GSM WORLD

alexd wrote in message
news:4859791e$0$19152$bed64819@news.gradwell.net...

Im not so sure.

An odd phenomenon has cropped up on a few occasions during the past 8 years
or so: mobile operators (T-Mobile, Virgin and Orange) making changes to
their charging plans - changes that disadvantage consumers - with the
*explicit* rationale of bringing themselves in to line with other mobile
companies. It really is odd to read/hear the announcements which explain,
basically, that prices are being raised because other companies are
doing/have done the same! What about the value of competition?

Virgin has done it recently with the increase in SMS from 10p to 12p (no
reasonable rationale for that other than profit given the already hugely
lucrative SMS income).

This practice (companies arguing that they are coming in to line) hasnt
attracted as much criticism as I would have thought - it does after all
imply an anti-competitive culture within the industry (the sort of thing
which, presumably, necessitated the involvement of the Commission in
relation to roaming prices and the suggestion that the UK Government wasnt
interested in a fair deal for consumers).

Its possible that, having paid so much for 3G licenses, the various network
providers (aside from 3) dont have a great appetite for cut throat
competition. This maybe why its possible to get slightly but only slightly
better pre pay tariffs on virtuals.

In relation to data usage things are becoming too expensive for many non
business users (those who dont have significant amounts of disposable
income). The charging model on pre pay is still suited to text only WAP and
even then it is ridiculously expensive when compared to 3G modem dedicated
tariffs.

Gareth.