This FAQ attempts to provide answers to questions frequently asked in the newsgroup uk.telecom.mobile.
Version 3.0 onwards is edited by Alex
Procopiou (aetos .AT. despammed .DOT. com)
From version 2.0 it is currently edited by
Scott Allison of Freedom
Mobiles.
A UK based mobile and cordless phone online
retailer.
Contact: scott AT freedom - mobiles . co . uk
Disclaimer: This information has been culled from postings to uk.telecom.mobile, email, and individual research. The editor and the individual FAQ contributors give no guarantees of accuracy.
To provide some measure of protection against Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE), private email addresses have been camouflaged by replacing the "@" sign with ".AT."
Secondly, thanks to Russell Whitworth (russell.AT.anchorag.demon.co.uk) - who was the previous editor of this FAQ.
Thanks in particular to the contributions (intended or otherwise) from:
Q1.2: Where can I advertise my mobile for sale?
Q2.2: Where can I get details of coverage?
Q2.3: How does the network find the mobile phone?
Q2.4: Can I call a UK mobile from overseas?
Q2.41: Help! Is my mobile number changing? UPDATED
Q2.5: How do mobile phones work in tunnels?
Q2.6: How many subscribers do the UK networks have? (UPDATED September 2003)
Q2.7 Hoaxes: "I've heard that pressing 90#....." and "free call codes" (UPDATED November 2003)
Q2.8 Virgin Mobile: are they a mobile phone network?
Q2.9 And what about "Value Telecom", "Telecom Plus" and "C&W Business Mobile" UPDATED
Q2.10 What are the 3rd generation licences about?
Q2.11 What has happened to BT Cellnet and one2one? UPDATED
Q3.2: What is the catch in accepting a "free" mobile phone?
Q3.3: Can I use my SIM in a different phone, and vice-versa? UPDATED
Q3.4: Where can I find out the "secret codes" for my handset?
Q3.5: Where can I get some new tunes for my phone?
Q3.6: I have lost my mobile phone user manual, where can I find a replacement on the web? UPDATED
Q3.7: What are all those locks, PIN, PUK, SP-lock etc?
Q4.2: How can I reduce the cost of running a mobile phone?
Q4.3: What does it cost to call a UK mobile from abroad?
Q4.4: Orange has blocked access to my 0800 calling card. What can I do?
Q4.5: Will Orange really let you have another networks' tariff with the Orange Value Promise UPDATED
Q4.6: Will Orange let you join Virgin OVP with your own phone? UPDATED
Q5.1: When did the analogue networks close?
Q6.2: What facilities are present in GSM handsets to counter theft and cloning?
Q6.3: Can I use a modem with GSM?
Q6.4: How do GSM networks support data calls?
Q6.41: How fast is GSM data? UPDATED
Q6.5: How do I get free calls to the Internet?
Q6.6: How do I convert my full-size SIM to a mini-SIM, and vice-versa?
Q6.7: Can I make emergency calls (112/999) on a phone with no SIM?
Q6.8: How does the "90#" scam work?
Q6.9: What are the area codes shown on Vodafone's Cell Broadcast? UPDATED
Q6.10: What is EFR?
Q6.11: What does EFR cost?
Q6.12: How do I enable EFR?
Q7.2: Which countries can I roam in?
Q7.3: What will I see on the bill for a roamed call?
Q7.4: How does billing for roamed calls actually work?
Q7.5: What is SMS?
Q7.6: How does SMS work?
Q7.7: What does it cost?
Q7.8: What is the SMSC number for my network?
Q7.9: Where can I find information on SMS in the Vodafone literature?
Q7.10: How can I set my mobile's voicemail service to send me an SMS instead of phoning me when I have a message?
Q7.11: How do I make SMS MO work on my Orange JustTalk?
Q7.12: Does SMS work between networks, and whilst roaming?
Q7.13: There are no roaming agreements between UK networks; does this mean I can't send SMS to someone on a different UK network?
Q7.14: Can I send SMS to a personal number?
Q7.15: My friend's phone can receive SMS from network X via SMSC Y but mine can't, even though we're on the same UK network. Why?
Q7.16: How can I send SMS from a normal telephone?
Q7.17: How can I send SMS to someone from the Internet?
Q7.18: How can I arrange to receive SMS from the Internet? UPDATED
Q7.19: Why are people so reluctant to divulge information about SMS Internet gateways on groups like uk.telecom.mobile?
Q7.20: My phone has options for outgoing message format, like Text, X.400 and Fax. What is that all about?
