Apple has released the iPhone 7 which is very similar to the iPhone 6S, but it has a much improved camera with dual lens, a new jet black glossy finish and a new ‘home’ button.
The headphone jack has also disappeared, so wireless headphone sales are no doubt going to shoot up as well as adding a cost for users – although we understand Apple will supply a converter with the phone. How much are wireless headphones needed for business use? Is an improved camera needed for business use? Also announced were changes to iPads, a new Apple Watch 2 which is “swimproof” complete with a built-in GPS in case you get lost at sea. IOS10 was also announced. Depending on your phone renewal cycle, you might like to consider the rumour that Apple will have a major 10-year anniversary iPhone update in 2017.
Samsung, presumably in an effort to beat Apple to market with its new Samsung 7, has hit the buffers with a recall due to exploding batteries. US Civil Aviation has advised passengers not to turn on these devices during flight.
Mobile networks continue to evolve the charging structures for data and roaming which seem to be more and more complicated with each new announcement. Presumably revenue lost from the regulated cost reductions over the last few years, the latest in July 2016, mean the revenue bubble has to pop up elsewhere. How Brexit will affect roaming costs in Europe no-one knows. Apple’s new operating system IOS10 may also change the landscape and encourage more tariff changes, as it now allows you to call your contacts (seamlessly using the green button), via WhatsApp, Facetime and other apps which use your data allowance. So you should watch out for a switch from voice minutes to data if you have no control over how your users use their company phones.
All companies really need a mobile phone policy these days which is written to take account of their mobile contract. Without giving employees any advice/instructions on how to use their phones, you may end up with extra costs.
Do you plan for staff to use free hotel wifi whilst travelling to save costs?
Many hoteliers are struggling with the increasing demands of guests who wish to consume more and more data. Cheap hotels are unlikely to have invested in a big data pipe to keep all guests happy. Download the app ‘Hotel wifi Test’ and contribute to crowd knowledge of how good hotel wifi is.
Just got used to 4G?
Vodafone is already conducting trials of 4.5G to significantly increase the capacity and efficiency of its 4G network in urban areas, as well as laying the foundations for the introduction of 5G by 2020.
EU regulations have been reducing roaming charges over the last few years, and earlier this year announcements were made that roaming charges would be scrapped in 2017 and all charges incurred would be the same as your home country. Critics of the ban suggest the loss of revenue for mobile phone companies could push up prices in general, including prices for non-travellers. When the draft proposals were announced, consumer groups were outraged that only 90 days of ‘free’ roaming per year would be allowed.
In September 2016, the draft proposals were scrapped on the instruction of Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and a new version was to be produced. The EU Commission said that they had been listening and now were going back to the drawing board, but roaming charges would still disappear by June 2017.
BT has increased some call prices from 1st September 2016, and will be increasing network feature prices from 1st October 2016. For example, BT Business Plan increases local and mobile inland calls by 1p/min and international calls go up too and on the BT Business One Plan, local and mobile are increasing. As always, keeping up with BT plans and prices is both an art and a science. If you don’t know what your current communications contracts pricing is or what commitments you have you should carry out a contracts review. This is often only done when a reason for change arises through another project or initiative and often there are surprises. With BT these can be caused because termination charges have been increasing over the last few years.
Phone book entries – when was the last time you looked in a phone book?
One standard entry comes free with your line rental but many businesses historically have paid for additional entries in non-local directories, or to bold their entries. BT last increased these prices on 1st January 2016. These costs are usually small in relation to the overall bill and go unnoticed until perhaps the line associated with the number is cancelled. Often unknown though is that you are committed to pay for your entry until the next print run of the relevant directory. BT says: “If the customer cancels the entry or ceases the exchange line to which the special entry applies, he/she may be liable for charges until this time, up to a maximum of six quarterly rental payments”.
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