Mobile Customer Service is Better

New Ofcom research reveals that consumers are more satisfied with their mobile phone provider than they are with landline or broadband suppliers.

In September the communication regulators interviewed 3,000 people, quizzing them on recent contact from their providers and the levels of service that they received.   The results showed that whilst service ratings for landlines had improved with BT, Sky and Talk Talk since 2009, on average, these satisfaction levels were still below those for mobile services.

It seems broadband speeds are still a major bone of contention and the underlying reason for many customer complaints.  Consumers having to contact their providers to change the deals that they signed up for proved the most common gripe from dissatisfied customers.

The telecommunication industry gets a lot of bad press for poor service, overcomplicated tariffs and for tying customers into long term contracts.  However, there are still some good guys out there that put a strong emphasis on customer service, simple tariffs and 30 days rolling contracts.  If you have a telecoms query then please feel free to Ask Adodo.

Africa’s Mobile Boom

After Asia, it seems Africa has the biggest mobile market in the world.  It certainly has the fastest-growing according to an association of worldwide mobile phone operators. 

The number of subscribers on the continent has grown almost 20% each year for the past five years, the GSM Association report on Africa says.  It expects there will be more than 735 million subscribers by the end of 2012.  Analysts believe that the poor and expensive landline service in Africa is the cause for rising mobile phone usage. 

Nigeria has the highest number of mobile phone subscriptions in Africa - more than 93 million, representing 16% of the continent's total mobile subscriptions, GSMA says.

The report says African countries have allocated far less spectrum to mobile services than Europe, the Americas and Asia, which inhibits connectivity to many people in rural areas.  It has been suggested that to take full advantage of the rising interest in mobile connectivity, African countries need to allocate more spectrum for the provision of mobile broadband services, as well as introduce tax cuts for the industry.

HTC Lose Out in Apple Ruling but Will Appeal

On Friday, the US International Trade Commission ruled that Taiwanese mobile phone company HTC, had infringed two Apple Patents.  Apple had claimed that their smartphone rivals had infringed a total of 10 patents.

The response from HTC has been to state that they will appeal; but if the decision is not overturned it could result in the US banning some HTC imports.  Shares in HTC fell 7% this morning as a result, but the result of the appeal could have much wider implications for the industry.  The findings are only preliminary and are subject to review by the full six-member committee in Washington. A final decision is due on 6 December.

The Taiwanese company is not the only firm wrestling with Apple over the rights to technology, with the US firm also in disputes with South Korea's Samsung and US-based Motorola.

Do you have a smartphone?  Do you browse the internet or check your emails on it?  Have you considered your smartphone security?  Find out more! 

The Mobile Power of Solar

Two words that strike fear into modern society could soon be a thing of the past.  That’s right, ‘low battery’; will no longer be a problem, if an idea born in Serbia, goes global.

A group of Serbian university students have created the world’s first public solar-powered mobile phone charger and it stands proud in a town just outside Belgrade.  The team won a prestigious European Union prize in April for their efforts, despite being the youngest team in the competition. 

Their invention, dubbed, The Strawberry Tree, has sixteen wires capable of charging all phone models, and has enough energy stored for a month should the sun disappear.  It’s a simple idea that uses natural renewable energy to power modern technology cleanly, and we love it!

Need to Charge Your Phone? Just Shout at it!

As big believers in the importance of new technology, the latest breakthrough in charging mobile phones has certainly divided office opinion.   

It seems, scientists have devised a gadget that enables sound energy to be converted into electricity, meaning that your mobile phone could be charged as you speak.  The greater the volume of speech, the greater the charge, which could result in people inexplicably shouting into their mobile phones to regain power.

So if you are already irritated on the bus when someone is using their smartphone to play music to the masses, or you’re baffled by those that walk around, seemingly talking to themselves with a head piece hidden behind their ear…be warned…its about to get worse!

Is this set to be the most irritating inventions in history?

A British Summer Time iPhone Glitch

Apple iPhone users were faced with yet another glitch this morning after the clocks ‘sprung’ forward over the weekend. 

