Fashion Contrast

Interesting news courtesy of Broadband Expert regarding the prevalence of mobile broadband in this country. There are definately some points made in this article which suprised me quite a lot.

For many years now there has been a steady increase in losses for landline voice services in the UK as many customers substitute them for mobile handsets.

The broadband access market is now being carefully watched by many broadband service providers for indications of any similar behaviour in this area. According to recent findings from the telecommunications regulator Ofcom, mobile broadband connections are relied upon completely by six percent of consumers in the UK, whilst a combination of fixed and mobile broadband services is used by 8 percent of homes in the UK.

Austria currently has more mobile broadband users than fixed line users, which is currently far higher than the number of consumers in the UK that rely purely on mobile broadband access services instead of fixed-line broadband.

Mobile broadband access is seen to be the main form of connection to the internet in the home for 41 percent of UK consumers and as was expected 43 percent of mobile broadband users said that their only form of internet access was through a mobile broadband connection.

The use of mobile broadband is currently driven by the wealthier UK demographic and is most popular with adults between the age of 15 and 34, which is similar to that of general broadband users. Just 10 percent of users rely solely on mobile broadband for internet access in the 15 to 34 age range at the moment.

Since 2008 many homes are more likely to use a mobile phone service than a fixed line for their voice services, with an increase in the penetration of all communication services except for fixed-lines. This shows that in terms of voice services the mobility trend is far more pronounced.

This is perhaps the most interesting statement from the entire article: Mobile broadband access is seen to be the main form of connection to the internet in the home for 41 percent of UK consumers and as was expected 43 percent of mobile broadband users said that their only form of internet access was through a mobile broadband connection.. As simply I did not realise that mobile broadband had taken off to the extent that it appears. It did occur to me that people might take out the netbook deals (bundled with Mobile Broadband) to get the free laptop, but it did not make sense that they might use MB as there main internet connection. Perhaps a sign of the times and how people are not wanting to be tied down to a TV/Phone/Internet package.

Like with all things developments like this could been seen to herald the end of the landline and its internet connection, which most people have (thanks in part to the aforementioned deals), but perhaps only use once in a blue moon. With younger people moving out of home, its probably best to have a mobile device rather then a contract which effectively stays in place in the home they are living in.

My predictions are that MB will continue to grow thanks in part to the ‘mobile’ generation in which we now live. Currently I am live testing a MI-FI device for a company, which is going really well! But it means everyday I lose apart of my soul as I can use things like Facebook,Twitter, and if I’m feeling really sad – Blog on the move. It simply is the time to be connected…

Some good news for the avid readers of Fashion Contrast. We have been asked to take part in a product review! Which for one is good news and makes me slightly happy as I get a new toy to play with for 6 weeks.

The blogosphere is an interesting place, ideas can be communicated quickly and readership can be found very quickly. Come the end of month 1 I had been in touch with the firm who are to run the survey around a new mobile broadband like device called MIFI, which is essentially a wireless hotspot which you can carry around for use whenever/wherever and transmit a signal to either friends or whoever you want, a device which could be very useful for small cafes or even places like train stations who can then just allow whoever to connect to the network for a price worked out accordingly.

So yeah, basically just a heads up to look forward to some product reviews which will be appearing on the site in the not to distant future, we are excited and so should you be…

Today I wrote a post on a blog that I occasionally write on – Blackbeard My Telegraph

I will copy it here for you two read. Its about being conned by companies and their Direct Debit Schemes, I will also put a couple of the replies it got here!

Companies need to be fairer thats my only real point to this post.

When one takes out a contract with a company for say Mobile Broadband/phone/Tv – I would really like them to give me the option to set up the direct debit so it comes out of my account pretty soon after I have been paid. It always seems that they decide to take the money say 1 week just before I have been paid.

Frustrating – how is one meant to put aside money to budget/put into savings when these potential essentials are being charged to us willy nilly. We need change and we need it now…

SteddyEddy put forward this interesting reply:

I am experimenting with Standing Orders, where you have the ability through online banking to change the date. I find this much more suitable although many of the companies seem reticent to agree.

The direct debit system is really crap, despite their so-called guarantee (“We guarantee to pay FredShred £6000 a week pension regardless”).

Agree 100% – it does need radically changing. After all, we are the customers!

Steddy, I think is right on so many grounds – surely if you want to pay as you have signed the contract you should be able to decide when they take your money? Rather then having it decided by someone else. Interesting it is possible to have the dates changed by it seems some companies will put a lot of effort into making this a lot harder then it should be. We the consumer need to stand up to this.

The MyTelegraph Blogging section is filled to the brim with fun loving fairly angry people, its a good read if you feel like also getting angy about stupid things.

Oh dear BB,

You have committed the original sin. Amicus (OTHER MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY) will be here any moment to remonstrate with you most vehemently.

They either decide to take the payment 1 week before you are to be paid, or if you are on a 4-week rota, 3 weeks after you have been paid. You jumbled your tense. )

I know what you mean though, when the wages barely cover the cost of living, the last thing anyone needs is a 30 quid letter from Fred the Shred et al telling you that you went £0.03 overdrawn for a period of 20 minutes and they will be charging you interest of a gazillion percent as well as the cost of the computer generated letter.

Steddy has it right, somewhere along the line everyone seems to have forgotten who the customer is.

Again total agreement from my side – Fred luckily has gone from our lives but there is a new generation out only to make as much money as possible. Its upsetting really to think that people now seem only out for ‘career’ rather then being a young person and enjoying and living a fulfilling non monetary life!