Algeria Restricts Internet Access During School Exams

The Algerian education ministry instructed mobile operators Djezzy, Mobilis and Ooredoo to restrict internet access across the country during the baccalaureate exams, which were held from 13-17 September, costing the government DZD 50 billion (US $387 million), according to a report. The objective was to prevent cheating among pupils. This measure was considered effective by the authorities but has been criticized by consumers, who perceived it as an obstacle to their freedom to communicate and to their economic activities.

For ICT providers, the government’s decision had a negative financial impact. Younes Grar, CEO of Gecos, estimated the financial loss recorded by the internet segment during the period at DZD 50 billion. Ali Kahlane, a consultant in digital transformation and maturation, and also vice-president of the Cercle d’action et de reflexion autour de l’entreprise (CARE), said the financial losses were close to DZD 26 billion (US $201 million). Youcef Boucherim, an international ICT expert, valued the losses at DZD 15 billion (US $116 million).

Algerian consumers called on the government to find another way to secure the school exams. They say the installation of scramblers in examination centers is one such solution.

The Algerian government, understandably concerned about cheating on nationwide academic exams, took a blunt-instrument approach that ended up, it appears, doing more harm than good, and that on more than one front. Because the ubiquity of mobile signals affords a golden opportunity for quickly and surreptitiously looking up answers or communicating with accomplices, disabling it was a tempting option.

While it may well have fulfilled its immediate goal, the measure inflicted what one might justifiably call collateral damage. Significant restrictions on internet access across Algeria, over a four-day period, disrupted not only cheating but commerce, and also caused deep discontentment among the clients of mobile operators, who were unable to use services that they not only paid for but consider essential to their freedom of expression and freedom to pursue a livelihood.

The repercussions for MNOs and ISPs are of course immediate in terms of lost revenue, whatever the actual figure ends up being. In terms of loss of public trust, Djezzy, Mobilis and Ooredoo will likely not be blamed so much as the government, since they were forced to comply, and no one operator will likely suffer more than the others. Still, by intervening in this manner, the government has weakened the standing of the mobile industry in Algeria. It appears to have radically underestimated the importance of continuously accessible mobile data service—a mistake that in this ultra-connected age, no government, mobile operator or regulatory agency should make. 

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants.
Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

Telia, TV2 Denmark and BB&S Develop 5G-Connected Lamps for TV, Film Production

Danish mobile operator Telia has joined forces with TV2 Denmark and Copenhagen-based lighting company BB&S, to develop 5G-connected lamps for television production and film-making, with the aim of improving cost efficiency in broadcasting.

Telia Denmark’s 5G program head Claus Berthou Madsen said it has looked at the potential business value of 5G for customers and their industries and found applications for content distribution and production.

BB&S provides lighting rigs for Hollywood productions and TV studios all over the world. More than 100 lamps are used in studio lightning, and each lamp is connected by a power cable and a control cable. Together with TV2 and Telia, it successfully tested a lightning set-up using only one lamp and 5G connectivity to control lightning and all lamps wirelessly.

The simple set-up will significantly save costs as well as provide up-to-date performance data from each lamp to optimize the lighting. It will also be possible to remotely control the lighting from the office in Copenhagen instead of being on-set in Hollywood.

Morten Brandstrup, head of News technology at TV2, said this will give broadcasters new opportunities compared with 4G/LTE, which has the problems of signal delay and data-capacity scarcity. He added that 5G will enable broadcasters to have people in several locations in a live interview set-up and produce large live events without the traditional production truck at the venue.

As we have written on a number of occasions recently, the advent of 5G involves not just a higher speed of mobile data transmission but a quantum jump in the kind of services that can be provided, particularly in the realm of Internet of Things. Mobile operators, as they roll out 5G, are looking for new IoT applications that they can make their own, via technology partnerships in most cases, and thereby not only make revenue but distinguish themselves in extremely competitive marketplaces. This is especially the case in the most developed economies.

This example from Denmark is instructive in that in involves an application—movie and TV lighting—which despite its quite specialized nature is of vital importance to a sizable industry that is itself experiencing significant challenges relating to revenue and expenses. The introduction of the 5G-enabled IoT into this sphere promises to bring about some changes that should have major effects on cost and logistics.

Using 5G signals to monitor lighting is, of course, desirable in that it increases the efficiency of the devices. The remote control aspect of the system increases ease of use and may also reduce the number of personnel needed to operate the equipment, which could bring about cost savings for production companies.

Beyond that, however, the larger benefit lies in the ability to control lighting for Hollywood productions, as well as for those in various locations, remotely from Denmark. The costs relating to on-location production and travel are punishing for movie and TV projects; with the Telia-TV 2-BB&S system, directors and lighting operators could be spared the need to travel, and the lighting equipment would not need to be moved as often as now. Since BB&S is already well established in the motion picture industry, Telia has picked an appropriate partner with which to attract new clients for this IoT application. 

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants.
Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

AT&T and Amazon Launch Alexa-Based Calls

U.S. operator AT&T and Amazon have reached an agreement to enable the operator’s customers to make and receive phone calls via their Amazon Echo smart speakers and displays, according to a news report. Customers simply have to link their existing AT&T phone numbers to their Alexa account to receive hands-free calls directly on their Echo devices just as they would use their regular AT&T phones.

