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Guide to SMS and Mobile Data Services:
©1999-2004 Freedom Mobiles Ltd
There are a number of types of data services
on your mobile phone, chances are you already use mobile data without knowing
it! This page explains in a straightforward manner everything you need
to know about data and your phone, no connection charges are applicable
to any of these services, except where explicitly mentioned.
 We
are a Nokia Academy accredited member, this means we have the latest training
and knowledge on Nokia's range of data products. As a trusted Nokia partner
we can advise you on appropriate data solutions and tailor them to your
needs.
Topics:
SMS
| MMS
| Information Services
| Fax & Data |
WAP:
the pocket internet
-
 SMS:
Short
Message Service (Orange Messaging)
-
Used for:
Communicate confidentially with
other Orange, Vodafone, O2, T-Mobile users, you can send and receive text
messages on your phone. You can now send and receive text messages to a
large number of overseas networks. If you are outside the service area,
your message will be sent automatically when transmission is possible...
so delivery is guaranteed. You can even send messages to up to 25 Orange
users simultaneously. SMS can be composed on the screen of your phone and
appear on the recipients phone within seconds, look in your manual for
more information on how to use this service!
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Equipment:
Any current Orange phone can send
and receive SMS by tapping out on the keypad to get each letter, an increasing
number of phones also support Tegic's T9 predictive text input, which means
you can press each key just once to get the letters you need! Available
on lots of new phones, check our complete handset guide for availability.
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Costs:
You pay for each SMS message you
send, check the Orange price plans for the cost on your talkplan
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MMS:
Multimedia Messaging Service
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Also known as:
Picture messaging, photo messaging
or media messaging.
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Used for:
Send messages to another phone
(or email address) containing text, sound, pictures or a mixture of all
three.
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Equipment:
Nearly all new mobile phones include
MMS capability, a few are limited just to receiving such messages, but
most can send them too. A colour display is essential to benefit from the
photo messages you could receive. Although all MMS phones can send picture
messages not all have built in cameras, but those that don't often have
plug in camera accessories for this.
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Costs:
Typically about three times the
cost of a regular text message, but you can reduce this with an allowance
or bundle of inclusive MMS.
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MultiMedia Information Services:
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Used for:
Fast and easy access to a wealth
of useful teletext type information through your phone. Choose from the
latest sports news and results, up to the minute stock prices through to
breaking news flashes or your daily horoscope
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Equipment:
-
Access via the "Informaton" menu on
your phone.
-
Costs:
For financial information the cost
per message received is 29.4p, for all other information the cost is 11.8p
per message delivered
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Used for:
Accessing the internet for email,
web or whatever; sending and receiving faxes; accessing company databases
on the move; whether for business or pleasure. You will need a laptop,
PDA (like Palm or Psion), etc.
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Speed:
GSM networks were originally restricted
to an uncompressed data transfer rate of 9600bps, in August 2000 Orange
launched the first and only high speed circuit switched data service
in the UK, offering the much faster rate of 14400bps (50% faster).
Simultaneously Orange introduced a service (HSCSD) allowing even faster
speeds, up to 28800bps to be achieved by joining together data channels.
Both these faster speeds are available with certain handsets or cards,
and there is no longer an additional subscription fee for this service.
You simply pay as you use!
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9600bps or 14400 bps: nearly all current
Orange handsets can send and receive mobile data or fax at this speed.
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9600/14400/19200/28800bps: look for
a phone which features HSCSD aka "High Speed Data"
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"Always On" Technology:
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GPRS:
Orange
have now launched their packet switched network, offering IP based applications
at speeds up to twice that of existing mobile data connections with normal
phones. Orange is the only UK network to offer both types of high speed
data technology. Initially the benefit of GPRS is "always on" connectivity,
as the data speeds will not be much quicker than the current 14400 bps
maximum. In time though it is expected that these will improve, and at
its peak GPRS can perform even faster than HSCSD. We are already selling
compatible GPRS phones.
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EDGE:
Orange may launch EDGE,
improving both HSCSD and GPRS data rates even further, the only UK network
which has indicated any plans to do so. As so called third generation networks
are not expected to enter service until 2003 or 2004 this is a sensible
move. Even then 3G coverage will be limited to main conurbations for many
years.
