Vodafone CEO sticks head in sand, goes 'La la la'

A market shift?

Currently we still buy contracts and service from the operators of the networks - a bit like buying gas directly from Transco, except we have more choice than that. They do, however, have roaming facilities to extend coverage, and billing mechanisms so other "operators" like Carphone Warehouse, Tesco, Virgin et al can piggyback/offer alternative deals.

Vodafone and O2 will, eventually, have to compete on data as Three realised, and T-Mobile pretty much dominate. But what is interesting with the iPhone is Apple's relationship with the operators.

Apple gets a revenue share - reported on El Reg indeed as being around/up to 30%. Remember the rumours that Apple were going to set up their own network to support the iPhone infrastructure, since the iPhone is itself a vital tool for Apple's media presence. Instead of setting their own network, establish a relationship and stable infrastructure with a dominant network (notice that they have chosen O2, formerly BT Cellnet, for the UK - and T-Mobile, which I believe was Germany's "national" network for that territory. Choosing Orange for France basically covers the main ones whilst ignoring both Vodafone and Three - curiously operators that have expressed some interest in media distibution themselves) then eventually market the iPhone with a dedicated "Apple" tariff, perhaps tied in with the useful .Mac services (backup your iPhone to .Mac? Stolen phone, but don't lose your purchased content?).

iTMS works brilliantly on the iPhone. A few years ago, when iPod connectivity in cars was "a power cable and a tape adaptor", I wondered about the possibility of replacing the stand of overpriced, limited music and audiobooks in service stations with an "iTunes Terminal". Log in, plug in your iPod with a secondary sync mechanism (iPhone has this - it puts purchased music BACK on your Mac), buy. Apple could pay for the terminals to be present or offer value added services such as net browsing with revenue for the service area operator.

Anyway, that idea obviously wasn't well developed in my head, but Apple have leafrogged it. I've got my terminal RIGHT HERE. It's the same device that plugs into the car radio and is controlled by the touchscreen on my cheap Halfords head unit, and is also my in-car phone (okay, that's a lie, the lack of voice dial means I can take a call when driving, but my trusty Ameo with MS Voice Command does the call initiation).

YouTube? Free? It's the best way to trial distribution of video to the handset. How are people liking the quality and speed? Need more? How can we deliver? Maybe iPhone 2.0 will have 16GB, and 3G... and online TV-show purchases. It has video output - it is as functional as any iPod in that regard. Does the connection remain stable enough to deliver Apple's "quality" of product?

The networks might move faster. WM devices can do this stuff with the right applications, though I hesitate to suggest they will manage to do it as well - for all the power the Ameo offers, it's a buggy, unreliable thing where camera, video and general media behaviour is concerned.

Apple just works. I expect that will extend to Apple's remarketed telecommunications network in 2013 as much as it applies to everything else they do.

Arun Sarin is doomed anyway!

I don't know what people cry about!

Arun Sarin is doomed!

Vodafone (partly thanks to him) has several billing systems, (I am not sure how many but more than five) in the UK alone!

There is no way to find out real numbers from their accounting and billing systems because there are bits and pieces everywhere!

Instead of trying to put down his foot and get things sorted out, he just just made things worse.

In their marketing departments one hand doesn't know what the other hand does and instead of listening to customers, they just create deals they "think" their customers will go for.

But also customer service is in shambles (that's with all of them) whether it is for consumer or business. because instead of building a proper customer relationship, accounts get handed over after six months to someone who either doesn't care or has no clue!

BTW: I am not a disgruntled Vodafone employee.

@ Richard Kilpatrick

...showing off

i've go an iphone

i've got an ameo

piss off

not jealous(of the iphone, but want an ameo)

much!

git

=)

Is this the same billing system...

... which reprograms itself to process bills ignoring extras packs which have been paid for by customers? For example I buy a monthly extras pack of 600 texts, and am charged for it. However I am also being charged full price for all texts as the option pack is not being processed by the billing system.

I've been trying for almost a month now to get my small business account adjusted for the last 2 bills. Customer Services agree it is wrong, but I have now been promised twice that the error will be corrected but it has not happened. I suppose I should be charging interest on the

I'd vote with my feet bar the fact that Voodoofone have the only usable network in the vicinity of my offices.

Billing 'relationships'

"no one can ever take their customers' billing relationship away from them"

Unfortunately, they believe this even when you're no longer a customer... I gave the required notice, explicit instructions to terminate my contract on it's end date etc etc. Still they feel they have the right to demand payment for an extra month's line rental AND charge and early termination fee.

Of course, I'd already terminated my direct debit, so I politely told them to 'filesystem check' off... Now I'm just looking forward to them trying to take me to court!!

Now, the thing we all really want to know: does Paris Hilton offer a 'billing relationship'?

Moving On

Having made enquiries with Vodafone over an upgrade and being offered the same or worse deals than a new user, this customer will be asking for the code to port my phone number this weekend.

@Anon

Ameo = good value on T-Mobile, ignore the on-site prices and get one in store, there are discounts for Web 'n' Walk plans and taking the insurance (which if you have suitable home insurance, you then cancel right away). It's the sort of device which simultaneously makes a case for and against iPhone, being powerful, cheap on contract, and also quite inconvenient in many situations. My own choice of phone and one that made me get a new contract without complaining at all!

iPhone = had to. I only have the handset, no contract (it is on PayG O2 and Jailbroken, was very easy to implement but the data connection is crap - that's O2 all over, though), but that's enough for me to be able to write about it. My opinion of it has changed as I work with it - initially I thought it was totally pointless and very poor value, but the more I mess with it, the more I think that as a jailbroken device I'd probably be happier with it than the Ameo for most things. It fits in a pocket and doesn't need a headset for starters!

Billing 'relationships' my a**e

The single worst thing about VF is their "billing relationship".

If it wasnt the fact that they are the only service provider i can get a signal with at home i would have left them years ago. every year when my upgrade is due, i get offered a worse phone then the one i already have (honestly waiting for them to offer me the mobilephone that had its battery housed in a brief case!) i get told that my current tarrif no longer exits so i have to change to a "new" tarrif (but not one of the new ones that they are advertising you dont get any rewards for staying with VF only new customers do,) one which doesnt do what i want it to do. then they top it off by messing my billing/direct debit up and have managed to shread my credit rating into oblivion.

The funniest thing about all of this though, is that everyone i know who is with VF has had worse treatment then me!

arun can stick his billing up his relationship hole if he thinks no one can take his customers away from him. as soon as another service provider can get a signal, theres at least 8 customers who will be leaving when they do