Mobile Phone News
Commbank app reads QR codes for easier BPAY
The Commonwealth Bank has expanded the functionality of its Kaching! payment app for iPhone with the addition of a QR code reader to be used in conjunction with with new codes on BPAY compatible bills. The new feature is available now from the Apple App Store, and the QR code payment option will be on Australian Power & Gas and Sydney Water bills shortly. IT's easy to imagine more codes popping up quickly given how cheap and easy they are to create.
Durable Phones the Next Big Thing?
In 2013, smartphones are all about the features. HTC has Boomsound, Blinkfeed and the Zoe camera, while Samsung has a plethora of S-branded apps, including a health monitor and universal TV remote. Meanwhile, we've seen mostly incremental changes in hardware, with slightly faster processors, bumps in RAM and larger screens.
Optus Network Event, May 2013
Optus held a network event today in which it announced its recent 3GPlus accomplishments and outlined plans for 4G expansion in the near future. The overall focus of the last few months’ worth of data was to do with 3GPlus coverage and consolidation across most of Australia, with particular attention paid towards increasing indoor coverage.
Telstra To Send Overseas Data Alerts
With bill shock from international roaming still affecting thousands of Australians each year, consumers have been frustrated with the lack of solutions offered by mobile providers. Now, Telstra has announced it will be taking action to minimise bill shock experienced by customers using their phone overseas.
Vodafone 4G Gets Official Date
Vodafone (VHA) may be running a little behind schedule with its 4G LTE network that it originally hoped, but never promised, to have up and running by February of this year. A short while back Australia’s largest 3G-only carrier went and added the Samsung Galaxy S3 4G to its lineup, meaning that an announcement was likely not too far off.
Kogan Mobile Update
As we looked at in an earlier post, new prepaid offering Kogan Mobile has been heavily criticised over the past week. The telco has reportedly been refusing to renew service to customers who have used too much of what has been advertised as an ‘unlimited' voice calls and text message allowance. As a reaction to the backlash, it appears that Kogan has made a few updates to its website.
BlackBerry Z10 First Impressions
The BlackBerry Z10 has been hailed as BlackBerry’s last best hope for survival in the smartphone market. It’s the new BB10 OS’ flagship, sports a totally modern set of hardware specs and is a step in a different direction for BB in terms of stylistic design.
Has Kogan Mobile Misled Consumers?
Despite a much-publicised December launch, a promise to take on the big telcos and an initial influx of customer signups, new prepaid player Kogan Mobile is already facing a backlash. It's been revealed that the company has begun unexpectedly disconnecting the services of customers on its Unlimited Access plans for the apparent crime of using their phones too much. Customers who have received ‘error’ messages when attempting to recharge their prepaid service have been informed that they have breached the acceptable use policy of their plan, and have 90 days to find a new provider and port their phone number.
Aldi Mobile - How it Stacks Up
You've probably seen the announcement that Aldi, the German retailing giant with a reputation for cheap prices and cheaper imitations of famous brands is getting into mobile phone plans. There's a couple of rays of sunshine in the offer, but the offer is behind where Aldi normally likes to position itself.
New Rules for Mobile & Broadband
Browsing for a new mobile phone or broadband plan? With the introduction of new guidelines from the Australian Communications and Media Authority, you may find it easier to understand and compare plans and providers - at least in theory. As part of the ACMA's revised Telecommunications Protections Code (TCP), all telecommunications providers are now required to include a two-page ‘Critical Information Summary’ to customers that clearly outlines the charges and inclusions of each plan.
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