T-Mobile Montenegro launches postpaid package for business users
T-Mobile Montenegro has introduced the new postpaid package ‘Smart Team Plus’ for business customers, including a unique price for calls to all national networks.
There are four Smart Team Plus packages – 5, 15, 25 and 50 as well as more packages for internet and SMS.
The SMS Unlimited option, for US$4.07 per month, allows unlimited messaging to all networks in Montenegro and Serbia.
The Internet 5 option, costing US$6.7, delivers 250 MB of internet traffic per month, while Internet Unlimited provides unlimited internet traffic for US$20.38 per month. However, if traffic exceeds 2 GB, the speed is reduced to 128 Kbps.
A selection of Nokia phones (C5-03, C3 and C3-00-01) are available with the agreements, costing from US$1.35 to US$216.
Apple audit report exposes child labour and other abuses
Apple has published its annual Supplier Responsibility report and has revealed that some of its suppliers had hired under-age workers and that others had exposed staff to dangerous chemicals. The report stated that all the suppliers were being audited to ensure no further incidents.
Last year, company stated that it completed first-time audits of 97 facilities and comprehensive repeat audits of 30 facilities, for a total of 288 supplier facilities audited since 2007.
In the company’s audits of 127 facilities, the company found that ten Chinese factories that had hired workers under the age of 16 years, the minimum age for employment in China. Across nine of these facilities, a total of 49 workers were hired before reaching the legal age. The company put this down to poor administration at the factories and states that they have implemented upgrades. The remaining factory had hired 42 under-age workers, and Apple decided to cancel its contract with that unnamed supplier.
The company’s largest supplier, Foxconn, which came under a lot of attention following a spate of suicides, was commended for the actions it took to deal with the issue. Although the decision to put anti-suicide nets , its tied-accommodation was welcomed by the company. They have been criticized by human rights activists as they aimed at cutting down on deaths without dealing with the cause of suicide attempts.
In another issue, the company found that 137 workers at the Suzhou facility of Wintek, had suffered adverse health effects following exposure to n-hexane, a chemical in cleaning agents used in some manufacturing processes. Following changes to prevent a recurrence of the incidents, Apple added that it plans to keep a close eye on the company during 2011. Wintek also supplies components to Nokia.
In total, Apple’s audits of 127 facilities during 2010 revealed 37 violations of its core supplier contracts: 18 facilities where workers had paid excessive recruitment fees, which is generally considered to be involuntary labor; ten facilities where underage workers had been hired; two instances of worker endangerment; four facilities where records were falsified; one case of bribery; and one case of coaching workers on how to answer auditors’ questions.
Verizon doubts running new Nokia phones (USA)
Verizon expects that there will be three dominant smartphone operating systems but worryingly for Nokia, Microsoft won’t be one of the suppliers.
Verizon Communications, Chief Technology Officer, Tony Melone confirmed that he wanted a strong third player in the smartphone OS market, as it gives the carriers more flexibility and balances the interests of all the parties.
Despite the concerns about Windows Phone 7, the company will still release models running that OS later this year, although that happens before Nokia is expected to get its own models into the market.
Nokia has traditionally been weak in the US market, partly due to its lack of CDMA handsets for the Verizon and Sprint networks. The carriers themselves were generally wary of offering Nokia handsets due to its – since resolved – CDMA patent battle with Qualcomm, which they could have been dragged into.
Melone added that even if Nokia starts building CDMA devices again, it would be very difficult for the company to get its handsets into Verizon shops in the near future.
He stated that Verizon’s device pipeline for 2011 shows strong relationships with LG, Samsung, Motorola, HTC, and now Apple.
Google named the most reputed firm in UK
Google has been named as the most reputed technology firm in the UK leaving Apple and Sony behind. The survey assesses organizations on their business success, favorability, trustworthiness and product / service quality.
Microsoft, BlackBerry, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Dell, Nokia and HP were also included in the list.
The dominance of these companies, along with Google in the rankings points to consumers’ high regard for technology brands.
Traditionally a top company in such reports, Nokia, however languished down in 23rd place.
Other top line findings show:
- Microsoft is seen as the most successful brand in the UK with 81% of people considering it to have either excellent or very good success. Also, scoring high are Apple and Google, with 80% and 79% respectively.
- Google comes on top for its quality of service offering, with 70% of Britons rating the company’s service as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’.
- Technology brands Samsung, Sony, Apple, Nintendo, and Microsoft are also in the top ten of the most highly rated companies in terms of quality.
The world of technology is fast paced, dynamic and innovative, and is undergoing fundamental category change. As a result, brands are required to continuously evolve in order to be at the leading edge of technology, or at least keep up with the competition. The prevalence of innovation and new product development gives rise to increased brand coverage and awareness through media buzz as well as marketing communications. This along with the integral role that technology plays as part of their daily lives leads to the surprisingly high number of technology brands featuring in the list of reputed organizations of UK.
Nokia teams up with Microsoft
Nokia, Samsung see low-end cellphone threat from Indian OEMs
A recent survey has revealed that Nokia enjoys dominant market share in India, but a majority of low income Indian mobile users would prefer their next phone to be made in India. Indian brands – such as Lava, Micromax, and Spice – will benefit from this preference.
As per the survey, international brands that do not enjoy Nokia’s brand equity- vendors such as Samsung, LG, and Sony Ericsson may have difficulties in the low-end handset market.
The Indian brands have only been on the market for a few years, and have gained a modest market share. However, 63% of the respondents who primarily live in rural villages and secondary cities with average monthly household income of about $130 say they would prefer their next phone to be manufactured in India citing the reasons as:
* Lower cost and greater value for money
* Greater ease of repair and availability of parts.
According to sources, national pride is a factor, but when people spend almost 4% of their annual income on a mobile phone, they are going to make purchase decisions based on what will get them the most for their money.
Researcher projects that the bulk of new mobile users in India over the next five years will be the low income consumers, particularly in rural areas. Affordable mobile phones with an appealing set of features will be the key to success in this market.
