CURA to assess Island's mobile networks

[Andy Onchan]

Long overdue action by CURA:

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/cura-to-assess-islands-mobile-networks/

[Asthehills]

1 hour ago, Andy Onchan said:

Long overdue action by CURA:

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/cura-to-assess-islands-mobile-networks/

Why is it overdue and why do you think they will find that can realistically be changed?

We are a small island with a small market.

Grow the population and the sort of issues people normally raise when talking about mobile networks ( cost and coverage) become more likely to be resolved in a way that is actually viable.

[offshoremanxman]

Ladies and gentlemen. Todays declared argument will be about mobile phone contracts. Brace yourselves. It could be a long one 😉

[Asthehills]

6 minutes ago, offshoremanxman said:

Ladies and gentlemen. Todays declared argument will be about mobile phone contracts. Brace yourselves. It could be a long one 😉

Instead of posting nonsense, how about answering the question?  How did your last couple of similar posts work out for?  Did you end up looking a bit silly?

We would all like 100 percent coverage and 5g speeds for a tenner a months with free international roaming, but it’s not realistic is it?  So how about an actual discussion about what people expect and why is reasonable?

I assume that is what Andy was planning when he posted the link, or are we only allowed to post things that slag people and places off with no substance or reasoning?

[offshoremanxman]

2 hours ago, Andy Onchan said:

Long overdue action by CURA:

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/cura-to-assess-islands-mobile-networks/

I agree it’s long over due and it’s time the market was better regulated. Manx Telecom charges are a complete rip off and it needs an independent investigation to establish whether they’re abusing their monopoly position or not. Hopefully this is the start if that. But we’re paying a lot for a very poor internet infrastructure and a really expensive to use mobile network. 

[Asthehills]

23 minutes ago, offshoremanxman said:

I agree it’s long over due and it’s time the market was better regulated. Manx Telecom charges are a complete rip off and it needs an independent investigation to establish whether they’re abusing their monopoly position or not. Hopefully this is the start if that. But we’re paying a lot for a very poor internet infrastructure and a really expensive to use mobile network. 

A good percentage of telecoms profits come from off island where they have diversified in order to make the business viable.

As a business only operating in island they would be making buttons, even by charging what you claim are rip off prices.

Have you looked at the accounts? Have you any idea what their overheads are?

Their accounts and profits have been monitored for years and they are very heavily regulated.  This isn’t even a story and the end result will be that they aren’t doing anything wrong.

If there was loads of money to be made here then the big boys would be lining up to take a potion of it.

Higher prices for telecoms than if you lived in the Uk are a fact of life on a small island and will never change.

[Max Power]

I think we are reaping the “benefits” of our government being able to get £20k for farming out our telecommunications to the highest bidder. 
I feel that if we had been able to stay under the influence of BT, we would have much better offerings now!

[Andy Onchan]

1 hour ago, offshoremanxman said:

I agree it’s long over due and it’s time the market was better regulated. Manx Telecom charges are a complete rip off and it needs an independent investigation to establish whether they’re abusing their monopoly position or not. Hopefully this is the start if that. But we’re paying a lot for a very poor internet infrastructure and a really expensive to use mobile network. 

I'm convinced that price fixing is going on between the two major providers. 

I have no real problem with the access to services just the price and types of packages.

[offshoremanxman]

18 minutes ago, Max Power said:

I think we are reaping the “benefits” of our government being able to get £20k for farming out our telecommunications to the highest bidder. 

It’s back to the same problem as Manx Gas. It’s debt funded private equity companies you’re dealing with. They strip out businesses of cash and don”t invest back into the core infrastructure like a conventional owner might. They love these offshore monopoly situations too where they can price fix a core service that people can’t do without. This is about the 3rd incarnation since it flipped out of MT and all it’s done is rack up more debt that needs to be funneled out the top while the infrastructure is clearly creaking. The pricing need to be reviewed. I can’t really afford to use an IOM phone while traveling now and have just bought a twin SIM phone for business so I can hook into a UK contract for off island usage. 

