Mobile phone time set from network?

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#265540 21-Oct-2009 08:48

Johnk: i know this is regarding 2deg, but one prob i found with the time auto on an XT phone was it took a day and half for the time to change (DST), nothing we did sorted it.

real PITA

I found on XT that the first SMS to arrive after DLS updated the time..

Regards,

Old3eyes

grant_k

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#265964 22-Oct-2009 09:18

BBJones: At the risk of answering a VF question in this forum...I understand the reason they don't do it is a) the only one time zone thing mentioned above and b) it costs 100's of thousands to license that functionality on their network.

My source also thought that the licensing for network features has to get re-purchased for every upgrade...*ouch* ...

After seeing this thread, I enabled "Auto Time Update" on my phone and over the last 2 days have noticed that it is now staying sync'd to the correct time -- exactly to the second in fact.

This is the first time I have enjoyed this functionality in NZ, and it's thanks to my being a 2degrees customer.

During the past 11 years while a Vodafone customer, I have had a variety of phones, and the displayed time always gained or lost a few seconds per week, depending on the phone. Over a few months, the error was noticeable, so I had to reset the time on my phone every so often.

I am gobsmacked to find that this functionality was always available to Vodafone, yet they chose not to provide it. What is hundreds of thousands of $ when Vodafone are extracting hundreds of millions of $ from their NZ customers every year?

This is yet another example of Vodafone screwing their customers for every $ they can, while giving back as little as possible in return. It's in tune with their mean-spirited policy of charging pre-pay customers $1 to talk to a CSR in Egypt.

Now I can talk to a Kiwi CSR at 2degrees, and it doesn't cost me anything. And I don't pay 89c per minute any more either. Mostly 22c and sometimes 44c to call a mobile.

So long Vodafone, I don't miss you at all :P

Jarno

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#265988 22-Oct-2009 10:20

I can confirm that time sync while roaming in the USA with 2degrees (AT&T) works, after setting the phone to auto update and restarting.

BBJones

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#268885 31-Oct-2009 21:39

grant_k:
BBJones: At the risk of answering a VF question in this forum...I understand the reason they don't do it is a) the only one time zone thing mentioned above and b) it costs 100's of thousands to license that functionality on their network.

My source also thought that the licensing for network features has to get re-purchased for every upgrade...*ouch* ...

During the past 11 years while a Vodafone customer, I have had a variety of phones, and the displayed time always gained or lost a few seconds per week, depending on the phone. Over a few months, the error was noticeable, so I had to reset the time on my phone every so often.

I am gobsmacked to find that this functionality was always available to Vodafone, yet they chose not to provide it. What is hundreds of thousands of $ when Vodafone are extracting hundreds of millions of $ from their NZ customers every year?

On the whole I agree...I'm on the Telecom side of the fence and have worked out it would cost me lots more to move to 2 degrees given my usage. I have friends who are in and ex Vodafone so I do have a slightly different take on it.

I don't think you picked up one part of the detail of my post (my mistake)

I think they would have to pay this "Every time they upgrade" = many times a year (what I was told when I asked someone internal). Whenever a company incurrs a cost, they ALWAYS pass it on to the customers (with interest). So...my viewpoint is that there may be a different licensing model for Huawei than Nokia networks. As there isn't much of a business case in network time in NZ given the single time zone and all, it's just a nice to have. When you also consider than most smart phones that sync to a pc / server will now sync their time as well, your talking about an even smaller benefit. Are you really saying that you or anyone would actually switch networks or choose them because they have network time? I can appreciate interpreting this as part of a customer service ethos that is lacking...but that is a whole other problem and I am completly with you on the billing for support calls. very poor given most of the issues are the consequences of poor forsight & planning.

I would also like to debate that extracting hundreds of millions from their customers every year does not equate to hundreds of millions of dollars worth of profit. It may do, but what I have seen would suggest it doesn't it's much more about were they waste their money and lack strategic planning.

