three | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Fri, 07 Sep 2018 12:34:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png three | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Ofcom’s 5G spectrum auction is under way with Vodafone and O2 leading the charge https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/damien-cox/ofcoms-5g-spectrum-auction-is-finally-under-way-in-the-uk-with-vodafone-and-o2-leading-the-charge/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/damien-cox/ofcoms-5g-spectrum-auction-is-finally-under-way-in-the-uk-with-vodafone-and-o2-leading-the-charge/#respond Fri, 06 Apr 2018 13:36:08 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=369528 After a lengthy delay caused by UK network Three challenging Ofcom’s 5G limitation, the auction for 4G and 5G spectrum finally went under way this week. Ofcom has since posted the results of the principle stage, with Vodafone and O2 taking away the biggest cuts. Five major companies competed for 40MHz of the 2.3GHz band, …

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After a lengthy delay caused by UK network Three challenging Ofcom’s 5G limitation, the auction for 4G and 5G spectrum finally went under way this week. Ofcom has since posted the results of the principle stage, with Vodafone and O2 taking away the biggest cuts.

Five major companies competed for 40MHz of the 2.3GHz band, currently used for 4G services and 150MHz of the brand new 3.4GHz spectrum which will be used for 5G. This was comprised of Vodafone, O2, EE, Three and Airspan Spectrum Holdings Limited. Hull-based fixed wireless ISP Connexin was also expected to take part but dropped out at the last minute.

Vodafone walked away with the biggest cut of the 3.4GHz band, spending just over £378 million on 50MHz. O2 was also a big spender, shedding nearly £318 million for 40MHz while also investing around £206m on all 40MHz of the 2.3GHz spectrum.

EE also took 40MHz of the 5G spectrum, spending a little less than competition at £303m. Despite its unsuccessful protests, Three managed to walk away with 20MHz of the 3.5GHz spectrum as the company gears up for 5G, which makes the company fare a little better than Airspan Spectrum Holdings Limited, which walked away with nothing from either band.

O2 is one of the biggest winners at this stage, as CCS Insight telecoms analyst Kester Mann notes that the network “needed the spectrum the most.” Vodafone’s investment has inevitably placed them at the forefront of 5G, “re-enforcing its renewed commitment to the market following several years in the doldrums.”

With the principle stage complete, Ofcom is now moving onto the assignment stage, which is the last in the bidding stages of the auction. During this period, the winners of the principle stage will bid to “determine where in the frequency bands their new spectrum will be located.”

While this is great news for any mobile internet enthusiast, the 5G auction brought in just £1.355 billion for the treasury, while 3G and 4G auctions brought in a whopping £22 billion and £2.2 billion respectively. Even though companies might lose their competitive edge by falling behind on the latest and fastest spectrum, many already have access to airwaves from previous auctions.

Either way, “This is good news for everyone who uses their mobile phone to access the internet,” according to Ofcom’s director Philip Marnick. As a nation we’re using ever more mobile data on smartphones and mobile devices. Releasing these airwaves will make it quicker and easier to get online on the move. It will also allow companies to prepare for 5G mobile, paving the way for a range of smart, connected devices.”

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: In some instances, 4G is already better than some of the standard WiFi provided in the UK, making 5G all the more exciting. It’ll likely be a while before it is adopted fully into the market, but with the auction finally under way, operators can put the new band to good use as soon as possible. Are you looking forward to 5G connectivity?

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EE, O2, Vodafone and Three confirm incoming monthly contract price increases https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/ee-o2-vodafone-and-three-confirm-incoming-monthly-contract-price-increases/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/ee-o2-vodafone-and-three-confirm-incoming-monthly-contract-price-increases/#respond Fri, 16 Feb 2018 11:36:33 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=364322 If you are currently in the middle of a phone contract here in the UK, then you should expect to see the price of your bill rise soon. This month, EE, O2, Three and Vodafone have all announced that contract price increases will be arriving in the coming months, falling in line with December's Retail …

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If you are currently in the middle of a phone contract here in the UK, then you should expect to see the price of your bill rise soon. This month, EE, O2, Three and Vodafone have all announced that contract price increases will be arriving in the coming months, falling in line with December's Retail Price Index inflation figure.

EE was the first UK operator to make the announcement, confirming that the annual price increase based on RPI will take effect from the 30th of March onward. In a statement given to MoneySavingExpert, an EE spokesperson noted that customers on the “most popular plan” should typically see “an increase of 85p a month”. The actual price rise will be 4.1 percent, so it could end up having a bit more of an impact depending on how much you currently pay. For instance, if you currently pay £40 a month, your bill will cost £1.64 more per month after the 30th of March.

O2, Three and Vodafone will be doing the same thing in April. O2 confirmed that monthly prices will rise by 4 percent in April. While O2 and EE's price rises are based on December's RPI inflation figure, Vodafone and Three appear to be holding out for an updated RPI in March. With that in mind, price rises will come into effect in April on both networks but the actual percentage could differ slightly.

This of course isn't anything entirely unexpected. Mobile phone networks often have annual pricing changes based on inflation rates, but it is an easy thing to forget about, so you can count this as your heads up.

KitGuru Says: These price changes aren't overly dramatic, so it hopefully won't end up having a major impact on those currently tied into a contract. Which network are you currently with?

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Auction for UK’s 5G spectrum set for April after Three’s fails legal challenge against Ofcom https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/damien-cox/auction-for-uks-5g-spectrum-set-for-april-after-threes-fails-legal-challenge-against-ofcom/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/damien-cox/auction-for-uks-5g-spectrum-set-for-april-after-threes-fails-legal-challenge-against-ofcom/#respond Wed, 14 Feb 2018 16:58:10 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=364171 Last year, UK mobile network provider Three attempted to reduce Ofcom’s limitation on the amount of the 5G spectrum that could be purchased to 30 percent. It seems the legal action has now failed, with the auction set to go ahead in April with an imposed cap of 37 percent. Three’s reasoning behind wanting the …

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Last year, UK mobile network provider Three attempted to reduce Ofcom’s limitation on the amount of the 5G spectrum that could be purchased to 30 percent. It seems the legal action has now failed, with the auction set to go ahead in April with an imposed cap of 37 percent.

Three’s reasoning behind wanting the stricter cap was out of fear that the smallest of the four mobile operators in Britain would be squeezed out of a large portion of the spectrum by titans such as BT. As it stands, BT owns a whopping 45 percent of the airwaves, by far the largest share between all competitors.