Edited November 19, 2022 by offshoremanxman

[John Wright]

I use Vodafone for off Island. Had two phone sim only contracts and a data only SIM for 20 years. Originally for use in UK and EU roaming.

However their customer service is crap. Just spent 90 mins on their TOBi chat to replace one SIM and update our contracts.

Most places we go we have internet access. so we log on. Don’t get hit with fair use roaming as don’t use whilst on island.

MT we were offered shareholding for the public, free local fixed calls ( I still use my fixed line ) and a better deal. We didn’t get.

Im about to look at updating our MT contracts. I’m going to get rid of the fax line, not received or sent one for 5 years. But the old sky boxes were on that.. I’m still on copper. I’ll keep copper for my work number and have fibre digital for the wifi system, upgrade to a mesh system.

[NoTailT]

12 minutes ago, John Wright said:

I use Vodafone for off Island. Had two phone sim only contracts and a data only SIM for 20 years. Originally for use in UK and EU roaming.

However their customer service is crap. Just spent 90 mins on their TOBi chat to replace one SIM and update our contracts.

Most places we go we have internet access. so we log on. Don’t get hit with fair use roaming as don’t use whilst on island.

MT we were offered shareholding for the public, free local fixed calls ( I still use my fixed line ) and a better deal. We didn’t get.

Im about to look at updating our MT contracts. I’m going to get rid of the fax line, not received or sent one for 5 years. But the old sky boxes were on that.. I’m still on copper. I’ll keep copper for my work number and have fibre digital for the wifi system, upgrade to a mesh system.

Why keep copper at all then? Just move your work number to a VOIP system and you're all set?

[BriT]

30 minutes ago, John Wright said:

Im about to look at updating our MT contracts. I’m going to get rid of the fax line, not received or sent one for 5 years. But the old sky boxes were on that.. I’m still on copper. I’ll keep copper for my work number and have fibre digital for the wifi system, upgrade to a mesh system.

I wouldn’t even bother with a fixed line unless you need it for business I can’t remember the last time I called anyones private fixed line outside of my elderly mums. I see they’re discounting the price of fibre installations now as I assume the cost is putting people off installing and they need so many customers to move over to fibre to justify its ongoing financial model. 

[John Wright]

1 hour ago, NoTailT said:

Why keep copper at all then? Just move your work number to a VOIP system and you're all set?

 

47 minutes ago, BriT said:

I wouldn’t even bother with a fixed line unless you need it for business I can’t remember the last time I called anyones private fixed line outside of my elderly mums. I see they’re discounting the price of fibre installations now as I assume the cost is putting people off installing and they need so many customers to move over to fibre to justify its ongoing financial model. 

I have a DECT set up with a hand set in every room. They also act as intercoms. It’s my work line. I’ve had the number since I moved into Douglas 30 years ago.

The DECT system isn’t fibre/voip  compatible. It’s useful to have a handset in every room. 

I don’t use my mobile unless there’s no other alternative. The signal in the house is poor in summer due to tree surround. Still, better than Spain where I have to go to the end of the lane to get a signal.

The current system and number of lines is down to the house being my office, distinguishing between house and office calls historically, and because one line was Paul’s for his business.

I discourage business contact by text, WhatsApp and messenger. Nightmare for filing and record keeping and disclosure ( a la Ranson/Magson ). I try and confirm phone calls by e-mail. 

Im looking to reconfigure to a system that suits me and the way I live and work. Generally my mobile is for me to contact others when I’m out of the house, not for them to contact me. I think my landline message tells callers to e-mail, rather than call my mobile. And my e-mail footer definitely says I won’t respond to work related texts, messenger or WhatsApp - and to use e-mail instead.

[ellanvannin2010]

There was a third mobile operator initially, was it called cloud9?, what happened to them?.

[genericUserName]

I do not see any sensible reason why mobile operators should require a special IOM licence to run services here. A UK licence to operate mobile services should also be good for the IOM.