Three Mobile Buzz

Archive for the ‘Terminate the Rate’ Category

0
comments

A few interesting regulatory developments this week that I wanted to keep you up to date with.

Firstly, The European Commission has asked UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, to reconsider its proposed timings for the reduction of Mobile Termination Rates or MTRs.

MTRs are the carrying fee that your operator is charged by another network when you call cross network or call a mobile from a landline. These currently stand at around 4p/min.

Ofcom has proposed that MTRs will be lowered over a four year period to 0.5p, but the EC has called for Ofcom to review its timings and reduce MTRs to 0.5p by the end of 2012, rather than 2014/2015.

To find out more about MTRs, visit the Terminate The Rate site and blog where you can see why Three along with BT, NUS, CarersUK, The FSB, Age Concern among others are supporting the campaign to lower these rates.

Secondly, Ofcom announced this week that they will be halving the time UK operators have to port customers’ mobile numbers to another network.

From 11th April 2011, mobile operators will have one working day, rather than two to port the number.

Three still don’t think this is good enough and yesterday issued the following statement:

“Ofcom’s decision today has failed UK consumers.

“Fast, easy, recipient-led Mobile Number Porting is the fundamental platform for choice and competition in the mobile market. Nowhere else in Europe is a consumer forced to ask permission to take their number with them when they choose a new operator. The donor-led porting system that Ofcom proposes to keep makes it difficult for customers to choose a deal that suits their needs.

“As mergers and consolidation reduce consumer choice, moving to a quicker consumer-friendly system becomes even more important. Three continues to press for a change as it is in best interests of competition and consumer choice, and will lead to better deals across the industry.”

What do you think about these issues? We’d be interested to hear your thougths.

Bookmark and Share
0
comments
28 October, 2009.Terminate the Rate

Started by BT and 3UK earlier this year, Terminate the Rate is aiming to reduce Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs) to reflect their actual cost. If you’re unsure when it comes to your MTRs, have a look at this post which sums it all up.

The campaign to date has been a great success. Since starting in May the petition has gained over 114,000 signatures, been joined by 258 Members of Parliament and gained the support of over 60 organisations, businesses and councils.

And today, Terminate the Rate will be handing in their petition to regulatory body Ofcom, a significant landmark for the campaign. The news has been covered by the BBC and The Independent, both of which feature the reaction of John Petter, MD Consumer, BT Retail:

“This petition is only the first stage in an ongoing campaign to show how MTRs stifle competition and increase the cost of calling mobiles – our goal remains for them to be set according to what they actually cost.”

Everyone here at 3mobilebuzz are keen supporters of the initiative – after all, it’s all about giving consumers a fair deal – and we’re very much looking forward to seeing the outcome of the support the campaign has gathered.

Bookmark and Share
0
comments
27 July, 2009.Terminate the Rate

Over on Money Saving Expert, they’ve spent the weekend discussing Terminate The Rate, and 3’s involvement: What’s good about it, what might not be so good about it, and why people might want to get involved.

There’s plenty of thought and opinion over on the thread (which was started by Mr MSE himself, Martin Lewis no less!) which should give you a great overview of what people are saying about the campaign.

What are your thoughts?

Bookmark and Share
0
comments
8 July, 2009.Terminate the Rate

The Terminate the Rate campaign to tackle the issue of Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs) is gaining momentum, and as you can see we’ve placed a link on our homepage to help the cause.

Spearheaded by BT and 3 the initiative now has 10 official supporters, with the new additions of the CMA and Plain English Campaign. You can see all those lending their weight to the campaign on the official Terminate the Rate site.

Also pushing the campaign forward is the Early Day Motion that now has 142 MPs on board. This will bring the cause to the attention of the government and add to the force for change, it is an action that will increase the likelihood of MTRs being addressed to the benefit of the masses.

Other ways to become part of those opposing the current practice of MTRs is to follow @Terminaterate on Twitter, join the Facebook group and, most importantly, sign the petition!

Bookmark and Share
0
comments
5 June, 2009.Terminate the Rate

The London Metro yesterday ran a cover wrap raising awareness of the Terminate the Rate initiative that 3 are championing.