The operator was keen to stress that it was right to appeal as the decisions made have gained the company “clarity” on the auction rules and that this “has not caused any delay to the delivery of 5G services to UK consumers.” Unfortunately, the company still sees the 37 percent cap as “too high if the policy objective is to have a competitive four player market” and would “like to see it set at a lower level in the future.”

While a larger company, O2 actually controls a smaller portion of the spectrum than Three and is adamant that the auction should proceed with no more delays. Luckily, Ofcom has announced that it will be pushing ahead with things in April with no more hiccups.

“The Court of Appeal has very firmly rejected Three’s application for permission to appeal on all grounds,” states an Ofcom spokesperson. “We welcome this decision, and will now press ahead with releasing these important airwaves. This new capacity will allow mobile companies to offer more reliable reception, and to prepare for future 5G services.”

KitGuru Says: Any further delays would have undoubtedly impacted on consumers getting their hands on 5G devices, so it’s good to see things moving at high speeds. As it stands, my 4G is faster than most home networks I tend to come across, so it will be interesting to see how 5G changes the game. Are you excited for 5G devices?

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Razer issues response to phone update fiasco https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/dominic-moass/raze-issues-response-to-phone-update-fiasco/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/dominic-moass/raze-issues-response-to-phone-update-fiasco/#comments Thu, 08 Feb 2018 12:48:32 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=363378 After breaking the news that Three customers had not got any Razer Phone updates since launch, Razer issues a response.

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On Tuesday we broke the news that customers who bought the Razer Phone via Three had received no software updates since the phone launched last November. Two days on, Razer got in touch with us and issued a statement to clarify the situation as well as announce a change to how its updates will be released.

With plenty of readers getting in touch with us over the last weeks and days, it seems there are plenty of folks out there who – until Tuesday night – had simply not received any updates to their Razer Phones which had been purchased via Three. Not only did that have security ramifications in the wake of Spectre and Meltdown, there were also multiple improvements made to the Razer Phone via these software updates which Three customers were simply not getting.

However, this morning Razer got in touch with us and issued the following statement, copied verbatim:

‘To clarify the status of updates to Three European customers.

We have been working on an update since before Christmas and this was pushed to all Three European customers last night. This update includes Netflix HDR and Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 support, a camera update and a security update. Right now, the latest software version update is available for all Three Razer Phone consumers in Europe including Three UK, Three Ireland, Three Italy, Three Sweden and Three Denmark.

There are different firmware builds in use when updating Razer Phones. One is for handsets bought through the Razerstore, the other is for handsets bought through mobile operators.

When Razer has an update ready to launch, we can send the update as an Over The Air (OTA) update to non-Three handsets immediately, but for any handsets bought from an operator, this isn’t so easy as it must be approved by the particular network before its released to their customers. Because of this required process, it can take some time for it to reach non-direct customers.

Moving forward, we are working to align our global updates to launch concurrently, so all updates and improvements can be enjoyed by all Razer Phone users simultaneously.'

It seems that while Razer had been working hard to release updates – my review handset has now been updated three times – customers who got their phone from Three had to wait for Three to approve the updates before they could be pushed to their handsets OTA. For handsets bought directly from Razer, there is no need for this third-party approval so updates have been pushed out a lot faster.

So now that the situation has been clarified, Razer is also taking steps to ensure that it won't happen again. In essence, it appears that all Razer Phone handsets will now be getting their updates at the same time – instead of those with handsets bought directly from Razer getting their updates first. This is certainly a fairer way of doing things though customers who did get their handset from Razer may not be so happy.

If you did get your Razer Phone via Three, be sure to check for that latest update as it should now be available to download.

KitGuru says: While it has certainly been a long wait for Three customers, it is good to hear Razer's side of the story. At the very least, everyone should be getting their updates at the same time in the future.

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Razer Phones sold by Three have had no updates since launch https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/dominic-moass/razer-phones-sold-by-three-have-had-no-updates-since-launch/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/dominic-moass/razer-phones-sold-by-three-have-had-no-updates-since-launch/#comments Tue, 06 Feb 2018 11:14:06 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=363135 We have had three updates on our Razer sample supplied direct. Customers of Three UK Mobile aren't quite so happy - using a build from September 2017. What's going on?

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In November, we published our review of the Razer Phone, and it was very positive. Not surprisingly, a number of our readers then went out to buy the phone from Three – the only UK carrier to be offering the Razer Phone on contract. However, it seems that Razer and Three have not dealt with the situation well, as we can reveal UK customers who bought the phone from Three have not received a single software update since launch.

Clearly, this is quite a significant issue – given that Three is the only UK carrier to be selling the Razer Phone on contract, anyone who wanted to spread the cost of the phone (instead of paying £699 upfront) would've had to buy it from Three. A number of KitGuru readers have got in touch via email and on our social media platforms to say that they have not had a single update since they bought the phone, whereas my review sample has now received three updates, so something is clearly not right.

Delving deeper into the issue, according to emails sent by a Razer representative that KitGuru has seen, Razer initially tried to pass the buck to Three, by saying that it is up to Three to release software updates to its customers, which implies that Razer had passed on the necessary files for those updates. That email was sent 2nd February 2018.

However, after a representative from Three denied that it had received the necessary files to issue the all-important updates, Razer changed tack and seemed to suggest updates for Razer Phone devices on the Three network are taking longer to process as Three phones require a slightly different software build. Razer's representative did not know how long the update would take to be finalised. A separate company rep suggested the updates should roll out by the end of Q1, but that has not been confirmed. Some of our followers posted their concerns and problems over HERE, and we have been receiving emails on this matter from disgruntled readers for a few weeks now.

In terms of what effect the lack of updates is having, the first ramification is obviously security, as it was only last month we first heard about Spectre and Meltdown. Given that Razer Phones which have received no updates are still using the 5th September 2017 security patch, that poses a potential risk.

On-top of that, Razer has released a couple of updates to improve the day-to-day usage of the phone – including improvements to the camera, something we have looked into further. For those who are yet to receive a single software update, they will likely be fed-up with the sluggish camera performance.

We have contacted Razer and Three and are awaiting their response – hopefully within the next day. It is clear that our review of the Razer Phone has sold quite a few handsets in the United Kingdom, and it is very unfortunate that many customers who bought from Three are in this very unpleasant situation.

Update 08/02/2018: Razer has now issued a response over HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page over HERE.

