T-Mobile Advances Messaging, Uses iMessage Features

Text messaging has been around forever and is one of the most popular forms of cellphone communication, despite the rapid growth of other messages services such as Line, WhatsApp, Apple’s iMessage and Facebook Messenger. Sadly, the standard SMS messaging comes with a bunch of limitations such as small file size, no picture or audio/video attachment and slow response. The major disadvantage it has is that there’s no way of knowing if the message has been received or not. T-Mobile has recently announced a new feature for their clients that addresses the former SMS limitations while preserving the comfort, ubiquity and ease of the standard text message.

 

Built on the Rich Communication Service (RCS) standard, T-Mobile’s new Advanced Messaging service adds real-time chatting for individual or group messages. Additional features include read notifications, typing indicators and photo/video sending abilities up to 10MB. No other app is required to get these features. The carrier said that it built this service in order to work “across all devices, makers and operating systems, as well as wireless operators”. As of now, it is the only carrier in the US supporting RCS.

Advanced messaging will work on every platform and device though a few existing devices may need software updates to enable it. T-Mobile also said that those are coming for Samsung Galaxy S5 and S6 with “nearly a dozen more” devices are expected this year. Officially, the first device that supports this feature is the new Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime. For advanced features to work, a Wi-Fi or LTE connection is a must.

To T-Mobile customers, this new service doesn’t cost extra. According to the carrier, it is just the first of many features that are lined up for release. So, it will be interesting to watch how other carriers react to this advanced messaging experience.

Major Cell Phone Manufacturers Pledge to Support Anti-Theft Technology

In April 2014, AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Sprint joined forces with a host of well-known platform vendors and smartphone manufacturers in order to endorse anti-theft measures.

This year, major mobile manufacturers and wireless carriers announced a voluntary agreement to strengthen anti-theft technology for their devices after July 2015 and that is free of cost to the consumers. As reported by Re/code, Apple, HTC, Assurant, Asurion, Google, Microsoft, Blackberry, Samsung, LG, and ZTE have ensured that users can render their devices inoperable following loss or theft, with an option of restoring the functionality when the device is recovered. The largest U.S. carrier signatories have agreed and pledged to facilitate these efforts.

This agreement came across as several local and state governments of the U.S. considered a legislative approach in dealing with cell phone theft. California State Senator Mark Leno previously proposed a mandatory kill switch requirement for his state that has been as acknowledged as an “incremental, yet adequate step” by him.

Senator Leno also explained why the majority should have access to the kill-switch feature so as to reduce crime linked with mobile thefts. This voluntary agreement to support such a feature is just one piece and not the whole solution of the problem.

On the contrary, the President of CTIA,Steve Largent, praised the agreement by stating ”We appreciate the commitment made by these companies to protect wireless users in the event their smartphones are lost or stolen. This flexibility provides consumers with access to the best features and apps that fit their unique needs while protecting their smartphones and the valuable information they contain. At the same time, it’s important that different technologies are available so that a ‘trap door’ isn’t created that could be exploited by hackers and criminals.”

Although worldwide, support for cell phone anti-theft procedures is currently lacking. Few organizations have already begun to practice robust anti-theft measures.

C Spire Averts Surplus Data Charges for its Customers

With its new customer-friendly initiative, C Spire Wireless is helping its customers avoid surplus data charges.

The program seems to be based on a strong working model. A text message alert is typically sent to the customer when 20% of the monthly data plan remains and once the monthly limit is reached, C Spire gives them a chance to purchase “Top Up” data and those charges are then deducted from their balance. Subscribers also have the option to choose from 500 MB data for $10, 1 GB data for $15 and 3GB for $45. Moreover, if there is any unused data, it can be added to the next month’s plan. 

Suzy Hays, senior vice president for customer marketing noted “Our approach is simple: if you reach your monthly data limit, we’ll let you decide if you want more”.  She also said, “We won’t use it as an opportunity to charge you huge fees without ever asking.”

C Spire found out that smartphone users in the U.S use up to 2.98 GB of data in a month on an average, but 30% of the users consume about 500 MB. This report fits with Chetan Sharma, an industry analyst who shared that U.S subscribers consume around 2.5 GB of data every month during the first quarter. 

Hays said, “It’s a real dilemma because most users struggle to gauge accurately how much data they really need”. He also said “If you purchase too much data, you’re wasting money. If you buy too little, you get hit with surprise overage fees or your data speeds get throttled or slowed down.”

On the overage alert program, it is doubtful if C Spire is working with some other vendor. But on its video passes, the carrier had worked with monetization and network analytics vendor Openwave Mobility in the past. C spire spokesman did not comment immediately on the same.

John Legere, T-Mobile CEO, is constantly pressuring Verizon Wireless, Sprint and AT&T Mobility to reduce surplus charges on their data plans, as T-Mobile did a year back. Legere announced that if the petition started by him reaches 250,000 signatures, a message will be sent to them that can’t be ignored. Change.org/AbolishOverages online petition has nearly 218,000 signatures.