This is the first time Alexa-based direct calling has been offered in the U.S., although Amazon already introduced the feature for Vodafone OneNumber customers in the U.K. and Germany as well as for EE mobile customers in the U.K. 

All incoming calls on the Echo device come with caller ID and can be snoozed by activating Amazon’s existing Away Mode or switched off at night with Alexa Routines. 

This initiative seems promising in that it offers a level of convenience, co-branding between two very large and instantly recognizable companies and first-mover advantage in the U.S. market.

While most people have their smartphone handy most of the time, being able to simply ask Alexa to initiate a call by talking to a smart speaker is likely to be attractive to many users because it allows for an experience that is not only hands-free but also screen-free. Considering how much time users spend in front of screens, it may in fact be an attractive relief to be able to use voice only. The enhanced sound quality of an Echo speaker compared to a phone may also be perceived as a boon by customers.

The partnership between AT&T and Amazon may bear fruit over time in ways that go beyond simply Echo-enabled voice calling. Amazon may find new ways to enhance sales of products through its connection with AT&T subscribers, and AT&T may be able to extend its own marketing reach through its relationship with Amazon.

One thing that both companies should be aware of is the possibility of customers feeling some trepidation with regard to security. They may wonder whether Alexa is fully protected against eavesdropping or other invasions of privacy, if calls are going to be made from it. AT&T and Amazon will do well to address the point and reassure potential users. 

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants.
Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

PosteMobile takes an Unconventional Approach to Pricing

Italian MVNO PosteMobile has announced the launch of two new plans in its “Creami” (“Create Me”) range of flexible, low-cost tariffs. The Creami Relax 20 plan comes with unlimited credits for use on calls and SMS, plus 10 GB of mobile data at speeds of up to 300 Mbps at a price of €8.00 (US $9.49) a month for three renewals, descending to €7.00 (US $8.31) a month until the sixth renewal and €6.00 (US $7.12) a month from the seventh renewal onwards. After one year, the data bundle is doubled to 20 GB a month at no extra charge. 

Alternatively, users can subscribe to the Creami Relax 20 Special plan with 20 GB of data right away at a cost of €36.00 (US $42.73) over six months and €6.00 a month from the seventh renewal onwards. Both plans are now available until 31 October.

PosteMobile is an MVNO launched in 2007 by the Italian postal service, running on the Wind network. Its Creami Relax 20 plans are noteworthy for employing a decreasing rather than increasing plan structure.

Many plans and promotions offer low prices up front to attract customers and then raise them later, once the customers have become well established. In this offering, the initial rate is higher and goes down over time. That is because this, like most MVNO plans, is prepaid and without contract commitment. Lack of commitment leads to instability in the subscriber-operator relationship and the possibility of non-renewal, dormant accounts and churn. Therefore, PosteMobile is evidently thinking in terms of building some longevity into the subscriber relationship by promising that the longer the subscriber stays and renews the tariff, the lower the rate will be.

In Creami Relax 20, only do the monthly prices for calls, SMS and data go down at three-month intervals, culminating in a price 25 percent lower than the original after six months, but the data allotment is doubled after one year with no increase in price. Creami Relax 20 Special takes a slightly different approach, requiring more commitment up front in exchange for immediate access to the lowest monthly price and the double data. The Creami Relax 20 seems to be better tailored for its purpose, since avoidance of contracts or longer-term commitments is a common priority among subscribers to MVNOs and other budget brands.

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants.
Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

Vodacom South Africa Launches Reverse-Billed Data for Businesses

Vodacom South Africa has launched reverse-billed data for its business customers. It allows businesses to offer clients and staff free access to their websites, online content, apps and data services without affecting their own data bundles. Businesses can thereby expand their reach, increase website traffic and improve engagement, because clients do not need to worry about the cost of data. 

Vodacom Business offers a tiered billing model with subscription fees and usage based on a sliding scale, charged to the sponsoring company. For reverse-billed data, businesses will subscribe to a service where their specified URLs will be charged according to usage. 

Vodacom Business’ reverse-billed data is an interesting and innovative concept, in some ways reminiscent of zero-rating in the consumer market. In zero-rating, an operator makes data available free for certain apps, usually popular ones such as streaming entertainment or OTT messaging. This is done for several reasons—to inculcate high-data-consumption habits in customers, to promote a service partnership and to gain a competitive advantage over rival operators.

In this case, the target audience is not consumers in general but clients of a specific company to whom that company would like to offer complimentary access to sites, apps and related services. Vodacom is selling its business customers the reverse-billed data service, making it possible for them, in turn, to provide what is essentially zero-rated data to their customers. If that allows businesses to increase their client base and by extension their revenue, the uptake of the reverse-billed data service will not only bring in revenue for Vodacom but also increase acquisition and retention of customers for the operator.

The tiered, sliding-scale billing structure appears to be a sound idea, as it would make it possible for all sizes of business customers, enterprises and SMEs, to subscribe to the service. The fact that the data that is reverse-billed is charged according to usage as opposed to flat-rate should be appealing to business customers because it gives them the security of knowing that they are only paying for data actually used.

