Ondrej Holzman Mobile operators, especially the Czech ones, absolutely ignore any new trends and changes in communication and are constantly playing in their own sandbox, perhaps from the last century. However, they are, unfortunately, lucky that there is no one to deprive them of their earnings. In short, we need mobile tariffs to live, no matter what it costs.
Two things led me to think about the future of mobile tariffs - on the one hand, the upcoming call via Facebook Messenger, and on the other hand, the offer of domestic mobile operators, which is more like crying. When extending the contract, one of them practically gives me no choice but to try my luck elsewhere.
For American customers, Facebook is starting to allow calling in addition to texting through its Messenger for iPhone, which means that if you are friends with someone on Facebook and have access to Wi-Fi or mobile internet, then you can easily "bypass" regular calls or SMS. Operators are already having problems with the fact that more and more users are using services such as WhatsApp or Viber instead of ordinary "messages", which can send a lot of other information in addition to classic text, but the operators are mainly troubled by the fact that they work thanks to the Internet, so they do not use their mobile tariffs and operators are running out of money.
One of the most widespread ways of online communication is Facebook, with over one billion users connected. Until now, it was only possible to write on Facebook on mobile devices, but that is about to change. Overseas, Facebook has started enabling audio calls on the iPhone, and it won't be long before the service expands to other platforms and countries. Otherwise, the whole thing would be somewhat meaningless. It is true that there is already established Skype or Apple's constant promotion of FaceTime, but frankly speaking, neither of them has the user base of Facebook. While Facebook doesn't support video calls yet, I'm not sure if the absence of video should be a major problem and a possible reason for failure.
So the current trend is clear - most services are moving to the cloud and the Internet, and you practically can't get by without access to it today. If you have a smartphone or tablet and you do not have access to the Internet, then more than half of the functions and applications will be unusable. Related to this is the already mentioned trend of moving communication to the online world, when ordinary text messages are replaced by messengers such as Viber and the like. As a result, classic mobile tariffs that offer free calls and SMS are losing their importance more and more.
To tell you the truth, on my iPhone (and also iPad) when choosing a tariff, I now think much more about what its Internet connection parameters are, and the price of calls and messages comes second. However, this undeniable development is resisted with all their might by the Czech operators, who seem to completely ignore the age of the Internet and always only do their own thing. I deal primarily with the Czech scene, where my claims are substantiated, and in addition, in other countries, operators' offers are often at a completely different level and corresponding to today's times. Customers there may also pay higher amounts, but they also receive adequate services for them.
Simply put, the offer of Czech mobile operators needs to undergo a fundamental revolution. Operators must finally realize that we are no longer at a time when mobile Internet is just developing and users use it rather sporadically. On the contrary, I can imagine that if any of our operators were able to grasp this and finally offer truly revolutionary tariffs (in their eyes, the word "revolutionary" often does not evoke the same thing as it does for users), then they could significantly expand their customer base .
My recent experience with extending the contract with one of the Czech operators, who after more than ten years of cooperation, was able to offer me conditions that would have made them ashamed even in the stone age, if they had internet there, is driving me to this point. If I intend to extend the contract, the operator will cancel my current tariff without any compensation, and in its place an employee who is completely unknown to me (I will ignore this fact for now) will offer 20 MB of FUP per month, then I don't know if he or I have fallen from the pear tree.
I understand that the plan he was offering me was all about calling and texting, and the internet connection was supposed to be some kind of nice bonus, but does anyone really think that 20MB of data a month is going to help anyone? Operators should first of all realize that today they no longer attract customers to tariffs with unlimited SMS, because practically everyone communicates via Facebook or Viber. And I seriously don't understand their constant promotion of free minutes and messages to their own network, at best still limited to just a few numbers, for example. Which are offers that appear in most tariffs. When I then counter by saying that I really don't call just five numbers and it really isn't just to a single network and that I would much rather call for money, but have a usable internet available, the operator has practically nothing to offer me.
There is constant talk that a new, fourth operator should visit the Czech Republic. Everyone hopes that if this actually happens, it will finally stir up the stagnant waters and cause a minor tariff revolution. I wish only one thing from him – whether it's Kellner or anyone else, that he doesn't fall into the gray sub-average of local operators and offer us modern, if you like, Western tariffs (although even in the East they are better off than us). In short, I would like to come to the branch and leave with a tariff worthy of my smartphone or tablet, because it is impossible for me to not be able to fully use my devices these days just because of the desperate offer of operators.
