What is 3G?
3G is a third-generation technology of mobile phone standards. The benefits of a 3G network as opposed to a 2G network include the ability to support greater number of both voice and data customers, and higher data rates (such as mobile Internet access). 3G networks are also capable of video calling. Telstra’s Next G, Optus and Vodafone are current, Australian examples of service providers with 3G networks.
What is 4G
4G is the fourth generation of mobile phone technology and follows on from 2G and 3G.
What is 2G?
2G technology was suitable for making calls and sending text messages while 3G makes it possible to access the internet more effectively through your mobile phone.
What to expect from 4G?
4G services should make it much quicker to surf the web on your mobile, tablets and laptops – speeds will be nearer to what you currently experience with home broadband.
Because of this, 4G is ideally suited for services which demand more capacity like video streaming, mapping and social networking sites.
For the typical user, download speeds of initial 4G networks could be around 5-7 times those for existing 3G networks.
This means a music album taking 20 minutes to download on a 3G phone and just over 3 minutes on 4G. This is based on existing 3G speeds being 1Mbit/s on average and 4G speed being 6Mbit/s (average of 5 and 7 times faster).
What is MMS?
MMS stands for Multimedia Messaging Service and is the sending of messages that include multimedia such as images, audio, video and text. MMS is standard on most mobile phones, and costs more than an SMS.
What is SMS?
Short Message Service (SMS) is a text messaging service component of phone, Web, or mobile communication systems. It uses standardized communications protocols to allow fixed line or mobile phone devices to exchange short text messages.
What is an app?
Apps are small programs that perform a specific task. You’ll find apps for tying a Windsor knot, a lightsabre simulator as well as satnavs and spirit levels. Want to convert currency when abroad or keep your child entertained en route? There’s an app for that, too.
The apps you’re able to download and run depends on the operating system used by your smartphone. Each OS has its own app store, where you can browse for apps, read user reviews and then download the ones you want. Many apps are free although you will need to pay for some.
Can I keep my phone number if I switch provider?
Yes. Contact your old mobile phone provider and ask for your porting authorisation code (PAC). Many providers will supply this immediately over the phone, though some may ask you to request it in writing then send it to you by post.
Providers must send your PAC to you within two days of receiving your request (by phone or by post, depending on which method they use).
Give your PAC to your new provider, who will transfer your number over to your new service.
To see which networks came out on top in a customer satisfaction survey, read the ‘Which’ best mobile networks advice guide.
What is a PAC?
PAC stands for Porting Authorisation Code and you’ll need this if you want to bring your old phone number with you when you move from one network to another. Provided you’ve fulfilled any contractual agreement you may have had with your previous network you can get a PAC from them.
Your new network won’t be able to transfer your phone number without a PAC, so it will save time if you contact your old network to get it first.
What is a smartphone?
A smartphone is a mobile phone with computer-like features which may include e-mail capabilities, a personal organizer, a touch screen or a keyboard. Smartphones usually offer more data capabilities and connectivity options than a regular mobile phone, and most can have applications “installed” on them, just like a computer. Examples of popular smartphones include Apple’s iPhone, RIM’s BlackBerry and the range of Google Android smartphones like the HTC Desire and the Samsung Galaxy S II.
What is a SIM card?
A SIM card is a removable “smartcard” that must be inserted into a mobile phone. SIM cards securely identify a mobile phone to the mobile phone network. You need a SIM card to make phone calls. A SIM card also allows you to change phones but keep your mobile number by simply removing the card from one mobile phone and inserting it into another. SIM stands for Subscriber Identity Module.
How can I boost my phones battery life?
Your phone’s display is the largest drain on power – the brighter your screen, the more energy is required to power the backlight. Turn this down and reduce the time it takes before your backlight times-out and switches off.
Turn off Wi-Fi and GPS when you’re not using them and if you’re only going to use your phone for calls and texts for a while then consider switching from 3G to GSM (this may be listed as 2G in the Settings menu).
Download apps to track what’s using your battery and then turn off (or uninstall) any particularly power hungry apps. Also reduce the frequency that your phone checks for emails or syncs with Facebook.
What is covered within my tariff bundle?
Calls to UK Landlines(01,02,03), calls to UK network mobiles. Calls to numbers on the same network are usually free and exempt from the bundle. UK texts are also included within the bundle.
How do I find my IMEI number.
Dial *#06#
How do I activate my voicemail on O2
http://www.o2.co.uk/help/phones-and-devices/setting-up-voicemail-901
What is the coverage like where I live?
http://www.o2.co.uk/coveragechecker
http://www.vodafone.co.uk/our-network-and-coverage/uk-coverage-map/index.htm?=network
http://ee.co.uk/ee-and-me/network/4gee/coverage-checker
How do I do a factory reset on my phone.