The one question looming over this offering is whether the data charges that ordinarily would be accrued by corporate clients accessing the sites and apps of businesses are prohibitive in any way. If companies really hold back from using data in these ways because of charges, to the point where they would significantly increase their usage if the data were reverse-billed, then the offering should succeed. But it is also possible that the analogy between consumers using zero-rated data and businesses using reverse-billed data is inexact.

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants.
Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

A Smartphone Financing Campaign in Bangladesh

Bangladeshi operator Robi has launched a smartphone financing campaign called Phone Loan, which enables customers to buy new smartphones on credit. Using the Alternative Credit Scoring (ACS) service, which is powered by blockchain and big data analytics technology, the handset financing campaign mainly targets customers who need loans to purchase handsets.

The Phone Loan campaign offers handset loans to eligible customers who do not have credit cards. Robi plans to identify eligible customers based on their data usage. Eligible customers will be notified through SMS and provided with details related to handset financing, after which they can check their eligibility through the Phone Loan app or the operator’s website. Eligible customers can purchase handsets from Robi’s walk-in-centers, the Phone Loan app and the operator’s website by making a one-time down payment, with the rest of the amount to be paid in equal monthly installments from six to 12 months.

While we do not know the exact terms of Robi’s loans, we find this offer notable for several reasons. Like many developing countries, Bangladesh has a significant subset of the population which has limited or no access to conventional banking and credit. This is exactly the population that has been so well served by mobile money platforms, by which MNOs have been able to forge mutually beneficial relationships with them. In the case of the present offering, Robi is faced with the problem of customers and potential customers who need smartphones in order to partake of the operator’s services but lack the funds to purchase them outright and also lack credit histories.

In order to get devices into the hands of these consumers, Robi has chosen to use Alternative Credit Scoring, a widely accepted protocol for evaluating the risks of lending to those who suffer not from bad credit but from no credit at all, as they have not had the opportunity to establish a credit history. ACS relies on such data as utility bill payments, rent payments and—particularly relevant here—mobile phone bill payment histories. Thus, the operator is in a particularly good position to evaluate the eligibility of its own customers for phone loans.

Getting handsets into as many hands as possible is key to the maximizing of the business of MNOs, and nowhere more so than in developing economies. If lack of credit leads to lack of access to mobile networks and mobile data in particular, operators as well as potential customers will suffer. Therefore, offers such as Phone Loan are win-win. The only issue, apart from the creditworthiness of those who participate, is the financing of the phones. If the interest rates are too high, customers will default, or the program could fail to get off the ground.

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants.
Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

Telekom Launches Children's eSim Smartwatch

Deutsche Telekom said it has introduced a new generation of smartwatches for children, the Xplora X5 Play eSIM. Fitted with an eSim, the watch offers the functions of a mobile phone for children with additional security functions such as a GPS tracker and SOS button. 

The GPS function enables parents to see the location of their child in real time and to define so-called safe areas. If the child leaves this area, the parents will receive a message. Children are not able to surf the internet with the smartwatch or to play games, and a “school mode” function can be activated to limit use during class so that only the time function and the SOS are available. Up to 50 contacts can be saved by the parents in the watch. 

The Xplora X5 Play eSIM is available with the Smart Connect S tariff. The tariff carries a one-off fee of €97.44 (US $114.55) with a contract of 12 months, and customers pay €4.83 (US $5.68) per month. With a contract for 24 months, customers pay €0.97 (US $1.14) once for the smartwatch, and €9.70 (US $11.40) per month for the contract. Customers who buy a Smart Connect S with a 24-month contract by 30 September will save the basic monthly fee for the first six months of the contract.

As it becomes more and more usual for children, even young ones, to have mobile devices, a variety of products are being marketed to them and their parents. The idea of a smartwatch for children, as opposed to a smartphone or tablet, seems to us to be a sound one. Children are more inclined that adults, on the whole, to lose devices, so having it strapped to the wrist would tend to solve that problem. And since the primary purpose of this device is safety—monitoring the child’s location and enabling the child to communicate with the parents while away from home—making sure it stays with the child is key, and a smartwatch fulfills the purpose very well. That should help the device and DT’s service plans get some traction in the market.

On the other hand, the rather spartan offerings—no internet access, no games—could make this smartwatch less appealing to children themselves. And to the extent that parents are influenced in their buying choices by their children’s expressed desires, this could count against the Xplora X5 Play eSIM. In that connection, we might point out that as far as the plan details are concerned, DT is selling the 24-month option aggressively, by nearly eliminating the initial fee and forgiving the first six monthly payments if the subscriber opts for 24 rather than 12 months. But considering how much children change in two years; this device could cease being appropriate for its user within that time frame.

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants.
Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

Hungarian Operator's Great Small Business Deal

Telenor Hungary launched a special promotion that lets businesses save 50 percent of the monthly fee of their Telenor MyBusiness Classic tariffs for a period of 3 or 6 months. The discount applies to plans with unlimited domestic airtime and mobile internet.
SMEs heavily affected by the pandemic shutdown of recent months face difficulties getting back to business, and Telenor’s promotion is intended to address that issue. The offer includes a handset discount as an option.

