Hands0n
24th November 2009, 07:36 AM
Here we go again ... or do we?
There is a new kid in town, Giff Gaff (http://giffgaff.com/) is an MVNO built on O2's network that promises some bold things. Tariffs are not out yet, but the headline that this is a SIM-only deal that offers 100MB data per day for the first six months.
Will this promotional model work (it has a definite feel of Amway (http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article2951266.ece) about it)? Who knows. Are we to be assaulted by all of our friends, family and workmates promoting Giff Gaff next year?
Arriving at platform 9 on 25th November Giff Gaff looks somewhat interesting.
There are far more telcos in the UK than you might think. T-Mobile, Vodafone, Orange, O2 and 3 trip off the tongue, but you'd be forgetting the 'virtual telcos' such as Virgin, Tesco and even IKEA who run off their backs - and the latest entry could be the quirkiest yet...
'Giff Gaff' launches tomorrow and is marketing itself as a 'people-powered' network. What this means is it will ask people to promote the network in exchange for free minutes, texts and data. All promotional options will be found at giffgaff.com/tools with the network claiming 'VIG' members (Very important Giffgaffer - yep, it went there) can get their entire mobile usage free each year (excl. roaming and international calls).
"Involving customers in a two-way dialogue is at the forefront of what we want to do," said Giff Gff CEO Mike Fairman. "We've already seen positive engagement with people and great interest in our model. "
So what's behind the promotional message? At this moment not a lot. What we do know is encouraging: the network is sim only so there are no long term contracts or messy handset subsidies to worry about. For the first six months all Giff Gaff users will get free data up to an impressive 100MB per day (more than Orange gives its iPhone subscribers) and money earned by users can be paid either against their mobile bill, directly to them in cash or donated straight to charity.
On the downside, Giff Gaff has yet to reveal its standard minutes and text prices (it will need to be good to tempt users away from more established networks) and its virtual network partner is O2 which has suffered more than its fair share of troubles this year (though £500m of network investment is on its way).
Yes, it all sounds a little bonkers to me, but in an ever more self obsessed, self promotional age the Giff Gaff business model might just work...
Source: http://www.trustedreviews.com/mobile-phones/news/2009/11/24/New-Sim-Only--People-powered--Network-Hits-UK/p1
Link to Giff Gaff: http://giffgaff.com/
There is a new kid in town, Giff Gaff (http://giffgaff.com/) is an MVNO built on O2's network that promises some bold things. Tariffs are not out yet, but the headline that this is a SIM-only deal that offers 100MB data per day for the first six months.
Will this promotional model work (it has a definite feel of Amway (http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article2951266.ece) about it)? Who knows. Are we to be assaulted by all of our friends, family and workmates promoting Giff Gaff next year?
Arriving at platform 9 on 25th November Giff Gaff looks somewhat interesting.
There are far more telcos in the UK than you might think. T-Mobile, Vodafone, Orange, O2 and 3 trip off the tongue, but you'd be forgetting the 'virtual telcos' such as Virgin, Tesco and even IKEA who run off their backs - and the latest entry could be the quirkiest yet...
'Giff Gaff' launches tomorrow and is marketing itself as a 'people-powered' network. What this means is it will ask people to promote the network in exchange for free minutes, texts and data. All promotional options will be found at giffgaff.com/tools with the network claiming 'VIG' members (Very important Giffgaffer - yep, it went there) can get their entire mobile usage free each year (excl. roaming and international calls).
"Involving customers in a two-way dialogue is at the forefront of what we want to do," said Giff Gff CEO Mike Fairman. "We've already seen positive engagement with people and great interest in our model. "
So what's behind the promotional message? At this moment not a lot. What we do know is encouraging: the network is sim only so there are no long term contracts or messy handset subsidies to worry about. For the first six months all Giff Gaff users will get free data up to an impressive 100MB per day (more than Orange gives its iPhone subscribers) and money earned by users can be paid either against their mobile bill, directly to them in cash or donated straight to charity.
On the downside, Giff Gaff has yet to reveal its standard minutes and text prices (it will need to be good to tempt users away from more established networks) and its virtual network partner is O2 which has suffered more than its fair share of troubles this year (though £500m of network investment is on its way).
Yes, it all sounds a little bonkers to me, but in an ever more self obsessed, self promotional age the Giff Gaff business model might just work...
Source: http://www.trustedreviews.com/mobile-phones/news/2009/11/24/New-Sim-Only--People-powered--Network-Hits-UK/p1
Link to Giff Gaff: http://giffgaff.com/