Ofcom report shows UK top for mobile broadband coverage

Ofcom has published its third annual International Communications Market Report, which looks at take-up, availability and use of broadband, landlines, mobiles, TV and radio in a number of countries. Some of the key mobile-related points include:

• HSDPA mobile broadband availability covers 87% of the UK population; the highest of all 16 countries surveyed.
• In all of the countries covered by the report, total mobile revenues last year were higher than fixed-line voice and broadband combined.
• Mobile call volumes grew by 21% in the UK during 2007. However, increases in call volumes have not been matched by corresponding increases in retail revenue.
• Text messaging volumes increased by 36% in the UK, 90% in Poland and over 100% in the US and Canada.

[Ofcom report]

The perfect phone call lasts for 9 minutes and 36 seconds

The ideal phone conversation should last for 9 minutes and 36 seconds, covering family news, personal problems, work, current affairs and the weather, according to new research from the Post Office. And during that call, you'll spend 102 seconds laughing plus 12 seconds in silence. [Source: Telegraph.co.uk]

Ofcom chairman gives final lecture

Ofcom chairman David Currie has given the organisation's 2008 lecture; his last before he leaves the organisation. He contrasted the current state of the market with Ofcom's first report from early 2004, when mobiles accounted for almost a quarter of voice calls and each person sent an average of one text message a day. Today, mobile calls account for 40% of voice minutes and text messaging has grown by 27% per year. [Ofcom Annual Lecture 2008]

25 years of commercial mobile phone use in the USA

Today, 13th October, is the 25th anniversary of the first commercial mobile phone call in the USA. (Well, on a cellular network, anyway). Back in 1983, the president of Ameritech Mobile Communications called the grandson of Alexander Graham Bell in Germany using a Motorola DynaTAC 8000X. Incidentally, the first-ever public mobile phone call was made in April 1973... and the UK's first commercial call was in January 1985. [CTIA press release]

New quarterly industry figures from Ofcom

Another quarter, another batch of UK statistics from regulator Ofcom. Apparently revenue across Vodafone, O2, Orange and T-Mobile fell by 1.6% in Q1 2008, with call volumes dropping slightly (0.23%) and messaging volumes increasing by 8%. Customers with 'pay monthly' constracts increased by 1.9% - a trend that's happened since the beginning of 2006. 'Contract' customers now account for 36% of all mobile subscribers, compared to 32% in Q1 2006. [Press release]

Expats spending more on mobiles than food

Mobile VoIP service provider Vyke says young Asian expats in the UK are spending more on mobile calls than they spend on food. Its recent survey says the majority of expats aged between 16 and 24 spend more on making mobile phone calls than they do on food, and a quarter of people who call abroad are spending over £60 a month on their mobile calls and texts. [Press release]

EU roaming texts to cost 10p?

EC telecommunications commissioner Viviane Reding 's draft plans for capping the cost of text messages when 'roaming' are proposing an 11 Euro cent (10.5p inc VAT) limit, according to reports. Her plans also mandate per-second billing for all calls of 30 seconds or longer - and, in addition, she wants to extend the cap on roaming call costs until 2013. The proposal will receive its first formal response when EC telecommunications ministers meet on 27th November. [Source: EUbusiness.com]

Vodafone criticised for not honouring contract clause

The Independent on Sunday says Vodafone has been refusing to release customers from their contracts if the company's new call charges result in their bills going up by over 10%... even though there's a contract clause that allows customers to quit immediately. Vodafone has told the newspaper that most customers aren't affected because they don't exceed their monthly call allowance - but it'll release customers whose bills are increasing by 10% or more.

EC unhappy with 'per minute' charges

The European Commission says it may restrict networks from charging 'per minute' for calls. EC spokesman Martin Selmayr said 'per minute' charging means the average consumer in Europe is paying 24% percent more than the minutes they actually use to make calls - and 19% more for receiving calls. Currently only France, Lithuania, Portugal and Spain have legislation requiring per-second billing, although some other countries also offer it. The GSM Association says the billing increment doesn't matter as long as consumers are aware. [Sources: EurActiv.com; EUobserver.com]

3 loses call termination rate appeal

3 has lost its appeal against a cut in call termination rates imposed by Ofcom. The Competition Appeal Tribunal has agreed with Ofcom's decision that 3 UK has 'significant market power', ordering the network to cut its termination rates by 45% over the next three years. The other four major UK networks will be cutting their charges by between 10% and 20% to reach a similar level. Call termination rates are the wholesale prices paid by network operators for connecting calls from other networks. [Sources: PDF of judgement; Guardian.co.uk]

Phone call database planned

The Times says the UK government is planning a database that holds details of every phone call, email and internet browsing session as part of its fight against crime. Information would be held for at least 12 months. The plans have apparently been considered as part of a data communications bill that would be included in the Queen's Speech in November. The EU already requires telecoms companies to keep records of phone calls and text messages for 12 months.

UK mobile customers could be wasting £8 billion a year

Online financial comparison website Moneysupermarket.com says mobile phone customers could be wasting £8 billion a year because they don't know enough about their tariffs. The company said users often don't know how much they use their phone or many minutes or texts are included in their monthly package, which could result in an individual customer paying £130 too much in a year. One in seven customers didn't know how many free minutes they had, while one in six didn't know how many texts were included in their monthly line rental. [Source: BBC News]