3 X/Net Video Calls - 80p/Min!

[A1c]

Yep that is correct,

From the new 3 UK PDF Price Guide on their site.

3 to 3 (Same Network) Video Calls = 50p/min

3 to UK Mobile Network Video Calls = 80p/min

Video Value bundles include 3 to 3 Videocalls Only.

Makes Vodafone look like a bargain! (35p/min Voda - Voda, 55p/min X/Net)

Not that it''ll be of any consequense to me (as i would'nt be bothered with them - I use MSN) but I suspect we are now begining to see how 3's prices might change to recover the heavy investment and subsidies.

http://www.three.co.uk/BlobServer.srv?blobdir=ImportantDoc&blobfile=Nov04+price+guide%28net%29.v4.pdf

[Looney]

Miffeds cost saving tip -
1) Take 3 poor quality photos of each of the people you are likely to videocall , try and get them to pull a slightly different face on each one

2) When you want to "videocall" them , just make a normal voice call and flick though the 3 pictures repeatedly -

Simple ! save yourself a fortune

80p a minute !!! that has to be the highest UK call charge of ANY operator (?)

[A1c]

80 mins on the phone to the USA (using an override service) or 1 minute's video call to a UK Mobile..... sort of puts it into perspective really!

3 have shot themselves in the foot with this level of charging..... if there was little demand for them before there will be even less now. 3 really know how to promote the technology!

[18736]

LOL

I love reading your posts, 3GSU.

One minute, you write THIS thread:

http://www.3g.co.uk/3GForum/showthread.php?t=10581

Then, you start this new one.

Talk about contradiction. One minute you say they are losing money cos it's so cheap, the next 3 are a rip-off!

Actually, I think 80p is dear myself, but I guess they pitch it, so that people will go on 3 for same network vid-calling. My guess is that vid calling deals are gonna be prevalent very soon. I mean, they've started the ball rolling with the video value add-on, which is a GREAT deal even without the vidcalling and vid messages free. I think there is more to follow...

[A1c]

I DID state that "I suspect we are now begining to see how 3's prices might change to recover the heavy investment and subsidies."

So no contradiction from me at all! As both subjects relate to 3's pricing perhaps the contradictions are of their own making!

Anyway that's kinda put the hammer on the videocalling from 3 then. What a waste subsidising all those e313's and e616's etc to young people who won't be able to afford to use the facilities!

One has to wonder if the pricing and the marketing departments at 3 meet to discuss strategy ever?

[Andy Cripps]

I kind of get the impression that Three were never that bothered about the video calling side of things. I get the feeling that they could do without people clogging up their network by video calling, and would rather people spend cash on their content.

They probably figure that if they price it high enough, then people just wont bother, which saves them the hassle of trying to make it good enough to be useable.

I've tried it a few times, only for the novelty factor. But it's totally unusable for a coherent conversation, the audio sync is way out.

I don't know for sure, but I think it would be the same on most networks. Once the folks on Vodafone have tried it, I'm sure they'll give a similar response.

There seems to be some mileage in video messaging, but not the calling itself. In any case, 80p is pretty damn stupid, which makes me think it's a predetermined move.

[Gunner]

80p is hillarious. I guess it was niave of me to think Three's 50p was going to be a flat rate. Serves as quite a massive deterrent not to videocall xnet - perhaps that's the intention, especially as OFCOM (or whoever) can't touch them yet.