KitGuru says: Clearly, this situation has not been handled well and it is up to Razer and Three to sort it out and make sure their paying customers are getting the updates they should be. If you bought the Razer Phone via Three and have not had any updates, let us know your story in the comments.

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Three UK steps up legal action against Ofcom’s 5G limitation https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/damien-cox/three-uk-steps-up-legal-action-against-ofcoms-5g-limitation/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/damien-cox/three-uk-steps-up-legal-action-against-ofcoms-5g-limitation/#respond Wed, 06 Sep 2017 16:25:03 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=346095 Back in July, Ofcom imposed a new limitation restricting the amount of the 5G spectrum that mobile providers can buy to 37 percent. A lot has snowballed since then, with UK mobile companies Three gearing up a legal challenge to Ofcom’s decision and Vodafone saying this legal action will “unnecessarily delay” the process. Ofcom’s cap …

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Back in July, Ofcom imposed a new limitation restricting the amount of the 5G spectrum that mobile providers can buy to 37 percent. A lot has snowballed since then, with UK mobile companies Three gearing up a legal challenge to Ofcom’s decision and Vodafone saying this legal action will “unnecessarily delay” the process.

Ofcom’s cap is to avoid a monopoly or duopoly on the 5G signal, as BT and Vodafone currently own 45 and 28 percent of the current spectrum respectively. Three, however, originally called for a 30 percent cap and deems 37 percent a “kick in the teeth for all consumers.”

The threat of legal action came not long after Ofcom’s announcement of the new imposition and has since resulted in the mobile provider launching a judicial review that is expected to last at least 3 months. All of this is on the basis that Ofcom is “damaging competition, restricting choice and pushing prices up for the very consumers that it is meant to protect.” Three claims that Ofcom’s plans could result in BT maintaining a share of over 39 percent until as late as 2020.

“We confirm that we have filed a judicial review before the UK courts in relation to the competition measures that will apply in the upcoming spectrum auction,” said a spokesperson for Three. “It is absolutely vital that the regulator gets this auction right for the long-term benefit of all consumers.”

Vodafone has since retorted to Three stepping up its legal action in a statement with The Financial Times, saying that it will “unnecessarily delay” the process which is in turn worse for consumers.

“This is not in the interest of consumers and will undermine the UK's efforts to be a leading digital economy,” a Vodafone spokesperson said.

“It is very regrettable that the auction will now be delayed by this litigation, which will harm consumers, businesses and ultimately the UK economy,” added an Ofcom spokesperson. “It is now crucial that companies don't drag their feet, so the case can be heard as soon as possible.”

On top of Vodafone’s response is the expectation that EE will act on its legal threat against Three last month. “We have made the difficult decision to challenge the proposed structure of the next auction of mobile spectrum. We need to protect our customers' mobile experience, and help build the platform for the UK to have the highest quality 5G networks.”

KitGuru Says: Despite seeming justified in its wants for fair competition, Three’s motivation is more aligned with its inability to outbid competition as it tries to push past its fourth-place position. This delay will inevitably affect all other consumers with all companies including its own.

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Three fined £1.9m over flawed handling of emergency service calls https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/three-fined-1-9m-over-flawed-handling-of-emergency-service-calls/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/three-fined-1-9m-over-flawed-handling-of-emergency-service-calls/#respond Mon, 19 Jun 2017 16:13:22 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=338376 Mobile network Three has been hit with a £1.9 million fine after Ofcom uncovered weaknesses in how the network handles emergency calls. According to Ofcom, Three's network wasn't fit to deliver all emergency calls, with loss of service reports coming in from customers across the country. The fine was passed down on Friday the 16th …

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Mobile network Three has been hit with a £1.9 million fine after Ofcom uncovered weaknesses in how the network handles emergency calls. According to Ofcom, Three's network wasn't fit to deliver all emergency calls, with loss of service reports coming in from customers across the country.

The fine was passed down on Friday the 16th of June, with Ofcom saying that Three “broke an important rule designed to ensure everyone can contact the emergency services at all times”. This rule is considered to be a top priority for public health and safety. According to Ofcom's investigation, Three suffered a loss of service in Kent, Hampshire and some parts of London back in October 2016. These calls all had to pass through one data centre in order to reach emergency services, thus giving the network to a single point of failure. These calls should have automatically diverted via backup routes.

Image source: Ofcom

To rectify this issue, Three is adding an extra back-up route to carry emergency calls. However, since this vulnerability existed in the first place, Three was in breach of the requirement to ensure uninterrupted access to emergency services, so the £1.9m fine will need to be paid. The fine would have been larger but since the network co-operated in the investigation, it was reduced by 30 percent.

In the end, this fine is intended to serve as a warning to other networks to ensure their emergency service call handling is all in check.

KitGuru Says: Emergency service calls are obviously hugely important, so there needs to be tough rules in place there. Hopefully this will lead to other networks double checking their infrastructure too.

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O2 and EE drag their feet, will end roaming charges once new laws come into effect https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/o2-and-ee-drag-their-feet-will-end-roaming-charges-once-new-laws-come-into-effect/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/o2-and-ee-drag-their-feet-will-end-roaming-charges-once-new-laws-come-into-effect/#comments Tue, 09 May 2017 11:44:54 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=333434 While some networks are staying one step ahead by agreeing to drop roaming charges across the EU early, others are dragging their feet a bit. Over the last two years, the European Union has been working to abolish mobile network roaming charges across 47 European countries. This law comes into effect in mid-June, which is …

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While some networks are staying one step ahead by agreeing to drop roaming charges across the EU early, others are dragging their feet a bit. Over the last two years, the European Union has been working to abolish mobile network roaming charges across 47 European countries. This law comes into effect in mid-June, which is when we can expect the likes of O2 and EE to finally catch up to the likes of Vodafone and Three.

Vodafone dropped its roaming charges in Europe last month, ahead of the EU's new law change, which will see roaming charges dropped across Europe from the 15th of June. Three has also been proactive in this area, though as an extra, Three customers also face no roaming charges in the US and Australia.

Here's the full list of countries where O2 roaming charges will no longer apply: Austria, Azores, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, French Guiana, Germany, Gibraltar (UK), Greece, Guadeloupe, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madeira, Malta, Martinique, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Reunion Islands, Romania, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands and Vatican City.

From there, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Monaco and Switzerland are also included but only to business and pay monthly customers of O2.