Don't get me wrong...I could write pages of things I think Voda, Telecom, 2 Degrees, Voda, Telecom and Voda could do better, but there are some far better places and much cooler network features they could spend it on than spend so much on a feature that has such a small impact in this country.

They want you to be happy like all the other Telco's...they just suck at it sometimes :)
too may times!

The Telco's just look at you as an opportunity (all of them it's the business model of a telco) you have a wallet and can afford to spend $x per month for mobile telephony. It changes over time, you may have more or less and the value they provide gets less as the technology gets better and the competition launch new things.

I am only saying this because if everyone new how they work and didn't get all emotional about it we could get them to change quite easily.

Personally I wish one of the Telco's would stop spending all their / our cash on an endless persuit to be the fastest. It's nice to have, but here are other cheeper areas of value they can add far more value to their customers and it's all they have done for years.

I have been using mobile data heavily for many years and long ago got all the speed I need for when I am mobile. I want quality of signal (less drop outs on my VPN), smarter billing, self service and additional network functions, like having two sims with the same number). Higher handset subsidies and selection on smart phones would be better also.

All they are doing is trying to supply a service to match fixed broadband because all the punters who don't understand the technology and make the most noise think would be the best outcome (it would be great, but so would Paris Hilton showing up at my appartment with a handicam - Reality is a whole other thing).

These are mobile networks they can put all the back haul and upgrades in the world in, but they have huge capacity constraints over the air and always will. They should focus on what they can do better before they spend all their cash (that they take from our pockets) on speed. note: It's more complex than that I know, but I don't have a year to describe the whole mobile vs. fixed vs. customer ownership debate.

My visibilty would suggest:

Vodafone NZ has to charge a fortunue because their costs are ridiculous. they need to change their culture around accountability, have more technical knowledge at the top and learn to be pragmatic as they currently spend 10's (possibly 100's) of millions on third parties to do things because they have too many middle managers hiding reality from their masters (what I hear is frightning). If you added up how much they spend on their core network vendors vs. 2 degrees budget it would be very sobering and I suspect career limiting if you tried to justify it to a pragmatic CEO.

Telecom needs to aim a little higher in the innovation area. They had all the opportunity in the world to smack Vodafone down and take the leadership role when they launched and have Vodafone playing catchup...but what did they deliver possibly better data speed and coverage...but any more capabilty? Anything new? Disapointing given the infrastructure they can leverage. The market is theirs to take but they seem to constantly aim for mediocracy. Mind you I think Paul Renolds is doing a stellar job, so there must be a disconnect in their organisation somewhere or else they are playing a longer game. That's what I am hoping for and one reason why I haven't bothered to move yet.

2Degrees and the other newcomers...why do you always focus on the users who expect the most for the least $$? How about some technical innovation as well? I have been with Telecom for years, moved to GSM because it was a no-brainer. But PLEASE give me a reason to move! I am not a kid who lives on SMS, so the savings don't add up. I spend lots and care less about the dollars than the value it gives me. If I bill two extra hours a month my phone bill is as good as free. so don't give me a "simpler" rate plan that works out to cost me a ton more. Reward my massive spend with capabilty and tiered pricing.

Huh. Lots more to say than I thought! Perhaps their needs to be a "Hey Telco CEO...please read" thread moderated to constructive feedback only.

BB

freitasm

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#268895 31-Oct-2009 22:13

BBJones: Telecom needs to aim a little higher in the innovation area. They had all the opportunity in the world to smack Vodafone down and take the leadership role when they launched and have Vodafone playing catchup...but what did they deliver possibly better data speed and coverage...but any more capabilty? Anything new? Disapointing given the infrastructure they can leverage. The market is theirs to take but they seem to constantly aim for mediocracy. Mind you I think Paul Renolds is doing a stellar job, so there must be a disconnect in their organisation somewhere or else they are playing a longer game. That's what I am hoping for and one reason why I haven't bothered to move yet.

Telecom people are very aware of their need to innovate. Don't be fooled, a lot of people working on this. Launching XT was a big thing - it is hard to mix infrastructure work with other stuff. Now that they have things working there's a chance we will see new stuff. Take the mobile TV offer for example. Or the unlimited SMS offer. Granted it could just be something to speed up XT adoption, but it's a good move.

