mobile
Who’s afraid of mobile data?
Is it possible – or wise – to have unlimited data over wireless? It seems that it is.
In this column, Australia is compared with Finland where one telco recently reported more data was carried over its mobile network than over its fixed networks. That must be a first for any operator with both fixed and mobile networks. In Finland and some other European countries unlimited mobile data is offered. This is not the case in Australia – yet.
For more, click economuse-2016-10-02
What’s the smart way to buy a smartphone?
This week saw the second anniversary of the launch of the iPhone 6 – many buyers of that phone are coming off their two year contracts now. Before they go on to another postpaid contract to acquire the iPhone 7 on sale tomorrow, they should consider their options carefully. In my view, buying the phone yourself and adding a SIM card is the best way to go for the canny buyer.
Read the column at economuse-2016-09-15
Slides on buying a smartphone
This is paid research on buying smartphones – iphone-7-study
Time to test $300m pa for USO?
This one page Economuse draws attention to the $3oom pa paid to Telstra for the “copper continuity obligation”, which maintains fixed copper services outside the NBN fixed network footprint. It suggests that changes to the definition of the USO and the growing availability of mobile services mean that there may be savings possible in a renegotiated contract. See Economuse 2016-07-14
Productivity Commission – Submission on USO
The Productivity Commission is taking submissions on the policy for the universal service obligation (USO). Submissions are due by 21 July. The draft report is expected in December with a final report to the Commonwealth bu April 2017.
My thoughts on the future of the USO are expressed at length in my Occasional Paper for ACCAN (see my publications page). But, I have submitted some key point in this 3 page submission USO-Prod.Com.July-2016