T-Mobile: We Fail, We Block. What's Not To Like?
Written by martyndavies on Jun 18, 2007 - 01:22 PM
The T-Mobile story making the rounds at the moment is that the wireless operator is blocking telephone ranges that belong to a VoIP-based competitor:
There is a kind of mad consistency to what they are doing here, since they have already shown themselves to be opposed to VoIP in their own subscriber base. Some months ago T-Mobile were warning users of their own "Web & Walk" data service that the use of IM and VoIP on phones would be frowned upon and might result in suspension or cancellation of the service.
From a customer satisfaction point of view, I'm not sure how well this will work, though. Generally phone users don't have a mental map of where all the phone codes go to, so people might find it puzzling that they can call one mobile phone number (say O2), but not another, Truphone. Should the caller really be inconvenienced if there is a dispute between mobile phone companies?
In general, the policing methods available to people like T-Mobile are all "nuclear options": for example in the case of "Web & Walk", the idea that you will suspend or ban your own users (and some of the most profitable users too) for using applications that you don't approve of, is really quite an odd one. Mobile phone users are not short of choices these days, and other than the inconvenience of perhaps changing a telephone number there is often little loyalty to specific companies, because their are few really unique applications.
It's a problem today that cellcos rely on three areas for 95% of their revenue, namely prepay, call revenue and SMS. Therefore Truphone are striking to the very heart of conpanies like T-Mobile, by chopping away at roaming charges. Just when T-Mobile should be innovating, and finding exciting new services of their own, they are in a dark age of protectionism.
Some cellcos are already reaching out into fields like agile billing in order to personalize services, and make their offering more relevant to the users. For example, O2 recently lauched a service whereby you can nominate a special zone (for example your home) where you get free call minutes, then elsewhere you are charged as normal according to your package. These kinds of services can be built using good-old SS7 technology, and don't really need VoIP or SIP. This is an approach that works, but unfortunately the walled garden makes development of services expensive and a very long cycle, where the SIP guys can prototype and beta services very quickly and with less risk.
One area that has looked promising for some time is that of location based services, or LBS. Numerous trials have gone on over the last few years, with triangulation techniques being used to locate handsets, and then the location can be used in an application. The trivial example that is always talked about is to be able to send you a list of restaurants in the immediate vicinity when you are in a strange town. However, problems with location privacy in SS7 networks and problems with creating the apps themselves has stifled this area. Now it might be too late for the cellcos to get into this business, as the handsets are getting smarter, and it's now possible to get a Java applet in the phone to control a bluetooth GPS, and send the location data directly back-to-base using a GPRS or EVDO data connection. Soon the GPS chip will be in the handset, and not even a GPS mouse will be needed. Opportunity over for cellcos; LBS moves directly to Google-land.
The cellcos are in a fix. They don't want to become the dumb pipe shifting VoIP and IM data from A-to-B; they have everything to lose by this since they are totally dependent on voice and SMS as services. They are also wedded to their high roaming charges, and even with the EU mandating lower prices, the legal departments will I'm sure be busy finding loopholes. The users want lower costs, and personalized services, but they can't find these things in traditional telcos and cellcos. At the same time services at "the edge of the Internet" are creating value, and stealing hearts and minds.
Will we be discouraged by T-Mobile's fine print, and their failure to connect calls? I don't believe it.
Links: Rich Tehrani Andy Abramson
| Quote: |
|
T-Mobile has refused to interconnect with mobile VoIP provider Truphone: T-Mobile customers making a call to Truphone's number range (07978 8xxxxx) will not be connected. |
There is a kind of mad consistency to what they are doing here, since they have already shown themselves to be opposed to VoIP in their own subscriber base. Some months ago T-Mobile were warning users of their own "Web & Walk" data service that the use of IM and VoIP on phones would be frowned upon and might result in suspension or cancellation of the service.
From a customer satisfaction point of view, I'm not sure how well this will work, though. Generally phone users don't have a mental map of where all the phone codes go to, so people might find it puzzling that they can call one mobile phone number (say O2), but not another, Truphone. Should the caller really be inconvenienced if there is a dispute between mobile phone companies?
