Smartphones costlier: Verizon tells FCC
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: In order to break service contracts for smart phones, Verizon Wireless has doubled the fees on the customers. According to Verizon, the difference between what it pays manufacturers for phones and what it
charges contract customers is more than twice as large for smart phones as it is for standard cell phones.
The explanation was given after Federal Communications Commission asked the carrier to tell the reason behind doubling the maximum early termination fee for smart phones to $350 from $175. Earlier, Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, said the FCC needs to increase its oversight of the wireless industry and improve its enforcement of consumer protection rules.
Smartphones takes more time for sales and customer service workers to help customers understand advanced features and functions on the handsets, thereby increasing the cost. Verizon has also been inquired by FCC about $1.99-a-megabyte data access fees that have appeared on the bills of customers who don’t have data plans but who accidentally initiate data access by pressing a button on their phones.
In reply, Verizon has said when customer starts using a data service but then quickly shuts it off, the fees is not charged.
Mobile marketing accelerates in Ireland
Mobile marketing is set to generate revenues of EUR17 million and account for 1 percent of the total advertising market in Ireland (IREL.OB – news) next year, according to new research.
The research published by Puca, a provider of mobile marketing solutions and services headquartered in Dublin, forecasts mobile marketing growing to 5 percent of the total advertising market by 2010, with
a value of over EUR100 million.
According to Puca, the growth will be driven by better handsets, new technology for mobile phone based websites, 3G networks and interactive mobile TV. In addition, global search and content companies are increasingly redeploying their internet content advertising model to fit the mobile industry.
“We have reached a tipping point because mobile advertising can now incorporate pictures, sound and colour. Suddenly creative departments are focusing their attention on mobile because they understand that not only does mobile continue to deliver precision targeting and accountability, it can now do it in an attractive and engaging way,” said Tom Bean, marketing director of Puca.
“When you combine what is known as ‘the brand in the hand’ effect with precise targeting, you begin to understand why mobile advertising gets closer to the nirvana of zero-waste advertising than any other media,” continued Bean.
For its part Puca has just completed a mobile phone based advertising campaign to launch the new Peugeot (Paris: UG.PA – news) 207.The campaign, which included billboard, mailing, press and radio advertising, encouraged target customers to download a link to a mobile internet website from which they could view on their handset. With 40 percent of respondents providing personal contact details, the campaign has proven to be successful in generating test drives.
Peugeot is one of the first in Ireland to use mobile internet marketing and to integrate it across an entire campaign.
Source- http://uk.news.yahoo.com