In Telenor’s promotion, SMEs can get a 50 percent discount off the monthly fee of their MyBusiness Classic M, L, XL and XXL tariff plans purchased with a 2-year commitment. If they have a subscription without a handset, the discount off the monthly fee applies for a period of 6 months. SMEs that consider unlimited service a priority can get the MyBusiness Classic XXL plan including unlimited mobile internet, airtime and texting for a monthly fee of only HUF 6,250 (US $21.29) net for 6 months.

For SMEs that buy a new handset with their new subscription, the discount on the monthly fee will be valid for 3 months. Customers can use a handset discount of up to HUF 94,000 (US $320.15) net per subscription depending on the selected tariff plan. The handset discount can be combined for several subscriptions and it can be used anytime during the commitment period, even for the purchase of multiple handsets in several installments enabling SMEs to manage their procurements flexibly.
Using the calculator on Telenor’s website, SMEs can select the tariff plan best suited to their needs, calculate their monthly costs and the amount of available handset discounts with a few clicks.

The impact of the coronavirus on businesses of all sizes has been profound, and help is doubtless appreciated from whichever quarter it comes from. While governments are contributing aid of various kinds to keep businesses afloat, mobile operators can also help, as Telenor is doing in Hungary. Its promotion is particularly appropriate in that small and medium enterprises have had a harder time than large enterprises.
A 50 percent discount on this suite of business mobile service plans should we welcomed by hard-hit SME customers of Telenor, who may be having a tough time keeping up with bills and can use any discount they can get. The 3- or 6-month period involved (depending on whether the business purchased handsets through their plans or not) is long enough, either way, to have more than a momentary impact. Likewise, the handset discount for new subscribers will make it easier for businesses to afford devices for those of their employees who need them—while boosting customer acquisition for the operator.
As far as operators are concerned, discounts like this one do more than build goodwill; they make it possible for businesses to remain in business—and therefore to remain customers.

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants.
Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

T-Mobile Network Powers Systems for Covid-19 Protection

T-Mobile US has announced that its 4G/LTE network is helping businesses keep customers and employees safe during the coronavirus pandemic. The operator was selected to power services from PIMMAP (produced by U.S. technology developer PIM) to check for flu-like symptoms and Guardhat (another U.S. developer) to monitor physical distancing while in public places. 

The PIMMAP contactless temperature system is an eight-inch HD tablet that checks for flu-like symptoms, such as elevated body temperature, in those entering crowded or confined spaces. People stand in front of the screen for one second to register a result. The PIMMAP system is available directly from T-Mobile for Business.

For Guardhat, T-Mobile will connect industrial safety technology that provides real-time situational awareness and alerts workers when someone moves within six feet of their location. The IoT system gives a complete field of vision in on-location industrial job sites, helping keep people safe in potentially dangerous situations. 

As mobile operators strive to adjust to the new realities created by the coronavirus pandemic, IoT represents a very legitimate set of opportunities, as demonstrated by this pair of offerings from U.S.-based technology developers and powered by T-Mobile’s 4G/LTE network.

PIMMAP uses wireless thermo scanning, a thermal infrared camera and a facial recognition system, all packed into a small tablet-like device that can be mounted on a desk, pedestal or wall, to take temperatures instantly and accurately without any waste such as plastic thermometer covers. The mobile connectivity allows the entity operating the facility to be aware of potentially infected people at all entry points simultaneously in real time, track activity and remotely troubleshoot technical issues. The network connectivity also permits for the data collected to be securely transferred to cloud servers for storage, if desired.

Guardhat is a system originally intended for safety on construction sites, operating from sensors mounted in hardhats that enable warnings so that workers will not get too near dangerous locations within a site. It is now adapted so that it senses when people get closer than six feet from each other and warns them, enabling them to maintain the standard distance deemed appropriate for the prevention of virus transmission. The high-speed network connectivity is essential to the functionality of the system.

While Guardhat is marketed and sold directly by its developers, PIMMAP is being made available to business customers of the operator via T-Mobile for Business.

We believe that these offerings are clever uses of IoT to deal with certain aspects, albeit limited ones, of public interaction during the pandemic. Therefore, they are excellent ways for the operator to increase its relevance, both in society and in the IoT ecosystem at this unusual and in some ways pivotal time.

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants. 

Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

AT&T and Accenture Create Private Mobile Network for Phillips 66

U.S. operator AT&T and professional services company Accenture are working with the American multinational energy company Phillips 66 to create industrial mobile wireless connectivity via the development of a private mobile network platform. The platform will lay the foundation for potential future 5G use, including support for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and low-latency applications. Phillips 66 invited Accenture to address mobile performance gaps with its existing public mobile network near one of its refineries in Belle Chasse, Louisiana.

The private mobile network was selected as a proof of concept to demonstrate the ability to handle increased mobile connectivity needs from the ongoing Phillips 66 digital transformation initiatives. The proof-of-concept private network was designed from the ground up to address Phillips 66’s industrial digital requirements. AT&T was selected as the telecommunications provider to create the necessary engineering for a dedicated mobile network platform, using multi-access edge compute across licensed spectrum. 