The European Union's new anti-roaming law does include some non union-member countries. As a result, it seems likely that the UK will continue to be included after we officially exit the European Union. However, we don't have any official confirmation on that.

KitGuru Says: Nobody likes roaming charges, so it's nice to see them go away for good. Perhaps at some point, our phone plans will carry across more continents.

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Three’s database was breached, 130,000 customer accounts accessed https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/matthew-wilson/threes-database-was-breached-130000-customer-accounts-accessed/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/matthew-wilson/threes-database-was-breached-130000-customer-accounts-accessed/#comments Mon, 21 Nov 2016 17:07:43 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=312268 It looks like Three has suffered from a security breach as the UK-based mobile network has confirmed today that the accounts of over 130,000 customers were breached recently. Three people were reportedly involved in the breach, using official employee logins to access the mobile network's database of customers, with 133,827 accounts affected in total. This …

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It looks like Three has suffered from a security breach as the UK-based mobile network has confirmed today that the accounts of over 130,000 customers were breached recently. Three people were reportedly involved in the breach, using official employee logins to access the mobile network's database of customers, with 133,827 accounts affected in total.

This was a hack and while some personal information may have been obtained, this doesn't appear to be the driving factor behind the breach. Instead, those involved were seeking out customers who were eligible for an upgrade in order to have a new phone sent out to them that they could then intercept on the way and sell themselves.

screen-shot-2014-07-07-at-14-23-50-636x310

In a statement issued by Three Mobile, the network stated that “In total, information from 133,827 customer accounts was obtained but no bank details, passwords, pin numbers, payment information or credit/debit card information are stored on the upgrade system in question”. This means customer bank accounts and such should be safe but things like names, addresses and phone numbers could be used for future phishing scams, so that is worth keeping in mind.

The National Crime Agency arrested three men in connection to this breach. While thousands upon thousands of accounts were accessed, Three says only eight customers had handsets stolen through the upgrade system. Meanwhile, 400 high-value devices have been stolen through other burglaries happening at retail locations.

KitGuru Says: While a huge amount of accounts were technically accessed, it sounds like customers should be fairly safe. Just be wary of any potentially dodgy phone calls or emails as personal information can be used in phishing scams.

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Three mobile users at risk following trio of arrests for fraud https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/jon-martindale/three-mobile-users-at-risk-following-trio-of-arrests-for-fraud/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/jon-martindale/three-mobile-users-at-risk-following-trio-of-arrests-for-fraud/#respond Fri, 18 Nov 2016 12:31:26 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=312060 Customers of the Three mobile network are being urged to watch out for potential fraud or identity theft following the arrest of three men who have been charged with breaching the mobile provider's upgrade database. Although the purpose of the breach was to ‘steal' free phones, it also gave them access to customer data on …

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Customers of the Three mobile network are being urged to watch out for potential fraud or identity theft following the arrest of three men who have been charged with breaching the mobile provider's upgrade database. Although the purpose of the breach was to ‘steal' free phones, it also gave them access to customer data on a large scale.

Using an employee login, the three men who range from their mid-30s to late 40s, were able to access the carrier's customer upgrade system. The men are thought you have sent themselves hundreds of free mobile handsets, potentially worth thousands of pounds. The concern however is that data may have been retrieved from the database, potentially leaving customers vulnerable.

fluff

Three has released a statement making it clear that no customer financial data had been accessed, but did admit that names, addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth on a number of customers had been exposed during the breach. It cannot confirm at this time if any of that data was copied away, or how many customers may have been affected. It did however confirm that an investigation is on going and that moving forward Three has strengthened its systems to prevent a similar breach in the future.

Ars reports that Three has informed the Information Commissioner's Office of the breach, but has yet to contact any potentially affected customers with the news. Presumably it will do so when it learns more about the breach and if any data was stolen by those responsible.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It really puts into context how dangerous the recent Investigatory Powers Bill is. These are the very companies that the government want to store internet connection records on all of us. How can they guarantee those will remain safe? 

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Three expands free data roaming to 24 more countries https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/three-expands-free-data-roaming-to-24-more-countries/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/three-expands-free-data-roaming-to-24-more-countries/#comments Thu, 11 Aug 2016 16:40:48 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=302640 Three has announced that it will be expanding its ‘Feel at Home' data roaming service to another 24 countries this year. The service essentially gives customers free data roaming abroad, avoiding those nasty charges, which will be completely scrapped across the EU in 2017. Three will begin allowing customers to use minutes, texts and data …

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Three has announced that it will be expanding its ‘Feel at Home' data roaming service to another 24 countries this year. The service essentially gives customers free data roaming abroad, avoiding those nasty charges, which will be completely scrapped across the EU in 2017.

Three will begin allowing customers to use minutes, texts and data at no extra cost in a grand total of 48 countries from September onwards. According to the network, this means that around 80 percent of trips made by customers will be covered.

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The Inquirer has the full list of countries, which includes: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Isle of Man, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey.

This move comes after the European Commission ruled to completely scrap data roaming charges across the continent amongst all mobile operators. This will come in to effect from the 15th of June 2017.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Data roaming charges have always been a point of contention between networks and customers but fortunately, at least in the EU, they won't be an issue for much longer. It is also nice to see Three jumping the gun and putting changes into effect a little earlier than scheduled. 

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Three and O2 merger denied by European anti-trust head https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/three-and-o2-merger-denied-by-european-anti-trust-head/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/three-and-o2-merger-denied-by-european-anti-trust-head/#comments Wed, 11 May 2016 11:14:44 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=292410 Europe's antitrust commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, has rejected the bid by British mobile operators O2 and Three, to merge together into one giant entity. Citing “significant competition concerns,” with regards to the move, Vestager was also backed by British regulator OfCom, which agreed that it would be bad for consumers. Although Three had promised to takes …

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Europe's antitrust commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, has rejected the bid by British mobile operators O2 and Three, to merge together into one giant entity. Citing “significant competition concerns,” with regards to the move, Vestager was also backed by British regulator OfCom, which agreed that it would be bad for consumers.

Although Three had promised to takes steps to avoid inhibiting competition, like pledging not to raise prices for five years, to divest O2's stake in its joint-venture with Tesco and promising to strike a deal with Virgin to improve network capacity, this wasn't enough for Vestager.

“If the takeover had gone ahead this would have changed for the worst,” Vestager said (via Ars), citing that it would have given the joint network 40 per cent of the British mobile market, whilst reducing the number of large operators to just four.

vestager

Source: Friends of Europe/Flickr

OfCom has been pushing hard for the EU anti-trust commissioner to reject the merger and praised her announcement, stating that it was the right outcome for mobile consumers in the UK.

