Ofcom’s Asking for Mobile Phone Opinions
By Dave Adamson in Reader
Posted in Uncategorized on August 31, 2008 at 1:57 pm
There you go. It’s a title that says it all.
But, to elaborate slightly.
It appears that Ofcom, the telecoms regulator, are looking for the opinions of the public as part of their mobile phone consultation process. Specifically on areas that we feel may be over-regulated or under-regulated as well as areas that can be improved upon.
I’m not suggesting that Ofcom will put everything into place overnight. Processes like this seem to be a massively drawn out affair and I’ve no doubt that the telecoms companies will find a way to lessen the blow to their bank balance. I might even stick a bet on that those 18 month minimum term contracts will suddenly shoot up to 24 months.
Ofcom themselves suggest that the number of mobile phones will exceed the number of fixed landlines in the next 12 to 18 months. The reason for this, I’m guessing, is a pay-as-you-go mobile phone doesn’t need a credit check whereas having a landline does and, for some, credit is a bit of a sore point. Given that part of the consultation will look at ways to improve the service for PAYG customers, we’re bound to see an increase in the number of phones. Where will this leave contract customers, though? Just what can the mobile industry do to ensure that contracts are more attractive to those that can get them?
Now, it appears, is as good a time as any to see what’s needed from the mobile phone industry.
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Let’s have CEX
By Dave Adamson in Reader
Posted in Uncategorized on August 13, 2008 at 6:05 pm
There’s nothing worse than having a bit of kit that you no longer use, or a DVD or video game that you’re thinking of getting rid of and taking it into one of the many trade-in stores. You know the ones…
they sell a mix of new stuff but also pre-owned stuff (we used to call it second hand, of course) at a slightly reduced cost, or at bargain prices. You take your stuff in, they give you a price - less for cash, more for store credit - and you end up coming out with a ton of stuff that you wouldn’t have bought otherwise.
There’s nothing bad about that, I hear you say. When I say “there’s nothing worse” what I really mean is that
feeling when you get to the counter, hand over the product (say, a mobile phone) and hope that you’ll get at least £30 for it because you know it’s not a current all-singing all-dancing model but it’s not like it has a pull out aerial, there’s a glut of them on the market and that’s all you’re really after to pick up that game that you saw a moment ago. Except, you know it’s not going to be like that. The guy (or gal) behind the desk looks at your goods (f’nar, f’nar) and says “I’ll give
you ten pounds for it.” It’s an awful feeling! It’s even worse with DVDs, it may have cost you £60 for that boxset, but now you find you’ll be lucky to get a fiver!
This is where CEX is fantastic. You see, using the CEX website, you can get a rough idea of how much your stuff will sell/trade at. Okay, it doesn’t mean that you’ll get top dollar for it, but it helps to not have that empty feeling in your stomach (or feel that you’re being ripped off, or that the guy is, on the spot, making up a price.) The trade in and cash prices listed are across all stores, too, it seems. For electrical goods, they list various conditions with different
prices - I seem to think it’s A, B and C, with Grade A being the best condition and most complete. You can, therefore, take an honest guess at how much you think you’re likely to get.
I recently traded my Samsung D900. First I took a look at the CEX site, decided that I’d be happy with the Grade C trade-in (and hoping I’d get more.) Dropped into the store, in sunny Kingston-upon-Hull, handed my phone over and had it tested (far easier during the week (20 minutes), than the weekend (over an hour.)) So, I drop back later and they offer me £76 instore credit for it, about £20 less if I want cash. I took the instore credit and left with a handful other stuff -
DVDs, my first Blu-Ray film (I am Legend), and a couple of games. All in all, not a bad experience.
So, what I’m really saying is, if you want rid of your stuff (or your son/daughter does), you can’t do worse than go prepared by taking a look at the CEX site first (who also do postal trade-in too.) Forewarned, I seem to recall, is forearmed.
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