pwner: The Marketing and Sales info is where all the secret stuff is and they will try and defend that info to the death.
We try not to fall victim to one of the classic blunders:
Never get involved in a land war in Asia
Never go up against a Telco when death is on the line
Technically in todays fast moving world you would never want to go against ANY telco. Customer loyalty is falling and the ability to switch (thanks 2d for portability) is so much easier. Death is always on the line and 2degrees is a prime example, they can stick around whilst the other two incumbents mess about with lowering the prices, but any more $12 for 200 minute/unlimited text plans and there wont be much left of 2degrees...
timmyh: So for those who have tried Toybox:
- Is there anything interesting on it? - Is there anything different to Vodafone Live or T-World?
Or is it a bunch of crappy services that don't quite work on crappy phones?
Without being a smart arse... your last guess is 100% correct.
It 1) adds little value, if any 2) is slow and has too many images 3) not compatible with MS OS or iPhones 4) is only half baked
I think it is important for 2d to have a portal simply because it's like a starting point for customers to begin to use the mobile web. But to reach it's full potential you need 3g.
I'm not sure that I see the point. I watched Vodafone Live evolve over a number of years and frankly it has stuff all users, very few repeat or high volume users, sucks up lots of internal resources, and barely pays its way.
US market is showing that the type of customers who actually want these services will go an get a phone that can deliver it properly.
Q: So why bother building a crippled service for low value customers who don't even want to use it?
A: Cause every other Telco does it, we think it enhances the 'brand', and somehow (though no-one knows how) it is stopping us becoming 'bit pipes'.
Everything else is noise at this point. The world is moving to mobile smartphones, and while cheaper calls and texting is extremely compelling, data is the growing trend.
My loyalty to 2degrees will be sorely tested if we haven't seen any movement on either of the above by about the anniversary mark (ie Jul/Aug).
SteveON: Technically in todays fast moving world you would never want to go against ANY telco. Customer loyalty is falling and the ability to switch (thanks 2d for portability) is so much easier. Death is always on the line and 2degrees is a prime example, they can stick around whilst the other two incumbents mess about with lowering the prices, but any more $12 for 200 minute/unlimited text plans and there wont be much left of 2degrees...
Can't say I agree here. $12 for 200 minutes is OK, but not much use to a lot of casual users.
walt12: So in summary, the crowds are calling for:
a) 3G
b) Data plans or cheaper casual charges
Everything else is noise at this point. The world is moving to mobile smartphones, and while cheaper calls and texting is extremely compelling, data is the growing trend.
My loyalty to 2degrees will be sorely tested if we haven't seen any movement on either of the above by about the anniversary mark (ie Jul/Aug).
Mine is already tested... I'm looking at my next smart phone, but I want DATA! Honestly its annoying. Apparently they have already built the backhaul to their sites, so why can't they provide EDGE with decent prices?
The only thing keeping me is their prices are better than the lower plans of the other 2 even though I spend about $60/mo I could spend 30/mo with all the calling I want on the XT network using bestmates.
Okay I have just convinced myself to go back to XT... I miss bestmates too much...
SteveON:Mine is already tested... I'm looking at my next smart phone, but I want DATA! Honestly its annoying. Apparently they have already built the backhaul to their sites, so why can't they provide EDGE with decent prices?
Agreed. A nice interim measure to 3G, full-blown on-account & data plans would be cheaper casual data charges for the EDGE network. Currently I have a Vodafone mobile broadband plan, the sim for which I have to swap into my phone whenever I want to chew up some serious data. I refuse to carry 2 phones around.
So all of that effort that has gone into creating this 'Toybox' thing should have gone into 3G coverage and relevant price plans. 2D won't have the resource to do everything.
And combine this with some cheaper Android devices.
walt12: So in summary, the crowds are calling for:
a) 3G
b) Data plans or cheaper casual charges
Everything else is noise at this point. The world is moving to mobile smartphones, and while cheaper calls and texting is extremely compelling, data is the growing trend.
My loyalty to 2degrees will be sorely tested if we haven't seen any movement on either of the above by about the anniversary mark (ie Jul/Aug).
It's taken too long for me. I use my phone mostly for internet and music, and txt'ing secondary.
I'm going to sign up with Vodafone again and get 100mb monthly free traffic for the next 3 months for being a new prepay customer. Texting will be uber expensive, and I'll have to limit phone calls from now on.. but oh well.
If I've done the math right... 2Degrees: $20 gets you 40mb of traffic and 100 free txt's Vodafone: $20 gets you 100mb of traffic and 50 txt's (at worst).
I'll be back in 3 months when 2degrees has their data plans out. I dont think very highly of Telecom or Vodafone for locked in contracts, termination fees, and 89 cents per minute calling rates on Prepay if you dont buy one of their special deals.
I wonder how long before I get sick of not being able to make a phonecall. :) I got $19 credit left on my 2degrees SIM.. will be sad to switch, because 2d have done a lot for us. But I'll definitely be back.
timmyh: So all of that effort that has gone into creating this 'Toybox' thing should have gone into 3G coverage and relevant price plans. 2D won't have the resource to do everything.
And combine this with some cheaper Android devices.
do you really think the same guys doing the 3G coverage work are doing toybox?
Any posts are personal comments and not that of my employer
timmyh: So all of that effort that has gone into creating this 'Toybox' thing should have gone into 3G coverage and relevant price plans. 2D won't have the resource to do everything.
And combine this with some cheaper Android devices.?
do you really think the same guys doing the 3G coverage work are doing toybox?
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