Three is understandably unhappy that its £10.25 billion offer will not go through though, with parent company CK Hutchison Holdings releasing the following statement:

“We are deeply disappointed by the commission’s decision to prohibit the merger between Three UK and O2 UK. We will study the commission’s decision in detail and will be considering our options, including the possibility of a legal challenge.”

It went on to say that it believes the deal would have been of a major benefit to the UK economy, as well as improving its service for customers.

O2's statement was much less aggressive, simply stating that it would continue to offer a solid service for its customers.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It does seem likely that a Three/O2 merger would have meant less choice for consumers and less competition, which traditionally leads to poorer service and higher prices.

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Regulator slams Three’s O2 buyout, demands Commission do more https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/regulator-slams-threes-o2-buyout-demands-commission-do-more/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/regulator-slams-threes-o2-buyout-demands-commission-do-more/#comments Mon, 11 Apr 2016 11:39:55 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=289301 The move by mobile network Three, to try and buyout other major UK network, O2, looks to have hit a snag, as the British antitrust regulator has raised concerns about a recent European Commission investigation into the merger. It described the remedies to cited problems as “materially deficient,” and wants to see it do more …

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The move by mobile network Three, to try and buyout other major UK network, O2, looks to have hit a snag, as the British antitrust regulator has raised concerns about a recent European Commission investigation into the merger. It described the remedies to cited problems as “materially deficient,” and wants to see it do more to address them.

The £10.25 billion deal would see Three's parent company, CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd. take control of the entire O2 network. While that would no doubt bolster Three's position in the market place, the concern from regulators has been that it would lead to higher prices and a reduced quality service to customers.

While these problems were highlighted by the European Commission, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) believes it doesn't go anywhere near far enough in addressing those concerns.

o2three

“While I appreciate the considerable efforts made by the commission to explore remedies with the merging parties that seek to eliminate the adverse effects identified, it is clear that the remedies offered fall well short of what would be required to meet the relevant legal standard, as detailed in our case submissions,” said the CMA's head, Alex Chrisholm (via Ars).

Unfortunately for those who agree with Chrisholm though, the CMA doesn't have jurisdiction on this deal, the European Commission does. It still has until the 19th May to push for tighter restrictions on the deal, or to raise any other concerns, but it remains to be seen if it will do so.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: What do you think of Three's attempt to further constrict the British mobile marketplace? It seems like dropping from four major firms to three, would hardly help the consumer.

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Sky to launch its own 4G mobile network in the UK https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/sky-to-launch-its-own-4g-mobile-network-in-the-uk/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/sky-to-launch-its-own-4g-mobile-network-in-the-uk/#respond Thu, 29 Jan 2015 14:31:15 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=233147 Sky is planning to become a cellular network provider, with its own 4G network set to launch in 2016. The company's Chief Executive believes that Sky has proven that it is capable of launching new services at scale, so launching a new network service could pay off. Jeremy Darroch, Sky's Group Chief Executive said in …

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Sky is planning to become a cellular network provider, with its own 4G network set to launch in 2016. The company's Chief Executive believes that Sky has proven that it is capable of launching new services at scale, so launching a new network service could pay off.

Jeremy Darroch, Sky's Group Chief Executive said in the announcement that “As the UK’s leading brand for home entertainment and communications, Sky has a proven ability to launch new services, at scale. We know our 11.5 million customers trust Sky to offer them the best quality and choice and have an appetite to take more from us.”

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“We can build on our expertise in content, innovation and service to launch a range of exciting new services and exploit the opportunities for growth in the fast-changing mobile sector.”

It has been rumored for a while that Sky will launch its own network and was even eyeing up O2, until Three swooped in and announced plans to purchase the network. With EE merging with BT and O2 possibly merging with Three assuming the deal goes through, then the UK network market will have more room for competition.

The Sky network will borrow from Telefonica's own bandwidth. Telefonica currently owns O2 and also lends signal to Tesco mobile customers- although O2 may be sold to Three soon.

Ronan Dunne, Telefonica UK's Chief Executive said that the company is “pleased to welcome Sky” to its roster of partnerships.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: This will be good for consumer choice in the UK network market and may lead to some decent competition, which is always good.

Source: Trusted Reviews

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Three confirms plan to buy O2 for over £10 billion https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/three-confirms-plan-to-buy-o2-for-over-10-billion/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/three-confirms-plan-to-buy-o2-for-over-10-billion/#comments Fri, 23 Jan 2015 14:56:46 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=232219 Hutchinson Whampoa, the parent company of UK mobile network, Three,  has confirmed that it is hosting “executive negotiations” with Telefonica to acquire O2 for £10.25 billion. This news comes just a few days after rumors of a potential purchase began to fly around. In a statement from Hutchinson, a company spokesperson said that these negotiations …

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Hutchinson Whampoa, the parent company of UK mobile network, Three,  has confirmed that it is hosting “executive negotiations” with Telefonica to acquire O2 for £10.25 billion. This news comes just a few days after rumors of a potential purchase began to fly around.

In a statement from Hutchinson, a company spokesperson said that these negotiations will take place over a few weeks: “Hutchison Whampoa, parent company of UK telecom operator Three UK, announced that it has entered into exclusive negotiations with Telefónica over a period of several weeks for the potential acquisition of Telefónica's UK subsidiary, O2 UK.”

o2_logo_600x400

The deal would involve £9.25 billion in cash along with deferred interest payments of up to £1 billion. Sky and TalkTalk were also previously reported to have been looking to acquire the O2 mobile network in an attempt to compete in the mobile market.

However, if Three were to purchase O2 it would suddenly become the largest network in the UK and as a result, this acquisition will likely be opposed by other networks as well as anti-trust watch dogs. O2 was previously due to be purchased by BT last year but the company opted to acquire EE instead.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: If O2 were to be acquired by Three then it would become the biggest network in the UK, overtaking EE. This will likely raise some anti-competitive concerns as the UK market would have a significantly reduced number of major mobile networks available.

