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2.7M Brits still use a 3G only handset

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Re: 2.7M Brits still use a 3G only handset

#91

Post by pbhjpbhj »

frakkingcylons wrote: post #40
peebeebee wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Belgium, most (big) banks are downscaling physical servicepoints so much it sometimes is almost impossible for people to choose to do business in person. In think in 10 years you will have almost no real bank tellers anymore. That's no problem for most of the people, but I don't think that the right thing to do in the broader sense. There are lots of (technology) illiterate people that needs some kind of physical…

Having a physical presence is a competitive advantage. It's the reason some people stick with Chase or their local credit union in lieu of someone else who is online-only with a higher interest rate. Perhaps in a while most banks will decide it's just not worth the expense anymore, but I don't think it's a foregone conclusion.

HSBC experience in a smaller UK city - the staff in branch have to call the same phone number as one would call from home. They do have some ability to authorise actions, but barely. Perhaps they checked ID, I don't recall.

The company line is "you don't need to visit the branch ever" which is strange as they keep having to ask us to do things at the branch.

There's no counter service, no business staff, nothing except people to intermediate using the machines or using phone banking.

Re: 2.7M Brits still use a 3G only handset

#92

Post by crote »

hkt wrote: post #10

The joys of mandatory obsolescence. Forcing handset churn is environmentally irresponsible. Maybe it is time for landlines to get SMS so people don't have to rely on mobile infrastructure? 5am sentiment but it'd be nice.

There's only a limited amount of space in the airwaves. Either old stuff gets turned off, or you can't add any new stuff.

I agree that mandatory obsolescence is a bad thing, but the first 4G networks went online in 2009 and are now 15 years old. Dropping support for >10-year-old handsets isn't great, but definitely understandable. If you're mad at anyone, it should be the companies who keep selling 3G-only handsets until this very day.

Re: 2.7M Brits still use a 3G only handset

#93

Post by crote »

mobiuscog wrote: post #57
hkt wrote: post #10

The joys of mandatory obsolescence. Forcing handset churn is environmentally irresponsible. Maybe it is time for landlines to get SMS so people don't have to rely on mobile infrastructure? 5am sentiment but it'd be nice.

Landlines are being taken away by 2025.

There are plenty of areas without real landlines already. Maintaining aging copper infrastructure simply isn't worth the money, so your "landline" is now a SIP connection turned into analog by your modem.

Re: 2.7M Brits still use a 3G only handset

#94

Post by pbhjpbhj »

tifik wrote: post #16
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the second any interaction with a public institution mandates some kind of technology, without providing an alternative, I would assume a basic free option would have to be provided to legal resident of such country This is a strange assumption given it has zero historical basis and is, by and large, a modern invention.

Depends on how you define 'technology'. When the government needs you to fill out a form, you can go to their office and they provide the printed form and a pen. Paper and printing are human inventions, therefor I would consider them 'technology' for purposes of this debate. That said, I know it's a bit of a leap from paper to internet access. In my country at least, I can say confidently that there is a law mandatin…

Are things like marriage licenses, driving licenses, registering land ownership, passports all free-gratis to acquire then? Which country?

You can't in general attend government offices in the UK. You can't rock up with your tax return, or apply for a passport, say. You can get paper forms from the Post Office, or sent out from the gov service itself (sometimes, some are digital only) and most libraries (and some other community centres) offer help to access online services.

Re: 2.7M Brits still use a 3G only handset

#95

Post by Symbiote »

> The survey also reveals 13% of people are unaware if their phone actually supports 4G or 5G

Include me in that. I have an old phone with a discount SIM installed. I only use it for certain international calls. Wikipedia and elsewhere describe it as "GSM / HSPA+ / LTE", and then explain that LTE "is also called 3.95G and has been marketed as 4G LTE and Advanced 4G" etc.

Re: 2.7M Brits still use a 3G only handset

#96

Post by NoboruWataya »

fsckboy wrote: post #46
1oooqooq wrote: post #2

a yes, the great tech-poor divide nobody cares when talking about digital central bank currencies or digital government etc.

> the great tech-poor divide nobody cares in the US, mentally ill drug addicted homeless people living on the street generally have smartphones

I suspect that in the developed world age is a better predictor than financial means of whether someone has an internet-connected smartphone, given how cheap smartphones can be these days.

That said, I still think that "freedom from tech" is an important social issue, regardless of how society tends to be divided on it.

Re: 2.7M Brits still use a 3G only handset

#97

Post by Symbiote »

mobiuscog wrote: post #57
hkt wrote: post #10

The joys of mandatory obsolescence. Forcing handset churn is environmentally irresponsible. Maybe it is time for landlines to get SMS so people don't have to rely on mobile infrastructure? 5am sentiment but it'd be nice.

Landlines are being taken away by 2025.

I wasn't aware of this — I don't live in Britain, and wouldn't use a landline if I did — but I will check my parents aren't worried about it. It looks like their existing DECT phone will just plug in to the router.

https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/broadband/article/digital-vo...

Re: 2.7M Brits still use a 3G only handset

#98

Post by wcoenen »

pbhjpbhj wrote: post #87
wcoenen wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Imagine if Apple or Google were retroactively removing a feature. The shitstorm would be outrageous. Is this sarcasm? Just in case it is not: https://killedby.tech/google/

Are any of those examples of removing a feature from a hardware device, which to me seemed to be the point of the parent. They're comparing car entertainment/GPS systems with phones. Maybe 12 years ago, I had a device with sideloading that allowed me to run Plex (genuinely used for photo viewing). NowTV removed side-loading via a forced update and thus removed the principle reason I bought that device rather than ano…

@Longhanks wasn't specifically talking about hardware. They said "Maybe don't try to shut down public services that millions of people actually rely on" and implied Google wouldn't do such a thing.

Google did exactly this when it shut down Google Reader in 2013. Feedly saw an influx of 3 million new users in the two weeks following the shutdown.

https://web.archive.org/web/20170721090528/https://blog.feed...

Re: 2.7M Brits still use a 3G only handset

#99

Post by wkat4242 »

ErneX wrote: post #86
wkat4242 wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah here in Spain too, still can't get 5G on prepay. It's not like it's new anymore.. Pretty annoying. I really don't want a contract.

simyo supposedly will have prepaid 5G by the end of this month.

Ah ok, thanks! Not really a fan of MVNOs though.

But I guess Orange won't be far behind then.

Re: 2.7M Brits still use a 3G only handset

#100

Post by sheepscreek »

It’s a positive thing, tbh. I wish the number was bigger. Our desire to switch to the hottest new thing has a significant environmental impact. People don’t need the fastest available mobile internet for checking mails or streaming videos at 1 Mbps. They don’t need the fastest PCs for using Google docs. We don’t need massive pickup trucks for doing grocery runs or even hauling passengers around. It’s fair for anyone to disagree, but I wanted to put this thought out there.
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