Iphone
http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-factory-reset-an-iphone/#!Ct4oZ
Lumia
Samsung
http://techchannel.radioshack.com/reset-samsung-cell-phone-1618.html
How do I switch off data roaming
Nokia Lumia – If you want to avoid using data when you’re abroad, you need to turn off data roaming on your mobile phone. Once done, you can only make voice calls, send SMS and use applications that don’t require an internet connection.
1. Find “mobile network”
- Slide your finger left on the display.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap mobile network.
2. Turn data roaming on or off
- Tap the field below Data roaming options.
- Tap roam or don’t roam to turn data roaming on or off.
3. Exit
- Tap the Home key to return to standby mode.
How much data allowance do I need?
Almost all smartphone functions require an internet connection to work properly. For example, you’ll need data when browsing the web, sending e-mails, watching YouTube videos or updating Facebook and Twitter.
Most phones come with a data package, typically 500MB or 1GB each month. 500MB should be enough for most people as long as you’re not using your smartphone for data-intensive tasks such as downloading music or streaming videos.
It’s hard to say exactly what constitutes 500MB of data as every web page differs in size depending on the amount of text, images and other multimedia content it contains. However O2 estimates that 500MB is the equivalent of 1500 rich web pages (like bbc.co.uk), 5000 basic web pages (like Twitter), 1000 emails with photos attached or 60 short YouTube videos.
Check you have enough data to cover your usage – speak to your provider for more advice on the package which best suits your needs. And remember, your phone can consume data even when you’re not actively using it as it may be set up to run tasks in the background, such as checking for new emails or Facebook updates.
Can I use my phone abroad?
I’m being asked for my PUK. What does that mean?
PUK stands for ‘Pin Unlock Code’, and has to be entered if you’ve locked your SIM by repeatedly entering the wrong PIN code. If you’re asked for a PUK code, you’ve had more goes at guessing your SIM card PIN code than you’re allowed.
You’ll need to phone your network provider Customer Services for your PUK code to unlock the SIM. For security reasons, it’s only the network operator that can legally provide you with a PUK code to unlock your SIM.
Your allowance on O2
Standard – This is what is covered under your tariff. Our aim is to make sure you never have charges in this area.
- Calls to National rate numbers – This is UK landlines (01,02,03) these minutes come out of your minute allocation.
- Calls to O2 Mobiles – These are all included in the tariff as standard, there should never be a charge in this section. O2 to O2 calls are free.
- Calls to other networks – This is calls to other mobile networks. These minutes come out of your minute allocation.
- Calls to voicemail services –NB this is only chargeable when used abroad.
- Calls to free numbers – You can provide 10 landline numbers which you can call free and this does not come out of your allowance. If this has not been set up then please contact us to do so.
- O2 Data Service – This is data usage. If there is charges in here then data is being used without a bolt on.
- Texts – This is part of your tariff so there will be an allowance.
Non-Standard – This is areas not part of your tariff and things that cannot be resolved by adding a bolt on.
- Calls to no-geographic numbers – This is calls to numbers such as 0845 or 0870. These are not part of your tariff allowance and therefore chargeable.
- Calls to directory enquiries – As per the title this is calls to directory enquiries or 118 118 etc. These are not part of your tariff and therefore chargeable.
- Media Messaging – This is picture messaging (MMS). If the user has a data bolt on then they get 20 free MMS messages.(This is not available on the business on and on tariffs.) These are not part of your tariff and therefore chargeable.
- Premium texts – these are chargeable texts and are not included within your text allowance. An example of these are texts to vote the winner of X-Factor. You can click on the amount and this will open another sheet which shows who has sent the texts and to what number.
International Charges
If you have any users who spend a lot of time abroad please call us so we can see if there is a bolt on we can add to help reduce the charges.
If you are going to Europe then you can select from two options.
O2 travel is free to all business customers.
This option is more aimed towards data usage abroad. With my O2 travel you are charged £1.99 a day for data usage allowance of 50MB per day.
Calls back to the UK and within Europe are charged at 18p per minute and receiving calls in Europe is just 4p per minute.
Text messages sent to the UK and Europe are 5p, to receive a text message is free of charge. Sending a picture message is the same as the UK so we would suggest sending via email or third party apps such as WhatsApp.
The second option is My Europe Extra and this comes at a cost of £4.26 per month if taken for a minimum of 12 months or £8.51 if taken as a one off.
Please be aware this cannot be taken at the same time as O2 travel.
With My Europe Extra you will not be charged when you receive a call in Europe and is just 25p per minute to make a call to anywhere in Europe.
When traveling out of Europe we do not have specific bolt on’s we can add please see the link below where you can find out the charges for the country you are visiting.
http://international.o2.co.uk/internationaltariffs/travelling_abroad
For more information and advice then please contact us on 0151 547 4321 or email our customer service department on customerservices@curveballsolutions.com