Source: The Inquirer

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Sky, TalkTalk and Three join list of potential O2 buyers https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/sky-talktalk-and-three-join-list-of-potential-o2-buyers/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/sky-talktalk-and-three-join-list-of-potential-o2-buyers/#respond Wed, 21 Jan 2015 14:00:42 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=231713 Sky, TalkTalk and Three are all interested in acquiring the O2 network. Sky and TalkTalk both want to launch their own mobile businesses in order to compete with the likes of BT, which recently snapped up EE, the largest network in the UK. Hutchinson Whampoa, owner of Three, is planning a £9 billion bid to …

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Sky, TalkTalk and Three are all interested in acquiring the O2 network. Sky and TalkTalk both want to launch their own mobile businesses in order to compete with the likes of BT, which recently snapped up EE, the largest network in the UK.

Hutchinson Whampoa, owner of Three, is planning a £9 billion bid to take over O2. Reports are saying that investment bank, UBS AG, has been hired to explore options for O2, as the company is looking to exit the UK thanks to a £50 billion debt.

o2_logo_600x400

If O2 and Three were to combine, then it would create the largest network in the UK, which also means that the acquisition could face opposition due to anti-competitive laws. Additionally, Three buying O2 would also mean that four out of five 4G spectrum bidders will have merged, which the government might not be too happy about.

Other operators may not like a Three-O2 merger either, Vodafone was already worried when BT acquired EE, reportedly asking Ofcom to keep tabs on BT's business practices.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Sky or TalkTalk would likely face less opposition if either company were to buy O2, Three on the other hand already has its place in the mobile market and may not be allowed to purchase O2 due to anti-trust concerns. 

Source: The Inquirer

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Three and EE announce calls and texts over WiFi service https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/three-and-ee-announce-calls-and-texts-over-wifi-service/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/three-and-ee-announce-calls-and-texts-over-wifi-service/#comments Mon, 23 Jun 2014 07:43:53 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=199610 To help combat the growing trend of users taking to third party apps for their main methods of communication, both Three and Everything Everywhere (EE) have announced new services that allow customers to use their WiFi connection to send text messages and make calls, in the same manner as software like Skype. While spokespersons for …

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To help combat the growing trend of users taking to third party apps for their main methods of communication, both Three and Everything Everywhere (EE) have announced new services that allow customers to use their WiFi connection to send text messages and make calls, in the same manner as software like Skype.

While spokespersons for the two companies have stated publicly that the reason for the launch of the new service is to better cover those that are in areas that don't have high speed wireless data access, like 3G and 4G supporting areas, it seems just as likely that this move is to try and combat Skype and Whatsapp's continued growth.

bacon
Wouldn't want your mobile signal to… flatliners. Get it?

“There are going to be places where we don't currently penetrate,” said EE's director of network services, Tom Bennett. “I'm confident I run the best mobile network in the UK, but equally I can't cover everywhere, so part of voice-over-WiFi is prioritising the best customer experience.”

It's expected that this new service will benefit those in remote areas the most, as they are the least likely to have access to either wireless data or traditional cellular signal. It should also make it easier to for those that have mobile signal dead spots in their house, as when the service launches this autumn, the WiFi connection will be able to take over if the 2G signal disappears.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: This should be perfect for me as my house is notoriously horrible for mobile signal. What about the rest of you guys?

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Three kills off unlimited tethering https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/three-kills-off-unlimited-tethering/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/three-kills-off-unlimited-tethering/#comments Tue, 18 Mar 2014 13:00:02 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=182702 Mobile Network, Three, has just recently upgraded its customers to 4G for free and up until now, there didn't appear to be any drawbacks to the deal. However, now the network has decided to pull unlimited tethering from its current tariffs, which was a key benefit to the popular ‘One Plan'. Speaking to Wired, Three …

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Mobile Network, Three, has just recently upgraded its customers to 4G for free and up until now, there didn't appear to be any drawbacks to the deal. However, now the network has decided to pull unlimited tethering from its current tariffs, which was a key benefit to the popular ‘One Plan'.

Speaking to Wired, Three has also confirmed that the One Plan will no longer be offered either, all you can eat data tariffs will still be around but they will be much more expensive than they are now and tethering will be capped at either 500MB, 1GB or 2GB depending on your plan. For those of you that use tethering quite frequently and need more than the 2GB cap allows, then Three will also be offering tethering top ups.

3Vector P-B

These changes will only affect new or renewing customers and while these changes are a shame, Three is still in a good position as it is the only network to offer 4G at no extra cost and still offer unlimited data, although it will be at a higher price than customers are used to. The final change Three is making to its tariffs is a positive one, mobile calls to 0800 numbers will now be free.


KitGuru Says: It's a shame that the One Plan will no longer be offered, it was one of the better value tariffs on the market and unlimited data is becoming less and less affordable these days.
 

Source: Wired

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Ofcom wants to quadruple 4G license fees https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/ofcom-wants-to-quadruple-4g-license-fees/ Fri, 11 Oct 2013 12:44:22 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=157322 If you thought 4G data prices were bad now, wait until you hear this: Ofcom, the UK communications regulator wants to quadruple the price of licensing 4G signal bands for networks. If the network is going to be paying 4 times more, it'd be safe to assume customers would also have to face a hike …

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If you thought 4G data prices were bad now, wait until you hear this: Ofcom, the UK communications regulator wants to quadruple the price of licensing 4G signal bands for networks. If the network is going to be paying 4 times more, it'd be safe to assume customers would also have to face a hike in their fees.

This year the 4G spectrum auction brought in £1.2 billion less than Chancellor George Osbourne had hoped it would, even though nothing is final yet, consumers can expect to suffer the consequences. Here's a breakdown of what each network will be paying:

  • EE's 4G license fee would rise from £24.9 million to £107.1 million
  • Vodafone and O2 would be in the same boat with fees rising from £15.6 million to £83.1 million
  • Three's license fee would go from £8.3 million to £35.7 million

That is quite a price jump for all networks and could have a major effect on the growth of 4G infrastructure in the country and in turn have a wide spread effect on 4G adoption.

Uswitch.com's Adam Kirby had this to say:

“The proposed new costs reflect a huge leap in the amount networks will have to pay the regulator for using the spectrum – our concern is that it will be consumers who are left to foot the bill.”

A representative for Vodafone has also spoke out:

“We are disappointed that Ofcom is proposing a 430% increase in the fees we pay for our existing spectrum at a time when we are investing more than ever in vital national digital infrastructure. The regulator should be encouraging such private sector investment in infrastructure and new services like 4G, which will benefit consumers, businesses and the wider British economy for many years to come.”

4g_new_0

This move will likely face wide opposition not only from the networks themselves but from business experts and consumers as this could throw a wrench in the works of 4G development for years to come.

