Communication Breakdown

Some interesting news regarding 3's upcoming tariff structuring - it seems that this time round the tariffs are going to be quite blatantly structured around whether you're getting a free phone or not, and different grades of free phones, at that. In a way, it's the same way things work now, but without the assumption that you're getting that expensive handset for nada.

As Fone Logistics' Julien Parven is quoted as saying: "This is starting to put some value back into the handset. The idea of £300 handsets being given away is ridiculous."

No kidding - as Nokia is so keen to point out with its N95 marketing, the smartphone is not so much a phone anymore, as a mini-computer with phone capabilities built in. Nice idea to be giving those away (it sure made me switch operators when I managed to get my Vario II for next to nothing), but it's clearly a situation that couldn't last forever.

Not that I'm wanting to harp on about public Wi-Fi's wobbly business case too much, but the latest news from Windows Mobile manufacturer HTC should raise an eyebrow or two.

The company's just announced the sequel to the Touch (a.k.a. the iPh*ne-killer) and, interestingly, the new handset will have HSDPA (a new addition to the range) but - unlike the Touch - no Wi-Fi. Question is, is this purely an aesthetic thing (helps the phone slim down) or can we deduce another rationale? As I've suggested before, 3G and its variants seem to be reaching the parts that public Wi-Fi doesn't...

A leaked memo has exposed the major rift between the handset manufacturer Nokia and the operators - Orange in particular - that supply most of its customer base. The whole argument surrounds the recently announced N81 handset, which is the first Nokia phone designed to support the Finnish giant's new online music store.

Trouble is, the operators have their own online music stores, and make a good deal of money from them. So you can see why they're less than happy at Nokia trying to push its way into that lucrative market. 3 banned the phone outright, and Orange tried and failed to get Nokia to trial a variety of music stores on the N81.

The leaked Orange memo states: "If Nokia declines this opportunity, we will need to work with other manufacturers to close the connections shortfall we would expect from deranging the device." I particularly like the use of the word "deranging" there - do they mean removing it from the range, or hobbling it like they did with the N95's VoIP capabilities?

Either way, you can expect to see more of this kind of tussle in the future. I'm particularly intrigued to see the details of the deal between Apple and O2 (if that is indeed the lucky operator) regarding the iTunes-ready iPh*ne...

Municipal Wi-Fi. What a great idea, eh? The problem is, someone's got to pay for it, which means it needs to make money. And if it doesn't... then it goes the way of Chicago's planned muni Wi-Fi network, now scrapped because it wouldn't have drawn enough punters to be worth the expense.

Interesting, that. Cities like London are rolling out muni Wi-Fi predominantly as connectivity for municipal workers, like traffic wardens - if citizens get free access then that's a bonus. But beyond that model, I can see the problem. Even if enough people lug their laptops around with them on a daily basis, connectivity is often supplied through mobile networks or by their local coffeeshop.

Is it too late for muni Wi-Fi? Was it a great idea that just missed its chance?

We all love it for buying and selling general tat, but I've been driven round the bend recently by trying to sell a high value item on eBay.

I guess it's a reputation thing. If you're going to be asking hundreds of pounds for something, the buyer is likely to doubt you unless you're a powerseller. I know if I was a potential buyer at that kind of price I'd be a bit sceptical. But it's also the constant scamming and timewasting that makes eBay a right pain in the posterior when it comes to high value goods.

My first winning bidder was a straightforward fraudster and, luckily, a transparent fraudster at that. Then I tried again, and again the auction was won - but this time by a chronic ditherer who ended up being unable/unwilling to pay.

So now I'm selling my wares by word of mouth instead. It's the only way to do it. If I was flogging an old guitar pedal or something similar I'd have no problems with going back to eBay, but when it comes to the serious stuff, I've just given up.

Anyone else got similar tales of woe? Or is it just me?