This slowly brings me back to the beginning of the article, to calling via Facebook and other similar options. For example, a simple audio call does not "eat up" too much data, but if we wanted to use a video call today, we would use up our data limit relatively smoothly. Despite the fact that in today's smartphones, the Internet accompanies us at every step. We want to browse the web, check our e-mail inbox, find a point on the map, download a document or an application - for all this we need an Internet connection and enough space to maneuver. However, it is possible to run out of 20 megabytes even before your FUP is restored again.
But one of the solutions to our problems could be that Apple decides that it no longer needs operators, takes its billions of dollars, which it has at its disposal, and builds its own mobile network. After all, Steve Jobs allegedly had such a plan in his head. However, I do not want to discuss such a possibility here, since it is unlikely in the near future, and on the one hand, this network would only be usable in the United States. But one day it might actually shrink the SIM card in the iPhone so much that it won't be there at all. In addition to the iron market, Apple will also control the mobile network, i.e. the Apple network, because other phones would probably not work on its network.
Many people report that they want to emigrate because of the presidential election. However, it would be much more understandable if people wanted to go abroad for better tariffs. This is what they have to deal with every day and what costs them, usually considerable amounts of money.
Author's note: The article was written before T-Mobile introduced its new data tariffs, which seem to be much fairer than the current ones. However, the prices and tariffs mentioned in the article do not practically apply to this offer.
Even the newly introduced tariffs from TM are no terno. The speed of data transfers is fine, but FUP definitely does not match it. Nowadays, 100 MB per month should be some kind of basic free on every SIM card. I myself have an iPhone and two iPads, and all of them have much better data plans than this brazen mockery of theirs. After all, their offer doesn't solve anything at all, it doesn't bring anything attractive, it's basically useless.
Specifically, how far more favorable data tariffs? (iPhones + iPads)
In iPhone from VF 3 GB for approx. 240 crowns and in iPad 3 GB for 250 crowns shared in two SIM cards (one in each iPad), so 1,5 GB for 125 crowns each. I don't necessarily need more FUP and these limits are comfortably enough for me to use. I would be uncomfortable with an iPhone under 1 GB.
And they are all tariffs for normal mortals, no discounts collected under the threat of switching to a competitor or gained from fame, it is only a matter of taking advantage of the operator's momentary temporary action. The VF event took place when the iPhone 3G went on sale, and the TM event in iPads was sometime in the summer.
In the footer of TM's page, it says, among other things: In 2012, World Finance magazine declared T-Mobile Czech Republic the Best Mobile Operator in Eastern Europe. :D :D :D maybe the most expensive.. Otherwise, it doesn't seem like a chore either, but it's possible if you're making money..
I'm lucky that about two years ago I was found by a promotional offer from O2 10 GB FUP for CZK 150 per month, I use it on an iPad and it doesn't go wrong.
"Operators must finally realize that we are no longer at a time when mobile Internet is just developing and users use it rather sporadically."
The question here is what percentage of Czech customers really use the internet and, on the other hand, how many customers are still satisfied with only calls and SMS. But it will probably be a big number for internet customers. The operators of the ordinary client are extorting. He's still a man, and he won't just throw the opportunity away. So I have a tariff where the price of mobile internet is somewhere around 1/4 of the price for an "ordinary" customer and the FUP limit is even increased to 1/10. This is compared to the above-mentioned "much fairer tariff" offer from the same operator T-mobile. And that is important for laughing/crying. Because the offer for the "ordinary" customer acts, as the author stated: 'like FALLING FROM A PEAR'.
