Telecom regulators in 8 countries launch war against smartphones, say consumers require transparency
For a long time Strand Consult has published reports and research notes describing the role of the smartphone in decreasing the quality of mobile coverage. To date most people blame their poor mobile experience on mobile operators and their networks, not the makers of smartphones. However the data is mounting that smartphones are a leading culprit of poor mobile coverage, and telecom regulators are taking action in the public interest. Read our research note about this topic.
Lead by the telecom regulator in Denmark, eight nations have come together on a common approach to the European Union to demand that the challenges faced by consumers with their smartphones be addressed. Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden have made a formal letter to Daniel Calleja Crespo, Director General for Enterprise and Industry of the European Commission, requesting a labeling scheme for receiver performance in mobile phones. Read the call for EU labelling scheme.
Having created a national framework for the deployment of mobile masts, recognizing the role of the smartphone in network experience, and incorporating the antenna studies of Gert Frølund Pedersen at Aalborg University, there is no doubt that Denmark is on the forefront of ensuring quality mobile coverage. Strand Consult is pleased that the debate it created as a result of its report “How mobile operators can reduce cost for mobile masts and improve regulation” has helped political leaders to understand that mobile coverage requires the cooperation of many stakeholders and that poor mobile coverage is not because operators are unwilling to build mobile networks. Read our research note about this topic.
As the regulatory and consumer authorities in eight countries come together to focus on the quality of smartphones, this is an important moment for mobile operators to take note. An EU labeling scheme will have profound implications, enabling consumers and the media to focus on the quality of modern smartphones. This action will likely encourage phone manufacturers to realize the challenges that their phones create on the network and to encourage consumers to choose their smartphones more carefully.
There is no doubt that the modern smartphone is a more complex piece of computer machinery than most people appreciate. Strand Consult’s research note about the Samsung Galaxy S3 highlights some of the challenges that smartphones present to mobile operators and consumers. Read about the 10 things that will give you mobile coverage.
Mobile operators face many challenges as the number of users, smartphones and traffic explode on their networks. Therefore when trying to build and run mobile networks, operators must provide a common framework for the dialogue they need to have with stakeholders including political leaders, regulators, municipalities, site owners, the media, and the public. Learn more about how Strand Consult has helped mobile operators improve the quality of coverage and lower its cost by ordering the report How mobile operators can reduce cost for mobile masts and improve regulation.