Q7.21: What other services
are available with SMS?
Q7.22: How can I
stop incoming junk ("spam") SMS? NEW
Q7.23: Do
Orange have an SMTP server so that I can send email via GPRS? NEW
Q8.2: Why do some batteries have a switch with a red dot on it?
Q9.2: Do "passive" antennas for vehicles really work?
Q10.2: Do mobile phones interfere with medical equipment?
This group is for the discussion of topics relevant to:-
1) The UK mobile and paging telephone companies (e.g., Hutchison 3G, O2, Vodafone, T-Mobile & Orange). Fixed wireless services (e.g. Ionica, Tele2 & Atlantic Telecom) are NOT mobile.
2) Telephone equipment available for the above networks
UPDATED Advertisements are now
totally not permitted.
The
group's charter may be found at: http://www.usenet.org.uk/uk.telecom.mobile.html
Binaries are not permitted on this group, however references to FTP-able material and Web URLs are allowed.
Readers interested in fixed wireless services, as well as cordless phones, should try uk.telecom instead. Of course there will always be grey areas between the two; but fortunately CT-2 is dead in the UK, so we don't have to quibble about that one!
Twice a year OFTEL conducts independent audited surveys of network quality in conjunction with the four GSM network operators. The latest results can be found on the OFTEL website, as well as historical surveys: Mobile network operators’ call success rate survey
When mobiles move from one location area to another, they will update their VLR and HLR records accordingly.
At regular intervals (typically around 15 minutes) the network will interrogate the phone to check that it is still present. This ensures that the HLR is kept up-to-date.
When a call is made to a mobile, calling signals will be sent out to the location area (not just the individual cell) in which the mobile is currently registered.
Q2.41: Help! Has my mobile number changed? UPDATED
All mobile numbers have an 07 code as of the 30th of September 1999. For some codes this just means inserting a 7 after the leading 0. Some older codes are more radically altered. Parallel running of both the old and new codes took place until 28th April 2001. For more details see: http://www.ukphoneinfo.com/
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end 2003 | Change |
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13,050,000 |
+430,000 |
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13,640,000 |
TM707,000 V506,000 |
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13,650,000 |
+279,000 |
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13,950,000 |
+464,000 |
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N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
210,000 |
N/A |
Q2.7: HOAXES: "I've heard that pressing 90# or 90* on my phone...." and "free call codes" - UPDATED
Q2.8: Virgin Mobile: Are
they a mobile phone network?
In November 1999 Branson launched a new "network", which in fact is a joint venture with T-Mobile, so you get the exact same coverage and capacity as a T-Mobile customer does. Virgin sell their own-branded phones, through their website, call centre, Virgin and Our Price stores. To "cut out the middle man" Virgin only sell them direct, so don't expect your friendly independent dealer to have any! (Though it is worth saying that most good local specialist dealers will be able to explain the pros and cons of the Virgin service compared with others). You will find the Virgin mobile stand next to the cash desk in their record shops. As with any mobile phone deal, potential customers should think carefully about what their usage pattern is likely to be, if you suit the Virgin call charges it may be ideal - but for many customers Virgin will prove to be much more expensive (for example, if most of your calls are to non-Virgin Mobile phones). Look before you leap!
More info: Virgin Mobile
Q2.9: And what about "OneTel Mobile", "NTL Mobile", "BT Mobile", "Fresh" (formerly "Value Telecom"), "Telecom Plus" and "C&W Business Mobile"
In a similar way to Virgin, all of these services are service provider businesses in conjunction with the T-Mobile network, with the exception of OneTel that use Vodafone's infrastructure and NTL Mobile that use Orange's.
Q2.10: What are the 3rd generation licences about?
First came analogue mobile phones, the first generation. Then came GSM, digital. Second generation. Now countries around the world are starting to hand out licences for the 3rd generation networks, which utilise improved technology to give high bandwidth multimedia capable connections to your mobile. In the UK the Government has raked in £22Bn from the auction of third generation frequencies. All the current operators were awarded a licence, and the winner of the largest licence, reserved only for a newcomer was TIW of Canada, who currently own Dolphin the business orientated digital PMR service. However, they have partnered with Hutchison Telecom who will operate the network and will essentially be the licence holders. On the 3rd of April 2003, Hutchison 3G UK Ltd launched their service officially, and the service and company are to be known as just "3". See http://www.three.co.uk/
Q2.11: What has happened to BT Cellnet and one2one?
one2one >>> T-Mobile
On April 18th 2002 one2one formally changed its name to be T-Mobile, to
reflect the new ownership of the company by Deutsche Telekom of Germany. At the
same time the T-Mobile brand name replaces the existing network brand
names in a few other countries. T-Mobile is now being marketed as the
"only transatlantic mobile network" - to emphasises their ownership of
GSM network operators such as Voicestream
in the USA (now all Voicestream services have been rebranded to T-Mobile
USA).
