Comments on: Would you buy a Peek in Europe?

By: Compravas o Peek para ler apenas os teus e-mails?

Compravas o Peek para ler apenas os teus e-mails? — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:28:01 +0000

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By: leroy

leroy — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:46:00 +0000

I do think that you can add data plan including acceptable roaming volume (for mails) for a cost that is very close to the proposal (I know for sure in UK and France, have to check in Italy and Spain) and this covers also Asia.
If you are travelling and not yet equipped with a smartphone you will probably get one at Christmas.
Bottom line is that it was interesting last year but is condamned given the speed at witch people get equipped with smarthones. On top of that you need the device to be capable to display html and at least pictures if not browsing capabilities given the current content of most mails.

By: Paul RODTS

Paul RODTS — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:54:27 +0000

Yes Martin, of course you are right, but maybe FON can team up with Mobile Vikings to start as a, let’s say, european mobile virtual network operator.
Mobile Vikings is a movement for free internet on mobile phones and FON is a movement that offers free internet access sharing with members.
Free Wi-Fi and Free 3G working together sounds cool for me.

By: Martin Varsavsky

Martin Varsavsky — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:38:40 +0000

Your solution is great except that it only works in Belgium and you had to pay for your phone much more than a Peek.

By: Paul RODTS

Paul RODTS — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:33:13 +0000

I get Gmail on my cheap LG Cookie, which I own, and I use a pre-paid card from Mobile Vikings in Belgium http://www.mobilevikings.be
For each top-up of € 15 : I get 60 minutes talking time, 1000 SMS, both to all Belgian networks AND !!! 1 GB mobile internet.
The Peek is only email and the Cookie can also be used for internet and also as a modem with a computer.
So I use about 200 to 300 MB monthly to check my Gmail and the rest of the 1 GB as mobile surfing while the Cookie is serving as a modem.

By: Diego

Diego — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:02:48 +0000

I’m sure there’s a great market for it in Europe, as you pay only for the mail service, there’s plenty of people that is not likely to use a smartphone. So I think that there’s still space for a device like the Peek in Europe.

Maybe you’ll find this link interesting: http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1126812

By: me

me — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:27:32 +0000

The mobile provider 3 already offers free roaming (voice and data) in all their networks. They currently have networks in: Austria, Italy, Ireland, Sweden, Hongkong (or something like this – not sure if all countries are correct).

By: Tweets that mention Would you buy a Peek in Europe? -- Topsy.com

Tweets that mention Would you buy a Peek in Europe? -- Topsy.com — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:39:27 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Martin Varsavsky and willy, Patrick Zickgraf. Patrick Zickgraf said: Would you buy a Peek in Europe? http://bit.ly/1Xam84 [...]

By: Martin Varsavsky

Martin Varsavsky — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:10:10 +0000

In 1995 I wrote an article that was called the Death of the Minute and I predicted that per minute billing would go away. It mostly did in fixed telephony, but not in mobile in Europe. And roaming in a united Europe is absurd. But it is the sad reality we have and that´s why I thought a roam free email machine could make sense to complement a WiFi offering.

By: Francois

Francois — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:49:02 +0000

It would be better if phone operator would simply drop their ridiculous roaming charges within Europe. I bet the first operator to do that would gain enormous market share, especially if it is based in a country with long and populated borders (yes, I am talking to you France), where mobile users have since the very beginning roaming charges involuntarily.
Of course that would make the Peek redundant, but with smart phones selling strongly, is it a bad thing?