As for Vodafone, for the last two years I have been saying that customer service is lacking service, but it's full of customers. Fixing that will go a long way making people happy to pay for their services.

BBJones

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#269006 1-Nov-2009 13:58

freitasm:
BBJones: Telecom needs to aim a little higher in the innovation area. They had all the opportunity in the world to smack Vodafone down and take the leadership role when they launched and have Vodafone playing catchup...but what did they deliver possibly better data speed and coverage...but any more capabilty? Anything new? Disapointing given the infrastructure they can leverage. The market is theirs to take but they seem to constantly aim for mediocracy. Mind you I think Paul Renolds is doing a stellar job, so there must be a disconnect in their organisation somewhere or else they are playing a longer game. That's what I am hoping for and one reason why I haven't bothered to move yet.

Telecom people are very aware of their need to innovate. Don't be fooled, a lot of people working on this. Launching XT was a big thing - it is hard to mix infrastructure work with other stuff. Now that they have things working there's a chance we will see new stuff. Take the mobile TV offer for example. Or the unlimited SMS offer. Granted it could just be something to speed up XT adoption, but it's a good move.

As for Vodafone, for the last two years I have been saying that customer service is lacking service, but it's full of customers. Fixing that will go a long way making people happy to pay for their services.

Agree 100% on the challenge to address customer service. I think there is a little too much focus on the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff and if some of that budget was spent on product quality & self service it might be more bang for their buck.

Mobile TV...seen it, SMS...it's just a rate plan. I know they want to innovate and I am not making comment without significant visibility of what's going on inside there. I just think they are taking on Vodafone at their own game and not thinking outside the square. My hope is that they will increase the focus on more areas where they are going to add more "value" to their customers via network capabiltiy (speed excluded) or smarter billing / more visibilty, self service etc. I know they are...but none of the telco's have got this part right yet and are allowing their product strategies to be led by the opinions of the people who know the least about what is possible.

Keep up the good work Mauricio this is one of the few forums where there is more than just the public making un-informed commentary and suggestions.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to build a forum with a list of products / services that are used overseas or that are highly possible for a low cost....and then have a vote on which ones we would like to see the most. All these products need is a business case that puts it above the others in the telco's budgets.

Just thinking :)

BB

MikeyPI

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#269385 2-Nov-2009 19:38

grant_k:

After seeing this thread, I enabled "Auto Time Update" on my phone and over the last 2 days have noticed that it is now staying sync'd to the correct time -- exactly to the second in fact.

Cool if your main requirement for a telco is timekeeping, sounds great.

grant_k:
This is the first time I have enjoyed this functionality in NZ, and it's thanks to my being a 2degrees customer.

During the past 11 years while a Vodafone customer, I have had a variety of phones, and the displayed time always gained or lost a few seconds per week, depending on the phone. Over a few months, the error was noticeable, so I had to reset the time on my phone every so often.

Sounds like a phone issue rather than network. And I have never had an issue with a phone not keeping time on VFNZ.

grant_k:
I am gobsmacked to find that this functionality was always available to Vodafone, yet they chose not to provide it. What is hundreds of thousands of $ when Vodafone are extracting hundreds of millions of $ from their NZ customers every year?

Yawn.. Beat up the telco time... So imagine that meeting...
We want to spend $200,000 a year so peoples phones dont lose a second a month. That will go down like a bucket of cold vomit. Business make a profit end of.. As long as its not at the expense of human suffering, no drama.

grant_k:
This is yet another example of Vodafone screwing their customers for every $ they can, while giving back as little as possible in return. It's in tune with their mean-spirited policy of charging pre-pay customers $1 to talk to a CSR in Egypt.