Cellnet >>> BT Cellnet >>> O2
On April 22nd 2002 the network originally know as just Cellnet changed
it's name to O2. The new brand reflects the fact that Cellnet is no
longer a department with BT, it is now a separately quoted company
comprising of 4 international networks. The holding company is mmO2 plc. Other networks
simultaneously rebranded include Digifone in Ireland, Telfort in Holland
and Viag Interkom in Germany. The company seems to have a new
invigorated, independent self, despite the silly name!
UPDATE - BT has recently re-entered the mobile market, by setting up yet another virtual network using T-Mobile's infrastructure. It'll be known as BT Mobile and more information on costs and tariffs can be found at http://www.bt.com/mobile/
In the case of T-Mobile and Orange the manufacturers supply the networks, then the networks (generally) repackage the handsets with network specific documentation, then the networks supply either the dealer directly (if authorised dealer) or supply the dealers via appointed distributors.
In the case of Vodafone and O2, it varies a bit more - the networks don't generally supply handsets at all. Either the dealer buy the handset from the Service Provider, or takes a subsidy commission from the SP and buys their own handsets elsewhere.
Since pre-pay has evolved and now generates approximately 70% of all connections all these handsets are sourced and supplied directly by the network to their distribution channels. The dealer almost never has the choice of handset to supply on pre-pay.
Also, beware of gotchas such as the following:
A 'SIM-lock' is a GSM feature enabling phones to be locked so that they will only accept SIMs from one particular network, or from one particular service provider, or users from one company, or even one particular subscriber.
UPDATED In the UK, Orange and T-Mobile phones have traditionally been locked to SIMs from their respective networks; O2 and Vodafone phones are normally not. However this has changed recently with all pre-pay handsets being locked and all Vodafone Live! handsets.
SIM-locked phones can be unlocked on payment of a fee.
Orange and T-Mobile charge GBP 20 +VAT for unlocking. If you're terminating your contract before the minimum period, they'll also ask you for the rental for all the remaining months of your contract.
If you do not disconnect from their network, you only have to pay for unlocking. Not all Orange and T-Mobile CS representatives understand this.
Iain Harrison (iain.AT.hairydog.clara.net) offers this:
Orange lock their phones to their network, and there are different sorts of SIM. A 2140 SIM won't work in a 5.1 ["Some will, some won't," says George Hills (strowger.AT.ccl4.org)], because Orange introduced a locking system to stop other SPs using Orange-subsidised handsets with 'through SP' SIMs and airtime.
You can switch Orange SIMs between phones of the same SIM phase: I have two 2140s but only 1 SIM, which works fine in either handset.
You can put an Orange SIM into any unlocked GSM phone. I maintain my 2140's SIM directory in my 8110, using the cellular data suite with no problems at all.
Or the following sites direct to your phone via SMS:
| Name | Digits | Location | Purpose |
| PIN | 4-8 | SIM | Owner can prevent unauthorised calls from SIM |
| PUK | 8 | SIM | Resets PIN if you got it wrong 3 times |
| PIN2 | 4-8 | SIM | Owner can restrict use of some features on the phone, such as fixed dialling lists |
| PUK2 | 8 | SIM | Resets PIN2 if you get it wrong 3 times |
| Phone lock | variable | Phone | Model-dependent |
| SP-lock | 10 | Phone | Ties the phone to a particular set of SIM cards |
| "Password" | variable |
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Switch call barring on/off (if supported) |
| Mailbox PIN | 4-10 |
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Protects voicemail |
If you get the PIN wrong 3 times, you require the PUK (Personal UnblocK).
The PUK can be obtained free by calling your service provider (the phone number on your bill). That lets you choose a new PIN.
Do not try and guess the PUK - if you get it wrong 10 times the SIM card will 'commit suicide' and you'll need a new one (chargeable).
For the phone lock, you'll probably need to contact the handset manufacturer and prove you're the legitimate owner. There is usually a factory default but it is user-changeable.
To remove the SP-lock, the easy way is to call the network that sold the phone, pay the fee (see Q3.3). They'll then give you a 10-digit code and talk you through entering it on the keypad.