KitGuru Says: 4G was already quite limited in it's reach across the country so far, it's also a lot more expensive than a standard 3G plan. My biggest worry would be for the network Three, which was promising no price differences between 3G and 4G and simply upgrading its customers but if this hike in prices goes through it could ruin Three's consumer friendly approach.

Source: Tech Radar

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4G is expanding in the UK https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/4g-is-expanding-in-the-uk/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/4g-is-expanding-in-the-uk/#respond Thu, 26 Sep 2013 15:25:41 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=154610 EE, The company that scored itself a major head start in the 4G race, is expanding it's coverage to 12 smaller towns – but it isn't the only one. O2 and Vodafone are also bumping up their network coverage to five more cities starting today. The latest towns added to the EE 4G roster are; Ashby-de-la-Zouch, …

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EE, The company that scored itself a major head start in the 4G race, is expanding it's coverage to 12 smaller towns – but it isn't the only one. O2 and Vodafone are also bumping up their network coverage to five more cities starting today.

The latest towns added to the EE 4G roster are; Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Beaconsfield, Blackburn, Burton upon Trent, Coalville and Chester-le-Street. EE currently has the most coverage but that isn't surprising considering it launched a year ahead of other carriers. Most major cities are covered, so spreading out to the surrounding towns seems like a good way to progress.

On the other hand, we have O2 and Vodafone, delivering 4G to Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield. 4G still comes at a substantial price premium at the moment, making SIM-only deals and contracts quite pricey, but with 2014  set to see 98 per cent of the country covered by EE, hopefully prices will start to come down a bit.

The cheapest SIM-only deal at the moment starts at £26 per month, giving you 1GB of 4G data combined with unlimited calls and texts on O2, which isn't a bad way to go as 1GB is just enough for everyday social networking with a few YouTube videos thrown in here and there.

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Three will be joining the 4G arena this December, with its main selling point being that it won't charge any extra money for 4G over 3G. Hopefully this will make other carriers bring prices down. 4G is actually cheaper to broadcast than 3G, making Three's approach the most consumer friendly one.

KitGuru Says: 4G still isn't available in my area yet so I haven't had the chance to try it out. However, I am not really looking forward to getting it at its current price point. If prices come down next year then maybe I'll be swayed. Do any of you guys currently use 4G? Do you think it's worth the extra money?

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O2 to launch 4G services in August https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/henry-butt/o2-to-launch-4g-services-in-august/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/henry-butt/o2-to-launch-4g-services-in-august/#respond Mon, 05 Aug 2013 10:40:46 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=145856 At present, you only have one choice if you want to experience 4G speeds on your mobile – Everything Everywhere.  While many shops around the country will happily sell you a 4G enabled device on a 4G plan, coverage is still fairly limited and only covers the largest towns and cities in the country. It …

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At present, you only have one choice if you want to experience 4G speeds on your mobile – Everything Everywhere.  While many shops around the country will happily sell you a 4G enabled device on a 4G plan, coverage is still fairly limited and only covers the largest towns and cities in the country.

It looks like O2, the UK arm of Telefonica Europe, is going to be the second mobile network to throw their hat into the ring, launching their 4G service on the 29th August. Coverage will initially be limited to London and Leeds-Bradford, however O2 plans to roll-out coverage to 10 cities by the end of the year.

Many existing O2 customers may be disappointed to hear that many 4G enabled devices – such as the iPhone 5 – won't be able to enjoy 4G speeds on their network, as they have only bought licenses to use the part of the 800 MHz radio spectrum.  Other mobile service providers, Everything Everywhere included, also own part of the 2600 MHz band which is compatible with such phones.

O2-ENT_Blog_Banner_4G

There are advantages and disadvantages of both bands  The 800 MHz band is better for transmitting data over long distances and within buildings, however the 2600 MHz band offers better speeds and is better suited to built-up areas.  Most other operators have purchased part of both bands, allowing their customers the best of both worlds.

Vodafone and Hutchinson 3G (Three) have also announced plans to launch their 4G services by the end of the year, but haven't yet confirmed specific dates.  While EE and O2 are charging their users quite a premium for 4G services, starting at £21 and £26 per month respectively, Three have promised to upgrade existing customers without increasing the price.

KitGuru says: Have you bitten the 4G bullet yet?  Let us know in the comments below.

Thanks BBC News; Image source: O2

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4G auction revenue falls short https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/4g-auction-revenue-falls-short/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/4g-auction-revenue-falls-short/#respond Wed, 20 Feb 2013 12:12:38 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=125836 The auction of the 4G mobile spectrum which was epxected to raise upwards of £3.5 billion for the treasury has fallen short of its aims, only generating £2.3 billion – just over 10 per cent of what was paid by mobile providers back in 2000 for portions of the 3G spectrum. In some ways that's …

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The auction of the 4G mobile spectrum which was epxected to raise upwards of £3.5 billion for the treasury has fallen short of its aims, only generating £2.3 billion – just over 10 per cent of what was paid by mobile providers back in 2000 for portions of the 3G spectrum.

In some ways that's to be expected, as the jump from 2G to 3G was more dramatic than the move from 3G to 4G in terms of added functionality – even though the percentage speed increase is potentially far higher. However it's likely to have been a pleasing turnout for the providers themselves, as their pockets get to remain deep for the time being.

In an interesting turn of events however, the smallest UK network, Three, did much better than expected. While it has been outbid in other European countries, here it managed to secure a fair share of the spectrum, along with the other big providers, O2, Vodafone and Everything Everywhere (formerly T-Mobile and Orange).

BT was also part of the auction, but has no plans to offer 4G mobile broadband and will instead make use of the spectrum in specific locations, according to the Guardian.

4G
4G is so fast it's purple.

Describing the auction, Ofcom – the governing body that handled the auction – head Ed Richards said, “This is a positive outcome for competition in the UK, which will lead to faster and more widespread mobile broadband, and substantial benefits for consumers and businesses across the country. We are confident the UK will be among the most competitive markets in the world for 4G services.”

The 4G auction was often delayed because of bickering between mobile providers about the way it should be handled, but once T-Mobile and Orange merged to become EE and it used some of its ageing 2G spectrum for 4G services, the others quickly agreed in order to not fall too far behind on data offerings.

KitGuru Says: Good to see this finally going through as it should mean much better coverage for the UK in terms of high speed and standard speed wireless data transfer – great news for rural communities.