The problem does not appear to have affected everyone with an iPhone, but some owners complained of being late for work on Monday Morning after an apple software glitch caused their alarms to malfunction.

According to user reports, the glitch has affected non-recurring alarms set within the iPhone's calendar application, rather than its dedicated alarm clock.  The affect found their wake-up alert coming one hour late, one hour early or not at all.

Apple has yet to comment on what caused it, but similar problems have previously hit iPhones in the US. 

Have you ever considered security for your mobile phone yet?  Contact us now to learn more 0115 970 1471

Pedestrian’s banned from using Mobile Phones

Under new laws being discussed by local politicians in America, New Yorkers may be banned from using their mobile phones or iPods while crossing the road. 

In an attempt to deter the city’s streets of joggers and commuters from wearing electronic devices due to fears about safety, those caught breaking the rule would face a fine of $100 (£63) and a court summons. 

Carl Kruger, a Democratic state senator, said the new law was necessary to prevent accidents being caused by people locked in the "deceptive serenity" of their phones or music players.

The Governors Highway Safety Association says that pedestrian deaths account for 12 per cent of fatalities on US roads, and that numbers increased last year after being in decline for several years.

Here in the UK, the emphasis has been on preventing drivers from using their mobile phones when behind the wheel, but should we put more emphasis on distractions that affect pedestrians?

Is your smartphone secure?

DID YOU KNOW

A mobile phone is stolen every 12 seconds in the UK?

Over 50,000 phones are left in the back of London taxis in an average year?

A smartphone can be infected by viruses in the same way as a PC?

Around 80% of European smartphone users have been hit by spam?

The majority of PC users have some form of virus or spam protection. Despite the growing threats of mobile viruses, spam and smartphone theft, around 86% of mobile phone users do not have any security software installed? The high susceptibility of smartphones, their advanced data connections and the fact that we are increasingly using these devices for storing personal and commercial data makes them attractive to criminals?

We can protect your smartphone, Pocket PCs and other mobile devices running Symbian, Android and Windows Mobile from threats to your phone such as viruses, spyware, trojans, malware, hackers and data theft.

Free trial request

• AntiTheft - Easy to use it delivers simple data protection solutions in the event of theft:
• Lock your mobile
• Provide the location of your phone if GPS enabled thus enabling recovery
• Wipe the data remotely via SMS
• Notify you when the SIM has been changed

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AntiVirus provides full protection against viruses, trojans, spyware or other malware. It provides continuous protection without interfering with the normal operation of your handset.

•                           Real time protection
•                           Easy to manually scan when you insert memory cards
•                           Instant detection of new threats
•                           Battery friendly

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AntiSpam gives you complete control over which messages you want to accept or deny by providing an easy to use application that will help minimise the spam you receive.

•                          Number blocking to avoid unwanted SMS or MMS
•                          Simple to use whitelist and blacklist application
•                          Contacts automatically added to whitelist
•                          Easy to use and configure

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Free trial request

Use our 30-day free trial now, you’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Who-are-We’s Gift to London

Huawei, (pronounced who-are-we), is a Chinese Telecoms giant who has hit the headlines this week because they have offered to install a mobile phone network on the London Underground in time for the 2012 Olympics:  Free of charge.

The gesture is said to be a gift from one Olympic nation to another according to the Sunday Times and is said to be worth about £50 million.  The company has offered to install transmitters along the ceilings of the tunnels, and will earn any future income from the maintenance of the equipment.  It has been confirmed by Transport for London that work has begun on wiring up the Underground with mobile phone transmitters, but there has been no confirmation of Huawei’s involvement.  

Mobile World Congress Kicks Off

So it’s not everybody’s idea of fun, but there is great anticipation as the Mobile World Congress kicks off in Barcelona, and rightly so, as a host of firms will be launching new products.