Contrary to popular belief, in most cases the SP-lock is not derived from the IMEI by means of some secret algorithm, so don't bother asking for it!
For some phone models it is (allegedly) possible to zap the SP-lock by attaching a cable to the phone... for which you will need the services of a dodgy bloke on the Tottenham Court Road (at your own risk!).
What you get is a subsidy-free SIM-only contract, which works out cheaper in most cases than a conventional subscription.
It would be foolish to state that so-and-so does the best deal, as deals can change from week to week. Try a search of uk.telecom.mobile for "SIM only" in message texts and you are likely to find discussions on current deals, etc.
A list of companies offering Free Line Rental/SIM Only Contracts can be found at: http://www.hairydog.co.uk/simonly.html
George Hills offers these suggestions:
Users of Orange may find that they can reduce call costs by using a calling card, or similar service, accessed via an 0800 number.
How this works :
Users of networks which do not allow free calls to 0800 numbers can use a US-based callback service.
How this works :
There are now a plethora of Just Dial equivalents, for a comprehensive summary visit here: http://www.geocities.com/iceburnmarko/telecomuk.html
There are other possible answers to this question (including "talk less"!) which may or may not be added to subsequent versions of the FAQ.
"If you think another popular digital
package from a UK network would suit you better, you can have the
equivalent on
the Orange network. "
Some of the small print: Includes the same charges for international calls, answerphone services, itemised billing, non-direct debit payments and other aspects of the package. Orange Care (Insurance & Warranty with 24 hour express replacement) is not included, but can be purchased for just £5 per month. Orange do not match other networks features, coverage, or replacement phone schemes. They are matching only the tariff. As a bonus, as an Orange customer, you will receive Network Performance Promise, Rollover Minutes (if applicable), Orange Everyphone (although this is set to be discontinued on 1st October 2003 for personal and small business customers) and the option to use Line Two, etc.
Orange seem perfectly happy with the figures from the Value Promise, they claim they make more money out of such customers, their interpretation of this is that it just proves what good value Orange tariffs are!
Q5.1: When did the analogue networks close?
DCS, or DCS-1800, is an extension to the GSM specification that allows it to be used at 1800 MHz.
PCN, standing for "Personal Communications Network", was a term used by the Department of Trade and Industry when they issued licences for the 1800 MHz band in the UK. The two resulting PCN networks (Orange and T-Mobile) used the DCS-1800 specification, with minor modifications in the case of Orange.
PCS, or "Personal Communications System", is a North American term, usually referring to the 1900 MHz spectrum auctioned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) during 1994-96. Some PCS networks are based on a North American variant of the GSM specification, initially called PCS-1900. Other PCS networks use CDMA and other standards.
ETSI now encourages the use of the generic term GSM, for all networks based on the GSM specification. Where it is necessary to differentiate between the flavours of GSM, the following terms are preferred:
GSM-400: GSM at 450 MHz, a migration path for some European operators still operating NMT analogue networks
GSM-900: GSM at 900 MHz, including O2 and Vodafone
GSM-1800: GSM at 1800 MHz, (aka DCS, DCS-1800, PCN) including Orange and T-Mobile
GSM-1900: GSM at 1900 MHz, aka N.American PCS-1900.
Just to keep ETSI happy, this FAQ uses "GSM" to include all of the above.
GSM is usually encrypted on the air-interface.
Robin Fairburns writes:
The security applies to the air path between the mobile and the base station ... and it's not as strong as they would like you to believe -- someone with the sorts of resources that GCHQ has can crack it in some modest number of minutes. If you think about it for a moment or two, you'll realise that the only way you could have an encrypted path right the way to the receiving telephone would be if that had decryption capability. On the whole, I would prefer a mobile that let me call anyone to one that was "in principle" totally secure.
It'll deter the casual idiot with his scanner, however.
A modem is a device for converting digital information into an analogue wave-form for transmission (normally) over the telephone network.
GSM networks send all information in digital form, so there is no need for a modem.
But why wouldn't one work? Why not simply connect a modem into the GSM phone's audio circuitry and let it reconvert the analogue signal into digital form?
The reason is that a very clever speech coding algorithm is used in GSM. It has to be clever, in order to squeeze intelligible speech into 13 kbit/s. The coding scheme is called Regular Pulse Excitation-Long Term Prediction (RPE- LTP). RPE-LTP only works because speech contains a lot of redundant information, so a lot of the signal can be thrown away. Subjecting a non-speech signal (like a modem tone) to RPE-LTP will result in a distorted mess.