Despite the great strides being made in mobile network technology, including 5G, there are circumstances in which normal public networks do not fully meet the needs of enterprise customers. For heavy-industry companies such as Phillips 66, which rely on constant communication between workers on oil refineries and other large installations, as well as IoT applications, a private mobile network may be a better solution. Free of interference and potential narrowing of bandwidth due to other users, a private network delivers greater reliability and high-quality connectivity.

In consultation with Accenture, Phillips 66 decided to choose AT&T as its MNO partner in developing such a network. And while the project is still in the proof-of-concept phase, Phillips has described the results as “promising.” At present, the solution is filling in gaps in coverage; in future, it can be extended to include IIoT and 5G applications. Phillips also expects it to be expanded to include other locations within the company’s ecosystem.

For major mobile operators like AT&T, such special projects represent a very lucrative and exciting opportunity. Developing a private network for a large enterprise of course brings in significant revenue, in terms of project fees and future network usage charges, but it also allows the operator to explore possibilities for innovation that may not at present be affordable or even possible for a public network. In essence, a private network may be a laboratory of sorts for the development and testing of possibilities that one day will be made more widely available.

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants. 

Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

Rogers All-Canadian Customer Service Team

Canadian operator Rogers Communications has said that all of its customer service team members across all brands are now based in Canada. This follows the company’s announcement earlier in June that it is hiring for 350 jobs at its new customer solutions centre in Kelowna, B.C. In June, Rogers completed the transition of 150 remaining customer service positions to Canada, with new jobs created with partners across Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. With its entire 7,000-strong customer service team now based in Canada, every phone call or online chat with Rogers or its brands Fido or Chatr is answered by a customer solution specialist on Canadian soil. This investment is part of a comprehensive multi-year program to improve the Rogers customer experience. Having 100 percent of a customer service team located domestically may seem like mere nationalism, but there is much more to it, especially during the pandemic. First, for Rogers to have its entire team based in Canada eliminates the difficulties that often arise from language and cultural barriers. Customers will most likely experience easier conversations and interactions with operator agents, which will increase customer comfort, satisfaction and, by extension, loyalty and retention. Second, consolidating the customer service force in Canada gives Rogers greater knowledge of and control over the conditions under which the force is working. This is particularly relevant during the pandemic, in that conditions affecting workers in other countries could put Rogers at a disadvantage if it had not brought all its customer service jobs back home. Canada is in a very good position with regard to Covid-19 rates, compared to most other nations, so this move is well-timed. Finally, and related to the above point, thanks to its Canadian-based operations Rogers has been able to rapidly move its 7,000 customer service center agents to working from home, thus keeping the workers safe while maintaining maximum support for customers. Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants.  Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

Business With an Innovative Music Payment Plan

Mobile operator Telia Norway said that customers with a business subscription can now use its Music Freedom service without burdening their employer with the cost, by paying the NOK 49.00 (US $5.10) monthly charge themselves using the Norwegian mobile payment app Vipps. The aim is to stop corporate subscriptions from being restrictive.

Music Freedom separates data used for streaming or downloading tracks from the allowance provided in the subscription. It works with Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Deezer, Beat and Audiomack, via mobile application or browser. Music Freedom includes use in the EU/EEA and Switzerland.

Vegar Heir, commercial director at Vipps, said Telia is an early adaptor of new payment methods and is one of the first mobile operators to offer its customers the option of recurring payments.

The increasing blurring of the boundaries between personal and business use of mobile devices poses some challenges for both mobile operators and mobile users. BYOD usage patterns encourage employees of companies who are on business plans to use their devices for ubiquitous personal purposes such as music streaming. Of course, this can create problems for the employers when it comes to dealing with the charges, getting reimbursement from employees and maintaining corporate morale.

Telia Norway is offering an app-driven solution to this problem by allowing a kind of split billing in which the employee pays the monthly charge directly, as an individual, for music streaming from Spotify, Apple Music or whichever service, despite the fact that the rest of the data consumed is paid for the company. This way, there is no conflict, and both employer and employees are financially whole. The partnership with Vipps, the mobile payment platform, enables the functionality of the payments possible in what appears to be a seamless manner.

Music Freedom, true to its name, should provide enough freedom to keep corporate subscribers happy, which in turn should increase loyalty and subscriber acquisition in future.

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants. 

Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

Consumers Plan to Cut Smartphone Budget

One third of smartphone users across seven major markets (the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany, India, Italy, and Spain) plan to cut spending on their next smartphone by 20 percent or more, according to a recent study. In addition, on average half of the respondents plan to delay their next smartphone purchase, with India showing the highest rate of respondents planning to wait before buying (61 percent). This compares to 58 percent in Spain, 56 percent in Italy, and 41 percent in the U.S. Germany had the fewest respondents planning to delay their next smartphone purchase, 34 percent.  The report shows that economic activity has been severely affected by Covid-19, with all major markets having seen a significant drop in consumer spending. This will likely result in negative smartphone sales growth worldwide in 20 While the coronavirus pandemic has boosted the mobile markets in terms of people’s growing dependency on mobile service for working and socializing from home amid lockdowns, it has obviously had a very negative impact on economies worldwide, and that inevitably affects the mobile markets. With incomes down for consumers, spending habits are bound to change. The research study cited here found fairly striking changes for two metrics—amount spent on smartphones and amount of time before the next smartphone purchase. Aside from intimating hard times ahead for device manufacturers and to a lesser extent mobile operators, they suggest that 5G, now on the cusp of full rollout in advanced markets, may face a hard time of its own. In order for 5G uptake to occur, 5G-compatible devices must be in the hands of users. These devices tend to be relatively expensive. If large proportions of users are saying that they not only will not spend more but are likely to spend less on smart devices, that bodes ill for the acquisition of 5G-compatible phones. Lacking a sufficient number of those, 5G networks could see serious underutilization. The best way for MNOs to address this issue is to do their utmost to get 5G devices to their subscribers. This they can accomplish by heavily subsidizing them or at least allowing generous installment plans for payment. Making deals with manufacturers of budget-oriented devices is, of course, an excellent strategy in this regard. Given that these pessimistic indicators are appearing in some of the most advanced mobile markets, the future of 5G globally is undoubtedly imperiled by the pandemic. Device-related issues should not be allowed to reduce the momentum of the new technology at this critical time. Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants.  Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

One in Five Germans Considering Changing Mobile Providers after Pandemic’s Peak

Nearly one in five German customers could change their mobile provider—more than double the amount who were considering switching before the coronavirus pandemic, according to a survey by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). A report that noted many Germans have re-examined their contracts during the crisis and shutdown period. Eighteen percent of respondents stated that they would like to change their mobile service provider at some point in the future, 7 percent said they want to change now and 75 percent said they will remain loyal to their current provider. 

Among the operators, Deutsche Telekom performed well, with 84 percent of customers wishing to continue to subscribe to its contracts, while Telefonica ended up in the middle of the ranking and Vodafone underperformed. Seventy-three percent of customers said they wanted to continue their Vodafone mobile phone contract and 18 percent said they wanted to change provider. Two companies performed even worse than Vodafone, namely 1&1 and Mobilcom Debitel.

One perhaps unanticipated side-effect of the pandemic appears to be—at least in Germany, a highly sophisticated market—a lack of satisfaction among mobile customers and a determination to do something about it.

Subscribers depended more than ever on mobile service during the shutdown, and in many cases this period of intensity seems to have revealed shortcomings in operators’ performance. Presumably, placing greater demand than normal on operators’ networks and plan offerings demonstrated to 25 percent of the respondents that these were lacking to the point where migrating to a rival operator is either a certainty (7 percent) or a very real possibility (18 percent).

Operators should certainly take warning, because these results are counterintuitive. Many service providers must have assumed that customers would be especially grateful to have service available for personal and work use during the shutdown, and while 75 percent state that they remain loyal, the balance constitutes quite a big number. That fact that the percentage of those considering leaving their provider doubled from before the outbreak indicates that the new demands exposed, in the eyes of these customers, weaknesses that they either were unaware of previously or did not consider important.

All the German operators—even DT, at the top of the ranking—clearly should take warning from this study and endeavor to provide ever-better service now that the peak of the pandemic seems to have passed. That goes equally well for the future—either post-pandemic or a second wave, should it come to that.

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants. 

Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

MPT, Facebook Launch Free Data App in Myanmar

Facebook and Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) have launched a trial of Discover, a new mobile web and Android app that can be used to browse the internet using a daily balance of free data from MPT. Discover is being provided during the coronavirus pandemic.

Discover supports only low-bandwidth traffic when using free data, so that video, audio, and certain other types of data-intensive traffic are not supported.

MPT subscribers can now access Discover by visiting 0.discoverapp.com on any mobile web browser on any type of mobile device, including basic feature phones, as well as by downloading the Discover app in the Google Play Store.

MPT, Myanmar’s biggest mobile operator, is part of a state-run company that also encompasses the postal service and dates back to the late 19th century, when the British ran Burma, as it was then called. With its dominant position in the country’s marketplace, MPT is able to reach a large preponderance of citizens and to help them get through the pandemic period, during which job losses and general economic damage from shutdowns have made it difficult for many to afford mobile services, even as use of mobile connectivity becomes more important than ever due to the need to work from home.

MPT’s way of doing this is interesting, in that rather than simply providing discounted or free data, it has partnered with Facebook to create an app that essentially creates a parallel internet universe, bypassing standard browsers, that has such low bandwidth that it does not support high-data functionalities including video and audio.

Doing it this way certainly saves the operator money while providing users with the absolute bare minimum necessary to get on the mobile internet. However, given that most consumers—even lower-end ones—in today’s world consider video and audio to be essentials, not to mention other features that require large amounts of data (and that goes as well for business use), we wonder whether this joint venture of Facebook and MPT will satisfy subscribers fully, or at all. At least it will allow them to access Facebook, presumably the less feature-rich versions of it. Ultimately, MPT may be so secure in the marketplace that it may not care very much if this offer displeases some, and it can credibly claim that during the pandemic, it offered a solution for those who need mobile data and have trouble affording standard tariffs.