Show stoppers include Sony Ericsson’s, Xperia Play, with its smartphone-cum-gaming device, Samsung’s new tablet, the Galaxy 10, which as the name suggests features a bigger 10.1 inch (26cm) screen.  Meanwhile LG has unveiled the first mobile phone with 3D capability.

Hi-Tech Criminals turn attention to Business Mobiles

Net giant Cisco has suggested that mobile phone operating systems are becoming increasingly popular with hi-tech criminals.

In their annual report they have predicted that 2011 will see a significant number of attacks directed at smartphones, mobile software and users.  That said, the vast majority of criminal activity continues to be aimed at Windows and the programs that run on it.

2009 brought a significant turn in trend for mobile malware with the appearance of a virus call Zitmo.  This was a mobile version of the Zeus Windows trojan that has proved hugely popular with criminals keen to steal logins to online bank accounts.

Apple products are proving to be a target as statistics gathered by Cisco suggest a growing number of vulnerabilities are being found in Apple operating systems.

The relative youth of the Android Operating Systems makes them a vulnerable platform to.  Trojans aimed at Android, that booby trap apps that run on phones, or bury premium rate links in ads were also starting to turn up. For instance, in late December 2010 the Geinimi trojan for Android was found that can steal almost any of the data on a handset.

Google Android Driving Spacecraft with Mobile Phone

In recent years we have seen mobiles used at higher and higher altitudes, but until now, they have never gone into space several hundred kilometres above the planet, but that is exactly what the team at Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) in Guildford want to do.

Their plan is to see if the sophisticated capabilities in today's phones will function in the most challenging environment known to man.  Although we do not yet which handset model will be sent into orbit, we do know that the phone will run on Google's Android operating system.  The hope is that the equipment will be used to control a 30cm-long satellite and take pictures of the Earth during the mission later this year.

Messages and pictures will come back via the satellite's radio link, so the phone won’t be “calling home” in the normal sense.  For the first part of the mission, the mobile will simply act as the back-up to the main computer on the spacecraft.  However, at some point, the phone will actually be put in charge of the craft.

The venture is part of the company's quest to find more inexpensive, off-the-shelf electronics that can be used to lower the cost of its spacecraft designs.

T-Mobile Clarify Data Cap

Last week T-Mobile announced that they would be slashing the amount of data consumers would be able to consume of their handsets.  They said it was necessary to provide "a better experience for all our customers who use internet on their phone".

Following an angry response from its customers, the mobile giant has had to clarify their position.  Initially T-Mobile said that it would slash the amount of data all of its customers could use to 500 MB.  In real terms, this meant, that for Android handset owners, previously allocated 3GB per month, the drop would have been more than 80%.

But the company has now said that the changes would be introduced from 1 February, "to new and upgrading customers only".

"There will be no change to the data packages for existing customers for the duration of their contract and we apologise for any confusion caused," said Lysa Hard, VP for T-Mobile UK.

2011 Promises the introduction of Common Charger

2011 looks to be the year that the Common Charger will be introduced to the mobile phone market as technical specifications for chargers drawn up by the European Commission have won the backing of 14 phone firms.

The EU said many Europeans resented the inconvenience incompatible chargers caused and wanted to be able to use chargers for different smartphones.  The response is a design based around micro-USB technology and excitingly, could see the end of proprietary power ports on handsets.

Nokia, Research In Motion, Apple and Samsung are amongst the companies have pledged to make chargers to the common standard, and they are expected to be available early this year.

Currently, the specifications only cover chargers for smartphones because, these are likely to be the most widely used type of phone in Europe within the next two years according to the Commission.  

Mobile security cracked open

A pair of security researchers have demonstrated an eavesdropping toolkit that highlights potential holes in many parts of the most widely used mobile technology.

Using four cheap Motorola telephones and open source software, Karsten Nohl and Sylvain Munaut are able to eavesdrop on mobile calls and texts made on any GSM network. 

In a demonstration at the Chaos Computer Club Congress (CCC) in Berlin, the pair took attendees through the layers of the snoop.  Starting from locating a particular phone to seizing its unique ID, then leap-frogging from that to getting hold of data swapped between a handset and a base station as calls are made and texts sent.