In general, the policing methods available to people like T-Mobile are all "nuclear options": for example in the case of "Web & Walk", the idea that you will suspend or ban your own users (and some of the most profitable users too) for using applications that you don't approve of, is really quite an odd one. Mobile phone users are not short of choices these days, and other than the inconvenience of perhaps changing a telephone number there is often little loyalty to specific companies, because their are few really unique applications.
It's a problem today that cellcos rely on three areas for 95% of their revenue, namely prepay, call revenue and SMS. Therefore Truphone are striking to the very heart of conpanies like T-Mobile, by chopping away at roaming charges. Just when T-Mobile should be innovating, and finding exciting new services of their own, they are in a dark age of protectionism.
Some cellcos are already reaching out into fields like agile billing in order to personalize services, and make their offering more relevant to the users. For example, O2 recently lauched a service whereby you can nominate a special zone (for example your home) where you get free call minutes, then elsewhere you are charged as normal according to your package. These kinds of services can be built using good-old SS7 technology, and don't really need VoIP or SIP. This is an approach that works, but unfortunately the walled garden makes development of services expensive and a very long cycle, where the SIP guys can prototype and beta services very quickly and with less risk.
One area that has looked promising for some time is that of location based services, or LBS. Numerous trials have gone on over the last few years, with triangulation techniques being used to locate handsets, and then the location can be used in an application. The trivial example that is always talked about is to be able to send you a list of restaurants in the immediate vicinity when you are in a strange town. However, problems with location privacy in SS7 networks and problems with creating the apps themselves has stifled this area. Now it might be too late for the cellcos to get into this business, as the handsets are getting smarter, and it's now possible to get a Java applet in the phone to control a bluetooth GPS, and send the location data directly back-to-base using a GPRS or EVDO data connection. Soon the GPS chip will be in the handset, and not even a GPS mouse will be needed. Opportunity over for cellcos; LBS moves directly to Google-land.
The cellcos are in a fix. They don't want to become the dumb pipe shifting VoIP and IM data from A-to-B; they have everything to lose by this since they are totally dependent on voice and SMS as services. They are also wedded to their high roaming charges, and even with the EU mandating lower prices, the legal departments will I'm sure be busy finding loopholes. The users want lower costs, and personalized services, but they can't find these things in traditional telcos and cellcos. At the same time services at "the edge of the Internet" are creating value, and stealing hearts and minds.
Will we be discouraged by T-Mobile's fine print, and their failure to connect calls? I don't believe it.
Links: Rich Tehrani Andy Abramson
Reply from aswath on Jun 19, 2007 - 12:30 AM
I do not think VoIP is in the mix at all. It is pure and simple two factions arguing on the interpretation of an arbitrary law that defies crisp definition.
Reply from dean on Jun 19, 2007 - 09:14 AM
| Quote: |
| Is Truphone really a mobile operator as any layman will understand it? |
To a T-Mobile user, yes. The number range tells the caller that they're calling a mobile device, they may not know that it's Truphone or an MVNO operator, but they think they're calling a mobile.
The point is when that T-Mobile customer dials a Truphone number, which he'll think is just a mobile range, and doesn't get through, he's going to be left rather confused as to why.
It's not good for the end-user experience.
The way that T-Mobile will need to deal with that experience is to play a pre-recorded annoumcement when those numbers are dialled. It'll be interesting to see what announcement they come up with.
Reply from tjardick on Jun 19, 2007 - 10:31 AM
http://www.webitpr.com/writeitfiles/mystery%20calls.mov
or check it on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH0auDTbHx4
Or you can listen to Truphone CEO James Tagg discuss the matter in interview with Martyn Davies:
http://www.voipuser.org/btn/interview_2905.html
Tj
Reply from ianplain on Jun 19, 2007 - 11:06 AM
I do think the a problem is Truphone need to decide what they are. Are the a mobile operator or are they a Voip operator which is what James called themselves in a recent article in Mobile weekly.
If they are the latter then they can carry on as they are, If they are wanting to be the former which by using a number in the 'mobile' range they are giving an impression they are, Then they have to get 999 services in place. and yes it will cost big bucks to do, But It cost the mobile operators money to do it when they had to put the technology in place, before any other new ideas.
Ian
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