Buzzin Mobiles

New offering allows UK SME’s and small businesses value and flexibility as well as free mobile Skype for business for first time.

3 Business, the new small business division of mobile operator 3, has launched a comprehensive range of new deals for small UK businesses with the introduction of Business Mix and Match plans.

3 Business’ pricing structure offers customers a new level of value and customisation in their company’s mobile plans, as well as making advanced Internet services like mobile Skype accessible on a business plan for the first time.

3 Business customers can choose from a range of options for voice minutes, texts, mobile broadband data and handsets.

In addition, for the first time on any network, 3’s Business Mix & Match plans offer free Skype calls from mobiles, which enable businesses to stay in touch for free via Internet calling.

Every Business Mix and Match customer will receive 300 free 3-to-3 minutes, free Skype-to-Skype calls, free voicemail and free Instant Messenger.

Business Mix and Match also offers customers significant flexibility when choosing handsets.  Customers will be able to select new handsets such as Nokia’s N95 or the HTC TyTN II, alongside established handsets such as Nokia’s E61 and 6500 slider.

3 Business has also boosted the value of its Business 600, Business 900 and Flat Rate tariffs, giving customers on these price plans 2000 free 3-to-3 minutes. In addition new customers signing up for 18-months will also receive a 10% discount and those on 24-month contracts will get 25% off their recurring charge (discount applies to sharer member not access fee).

Renato Bottini, 3 Business Division Manager, said: “We’re bringing the same value and innovation that we’ve introduced into the UK consumer market to small businesses.  We want to be the best value, to offer the most exciting new services and to give our customers the service levels they expect.”

“The launch of mobile Skype for business is a real first in the market. Consumers have been taking advantage of free Internet calling on mobile for some time and we’re now enabling small businesses to benefit from this. Whether you’re calling your office in the UK or your customer in Australia, Skype offers free mobile calling and you can’t beat that sort of value.”

As I wrote about for www.GenerateSuccss.co.uk mobile online marketing is becoming big news, and every UK business should be considering whether to use this new media to market their products & services.

But with the merging of mobile internet marketing and customer tracking via GPS comes the latest incentive for UK businesses who wish to push local advertising.

There is a whiff of ‘big brother’ when you consider you will be targetted by businesses advertising on the internet because technology knows exactly where you are, when using your mobile phone or PDA to browse the internet or send emails

This technology is already available, and Microsoft are stepping up their mobile services in an attempt to claw back some of the market that has been lost to Google.

Microsoft have suggested that e-mail and instant messaging applications for mobile phones will now display advertisements for the first time. Windows Live will also show advertising.

According to The Times Online, mobile advertising spending in Western Europe is expected to rise from $1 billion in 2007 to $1.5 billion this year, according to eMarketer, the research firm.

Following on from my recent post regarding the probability that Apple are about to launch the new iPhone with 3G capabilities in June, it is reported that Apple are in negotiations with the main record labels. Apple has had problems convincing record labels to agree to a flat rate pricing system in past negotiations.

All individual tracks listed on iTunes sell for 79p with a reduced cost for a complete album and the occassional free track. This ‘one size fits all’ approach is both simple and very successful. But record labels have always wanted to sell current commercial hit singles for more and their back catalogue for less. Hitherto, Apple have won the day and record labels have had to play by the Apple rules.

But if, as expected, the new Apple iPhone comes with 3G capabilities, that opens up another can of worms that has had Apple CEO Steve Jobs and record label bosses around the negotiating table again, this time to agree on mobile delivery licensing deals; and this time according to The Guardian, it looks like Apple are prepared to listen.

Reports that the record labels may have the upperhand and Apple are prepared to negotiate on their terms, follows the announcement of a two-tier pricing plan to download HBO TV shows, earlier this year.

Vodafone UK has realised the importance its customers are now placing on mobile internet use and has restructured its price plans to include access to the internet and email on their mobile as an integral part of the monthly price plan.

Currently Pay Monthly customers pay for additional internet bundle for £7.50 per month. But Vodafone UK will now include mobile internet access.

Vodafone Price plans start at £25 and customers who select a £40 or higher price plan will also for the first time have the choice of unlimited texts, unlimited landline calls or unlimited Vodafone to Vodafone calls.

Ian Shepherd, director of consumer for Vodafone UK said,

“Our customers want simplicity and services that are easy to select, buy and use. Today with our new price plans Vodafone customers have the confidence to browse for as long as they need with no extra costs when checking their e-mail, visiting their favourite social networking sites or making a final bid on eBay.”

Rumour has it that Apple are ready to launch a 3G iPhone this year.

Software developers are currently working on the Beta 5 version of the iPhone 2.0 firmware.

The screenshot (left) is taken from its Network Settings screen and clearly shows the ‘Enable 3G’ option.

Existing 8Gb and 16Gb Apple iPhone models are listed as “Currently unavailable” both here in the UK & in the United States; and stock is almost depleted in UK O2 stores due to the 8GB special offer price.

There is speculation that the new 3G iPhone could be unveiled at Apple’s WWDC08 - Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 9-13 June in San Francisco.