A little OT:
For a long time I used the Student tariff from Vodafone. 200 sms for 100,- + 50 free minutes for 150,- + non-student internet 500mb for tablet (to mobile) for 265 crowns. A total of 515 crowns. Now I bought a ČD in-card for 150 crowns for 3 years. (calculated in months... 3 years=36 months = 150/36= approx. 4 crowns). Thanks to this card, I can have a 75% discount on the Vodafone tariff and a 25% discount on the internet. Today I have Nabito 353 (a credit of 353 crowns, for which I can have 294 sms or 70 free minutes) for an unbelievable 88 crowns and 500 mb internet for a tablet for 199 crowns. The entire tariff for 287 crowns seems to be quite bearable. There is definitely almost a half saving compared to the previous = student – tariff
Yes, but probably more people are no longer students.
and what is the problem? even a non-student can purchase another card and receive a 75% discount on the tariff. although the card does not cost 150 crowns, but it is significantly more expensive, 990 to be exact, but it is valid for 3 years, so it works out to 27,5 a month. So, to the tariff that I have and for which I pay a total of 287, add another 27,5 and that's it. about 3 kilos painted
I don't see at all that Vodafone would take any cards of other companies into account. It's not even written anywhere on the website, is it? I also have that card and according to what you write, I can save up to 700 kc per month for their services. I have a tariff for 800 kc and internet in a tablet for 400. and 700 a month is no longer just some ridiculous amount.
but we don't have 3G coverage everywhere...that's why they can unfortunately afford it...
they are just ignorant bastards, they can easily give a good tariff, just don't have a reason and just give it to me, I myself have a protection tariff from Tmobile, calls to all networks for 0,80, and SMS for 0,60 kc, plus 5GB internet for the iPad FUP for 90 kc per month... but if you don't have a friend you are not entitled to it, while abroad it is a normal tariff and an iPhone for a crown
Fart good tariffs. It's completely nonsense. For everyone. She's just stealing here. In America, I had a tariff for 79 dollars (800 minutes anywhere, unlimited sms, unlimited internet) And on top of that they gave you a phone when you signed for 2 years for 199 dollars Iphone. And here. Spend 1200 and get a 4 discount. This is regularly laughable and the Czechs should think about it. As long as they pay it and take their discounted prices, they will try to keep it. When there is no demand and they don't go on vacation much, they will start doing something. We are one of the most expensive republics. It is now more convenient to borrow a phone from England, and you don't have to live there. You'll be here paying them a monthly fee and it'll still be a lot cheaper. Otherwise, great article, but I wouldn't be afraid to leave out the sentence about t-mobile at the end. You know, just kidding. But the ad is there, the herd goes :D
If they don't pay, they end up in foreclosure. Not paying components in bulk is not a way to get better prices. The fourth operator can develop healthy competition, or regulate prices through his own intervention.
I didn't mean not to pay bills, but I meant it as long as people keep buying their supposedly favored mobile phones and tariffs before signing. The path is not only in 4 operators. He can set it up anyway and he can want to direct. The route is in demand. If there is demand, there is no reason to discount. Or burden yourself with it. If only 10 people sign the nonsense and are willing to pay for 2 years. So 11 who is arguing with the parliament can't do anything. if the nation wakes up and it's 8 out of 10 there's a chance. And as for the state :D, I don't know, I don't know, but I'd rather believe that the 4th operator will set very low prices.
In addition to the useful data plan with VF, I have zero flat-rate calls and SMS, I don't pay them anything, I call and write with my company mobile phone. I asked the operator for a discounted voice tariff for In-karta holders, but it doesn't match my data tariff, I would have to change it, so they didn't offer me anything and they don't care that I just give them nothing and prefer to use the competition. At the same time, they could have at least some extra pay from me. I just don't understand this.
I hate talking on the phone. I canceled the flat rate and only top up via card. And nothing actually happened, I just shout 3 times less. They robbed. Phone mania is pointless. Stop cursing and do something about it too.
Only those who criticize are always heard, and I would like to change that. After 7 years with oskar-vodafone, I switched to T-mobile and have been with him for 5-6 years. For 960 unlimited calls and sms data 1GB and a significant discount on iPhone 5. I will not list other benefits and bonuses, just that as a company we have 4 SIM cards and a commitment of 3300,-
Corporate offers are always more attractive than offers for ordinary users, this cannot be compared. Our company has unlimited calls and SMS all over the Czech Republic for a price of around 130 crowns for each SIM card, I don't know exactly about data transfers, but it will be a similarly favorable price.
T-Mobile, in particular, is known for standing up for business customers in particular. An ordinary user who doesn't want to wriggle out of retention often has much worse conditions.
Sometimes a successful way to get a discount after they offer you a contract is to say that another operator is offering you the same thing for half, with two people from the family, they cut the price in half immediately, although there was no offer from a competitor.