Archive for the ‘Business Telecommunications’ Category

« Older Entries

530 million mobile banking users predicted by 2013.

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

A recent report by Juniper Research has revealed that the number of mobile banking users globally will reach 530 million by 2013.

This is a significant rise from the 300 million recorded users in 2011.

The report also suggests that mobile services are now a considered aspect of banks’ business strategies, in response to the current economic climate.

More and more banks are moving away from the ‘bricks and mortar’ branch based revenue streams and are instead turning towards mobile banking or ‘mBanking’ as it is known.

Described as a ‘cost-effective communication channel’, mBanking offers the opportunity to improve upon operational efficiencies alongside customer retention and acquisition.

Many high street banks are now meeting consumer demands by creating smartphone and tablet applications, particularly as the consumer smartphone becomes more prevalent.

However, Juniper’s report also warns that banks and financial institutions would be wise to introduce SMS and browser-based channels alongside apps to keep ahead of their competitors.

Similar blog post – Mobile banking is set to generate almost 90 billion text messages per year by 2015.

Jamie Stokes is Marketing Assistant at Total Ltd – a business to business service provider, delivering genuine solutions across all core telecommunication services, based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Total Ltd is a business that brings together and unifies all the component parts. For up to the minute business telecommunications news, please view the Total Ltd blog

Posted in Business Mobiles, Business Telecommunications, Mobile banking | No Comments »

Internet access in cars soon to be reality.

Thursday, January 5th, 2012

According to the bosses of leading car manufacturers, internet access inside vehicles is soon to become a reality.

A recent survey undertaken by KPMG has revealed that future trends including speech recognition and internet connection with the option of Wi-Fi and 3G services will soon become normality.

Interestingly, 37% of the 200 car executives surveyed think so-called in-vehicle ”info-tainment” is nearly as important as car safety.

It appears the idea of the “connected car” is continually gaining momentum.

It is expected that over the next five years, people looking to buy cars will have the option to take advantage of specialist in-vehicle technology and gadgets manufactured by big names including Google, Apple, Microsoft and LG.

At the end of 2011, Toyota and Intel announced their collaboration. 

According to John Leech at KPMG, “Intel claims that the connected car is the third-fastest growing technological device, following smartphones and tablets”. 

Similarly, Audi has also announced that the A7 will house in-built 3G connectivity with plans to extend this feature to other models.

So, when the time comes to upgrade your vehicle, will you consider a “connected car”?

Jamie Stokes is Marketing Assistant at Total Ltd – a business to business service provider, delivering genuine solutions across all core telecommunication services, based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Total Ltd is a business that brings together and unifies all the component parts. For up to the minute business telecommunications news, please view the Total Ltd blog

Posted in Business Telecommunications, Internet, Telecommunications News, WiFi | No Comments »

British homes to become hi-tech hubs.

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

According to a report by Intellect, British homes could be transformed into hi-tech hubs with in-built communications networks by the end of the decade.

Intellect, the trade body for the technology industry, has predicted that homes could deliver everything from advanced entertainment services to health care.

It has also said that a well established connected home market, worth an estimated £3 billion a year, could be a reality within five years.

Under the scheme homeowners would be able to control energy use, access public services including education and healthcare as well as receive new media and entertainment services, all linked into a variety of hi-tech devices such as Internet connected TVs, smartphones and tablet computers.

However, it has been suggested that this lifestyle will only happen if industries and the Government work together to adopt it.

Technical and security standards, training and certification for retailers and installers and active promotion will all need to be in place for the scheme to be successful.

Jamie Stokes is Marketing Assistant at Total Ltd – a business to business service provider, delivering genuine solutions across all core telecommunication services, based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Total Ltd is a business that brings together and unifies all the component parts. For up to the minute business telecommunications news, please view the Total Ltd blog

Posted in Business Mobiles, Business Telecommunications, Internet, Tablet computers, WiFi | No Comments »

Twitterview: Key Account Management

Friday, October 21st, 2011

We interview Sophie Dickinson, Key Accounts Manager at Total Ltd, to gain an insight into working life within her role. However, this is a Twitterview so ‘tweets’ are limited to a maximum of 140 characters.

 @total_ltd: As Key Accounts Manager, what is the first thing you do when you come into the office?

Sophie: The first thing I do is open my emails, our customer platform and the online helpdesk before prioritising tasks for the day ahead.