Try listening to music via a GSM phone... pretty unmusical, isn't it?
So in theory it won't work. In practice, there are unconfirmed reports of some success by strapping an acoustic coupler to a one-2-one phone. But these reports remain unconfirmed, despite numerous challenges on uk.telecom and uk.telecom.mobile.
Confusingly many handset manufacturers now refer to their mobile data accessories as being modems, or soft-modems. These are not really modems as such, but to the user perform the job which they are expecting. i.e. sending and receiving data from their mobile phone.
Some data-enabled phones need a matching PCMCIA card in the PC. Some emulate a modem in the phone, and connect to the PC using a normal RS-232 cable. Some need proprietary software in the PC to do this. e.g. Smart Cellect for some Motorola phones and Datasuite for some Nokia phones.
Q6.41: How fast is GSM data? - UPDATED
Currently the fastest uncompressed data transfer rate is 9600bps, generally this is adequate for sending and receiving simple emails.
The next step is to upgrade networks to support 14400bps, on a single channel. A 50% increase! This is now available from Orange, but you will need a compatible phone to use this rate, the first of which was the Nokia 7110.
Orange is also the only UK network to offer HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data) at this time, and by combining channels together achieves connection rates of up to 28800bps. A number of devices supports this including the Nokia Cardphone 2, Nokia 6210, Ericsson T39 and Ericsson T68.
Not all operators will offer either 14400bps or HSCSD, some preferring to wait until the next stage.
Packet Switched Data (GPRS):
During 2002 all UK operators are introduced GPRS technology, an "always-on" data connection. You pay per amount of data sent/received rather than time connected. Up and download speeds are in excess of current rates and can deliver speeds of up to 40kbps. It is a shared service, so you can get a lot less than this. Vodafone, Orange and O2 have launched their GPRS service. T-Mobile's network now fully supports GPRS too.
Paul Mansfield (paulm.AT.motiv.co.uk) writes:
If you have a small sim, you get an adaptor card with it to allow it to be used in a big... this can be used as a stencil/template to mark the wanted area on a large sim to cut it.
However, you'll have to try this at your own risk, but I think with care it should be fairly safe... check the big sim first to make sure you're only cutting away cardboard or plastic!
For the reverse operation, you sellotape the smaller SIM into its original large card, or you get hold of a third party adaptor card.
One cellsite may broadcast more than one home area code - and conversely there may be many cellsites in any one home area code.
The codes are now only of use:
EFR requires an EFR-capable handset and an EFR-capable network.
Half Rate (HR) also exists, aimed at increasing network capacity by reducing the bandwidth required for a speech connection. But it has not been deployed other than in limited trials, as the quality isn't as good. Confusingly, the French market EFR as HR (which is the abbreviation for Hi-Fi in French).
EFR requires more processing in the handset, and can marginally reduce battery life.
See the "further information" at the end of this FAQ for the URLs of operators' roaming information.
Many parts of the USA and Canada have GSM but it is at 1900 MHz, not 900 or 1800 MHz as used in the rest of the world. This means you need a different single band phone, or triband phone into which you can place your existing SIM card.
You can either buy a 900/1900 dual-band phone in the UK (e.g. the Ericsson T28 World or Nokia 8890), or one way or the other obtain an unlocked GSM-1900 phone. Dealers in the UK and in North America have phones available to rent.
The situation in 2003 is that nearly all manufacturers offer tri-band handsets, including Nokia, Ericsson and Motorola. This offers the most convenient way to roam internationally regardless of where you are.
If buying 2nd-hand (e.g. on http://www.ebay.com), be aware that most US phones are SP-locked, and hence your SIM may not work.
The North American GSM Alliance offers assistance with international roaming:
The Orange network in Australia is operated by Hutchison Telecom of Hong Kong, and it uses a CDMA network - currently completely incompatible with GSM. So even though you see adverts and posters for Orange in Oz your UK Orange phone won't work!
SMS information beyond the scope of this FAQ can be found at http://www.btinternet.com/~mrbush/
Most GSM handsets can also send SMS messages; this is called SMS Mobile Originated (SMS MO). The message is composed by tapping it out on the keypad (e.g. pressing "777" for the letter "R") and sent to the SMSC through the network control channels. The SMSC is identified by its service centre number, which is set in the SIM card. This is just like a normal phone number and should be in international format starting with +44. There are usually just one or two SMSC numbers for each network.