According to the Terminate the Rate blog the wrap should have reached ‘nearly two million people’. The front page featured the slogan ‘you’ve already been charged millions this week’, with an explanation of what the campaign is looking to achieve and why on the back cover.

And if you want to support the campaign, do so by clicking here and signing the petition to reduce termination rates. As the Metro information stated “it only takes a minute and we could all be better off.”

Bookmark and Share
0
comments
27 May, 2009.Terminate the Rate

The Really Mobile Project (TRMP) has posted their special report on the launch of Terminate the Rate. Taken at launch venue BT Tower, the video features James Whatley and Dan Lane discussing the initiative, interviewing 3UK CEO Kevin Russell as well as an amusing cameo from the famous revolving floor.

http://www.vimeo.com/4787752
Bookmark and Share
0
comments
21 May, 2009.Terminate the Rate

Another day, and plenty more conversation around 3’s Terminate the Rate campaign, which by all accounts seems to have taken a number of people by storm.

Theregister.co.uk have put together a full and frank discussion on all the issues combined, covering not only the ins and outs of the issue, but a number of quotes from 3’s head of the UK, Kevin Russell, who brought up the ‘unbelievable’ amount of legal authority and PR mobilized by the Big Four.

Mirror.co.uk had their voice heard too, advising “don’t expect every network to get on board with BT and 3’s vision, but if it sounds like something you’d like to see happen, you can register your support right now at Terminatetherate.org.”

To round up, t3.com ask the question “Will other networks adopt their Terminate The Rate idealogy? Time will tell, but somehow we think networks value profits over anything else, especially in these current financial climes.” We shall see, we shall see!

Bookmark and Share
0
comments
20 May, 2009.Terminate the Rate

We already mentioned Electricpig’s coverage of the launch of Terminate the Rate, the BT and 3 led campaign that is aimed at reducing excessive mobile termination rates (MTRs) to what they actually cost.

Coverage hasn’t stopped there though, not by a long shot. Mobile News has added some details as they discuss the initiative, as has Fiona Ramsay at Brand Republic, “Mobile termination rates are charges paid by operators to connect calls to mobiles and are at the root of the high cost of calling mobiles. They account for 4.7 pence, or more, of every minute of a call to a mobile. Last year UK mobile operators made £750m from fixed-line customers calling mobiles.”

Kevin Russell, 3 UK’s chief executive, is quoted by Mobile News explaining what the reduction of MTRs could mean – “when this happens we will be able to provide flat rate, unlimited calling offers which include numbers on any UK network. This will give consumers real freedom.”

Want to add you voice to Terminate the Rate? Then head here and sign the petition.

Bookmark and Share
0
comments
20 May, 2009.Terminate the Rate

As Terminate the Rate is up and running we wanted to be sure that you could get access to information on what Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs) are and what they’re costing you. So we’ve created, what has been referred to in the office as, the MTR ‘Beaky’.

A fact sheet (and so much more), we’ve circulated them far and wide. If you received one this morning be sure to head through to the Terminate the Rate campaign site to get the full story. @GerryMoth has already mentioned his in a post on the initiative and @Johnhood tweeted about the arrival of his.

Don’t feel left out though if you didn’t receive one, you can get your very own by clicking here. Though you will have to fold it yourself – I’m sure everyone remembers how…

Bookmark and Share
0
comments
20 May, 2009.Terminate the Rate

This morning at BT Tower the fight against unfair mobile costs began!

Terminate the Rate will take on Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs), charges made when you call a mobile from either a different network or a landline. Averaging at about 4.7 pence per minute, when combined these charges make the mobile sector hundreds of millions a year.

The campaign is being spearheaded by BT with 3, moneysupermarket.com, the Federation of Small Businesses, Carers UK, GMB and the NUS all adding their weight to the cause. Those behind Terminate the Rate want industry regulator Ofcom to bring the costs of MTRs down on the grounds that they are excessive and distort competition.

Electricpig have their take on the news here. If you want to help scare the fiendish fees, lend your support by signing the Terminate the Rate petition on the campaign site.

Bookmark and Share