@total_ltd: What are the main aspects of your role?

Sophie: I deal with all aspects of service queries, from admin to billing. I also call customers on a regular basis to review customer satisfaction.

@total_ltd: Name five qualities a good Key Accounts Manager requires.

Sophie: Accuracy in delivering information to the customer, resilience, understanding, a good ear and a sense of humour!

@total_ltd: What changes have you seen in Key Accounts since your first involvement?

Sophie: I now take care of a larger number of Key Accounts (KA). KA criteria has changed over the past 8 months. It’s also busier but I love being busy!

@total_ltd: Do you have any major goals you wish to achieve in the upcoming months and years?

Sophie: Personally, I would like to go out on more appointments. I love the interaction with the customers and building relationships face to face.

@total_ltd: How do you deal with a difficult customer?

Sophie: I listen to the customer, process the information and investigate the situation so I can deliver a concise, accurate resolution.

@total_ltd: What gives you the most satisfaction in your role?

Sophie: I find it incredibly satisfying when a difficult and complex customer query is resolved swiftly, exceeding the expectations of the customer.

Jamie Stokes is Marketing Assistant at Total Ltd – a business to business service provider, delivering genuine solutions across all core telecommunication services, based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Total Ltd is a business that brings together and unifies all the component parts. For up to the minute business telecommunications news, please view the Total Ltd blog

Posted in Business Telecommunications, Twitterview | No Comments »

Ofcom to ban roll-over fixed line agreements.

Friday, September 30th, 2011

Telecoms regulator Ofcom this week confirmed rollover contracts, which tie landline and broadband customers into repeated minimum contract periods unless they opt out, will be banned from December this year.

Known as Automatically Renewable Contracts (ARCs), the current agreements automatically roll over into a new minimum contract period which penalises the consumer for leaving, unless they actively opt out of the renewal.

It is understood that this ban across the communications sector will apply to ARCs for landline and broadband services which are sold to residential and SME customers.

It has been revealed that approximately 15 per cent of UK residential consumers are currently tied into rollover contracts.

Rollover contracts make it increasingly difficult for the consumer to move to a different provider which in turn minimises the amount of competition between providers within the industry.

Jamie Stokes is Marketing Assistant at Total Ltd – a business to business service provider, delivering genuine solutions across all core telecommunication services, based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Total Ltd is a business that brings together and unifies all the component parts. For up to the minute business telecommunications news, please view the Total Ltd blog

Posted in Business Broadband, Business Telecommunications, Telecommunications News | No Comments »

50% now use mobile internet.

Thursday, September 1st, 2011

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), almost half of UK internet users are now choosing to surf the web via their mobile phones.

1,800 selected adults from a cross-section of UK society were surveyed with their answers producing the following statistics:  

  • 45% of those surveyed said they used mobile internet whilst out and about compared with just 31% recorded in 2010
  • 71% of internet-connected 16 to 24 year olds used a mobile phone
  • However, only 8% of internet users aged 65 and over made use of mobile internet
  • 77% of households now have access to a net connection
  • Among the 23% of the population who remain offline, only half said they did not require the internet

From the statistics collated, it would appear that mobile internet is a tool that is gaining increased popularity as the public become more aware of its benefits.

Jamie Stokes is Marketing Assistant at Total Ltd – a business to business service provider, delivering genuine solutions across all core telecommunication services, based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Total Ltd is a business that brings together and unifies all the component parts. For up to the minute business telecommunications news, please view the Total Ltd blog

Posted in Business Mobiles, Business Telecommunications, Internet, Mobile banking | No Comments »

Phone battery flat? Take a walk!

Thursday, August 25th, 2011

Researchers in America have developed a way to generate electricity from human motion meaning that soon, mobile phone users may be able to charge their devices as they take a stroll.  

The device is placed in a shoe and then works by capturing the energy generated by moving micro droplets which can then be converted in to an electrical current.

The power generated by this process, according to the project researchers, is enough to charge a mobile phone or laptop.

However, scientists have said that transferring the energy created to a device is complicated.

Without wishing to plug a USB cable directly into the shoe from the device, researchers have presented the idea that the electricity-generating device could be connected to a shoe-bound wireless transmitter.

Bluetooth or WiFi technology could then be used to pass signals between the unit and the user’s handset in order to connect the two devices.