O2 Callback: Dial 901; when answered, press * for the menu, then 8, then 6
Orange: handsets are already modified to use a special SMS for this purpose
In most cases, you can use your own service provider's SMSC even if you are roaming abroad.
Vodafone offer a service to send a limited range of messages from an ordinary touch tone phone. Call 07785 490 490 and follow the prompts.
In the opposite direction, it is possible to send an email from SMS, at http://www.excell.to/ This is free apart from the normal SMS cost. Unfortunately some UK networks are now blocking SMS to this gateway, Vodafone is one of them.
(Thanks to David Crooke for his major
contribution to the SMS questions and answers)
Q7.22: How
can I stop junk ("spam") incoming SMS? NEW
These falsely inform recipients that they have either won a certain
amount of money or a holiday. In many cases, such messages may
claim that the company concerned tried to contact the mobile user on
several occasions. In most cases these messages may contain a premium
rate number and invite the customer to call it.
Vodafone have just introduced a service that enables their customers
to report junk or spam SMS messages. Vodafone customers should
forward the offending message to shortcode: 87726, free of charge.
Other mobile networks' customers may contact the Telephone
Preference Service (http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/) which will attempt to remove
the customer's mobile number from marketing databases. ICSTIS (http://www.icstis.org/) may also be
contacted if a premium rate number (beginning 09) was included in the
offending message.
Q7.23: Do
Orange have an SMTP server so that I can send email via GPRS? NEW
Yes.
Orange customers should use smtp.orange.net
as their outgoing mail server or SMTP server when connected via Orange's
GPRS service. Other operators may have similar services, although
currently this information is specific to Orange in the UK.
Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) came next. These store 30-50% more energy density than NiCd, but the price is also higher. The charge/discharge cycle is essentially the same as NiCd.
Lithium ion (Li-ion) cells are the most recent, offering the highest energy densities, but at a price. Charging is complex in order to prevent cell degradation or explosion (in the 70s the police tried using Lithium cells in their handheld PMR sets. They were discontinued due to explosions on chargers in police stations!). Charging requires low constant current at the start, followed by high constant current. Cell voltage rises exponentially and just before full charge the power supply has to be switched from constant current to constant voltage. Charge current then decreases exponentially and after a pre-determined time charging is terminated. Oddly Ericsson have never produced Lithium-Ion cells for any of their phones, they wanted to wait for the next type:
Lithium Polymer: very, very expensive, but very light and thin. If anyone knows the story of Li-Polymer please let me know. The main benefit of these is the material can be shaped in many different ways, so no longer ties down handset manufacturers to battery cells of certain dimensions.
To date, public concerns about potential health risks have had relatively little impact on the mobile communications industry. However, upcoming legal action in the US could have a drastic effect. Cases such as: cellphones causing brain tumours, mobile industry failing to undertake adequate research on health issues, mobile industry making fraudulent claims that phones are safe and the industry performing illegal human testing are some examples coming to court.
Most studies to date have not found evidence that normal levels of mobile phone use cause cancer. Other studies (currently in the minority) claim that a link exists. But it will always be very difficult if not impossible to prove that mobile phones are completely safe; no amount of studies producing negative results can conclusively prove the case.
An excellent source of further information on
this topic is the UK
National Radiological Protection Board or UK
Federation of the Electronics Industry. There is also a useful but
somewhat US-oriented FAQ at http://www.mcw.edu/gcrc/cop/cell-phone-health-FAQ/toc.html
In addition to the scientific studies looking
at the health issue, Operators also need to tackle the perception
of risk, i.e. the process of explaining to customers the results of
studies to date.
UPDATED More
information may now be obtained from a study conducted by the UK
Government entitled The Stuart Report - http://www.iegmp.org.uk/.
See http://www.medical-devices.gov.uk/mobile.htm
Orange users mailing list - visit http://www.listman.net/orange/
to subscribe or change your options. There is an archive at the same
location, but the egroups archive at http://www.egroups.com/list/Orange/
is more mature. The list is "closed" and therefore only subscribers can
post to it.
UPDATED The Three users mailing list - see http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/three/
The Nokia Communicator mailing list is for the users of the Nokia Communicator family of handsets. It is intended to provide a forum where owners (and future owners) can discuss any aspect of this tool. To subscribe to the list, visit: http://www.listman.net/9000/
Here are some phone numbers of UK mobile operators:
From version 2.0 it is currently edited by
Scott Allison of Freedom
Mobiles
A UK based mobile and cordless phone online
retailer.
Contact: scott AT freedom - mobiles . co . uk