by the consumers. This will enable them to understand the costs paid to the phone company and the costs passed on to others. No change will be made to the standard structure of payments.
Proposals are made to signify rules that simplify the charges like one Access Charge per tariff package for every unbundled non-geographic number ranges, the Access Charge as ‘pence per minute’ rate, each service for fixed and mobile phones with a single Service Charge and less choices in setting the Service Charge. A rule that requires organisation and service operators to inform customers about their service charge in advertising and marketing is also implemented.
With these new proposals, the cost of a call to a non-geographic number will be the total of the Access Charge, in pence per minute and the Service Charge. Unbundled tariff hopes to offer special advantages to the customers including clear price rates and improved competition between the phone companies and service providers. Customers could access the service without any worries or confusion.
Apart from the individuals, businesses will also benefit from this new tariff. Those who get paid for the calls would receive better control over the prices and those who are not paid will have access to the number ranges where that is clear to the customers. Mobile-only household in the UK can make calls to numbers of social importance effectively. Prices for every call will be made clear and calls to 080 will be made free.

Read More

Motorola likely to take-up Droid RAZR Ice Cream Sandwich Soak Test soon

There was plenty of talk about software updates for Motorola Droid RAZAR during the last few weeks.
The customers were eagerly expecting an Ice Cream Sandwich update. There was also a rumor about a soak test for RAZR update. The source of the rumour was the internal Best Buy notification system
Last week some official news came from Motorola. But there was no mention about the software updates.
There was only a Gingerbread maintenance release and nothing concerning Ice Cream sandwich. The Best Buy notification system itself got updated to reveal some new delay.
The customers are wondering as to what is happening to the software of the phone. Though not official, there is every chance that Motorola may be set to introduce Android 4.0.
The proposed soak test scheduled for the previous weekend did not take place. The latest information from Motorola is that it is not currently interested in the 6.12. 181. It may probably scrap the plan entirely. Motorola may prefer to make use of the opportunity to test Ice Cream Sandwich Distribution.
In any case it is true that if at all Motorola is able to carry out the soak test sometime during the later part of the week, the customers are bound to see wide distribution of RAZR updates a few weeks later.

Read More

Samsung’s Flexible Display Called “Youm”

Samsung is getting ready to release their flexible AMOLED display after it has formally given it a name.

The company had earlier on submitted an application to the US Patent and Trademark Office for the copyright of the name “Youm” with logo and all.
In fact “Youm” has been offered a special page in the company’s website where people are taunted with terms like thinner, unbreakable and lighter.
The company elucidates the way in which their new AMOLED know-how utilizes film instead of glass, thereby allowing it to be flexible when compared to the conventional OLED and LCD displays.
The previous year, the company had forecast that they would commence shipment of smartphones with flexible display screens before the year 2012 ended. They also have plans of manufacturing flexible tablets and other devices that can be carried around.
Giving the display a formal name was taking appreciated as a step on to the right path.
The fact remains that Samsung are not the only manufacturers that are making flexible display screens. Just lately LG had released its own flexible E-Paper Display asserting that it would totally transform the eBook market.
In addition, there is also news that this E-Paper Display from LG would be released this current month.

Read More

Nokia Launched Lumia 900 in New York

When Nokia does something thing they do it in full style. They had earlier launched the Nokia Lumia 800 by putting up a 400 ft light show in Mill bank Tower in London and they have now turned to New York Times Square for yet another launch.
This time it was the release of their Lumia 900, the most recent addition to their Lumia range of phones.
The pop star of the day, Nicki Minaj was the star attraction and she really got the whole crowd all excited with some of her best hits, just before the Finnish Phone manufacturers launched their extraordinary light show on nine electronic screens in Time Square.
The team members from CGI who were responsible for the special effects they had done on Will Smith’s blockbuster i-Robot, were also responsible for creating the light show in Time Square and it is believed that it took them more than 5,000 hours to finish the task.
Approximately 30,000 people were there to witness the event in the wee hours of the day.
It is anticipated that the Nokia Lumia 900 that boasts of a 4.3 inch AMOLED display screen, will be launched in the UK by the summer of the current year.

Read More