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3G / UMTS: Orange has won many
licences across Europe to operate third generation networks, which will
offer mobile-multi-media services. Precise launch dates are impossible
to predict, but don't expect to purchase a 3G phone till Spring 2003 at
the earliest, with some UK networks not launching 3G till 2004. In the
meantime we will see the development of services similar to 3G on new phones.
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Equipment, see the handsets
page for a list of handsets and prices for connectivity, there are different
classes of phone:
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communicator/smartphone: one box
solution for voice and data calls
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e.g. Sony Ericsson P800, Nokia Communicator,
Trium Mondo and O2 xda
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datacard with built in mobile phone
- all in one solution & can only be used in PC Card slots
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integral data via infra-red:
no extra equipment required!
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e.g. Orange SPV, Nokia 5210, 6310i,
8310, 7210, 7650, Panasonic GD87, Sony Ericsson T610
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integral data via bluetooth:
no extra equipment required!
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e.g. Nokia 7650, Sony Ericsson T68,
T610, Philips Fisio 820, Nokia 6310i
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integral data via cable: cable
required
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e.g. Orange SPV, Ericsson T68, Motorola
V66, T720, Nokia 7210, Nokia 6310i
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not data compatible:
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e.g. Nokia 3210 & 3310 & 3330
& 3410 & 3510
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FOR OLDER PHONES, YOU CAN SOMETIMES
ENABLE DATA USING THE FOLLOWING:
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phone and optional software &
cable solution: a "softmodem" is required
to make use of data,
prices from around £50
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phone and optional plug-in infra-red
adaptor (e.g. Ericsson T28)
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Costs:
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No connection charge applies unless
you choose to have Orange Answerfax which can store your faxes if required
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Usage costs are dependent on the
number
you are calling and the talkplan you are on
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All calls charged per second, so unlike
BT and other fixed line networks there is no 5p minimum call charge. This
can make checking and sending email very cost effective over a mobile.
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Please note that data and fax calls
are billed to and come from your line one inclusive minutes
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High speed data (HSCSD) is now available
to all customers with no additional monthly costs, or connection fees.
However, call charges are not the same for connections faster than 14.4kbps.
Check our tariff page for details.
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Assistance:
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To connect to Orange fax and data service you must call 156
to get the service enabled, they will also assist with any software or
set up problems.
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Data Call Charges
Explained in full:
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As long as you have access to an Internet Service Provider
who uses a geographic 01/02 type number, you can, on some tariffs,
use the inclusive minutes from your talkplan for internet
calls at up to 14400bps. (Please note this only applies to old Orange tariffs
up until October 2002, new Your Plan tariffs will charge for all data calls
to any number).
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0845 calls are taken from inclusive minutes only on O2.
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Alternatively you can dial your ISP's
local rate number,
indicated by codes such as 0345, 0645 or 0845, these calls are always chargable
and as such, are never deducted from inclusive talktime. Peak: 11.8p/min
Offpeak: 5.8p/min. Please
let
us know of other ISPs not listed.
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Diverting Data and/or Fax Calls:
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If you want to set up specific divert
settings, as most people will for fax at least then enter the codes below
on your handset, insertaing the appropriate
CODEfor
either data or fax as required.
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CODE:
13 for fax, 25 for data
Divert All Calls (Unconditional): (may be available on your phone's divert menu screen)
To Activate: * * 21 * NUMBER * CODE# [SEND]
To Cancel: # # 21 # [SEND]
To Check: * # 21 # [SEND]
The Conditional Diverts:
No Answer:
To Activate: * * 61 * NUMBER * CODE* * (Time 5 to 30 Seconds) # [SEND]
To Cancel: # # 61 # [SEND]
To Check: * # 61 # [SEND]
Unreachable:
To Activate: * * 62 * NUMBER * CODE# [SEND]
To Cancel: # # 62 # [SEND]
To Check: * # 62 # [SEND]
Engaged:
To Activate: * * 67 * NUMBER * CODE# [SEND]
To Cancel: # # 67 # [SEND]
To Check: * # 67 # [SEND]
To cancel all call divert settings:
# # 002 # [SEND]
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The WAP faq has now been expanded and moved to its own page: here
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