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants. 

Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

MTN Rwanda Expands Airtime Credit to Data Bundles

MTN Rwanda announced that MTN Ihereze, the company’s prepaid credit service that gives customers advance airtime when their balance runs low, has been upgraded to include data borrowing. Customers dial a short code when their bundles deplete and can pay back the data on their next airtime recharge. The Ihereze service attracts a 15 percent charge on borrowed airtime, but a promotional offer of 7.5 percent will be applied on borrowed data until 30 June. 

Customers can borrow up to nine advances, subject to the subscriber’s eligibility. Once the oldest loan has been repaid, they are open to borrow again. 

This data borrowing concept is certainly innovative and may constitute a solution for cash-strapped mobile users in Rwanda’s prepaid market, but it also contains a feature that may alienate users.

Advancing airtime for voice services makes sense in that voice is traditionally the most basic service, and therefore the expectation is that it is the service that impecunious prepaid users would most want to safeguard in the event of depleting their allowances. The idea of extending this to data reflects the fact that data is now a critical plan feature even for those budget-oriented lower-end users who might want to borrow against future payment periods.

While users may not have a problem borrowing data now with the understanding that they will have a smaller allowance in the next recharge, they may well balk at the notion of paying interest on this data loan. A 15 percent rate might be seen as too onerous, and even the 7.5 percent promotional rate could come across as rather unkind. MTN could be undermining consumer loyalty and tarnishing its image to some extent by charging its prepaid customers interest on data. Time, of course, will tell.

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants. 

Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

Belgian MVNO for First Responders Adds Unlimited Calls, New Data Plans

Blue Light Mobile, the Belgian mobile service for first responders and security services, announced new price plans beginning 1 June. These include unlimited calls to Belgian fixed and mobile lines and improved data bundles. 

Plans start at €6.00 (US $6.69) per month for unlimited calls and 8 GB of data, excluding VAT, and go up to €122.00 (US $136.10) for unlimited calls and 120 GB. Additional data is charged at a rate of €0.15 (US $0.17) per MB, and each SIM has an activation fee of €10.00 (US $11.16). Voice-only costs €2.00 (US $2.23) per month, while data-only packs start at €2.00 for 400 MB. SMS is included in all plans. 

Blue Light Mobile users receive priority on the Proximus network, as well as automatic fallback to the Orange or Base networks. Roaming packages are also available for subscribers. 

Blue Light Mobile, launched in 2014, is an unusual MVNO that is accessible only to emergency and security personnel in Belgium. It is provided by ASTRID, an operator of radio, paging and dispatching networks that exclusively serves the first responder community in that country. Originally on 3G, Blue Light now operates on 4G/LTE networks. One feature that is particularly characteristic of this MVNO is that its SIMs operate on three networks, Proximus, Orange and Base, with Proximus prioritized.

With its new plans, Blue Light Mobile is offering Belgian emergency workers a broad range of options for voice, data and SMS at various price points. In their diversity and flexibility, the offerings resemble a suite of consumer plans, indicating that with the ubiquity of mobile devices and the overlap between work and personal life, emergency workers’ needs are merely a heightened version of the needs of ordinary users. Furthermore, the BYOD revolution clearly extends to the first-responder community, so that these workers are using their devices and Blue Light Mobile SIMs for purposes that go beyond simply getting communications about emergencies.

From 8 MB to 120 MB, every level of user should find something in these plans to fit his or her needs. The voice-only and data-only options add to the flexibility of Blue Light’s offerings. 

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants. 

Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

Belgian MVNO Cut Postpaid Plans by 25%

Belgian MVNO Mobile Vikings has launched new postpaid plans, which the company says are up to 25 percent less expensive than the competition. In addition, the operator has added a quality guarantee, according to which any customers who are unsatisfied after a month will receive their money back. 

The new plans cost €10.00 (US $10.89) per month for 1 GB and €12.00 (US $13.07) for 2 GB, both with 150 minutes and unlimited SMS. For unlimited calls, customers pay €15.00 (US $16.34) per month for 5 GB, €20.00 (US $21.79) for 7 GB or €100.00 (US $108.94) for 25 GB. The unlimited data plan remains at €29.00 (US $31.59) per month. 

The money-back offer applies for all newly activated numbers for 30 days. The company said that it is the first Belgian mobile service provider to offer such a guarantee. 

Customer service always goes a long way. The specific plan features of Mobile Vikings’ new postpaid plans look appealing, and the prices are right—although we cannot make a direct and complete apples-to-apples comparison with what all the competitors are currently offering. However, what is of interest is the idea of the money-back guarantee.

With a prepaid plan, customers have the freedom to pay only for the services consumed, so as soon as they are dissatisfied they can simply stop paying. But with a postpaid plan, there is the risk of spending money for service that one ends up not finding satisfactory, so this money-back guarantee is an innovation that could help lure some new customers. And in the event that a user was unhappy with some aspect of the service, receiving a refund could convince them to stay with the operator and try the service again rather than leaving for a competitor. As a good-will gesture, it could be quite effective.

