[3GScottishUser]

Vodafone UK is offering all new and upgrading customers to use as much data as they like, for whatever they like, for a three month period. Vodafone’s ‘Data Test Drive’ is designed to give customers the confidence to experiment with their new phone, get to grips with its features and explore all the apps that are available for it.

Data Test Drive is available for pay monthly customers who choose any of Vodafone’s current range of more than 20 smartphones. The first new device to launch on Data Test Drive is the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S, which was launched in the UK first by Vodafone on 30September. Data Test Drive will be available on all future smartphones and can also be enjoyed by enterprise customers on consumer price plans.

Full story: http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/News/12804/Vodafone_offers_new_and_upgrading_customers_three_ month_unlimited_data_deal.aspx

[Hands0n]

I read this yesterday. On the face of it, this sounds like a great deal. But getting into the detail reveals otherwise. All that this is is a means for a customer to work out their current use profile before committing in contract with Vodafone. I suppose it is a start, but it falls a long way short of what is really necessary in the 21st century.

Upon entry to this programme the average Joe is coming from a position of being near-terrified of using mobile data on their smartphone for fear of swingeing fees on their next monthly bill. The operators have already quite competently shown us that they can be highly punitive against anyone going into out of bundle territory. Bills amounting to nothing less than massive fines against the customer are levied and that has drawn a wedge of fear into the psyche of the wise and wary smartphone user.

So, along comes Joe Public, has a stab at the new Data Test Drive that is unlikely to be at all representative of their needs and aspirations. Even if they go nuts in the first three months, they'll get a shock at the proposition that Vodafone will offer them in response. Back to square one! Nothing changed. Take this 500MB and be grateful for it.

I remain cynical of anything that distracts from network operators implementing anything less than dictionary definition unlimited plans. The networks voiced fears that the networks will go into meltdown are entirely specious. The reality of unlimited, as already seen in the fixed line industry, is that 1% of 1% will want to download the entire Internet on a daily basis. The rest of the population of users will balance out favourably to the network operator. The win is that customers will feel at ease using the services for a fixed monthly cost.

Peace of mind and satisfied customers.

[miffed]

I have to say ,I don't get it ?

To me this is Vodafone standing up on a chair in front of a roomfull of potential customers and announcing "Our data offerings aren't going to be adequate for you"

"for a limited time only,we'll give you enough....." seems bizarre to me ?

[Ben]

Also not impressed by this. For some reason this concept of 'unlimited' data for a 'limited' time just for a few months takes me back... I'm not sure whether the proposition just feels dated or whether it has actually been done before.

This is a poor response to Three's unlimited data plans. The point of interest to take away from this is that a response has been necessary at all, adding weight to Three's claims that it's currently taking customers from the other networks with some success.

[3GScottishUser]

On a more positive note, perhaps this is Vodafone putting a toe in the water and if they get a decent response they might just extend the offer.

Have to say I'm not that impressed but I'm equally wary about 3's CEO warning about not being able to cope after 2012 with the bandwidth they have. Not a good omen for a 24 month contract customer. A little of something is better than all of nothing!

[Ben]

Dyson's game of chicken with OFCOM and the government is certainly a risky strategy, but wholly necessary given how the other networks are keen to delay the auction.

Yes, perhaps Vodafone will extend this when they see that unlimited data doesn't mean usage increasing exponentially. There are always a few, of course, who will avail themselves to many gigabytes of transfer each month... time will tell what Vodafone decides to do with them during this 'dipping a toe in the water' exercise.

[Hands0n]

....but I'm equally wary about 3's CEO warning about not being able to cope after 2012 with the bandwidth they have. Not a good omen for a 24 month contract customer. A little of something is better than all of nothing!

But of course its not "nothing" at all. The reality is that Three do not have the network bandwidth to expand their HSPA+ very much more than they have already. But that doesn't mean that HSPA+ will not see them into 2013's deployment of LTE, to which they are committed. Not such a big risk for Three's customers as the operator could always increase the physical number of cell sites if necessary.

Back on topic - Vodafone's move feels quite cynical to me. Why cannot the operator simply bite the bullet and get on with meeting the demand for unlimited. We all know that the actual usage will be far from that which they [at least publicly] fear so much.