Regarding the FRE Wifi app and the advantages. I am still not convinced that 9000 Wifi hotspots in the UK with a 70 Million population is enough for adequate coverage. I have had a look at The Cloud hotspot list and a lot of them are in coffee shops and pubs. Of course you can use your own Wifi at home or office, I presume?.
Of course you can roam onto the 3G network but this will cost something for data download on your mobile plan. I also use 3G for skype & voip and it is not reliable or of adequate quality. Not sure if this will be different in the UK?
UK mobile carriers also have a history of blocking competing traffic on their networks and removing features like SIP clients from their locked mobiles, I recall that Vodafone UK did this with the launch of the Nokia N95 recently. Most Symbion apps, and probably Freshtels, rely on using the inbuilt SIP client in Symbion OS phones.
I think that the fact that Tesco are pushing it gives it a chance of selling in some numbers. But, the app obviously needs a Nokia N or E mobile phone running Symbion OS so it ain't for everyone. There is no iPhone or Sony Ericsson apps so it's appeal is limited in this respect.
MNF also offer a similar Wifi/3G client setup called MynetFone On The Go. I don't think MNF believe it is a big deal as an app, they even suggest that yopu can download Fring as they do not see it as important. See https://www.mynetfone.com.au/support/faq/service-features/on-the-go/do-i-have-to-use-mynetfone-on-the-go/
Although we are talking about the Tesco offering in the UK market and it's potential positive impact on FRE cashflow, I understand.
If you want just about the same thing for free along with a Skype & MSN, etc client as well you can download Fring or Nimbuzz. They also run on about 300-400 different mobile phone models not just the Nokia N & E series and also on Apple iPhone. Fring is a personal favourite as I use Skype messaging a lot. It is running in the background or foreground and beeps when a new Skype message comes in so I can read or reply. I usually default it to 3G so my Skype is on 24/7. I can call a Skype contact eith thru Sktpe or select my mobile to make the call, pretty simple and effective. Nimbuzz is the same as are others.
With The MNF setup & Fring and Nimbuzz etc, you still make calls on your mobile normally or route them thru Wifi or 3G, no difference there. What are you are saying that the Tesco/FRE offering is different & better? Are you saying that you get a voip number as your mobile number? What is the benefit to you? People still call the mobile number and get thru to you, it does not cost you any more to receive calls?
Fring & Nimbuzz can also be downloaded for free with an SMS and then downloads thru your 3G or Wifi connection, same as FRE delivery method. MNF setup manually by the user to use the phones built in SIP client and configure it manually, simple instructions are on the MNF website, see: https://www.mynetfone.com.au/support/faq/troubleshooting/general-53/is-there-anything-else-i-can-do-to-connect-my-nokia-phone-to-mynetfone-on-the-go/
In summary, no-one really knows how this phone plan actually operates as the detail is not clear, the FRE app is limited to a small number of phones, seems like about 8 at best, all Nokia E & N series and FRE have not announced that they will benefit financially from any Tesco phone/Wifi Phone Plan sales.
MNF Price at posting:
0.0¢ Sentiment: Hold Disclosure: Held