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants. 

Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

NTT and U.S. University to Launch Connected Campus Pilot

The University of California, Berkeley and Japanese operator NTT plan to launch a connected campus pilot. According to NTT, the project will use technology to transform the UC Berkeley Parking and Transportation Department by analyzing patterns, reducing traffic congestion and increasing pedestrian safety in the Bancroft Way area of the campus. 

The pilot will incorporate NTT’s Accelerate Smart data platform and Dell Technologies’ modular data center infrastructure for edge deployments of high-definition optical sensors and IoT devices that monitor traffic-related issues. These smart capabilities are expected to provide data to power enhanced traffic management and mobility. As a first step in this connected campus initiative, UC Berkeley will use vehicle counting and classification to make informed decisions and develop specific solutions.

As part of the pilot, NTT and Dell will implement smart IoT and safety and security innovations that support the university’s Parking and Transportation Department, such as real-time alerts and traffic statistics that improve predictions and outcomes. With high-quality data, UC Berkeley can curb the congestion caused by events, ride share traffic, delivery vehicles and transit operations.The pilot program is designed to provide automated deployment and operation of necessary ICT resources from devices and networks to the cloud.

Following the initial period, UC Berkeley, NTT and Dell plan to evaluate whether to extend the pilot and add additional locations and use cases on campus.

In this era of diminishing revenue from traditional mobile-service sources, operators are constantly searching for new revenue streams and new ways to be relevant in multiple marketplaces. Working with technology partners on innovative value-added services is one of the main ways in which these aims can be met, and the IoT is one of the main venues in which that can happen.

In this upcoming project, NTT is partnering with Dell Technologies to deploy an IoT solution on a large scale, for traffic management purposes. While major operators such as NTT already have a great deal of knowledge and experience with regard to IoT, a technology partner such as Dell can vastly boost their ability to provide cutting-edge products.

It is noteworthy, we think, that the project is centered on vehicular and pedestrian traffic in a university at a time when most higher-learning institutions are shut down due to the pandemic, with timetables for reopening very much in up in the air. The University of California system, in particular, announced this week that most of its campuses likely will not reopen on their normal fall schedule. So the fact that this initiative has just been announced seems to cut against the grain of pandemic-driven hesitance with regard to investment. Of course, the project has only been announced and has not yet begun, but it indicates hopeful forward thinking among the three partners. When the reopening process gets firmly underway, NTT, Dell, and UC Berkeley will be ready.

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants. 

Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.

Easy Videos with Zain Carrier Billing and Starzplay

Middle East streaming video on demand (SVoD) service Starzplay has partnered with Kuwait-based multinational operator Zain Group to offer easier payment options for subscribers. Starzplay expects to accelerate customer acquisition through direct carrier billing integration with Zain in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq. The move marks Starzplay’s first integration in Iraq, providing seamless access to its video content for Zain’s 15.7 million customers across the country. 

Prepaid as well as postpaid users can watch Starzplay’s content straight from their phone, or else at home via smart TV devices or games consoles.

Carrier billing for apps or entertainment content has proved popular in many markets. With most of those that we have written about, ease and convenience have been the major factors in their uptake among consumers. A one-click approach to making such purchases, along with the comfort factor of conducting business through one’s operator, with which one has built-in trust, has tended to drive the increase in purchasing that gratify operators and participating partners alike. In this case with Zain and Starzplay, however, there is another factor at work, in addition to the above mentioned.

In the Middle East and North African markets (MENA), many subscribers to mobile services do not have credit cards, and a smaller though significant number do not even have bank accounts. This is especially true of younger people—an age group with a strong interest in SVoD products. Among these users, though, there is a high penetration of smartphones. Therefore, a company such as Starzplay can maximize its success with this target demographic by approaching them through their mobile service providers and making it possible for them to purchase the video service via their mobile accounts, without need for credit cards, debit cards or bank accounts.

Young users have been shown not only to be major consumers of video entertainment content, but also to have a particular preference for viewing it on an on-demand basis. The element of choice—not only in entertainment content but in mobile plan features and a plethora of other market phenomena—is especially characteristic of this demographic. Therefore, it is an excellent idea for MNOs and their enterprise partners to recognize this fact and tailor as many offerings to it as possible. For Zain and Starzplay to make the carrier billing option available to prepaid as well as postpaid users is in line with this strategy, as prepaid plans tend to predominate among younger users, for reasons of budget and freedom alike.

We expect that this offering will benefit Starzplay in terms of increased subscriptions, Zain in terms of revenues from fees and in terms of increased customer loyalty and of course the subscribers in terms of satisfaction with both the product and their MNO.

Tarifica is a global SaaS company and a market leader in the real-time collection, analysis and delivery of telecom plan and pricing data worldwide. Through a mix of AI, modeling and market expertise, Tarifica tracks hundreds of thousands of plan and pricing data points daily. No other company tracks more. Tarifica's mission is to continuously convert data into the dynamic intelligence that fuels opportunities for its clients, the world's leading operators, regulators and consultants. 

Learn more about Tarifica at www.tarifica.com.