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User-powered mobile network from giffgaff
Monday 30 November 2009 11:28:16 by John Hunt

Tired of the conventional mobile networks charging ever increasing amounts for contracts? A new option is now available and to cut costs, it's people powered! giffgaff is a new (MVNO) Mobile Virtual Network Operator hoping to shake up the mobile industry, and they want you, the user, to be involved.

Some people may be wondering what the benefit of getting involved is. Apart from shaping the mobile network to what may be better for you, the user, rather than the network operator, they have a system called 'giffgaff payback' which will reward you with some freebies. The kind of things you can help with are marketing through ideas, web site content or generating new ads for giffgaff; customer service, by helping other members with problems; or referring and signing up new members to the service. giffgaff points relate to 1p for a point, and signing up another member will earn you 500 points which can be converted to £5 cash, mobile credit or a charity donation.

The costs compare well to other networks. Charges for calls to other mobiles and landlines are 8p per minute, and texts 4p. Most calls and texts to other giffgaff members are free, and Internet usage on your phone is free for the first 6 months from launch. They want to know how you use the Internet from your phone and how would be best to pay for it. Your user input will help shape how this works in the future.

So what's the catch? Well, the company use the O2 mobile network to provide you with service and are also owned by O2, so you aren't completely escaping from the clutches of the large networks. It is however definitely a new approach to mobile telephony and one that may fit well with the new generation of user involvement that is becoming common in shaping the Internet and technology, particularly as telephony, television and Internet access converge.

[ Topic: Mobile Broadband | 9 comments | link to this item ]
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Comments

Posted by Capn 4 months ago
http://giffgaff.com/info/terms

17.1. You authorise us to use and disclose, in the UK and abroad, information about you, your use of the Service (including, but not limited to, phone numbers/email addresses of calls, texts and other communications "Communications" made and received by you and the date, duration, time and cost of such Communications
Posted by CARPETBURN 4 months ago
^^^ Good spot :) Also needs an unlocked phone (so forget about the latest model handsets unless you pay to escape a contract) Also is this another contract tie in?? (I couldnt be bothered to look through the entire messy site). Sounds a good idea but needs work.
Posted by citizenx 4 months ago
Stupid name though.

No thanks. This is 2009, not 2001.
Posted by otester 3 months ago
@Capn

For the net usage you can use a VPN.


@CARPETBURN

You can get phones unlocked pretty easily nowadays, especially windows mobile based ones which don't even require a trip to the local shop.
Posted by CARPETBURN 3 months ago
^^^ Could you point me more in the right direction, yes i know windows mobile and Nokia devices are easily unlocked, but its not that simple for other makes like Sony, LG, Blackberry and many others... They normally need additional hardware to unlock AFAIK
Posted by Capn 3 months ago
If you've got a mobile phone market stall they'll usually do it for you for a few pounds
Posted by CARPETBURN 3 months ago
quote"If you've got a mobile phone market stall they'll usually do it for you for a few pounds"

Yes i know im more interested in the statement of "don't even require a trip to the local shop."
Posted by djohn 3 months ago
Asda PAYG sim card is what I use. All calls/all networks at any time of day or night are 8p minute with text at 4p. Best of all is they use Vodafone as their network so you get excellent coverage and excellent pricing.

If your have a vodafone mobile, [contract or PAYG] they will unlock the phone for you free of charge after 12 months or a small fee if less than 12 months. I've just had mine unlocked from them 3 days back, they sent the code via email within 30 minutes.
djohn
Posted by CARPETBURN 3 months ago
You dont need an unlocked vodaphone phone to use Asdas service as its the same network, Same goes for Tesco, if you have an O2 phone.

All the providers will unlock your mobile but the conditions vary, some you have to have been a customer for xxx amount of time (again means you wont have the latest handset) others like virgin as an example charge.
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