In the near future it is hoped that this technology will be accessible to the public.

Jamie Stokes is Marketing Assistant at Total Ltd – a business to business service provider, delivering genuine solutions across all core telecommunication services, based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Total Ltd is a business that brings together and unifies all the component parts. For up to the minute business telecommunications news, please view the Total Ltd blog

Posted in Business Mobiles, Business Telecommunications, Mobile Accessories, Tablet computers, WiFi | No Comments »

App brings assistance to visually impaired users.

Friday, August 19th, 2011

With smartphones which include built in speech recognition and braille output becoming the norm, visually impaired people may now receive further technological assistance with a visual aid app that has been developed.

Known as ‘VizWiz’, the app allows visually impared users to “take a picture, speak a question and get an answer”.

It is understood that many visually impaired users have used the app to clarify what type of food is inside certain packaging, medical prescription instructions and details about the post they have received.

Including an automated image recognition from intelligent software, the application sends submitted questions to a small group of volunteers, known as a ‘human cloud’.

This group of volunteers receive a sound alert when a question is asked and then seek to answer it, sending a response directly to the original user.

The free application has been developed by the University of Rochester, New York, and is said to have received over 10,000 questions within the first two months of it becoming available.

Jamie Stokes is Marketing Assistant at Total Ltd – a business to business service provider, delivering genuine solutions across all core telecommunication services, based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Total Ltd is a business that brings together and unifies all the component parts. For up to the minute business telecommunications news, please view the Total Ltd blog

Posted in Business Telecommunications, Mobile Apps Review, Social Networking | No Comments »

Customer service leaves telecoms clients cold.

Friday, July 22nd, 2011

Recent research conducted by telecoms regulator Ofcom has revealed that the largest 10 telecoms firms  are leaving their customers dissatisfied due to their customer service departments.

The research revealed:

  • 9% of customers were dissatisfied with T-Mobile responses
  • 14% of customers were dissatisfied with Vodafone responses
  • 17% were unhappy with the handling of landline problems by BSkyB and BT
  • This figure rises to 24% for TalkTalk
  • 11% of Orange customers were unhappy with the response of broadband customer services
  • 23% of TalkTalk and Tiscali customers also cited broadband customer services as unsatisfactory
  • Orange was rated 76% for satisfaction by its clients 

However, whilst the research took in to account larger firms which each had at least 4% of the relevant market, critics have said that many smaller, niche service providers are ahead of their larger rivals in terms of customer service.

In order to combat this problem it is understood that the telecoms industry will be ruled by a new procedure regarding complaints which is due to come in to force on 22nd of July 2011.

This procedure states that firms will resolve initial complaints within eight weeks.

Failing this, customers will be entitled to take the firm to the communications ombudsman or to the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS).

Customers will have to wait to see if the new regulations make a difference in terms of the quality of customer service offered.

Jamie Stokes is Marketing Assistant at Total Ltd – a business to business service provider, delivering genuine solutions across all core telecommunication services, based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Total Ltd is a business that brings together and unifies all the component parts. For up to the minute business telecommunications news, please view the Total Ltd blog

Posted in Business Broadband, Business Mobiles, Business Telecommunications, Internet | No Comments »

T-shirts to charge phones at festival.

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

Mobile phone company Orange has designed a t-shirt which is able to use noise generated at Glastonbury festival to charge mobile phones.

Piezoelectric film technology, used to turn vibrations such as sound waves into electrical voltage, has been used to create the charging system and is also thin enough to be easily woven in to a cotton shirt.

Users of the t-shirt would gather energy throughout the festival which would be stored in a resevoir battery that could then be used to charge a mobile phone.

It is understood that during the festival the t-shirt could store up to six watt hours, just enough to charge a smartphone once.

This move follows other innovative Orange ideas from the past two years.

In 2009, festival goers were offered small, portable windmills for generating electrical power.

Last year, wellingtons with chargers in the heel were powered by the movement of walking.

It is understood that in the future, all three products may become publicly available.

Jamie Stokes is Marketing Assistant at Total Ltd – a business to business service provider, delivering genuine solutions across all core telecommunication services, based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Total Ltd is a business that brings together and unifies all the component parts. For up to the minute business telecommunications news, please view the Total Ltd blog

Posted in Business Telecommunications, Mobile Accessories, Music | No Comments »

« Older Entries