High Speed Internet Access (HSIA): Mobile Broadband

3 Mobile Broadband have released the pricing for the much awaited HTC Magic plans which will be available the middle of June.

The pricing has three components:

• A data charge. You can opt for 1GB, 2GB or 3GB of data. This is a 50% saving off the existing X-Series Ultimate Pack data bundles.
• A Voice plan cap charge. There are 8 choices ranging from the $29 cap plan through to a $199 cap.
• A monthly charge for the HTC Magic handset. The handset is free on the higher cap plans and there is a monthly charge on the lower cap plans.

The following table shows all the prices.

The response to requests for pre-registration has been huge according to Three Mobile.

The HTC Magic features:

• Google Android 1.5 Operating System
• Fantastic, bright, sharp screen
• Lightweight, slim design
• Elegant curved design
• On-screen keyboard (but no physical keyboard)
• Easy to use trackball

Update: The ACCC has ruled that it will not oppose the Vodafone/Hutchison merger

Vodafone and 3 Mobile have said that existing plans will remain in place for the next two years if the merger between the two companies (Vodafone and Hutchison) goes ahead.

This statement was made in advance of the ACCCs results of an enquiry into the proposed merger.

The ACCC findings are scheduled to be released on Thursday. The investigation was due to concerns about increased broadband prices for consumers as a result of the merger.

The merger plans were announced in February. The new, joint venture company, VHA Pty Ltd will have 6 million customers. Optus, the number two provider behind Telstra, currently have 7.6 million customers. This will equate to a 26% market share for the Vodafone, 3 Mobile merged company.

The merger will deliver a higher quality network with 3G coverage to about 95% of the population.

The network arrangement between 3 Mobile and Telstra to enable roaming on the Telstra Next G network will remain.

The popularity of 3 Mobile’s offering of the Biggest Loser has caused some discussion about the commonly held viewpoints about the way mobile content is consumed.

Downloads of The Biggest Loser by 3 Mobile customers to watch on their mobile phone has set new records for 3. Perhaps more surprising has been two other stats:

• The average time spent watching The Biggest Loser on the mobile was 11.4 minutes
• The peak time for watching was between 10pm and 2am

The reason these figures were surprising is that it’s generally accepted that mobile entertainment is part of what’s been dubbed “snack culture” where people want bite sized entertainment and have a miniscule attention span. Content made specifically for mobile averages 3 minutes so an 11 minute engagement time is surprisingly long. The viewing time is surprising because we have an image of people consuming mobile entertainment whilst on the go. Typical scenarios usually cited are waiting for a bus or on a coffee break. The night viewing time observed by 3 mobile seems to suggest that people are watching when they don’t have anything particularly pressing to do. They’re not snatching a few moments out of a busy schedule and they’re probably not on the go either. They’re quite likely to be in bed.

Explanations that have been put forward are plausible. TV episodes are time sensitive in that people generally want to be up to date with free to air viewing so they can discuss with friends the next day. Entertainment creating specifically for mobile consumption tends not to be time sensitive in this way. The other point made was that people in Australia are generally worried about large excess data bills. The Biggest Loser content from 3 Mobile is unmetered but most tailor made content for mobile contributes to data downloads and therefore people are unlikely to sit and watch for long periods of time.

All this just shows that it’s early days for mobile content. Content providers and creators are still learning about the viewing habits of mobile users and these habits are likely to evolve as the distinction between mobile and fixed content blurs.

3 Mobile UK will offer unlimited skype to skype calls and messages with no extra fees on any compatible 3 headset from May 1st. Shortly afterwards the service will be available with any compatible 3G phone on the 3 network. The phone won’t have to be provided by 3 mobile.

Customers will purchase a skype enabled SIM card for a small amount (about $3) and there is no requirement to make any other purchases from 3 Mobile.

It seems like a smart move especially as other operators have shunned skype seeing skype calls as a threat to their revenue. However, the reasoning behind the initiative is that:

• 3’s skypephone already makes more margin in pre-paid than any other phone except the iPhone
  65% of the UK market is pre-paid
• The churn rate is huge so operators are looking for ways to drive loyalty
• Regular skype users are good customers. They talk more, send more messages and use social networking sites
• 3 Mobile see an increase in usage of other services beyond skype when free skype is enabled
• Increased skype usage will see a decrease in calls to people on other networks which costs the network money as it attracts a fee from the other operator

So, what about Australia? I’m not aware of any moves to extend this offering to the Australian market but if the benefits are realised for 3 Mobile in the UK then we could see something similar here.

In the meantime, Australian customers can make skype calls using the excellent INQ1 phone which is free on a range of 3 mobile plans.

Life’s looking up if you want or need mobile broadband services and live outside one of Australia’s major capital cities or regularly travel outside the capitals. Up to now there wasn’t much choice. Telstra Next G used to be the only option and although fast and reliable, the Telstra mobile broadband plans are also by far the most expensive. Optus claim to cover 96% of the population from last year with their dual band network.

Now there are a couple more choices and some good deals making mobile broadband in regional areas much more affordable.

Three Mobile have struck a deal with Telstra to make roaming onto the Telstra Next G network for 3 Mobile customers much cheaper. Now, with 3 mobile plans, coverage is available within the 3 mobile broadband zones in capital cities. If you travel outside those zones then you are on the Telstra network at a cost of 50c per megabyte. This is a big reduction from the previous $1.65 per megabyte. 3 customers also have the advantage of the super fast Telstra network when in regional areas.

Vodafone have also announced plans to extend the coverage of mobile broadband services for their customers. Over the next 4 months they are rolling out a new 900 MHz 3G network with a second phase planned for later this year.

Roaming outside a providers network happens automatically with the latest dual band modems. 3 Mobile’s latest Huawei E160 modem is included in their mobile broadband plans or customers can purchase one for $149 upfront.

3 Mobile have announced their Blackberry Bold mobile plans. This is good news for Blackberry fans who have been waiting for 3 Mobile’s offerings. All four Australian networks are now offering the Blackberry Bold and 3 Mobile’s plans are good value, particularly the mid level $99 plan.

There is a choice of 3 plans, an entry level $89 per month, a mid priced $99 per month and a high end $129 per month.

Each plan is on  a 24 month contract basis with the Blackberry Bold smartphone included with no additional monthly fee. The plans all include unlimited email, web access to 3 sites and 3GB of data within the 3 Mobile zone.

3 Mobile have not been included in the list of providers who will offer the 3G iPhone. So far Optus, Vodafone and Telstra are the only providers.

3 Mobile have a loyal customer base and have launched a petition on the 3 Mobile blog with the aim of getting Apple to reconsider and allow 3 to offer the iPhone.

The response has been huge with over 1000 comments left on the blog in addition to sms messages of support.

[Read more]

3 mobile are offering half price mobile broadband until January 15.

It’s causing speculation that there will be a price war in the mobile data arena and that Telstra will be under pressure to reduce the costs of their Next 3G plans.

Telstra has been getting away with high prices because their coverage is across most of the country whereas the other carriers only cover metropolitan areas.

However the price cuts from 3 and lately from Optus and Vodaphone as well make it very attractive for people in the major cities even if they have Next G as a backup when travelling outside of the city.