Mr Nohl said the motivation for carrying out the research was to create awareness around the problem and perhaps prompt operators to improve security.  He acknowledged that a few simple steps could make it much harder for potential eavesdroppers.

Another Alarming Glitch for the iPhone

Getting back to work after Christmas and New Year is hard enough (speaking from personal experience) however, Apple iPhone users have had more to complain about than the rest of us.

A software glitch affected single alarm settings on the iPhone 4 and earlier models for two days after New Year.  This left many users to oversleep, thus arriving late for work, or missing planes and trains.  Of course, many were able to the then use their mobile technology to blog and tweet their complaints on a social network of choice.

A similar problem hit the iPhone alarm when the clocks went back in November, again causing many users to be late for work or for transport arrangements.  Whilst the glitch has now been solved, commentators remain unimpressed that lessons weren’t learnt from November’s issues.

All-you-can-eat Smartphone data tariff

As the nations appetite for the smartphone market grows, mobile operator Three has adopted an all-you-can-eat data plan to encourage sales. 

Living in the fast lane has certainly increased the demand for on the go data.  More and more people use their handsets to connect to the web as well as to make voice calls.  The all-you-can-eat data plan has been designed so that individuals can make the most of their devices.

Three, is one of the smaller mobile operators, but there is a feeling in the industry that this move could force other operators to rethink data limits.

Earlier this year, Mobile operators, including Three, introduced data caps over fears that some users were consuming so much data it was putting unacceptable strain on networks.   The reversal of this decision by Three could put a massive strain on the operators network.  

Ever wanted Everything Everywhere?

The company that runs Orange and T-Mobile now offer Everything Everywhere, as their customers can access both networks across the UK.

Under the new scheme Orange customers are able to make calls and send texts on the T-Mobile network whilst T-Mobile customers are able to do the same using the Orange network.

Customers who want to sign up and receive access to both networks can do so free of charge and with no change to their existing tariffs, calls or text charges. 

All this means that customers can use their mobiles in more areas than previously possible.  Two networks for the price of one means customers are starting to get exactly what they want; instant access to everything, everywhere. 

Want to find out more call us on 0800 092 1471

Smartphone prices lowered across Europe

It seems Vodafone are catching on to what Adodo have been doing for years.  Not only simplifying their smartphone tariffs for use across Europe but they are also making them cheaper.

UK customers who occasionally travel to Europe can take their domestic plan abroad for an additional £2 per day.  Those that travel frequently can take on a price plan that includes data roaming within their monthly package.  Both options will be available for consumer and business customers.

Adodo can take all the hassle away.  If you talk to us about your needs, we will find the right mobile network and the right tariff for you.

Snow Ready

Last December saw temperatures in the UK drop to almost record breaking lows, this year we seem to have started a month earlier, with 2010 recording the coldest November night in Britain since 1985. 

Travel conditions have become perilous, with road closures, rail cancellations and air disruption rife.  In Scotland, Wales and parts of Northern England, drivers are being asked to stay at home unless it is absolutely necessary to travel.  Widespread School closures are causing even more havoc up and down the country due to burst water pipes and broken boilers. 

Inevitably, this has a direct affect on day to day business, as employers can not get to work, or have to stay at home unexpectedly to look after the kids.  Today, businesses can take steps to improve their communication and information technology infrastructures to buffer the effect of an outbreak on their daily operations.  This is not necessarily as complicated or expensive as it sounds. 

One of these steps is switching to a business VoIP service, which allows employees full and secure access to the business communications network of their company from their homes. The flexibility and features of this service makes it suitable for all types of organisations, but in particular those that are multi-sited. It allows for employees to be just as efficient when they are outside of the office, as they are in the office. 

To overcome the effects of a national crisis, businesses need to make sure that they have a flexible working policy in place to avoid unexpected downtime, and ensure employees that can’t make it into work can continue working productively from home, or indeed wherever they are.