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UK mobile providers team up to speed 4G release https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/uk-mobile-providers-team-up-to-speed-4g-release/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/uk-mobile-providers-team-up-to-speed-4g-release/#respond Thu, 18 Oct 2012 11:16:20 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=112278 Considering the back and forth arguing of the different mobile providers in the UK about how the 4G auction should be completed, you'd be forgiven for not believing that they've now banded together to speed up the release of the 4G spectrum: but that's exactly what's happened. Vodafone, Everything Everywhere (formerly Orange and TMobile), Three …

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Considering the back and forth arguing of the different mobile providers in the UK about how the 4G auction should be completed, you'd be forgiven for not believing that they've now banded together to speed up the release of the 4G spectrum: but that's exactly what's happened.

Vodafone, Everything Everywhere (formerly Orange and TMobile), Three and O2 have all joined forces to create a joint company between them known as Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited (DMSL). The purpose of the firm will be to speed up the release of current 800MHz band TV broadcasts, so that it can also be used as part of the upcoming 4G network. While this company creation was always on the cards according to Techcrunch, it wasn't expected until after the 4G spectrum auction – set to take place later this year.

4G
Not far away now folks

Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said with regards to the 800MHz agreement: “This is further evidence of the progress that is being made by the industry, guided by Ofcom, to deliver 4G mobile services across the UK. The 4G auction is already on track to begin at the end of the year and the creation of Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited ahead of time represents yet another step towards bringing consumers early access to the next generation of mobile broadband services.”

Those that have been following the continued fiasco that is the 4G rollout, will remember that up until a few months ago, the big four mobile operators were arguing about how the auction should be completed. Three wanted preferential treatment because it was the smallest operator, while the others pointed out that Three had masses of investment money and would easily be able to compete. However all that came to a halt when OfCom granted Everything Everywhere the right to use its existing 2G spectrum as a 4G network as soon as possible.

This head start kicked the others in to gear and they quickly agreed to get the auction under way. As it stands, the rest of the world is far ahead of the UK in terms of 4G data adoption.

KitGuru Says: Again, it's about time. The UK is one of the world's leading economies, it's embarrassing that we're as far behind as we are when it comes to 4G, let alone the state of our internet connection speeds which are well below those of far smaller eastern European nations.

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UK 4G arriving by summer 2013 https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/uk-4g-arriving-by-summer-2013/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/uk-4g-arriving-by-summer-2013/#respond Tue, 02 Oct 2012 16:49:46 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=110339 Finally the big mobile operators have begun to shake hands over how the auction for 4G services will take place this year, with the agreement between them all expecting to be signed tonight – presumably because none of them want to give Everyone Everywhere (EE) too much of a lead in on the next-gen data …

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Finally the big mobile operators have begun to shake hands over how the auction for 4G services will take place this year, with the agreement between them all expecting to be signed tonight – presumably because none of them want to give Everyone Everywhere (EE) too much of a lead in on the next-gen data transfer service.

EE (formerly Orange and T-Mobile)  recently gained a massive head start over its competitors after it was given the go ahead to use some of its existing 2G spectrum to operate 4G services. However that lead won't be quite as long as the initially forecasted year and a half. More likely, it will now be closer to nine months.

4g
Artist interpretation

The only reason such a lead in existed at all however, is because the other big mobile operators, including O2, Vodafone and Three, refused to allow the latter (and smallest) of the group to have preferential treatment in the auction. Three claimed since it was by far the smallest it needed to be sold a portion of the 4G spectrum without the competition from others. Naturally O2, Vodafone and EE contested this – leading to a delay in the OfCom auction.

Now however, to help combat any further delays, the regulatory body has agreed to bring forward the auction date and the deadline for clearing the spectrum – meaning UK citizens should get earlier access. It is now expected to take place in January, instead of the initially planned March date, according to The Guardian.

While some people that live outside major cities have yet to see even 3G, due to incomplete coverage by the mobile operators, the introduction of 4G is said likely to allow for an increase in the availability of high speed wireless internet to more rural areas. Either 4G itself will cover it, or the freeing up of the 3G spectrum in cities will see it re-purposed as a broadband option for those in far flung places.

KitGuru Says: Considering countries like Estonia already have 4G access, it's good that this squabble is finally being sorted out. It's about time the UK caught up with the rest of the world. What do you guys think about this? Do you care about 4G? Do you have a phone that would make use of it? Let us know in the comment section below or on the KG Facebook page.

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Controversial Three Strikes law halves piracy in New Zealand https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/online/henry-butt/controversial-three-strikes-law-halves-piracy-in-new-zealand/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/online/henry-butt/controversial-three-strikes-law-halves-piracy-in-new-zealand/#comments Wed, 25 Jul 2012 06:00:33 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=100922 A controversial ‘SkyNet' three strikes law against internet piracy in New Zealand came into force on the 1st September 2011 which has halved online piracy according to the Record Industry Association of New Zealand. From August to September 2011 when the new law took effect, the number of times the top 200 movies were viewed …

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A controversial ‘SkyNet' three strikes law against internet piracy in New Zealand came into force on the 1st September 2011 which has halved online piracy according to the Record Industry Association of New Zealand.

From August to September 2011 when the new law took effect, the number of times the top 200 movies were viewed illegally online fell from 110,000 to 50,000 according to the Federation Against Copyright Theft who represents the major US movie studios.  Apparently the number hasn't fallen since then, though.

The law itself works by sending out two ‘warning' letters for the first two offences.  If you offend again, a third letter is sent out and the copyright owner can take you to the Copyright Tribunal.  The minimum fine is NZ$275 but this can inflate to NZ$15,000 depending on the severity of the offence.

Despite the 18%  fall in piracy with the introduction of ‘SkyNet' according to RIANZ, they also claim that New Zealanders are still ‘big cheats'.  Around 41% of New Zealanders accessed copyright infringing material via P2P networks in February, compared to a global average of 28%.

If 5,000 notices were sent out every month to P2P users who are infringing copyright, this would only cover 5% of these users.  This means the chances of receiving a warning letter are very small so a lot of users are likely to carry on offending.

Only three people have received three strikes since the law came into force but RIANZ has let the enforcement notices lapse without taking any action.  They won't comment on why they haven't taken any action.

For more information on the three strikes law, please click here and here.

KitGuru says: It's not clear whether RIANZ will start fining users in the future but at the moment, there doesn't seem to be much incentive for users to stop downloading copyright infringing material.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or in our forums.

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