Mean spirited? Charging people who waste your time with inane questions? Driving up your costs even further?
Just the mention of the charge would have lowered nuisance calls by 25% I bet. And if you want some loyalty from a business, then show some in return.. Why do you think prepay customers get the raw end of the stick

grant_k:
Now I can talk to a Kiwi CSR at 2degrees, and it doesn't cost me anything. And I don't pay 89c per minute any more either. Mostly 22c and sometimes 44c to call a mobile.

So long Vodafone, I don't miss you at all :P

Cool... I talk to a kiwi CSR, whenever I call, as I show them loyalty, and they return it. Only casual prepay mugs pay 89c pm. I pay 42c to ANYONE, on or off net.. And I bet you pay 44c a min for just about every call, since you dont get any bundled best mates etc, and pay 22c for the minority of the people on 2D...

(ps does anyone know 2D's marketshare)

Samsung

Shop now on Samsung phones, tablets, TVs and more (affiliate link).

MikeyPI

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#269391 2-Nov-2009 19:50

The laziness of some people these days is staggering....

And as Johnr has already pointed out, most phones do it themselves..

So you have the time to jump on the internet b*tch about it, but not the couple of seconds to adjust the time??

nzbnw

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#269393 2-Nov-2009 19:51

MikeyPI I get the feeling from the tone of your message above you're attacking the person and not the argument.

Either way this is a handy feature, and I also Can't believe VF don't offer it

nzbnw

nzbnw

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#269394 2-Nov-2009 19:53

MikeyPI: The laziness of some people these days is staggering....

And as Johnr has already pointed out, most phones do it themselves..

So you have the time to jump on the internet b*tch about it, but not the couple of seconds to adjust the time??

I hope your not representing VF. Johnr does a great job and managed to convey his message effectively.

I would suggest toning your messages down.

nzbnw

MikeyPI

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#269404 2-Nov-2009 20:09

nzbnw: MikeyPI I get the feeling from the tone of your message above you're attacking the person and not the argument.

Either way this is a handy feature, and I also Can't believe VF don't offer it

nzbnw

What did I say about the person?

I thought I broke down his/her post, and posted my own opinion?

MikeyPI

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#269405 2-Nov-2009 20:12

nzbnw:
MikeyPI: The laziness of some people these days is staggering....

And as Johnr has already pointed out, most phones do it themselves..

So you have the time to jump on the internet b*tch about it, but not the couple of seconds to adjust the time??

I hope your not representing VF. Johnr does a great job and managed to convey his message effectively.

I would suggest toning your messages down.

nzbnw

Where does it say I represent VF?

Johnr does an awesome job....

The above generalisation of lazy people is not directed at anyone in particular....

I suggest ignoring my posts if you have such a problem with them...

nzbnw

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#269413 2-Nov-2009 20:37

I didn't say you did represent VF, I said I hope you didn't...

I just got the general vibe from your posts that you are genuinely annoyed at people posting about this, however that is only my interpretation, perhaps you didn't.

I don't have a problem with you or anyone posting, as above I just got the general vibe that there was an alteria motive. Apologises.

nzbnw

richms

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#269421 2-Nov-2009 20:48

Did it ever occur to you that the "casual prepay mugs" are those that dont want to commit to a long term as vodafone make you do to get on a plan, they dont have the high usage requirements to warrant a plan, or are unable to get a plan because vodafones useless billing system cannot do spending limits so they wont let anyone with less then a squeeky clean credit rating go on a plan?

Richard rich.ms

MikeyPI

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#269598 3-Nov-2009 13:41

richms: Did it ever occur to you that the "casual prepay mugs" are those that dont want to commit to a long term as vodafone make you do to get on a plan, they dont have the high usage requirements to warrant a plan, or are unable to get a plan because vodafones useless billing system cannot do spending limits so they wont let anyone with less then a squeeky clean credit rating go on a plan?

Exactly, you dont want to commit.. i.e loyalty. Now that's cool, but dont expect favours in return...

And for your last comment, thats blatant b/s, I have a less than stellar credit rating from doing stupid things in my teens and early twenties, and VF didnt have a problem with me.

As for spending limits, if you are are credit risk, VF do put on a credit limit.

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